The Yakuza series is a sprawling franchise that doesn’t limit itself to just one genre. In fact, the games are so different from one to another that it feels like you’re playing an entirely different series at times. At its core, though, the general feel and thematic quality are what brings all these titles together.
There are a lot more spin-offs than fans even know about, as many of these have been released to greater scales in Japan than they are available worldwide. Still, those who enjoy the series not only deserve to know how many spin-offs are there but also which ones stand out as being the best of the rest.
9 Like A Dragon Online
It’s difficult to understand just what the heck this game is supposed to be. Basically, all one has to do is look at a bunch of enemies turning up onscreen and attack them until they’re beaten up. The game is extremely restrictive, in that there’s only one camera point of view and pretty much one attack.
Although it features a storyline, it easily gets lost in the repetition of the gameplay as players will find this a tedious task from start to finish. Not to mention the weird characters to be found and total lack of surprises that means Like a Dragon Online is better left avoided altogether.
8 Yakuza: Dead Souls
This one took a big turn away from the series norm by making it out to be a survival horror game. The aim is to take out zombies in the Yakuza setting and is quite similar to other titles in this genre. The downside is that it suffers from a lack of personality.
The game plays like your average shooter, with little imagination going into the combat mechanics. It’s interesting to play as four protagonists in separate chapters but also costs the game its pacing power since a new chapter resets the events.
7 Streets Of Kamurocho
Another attempt at bringing a different side to the Yakuza series, Streets Of Kamurocho is most definitely fun in how it doesn’t take itself seriously. The game places the streets in a 2D backdrop as the genre it belongs to is beat-em-up and the aim is to fight enemies as they keep turning up.
The game is a fun callback to older times where side-scroller titles were the norm and also utilizes the Yakuza series’ trademark backdrop. Of course, this also means it’s not really possible to consider this as a valid entry since things are smaller in scale and never kick into overdrive.
6 Black Panther 2: Like A Dragon Ashura Chapter
While an entertaining feature, this spin-off is a bit too similar to its predecessor to feel like a new game. It has a little more variety in general gameplay but the overall presentation and combat are pretty much along the same lines as before.
Due to this, Black Panther 2: Like A Dragon Ashura Chapter is both an entertaining affair and an unoriginal one whose fun factor depends on how much gamers enjoyed the original spin-off. It’s by no means a bad game, though, and can offer a good few hours of fun.
5 Fist Of The North Star: Lost Paradise
A far more versatile game than most of the other spin-offs, Fist Of The North Star: Lost Paradise is an entry in the RPG genre that allows players to indulge in this world for longer than the general Yakuza game. It’s also a big change from the norm since it’s set in a post-apocalyptic Earth in an alternate timeline.
Interestingly, the game is far from the dystopian affair the setting makes it out to be, as there is plenty of comedy to be found here. Gameplay is your standard beat-em-up but is actually a notch lower than other titles since there are too many quick-time events and minigames in place.
4 Black Panther: Like A Dragon New Chapter
A straight-up beat-em-up found on the PSP, this game is nevertheless a lot of fun to engage in. That’s because it eliminates the fluff involved with roaming around or finding your bearings in combat in favor of delivering a traditional one-on-one contest against enemies.
Due to this, Black Panther: Like A Dragon New Chapter feels refreshing and not a waste of time. It has its own flashy material that retains the heart of the Yakuza theme, although it does suffer somewhat from not being a full-fledged title with a deeper story.
3 Like A Dragon Arrives!
Set centuries in the past, Like A Dragon Arrives! is a hack-and-slash game that diverts greatly from the series formula. It still has its own entertainment value as hacking away at enemies feels liberating since that’s something that isn’t an option in the mainline Yakuza series.
Due to the presence of multiple fighting techniques, players can choose which method suits them best and have at a multitude of foes that turn up onscreen. Even the period setting manages to pique interest, although it gets a little cartoonish in places.
2 Like A Dragon: Restoration!
Another title in the hack-and-slash genre, the why Like A Dragon: Restoration! excels is due to the story being rich in quality. Set almost two centuries prior to the present day, it is a tale of the protagonist proving themselves by becoming the master of their craft.
Gameplay is meant to portray the journey of evolution for the main character, as abilities take a jump as you progress through the story. The hack-and-slash elements are toned down to make the story come across as more serious than earlier entries, which allows the player to take it all in without compromising on quality.
1 Judgment
The location is the same as the Yakuza series but Judgment feels like its own entity. Unlike other spin-offs, it has a very rich story and a protagonist who doesn’t come across as an interchangeable character. A mystery feature at its heart, it’s a lot of fun to uncover hidden clues to get closer to the heart of the matter.
The gameplay sticks close to the classic action format, imbued with the over-the-top mannerisms found in the Yakuza series. With stealth also an option, there’s a lot to find engaging in this game as it takes on its own identity.