Summary
- Like a Dragon Gaiden successfully uses asset reuse to create a nostalgic and bittersweet atmosphere for Kiryu's journey in Sotenbori.
- The recycling of minigames, such as Pocket Circuit and Karaoke, adds to the nostalgia and storytelling of Gaiden's gameplay experience.
- Familiar movesets and Heat Actions from past games make a comeback in Gaiden, showcasing the success of asset reuse in creating a sense of continuity and homage to the series.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name continues a long line of series titles by RGG Studio, tasked with being one of the final farewells of Kiryu's journey. Like a Dragon Gaiden was developed in only six months, due in part to its beginnings as a DLC, though it's primarily through its use of the Dragon Engine and recycling of existing assets that the team was able to deliver in such a short amount of time. While asset reuse has been construed by some as negative or "lazy," RGG shows that the approach works as both a clever and sustainable part of the company's game design philosophy.
Like a Dragon Gaiden sees the return of Kiryu as he navigates the life of a dead man. Operating under the Daidoji Faction, Kiryu's story quickly entangles back into his past, pulling him into the plight of the Yakuza's Omi Alliance. Though Gaiden introduces a number of new features, including an Agent Style moveset and an "immersive" Cabaret experience, much of its experience brings the series' nostalgia front and center, making its asset reuse all the more relevant.
How the Like a Dragon Series Succeeds At Recycling Environments, Animations, Minigames, and More
The Streets of Sotenbori
Though Sotenbori has made numerous appearances across the series, the ability to make its environment feel fresh comes in RGG's use of side quests and story. Gaiden introduces the Akame Network for this, as Akame, whose role bears resemblance to Kamurocho's Florist of Sai, uses her network of homeless around the city to keep updated on those needing assistance. While Kiryu traverses the city in search of helping others and recruiting members to the Joryu Clan, the lens of the environment shifts to accommodate his perspective. As a character who begins Gaiden's story as understandably resigned and nihilistic given his circumstances, returning to Sotenbori provides a nostalgic lens that feels bittersweet in his journey.
From walking past Club Four Shine to hearing the sounds of beating drums on Sotenbori Street, there's something comforting in the context of Kiryu's story about a location that has largely remained the same, despite all the trials the character has gone through. The use of nostalgic locations extends to some of Gaiden's Coliseum's arena battles as well, like the feature of the Tojo Clan Headquarters and the rooftop of Millennium Tower. While the Dragon Engine of RGG games has made its most recent titles more beautiful than ever before, the familiarity of its sound design and setting shows how to successfully iterate on the structures of its past.
Turning Asset Reuse Into Nostalgia
Minigames are a quintessential part of the Like a Dragon experience, and Gaiden is no exception in this case. From the SEGA Arcade's UFO Catcher to Mahjong and Karaoke, the recycling of the series' minigames is a formula that has succeeded throughout the years. Gaiden plays on the nostalgia of its minigames especially well through the return of Pocket Circuit, the toy-racing car game that first enamored Kiryu in Yakuza 0. In the case of Gaiden's Karaoke, the reuse of certain songs on its set list even makes contextual sense for its story, as Kiryu reminiscing on his friendship with Nishiki through "Tonight" feels more dower considering his loneliness.
Familiar Heat Actions and Moves
The success of asset reuse can also be applied to the series' movesets and Heat Actions. The Like a Dragon games have been highly adept at crafting movesets for its characters that imbue them with a sense of their personality. From Majima's Slugger and Breaker Styles in Yakuza 0 to Akiyama's kick-based combos in Yakuza 4, the ways in which the series' protagonists and bosses approach combat help give a sense of who they are. Taking small slices of these movesets and reintegrating them with other characters, however, still works surprisingly well.
Kiryu's Yakuza moveset in Gaiden, for example, includes a Breaker Style recovery move that directly references the fighting style of the 80s, working as a nostalgic nod to the past of Yakuza 0. Players will also notice familiar Heat Actions throughout the series in Gaiden that work within this versatility; the Photon Blade of the Coliseum's Gold Sponsored Match, for example, uses the same animation of swords like the Sakura Storm in its Heat Action, demonstrating the reuse of past animation templates. The Coliseum's return of character designs, movesets, and even voice lines from across the series through Hell Team Rumble's roster cements this nostalgia in both a sustainable and fun homage to its past, making Like a Dragon Gaiden another case of RGG's success in asset reuse.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- November 9, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
- Engine
- Dragon Engine
- Franchise
- Yakuza
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
