With new Yakuza games–or Like a Dragon, as the series will use that title going forward–on the way, now is an excellent time to check out Sega’s long-running series. If you want a mix of crime, drama, and brutal action set in the heart of the Japanese underworld, you can save big on the various entries in this series over at Fanatical. If you’re looking to check out the saga of Kazuma Kiryu and you have several hundred hours to spare, these are gripping games that expertly balance storytelling with action.
Even better, spending $10 or more on a single order will earn you a free mystery game from Fanatical, so you might want to go for multiple purchases instead of one big basket of Yakuza games to maximize your bonuses. If you’re looking to just dip your toes into the franchise, you can’t go wrong with Yakuza 0. A prequel to the mainline series and widely regarded as one of the best in the franchise, Yakuza 0 charts the early days of Kiryu and also spends an equal amount of time following his rival Majima as the two get swept into a conspiracy revolving around a mysterious plot of land, murder, and feuding gangs.
The two Yakuza Kiwami games are also fun titles to pick up, as these two are remakes of the first two Yakuza games. Boasting more-modern visuals and a few other updates, these are lengthy adventures with plenty of action to engage in. Yakuza 3,4, and 5 are remasters of the older games, and while they do show their age in their gameplay, they still hit that sweet spot for thrilling narratives and action. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life was originally meant to wrap up the story of Kiryu, and it certainly did, for a while.
However, the character made a cameo in Yakuza: Like a Dragon–a shift to turn-based RPG gameplay with a new protagonist in the form of Ichiban Kasuga–and this month he’ll star in Like a Dragon: Gaiden. Expect Kiryu’s story to reach its conclusion in next year’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, as the Dragon of Dojima battles Hawaiian gangs and a terminal case of cancer.
Lastly, you can also get a great discount on the two Judgment games. These spin-offs are focused on Takayuki Yagami, a former lawyer and private investigator who cracks skulls in this legal thriller that also has detective elements. While they are similar to the Yakuza games, the Judgment games have darker stories that weave investigative sleuthing, noir narratives, and bone-crunching combat into an effective package.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
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