

Where Yakuza originally started, all the way back in 2005, but remastered! Yakuza Kiwami kicks off with our boy Kiryu as he takes the fall for the murder of a crime boss to protect his sworn brother, Nishikiyama. Yakuza Kiwami What is it? A remake of the original Yakuza from 2005 Yakuza 0 isn't only an essential game, it's the essential grounding in Yakuza you need to move forwards into the rest of the series. Majima's story is particularly special, as he's the strongest personality of the two, whose jaunts around Sotenbori (based on Osaka's Dotonbori) evolve into a tragic tale of loyalty and love. While the game's story is admittedly a slow-burn, once it gets going, you won't be able to put it down. The game sees you flit between two storylines, that of a young Kiryu and a young Majima, both of whom see themselves plunge deeper and deeper into the Yakuza's murky underbelly. Shakedown, Pocket Circuit Fighter, the list goes on. Why? Because it's two origin stories wrapped up in a 1980s Kamurocho that overflows with the mightiest minigames, and easily the series' most iconic characters: Mr. Not only is Yakuza 0 the best Yakuza game, it's the one you should start with. Where can I get it? Steam, Game Pass, Humble Yakuza 0 Image credit: Sega What is it? A prequel to the original Yakuza
#Is like a dragon ishin canon full
So read on below for our full order ranking, which details where they sit in the series as a whole, and how they stack up to the other Yakuza games. And crucially, over the course of Kiwami 2, then 3, and so on, you won't ever question yourself, like, "Am I missing something here?" Then, as you move into Yakuza Kiwami (a remaster of the first game released in the series), you'll fully comprehend the magnitude of everyone's actions. This is the approach I took, and I'm glad I did! With Yakuza 0, you begin with arguably the best game in the entire series, all while gaining an invaluable grounding in main-man Kiryu's origin story. Ultimately, Yakuza's ongoing story threads and recurring cast of characters do make this a series best played in chronological order. Personally, I'd say this is best played at the end of your Yakuza journey, but you can also easily hop into it at any point and still have a good time. A lot of its all-star cast are handpicked from Yakuzas 0-6, though, so some of its references might be lost if you're coming in fresh. It's also going to serve as the foundation for Like A Dragon 8, which is coming out in 2024.Īlternatively, if you're a real chronology buff, then you should probably start with Like A Dragon: Ishin!, which is a standalone story set several hundreds years before the mainline series. There's certainly something to be gained from having played all the other Yakuza games first, if only to appreciate the sweeping changes it makes to the series, but it's still a great entry point regardless. It features a whole new cast of characters, too, so you won't miss out on any major story beats. It's very much a clean-break from the mainline Yakuza series and takes place after the events of Yakuza 6. If the thought of catching up on seven Yakuza games fills you with dread, Yakuza: Like A Dragon is your next-best starting option. In fairness, there are two other options you can take. Start with Yakuza 0, then work your way through them (mostly) chronologically like so: In my humble opinion, the best way to get into Yakuza is from the very beginning, even if it's a long road. What order should you play the Yakuza games? But if you're someone who hasn't got the time to do so, or you're a bit unsure whether Yakuza is for you, then there's another way in. To experience the series in the richest way possible, there's an obvious answer. Like clockwork, it happens whenever a new Yakuza (or Like A Dragon, as it's now known) game arrives.

I see the question, "What order should I play the Yakuza games in?" pop up on the reg.
