Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Reviews

While The Man Who Erased His Name is a very safe Like A Dragon experience, longtime fans are sure to relish its smaller scope and renewed focus on Kiryu. It might lack some of the suspense and unpredictability of prior entries, but more than makes up for it in its more intimate exploration of one of the most legendary characters in gaming.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a throwback and a step forward, putting a potential end to what came before on the way to something new. As it does so, it is a shorter, but still truly excellent example of everything that has made the Like a Dragon series so great for so many years.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name retains the quality of the series, even with a shorter story, and runs fantastically on the Steam Deck.

The smaller map and approximately 15-hour runtime make for a pleasantly compact experience, which honestly comes as a bit of a relief in a year so filled with great (and long) games. I’m used to 30+ hour Like a Dragon games, so having this smaller sequel between big entries that brings the focus back to Kiryu briefly has been very welcome.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is smaller than your average game in the series but still delivers an emotional punch of a story with plenty of great content to enjoy.

A lighter, leaner Yakuza game but one that hits just as hard with its story and combat.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a masterful entry in the franchise, and only makes me crave even more from the series.

With that main course being the old guard rubbing shoulders with the new, I’m looking forward to seeing these guys interact when Infinite Wealth eventually drops. The story isn’t perfect, but still spins a tale worthy of the Dragon of Dojima. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may be a shorter game, but there’s a surprising amount of depth in that brevity. It’s been a good year for Like a Dragon, and a game that celebrates their leading man like this is worthy of your t...

It amazes me how the borderline industrial output of Yakuza/Like a Dragon games does not generate fatigue. Despite having played more than a dozen games in the franchise over the past six years or so, I keep asking for more, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio rarely disappoints. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was a game where I didn’t know exactly what to expect. When this spinoff was turned from DLC add-on to a full-fledged (and fully priced) title, I was worried it would suffer f...

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is the quickest Yakuza game ever, and in 2023, that is exactly what is needed. Fans of the series can pick it up and breeze through in a weekend.

Though treading over familiar ground, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name holds enough payoffs and enjoyable moments to make this shorter trip an emotionally worthwhile one.

When the issues of a game are rolled and stomped by its greatness, then it’s something to invest in if you have some spare.

A beautiful swansong for the Dragon of Dojima, but clearly not intended for newcomers to the series.

Kazuma Kiryu returns for yet another action-packed adventure - but after his perfect sendoff in Yakuza 6, is this a story that really needed telling?

For a former yakuza chairman presumed to be dead on more than one occasion, Kazuma Kiryu does a terrible job of staying dead. His inclusion as a major ally during Kasuga Ichiban’s introductory adventure was a memorable highlight for the Dragon Quest-themed spinoff that just doesn’t have the same impact for those who didn’t play the prior Yakuza 6: Song of Life (and did you ever notice just how easy his fight was if you brought Saeko and Eri along?). With Ichiban taking the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series in an international direction, it’s about time to see what the Dragon of Dojima was up to during his forced retirement and faked death in the meantime in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name brings Kazuma Kiryu back from the dead with a new, unconvincing agent persona. But should Kazuma Kiryu have stayed dead? Sam Wachter shares her thoughts.

For going on eighteen years now, Like a Dragon (formally Yakuza) protagonist Kazuma Kiryu has been gracing our screens in one way or another. Though they’re an outstanding hero from SEGA and personally my favourite video game protagonist of all time, their history is a little bit complicated. Largely because developer RGG (Ryu Ga Gotoku) Studio can’t seem to let the ex-Yakuza member turned hero-of-the-people go, even after giving him a poetic swan song in Yakuka 6: The Song of Life. Th...

It’s been a banner few years for the Like A Dragon series, the franchise formerly known as Yakuza.  After Yakuza Like A Dragon set up its new face, Lost Judgment dove deeper into the detective side of RGG Studios’ version of Japan, and then Like a Dragon Ishin revived a former Japanese-exclusive classic for all the world to experience.

While it might not be among the best entries in the series, there's still enough to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name that makes it worth playing. Those willing to work around some bare bones design and frustrating quality of life issues will find a compact but necessary entry in the saga of Kazuma Kiryu, and will be that much more excited for the next true entry in the franchise.

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another fine slice of Yakuza action from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio thart serves up a little bit of everything over the course of 15 or so hours. This may be a shorter affair than usual by quite some margin, but what's here still manages to deliver lots of exciting action, very silly gadgets, drama and deep cuts for the fans. If the intent was to whet our appetites for Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, then consider that mission well and truly complete. Roll on January 2024.

A relatively short side-story it may be, but Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a blistering chapter in Kiryu's journey, a Yakuza 6 epilogue that brilliantly tees up what's next, while delivering on the unadulterated fun and weirdness the series is celebrated for.

Despite its flaws, I can’t deny that I had a great time walking in the shoes of Kiryu. I enjoyed the story, the exciting combat, and the thrilling action. While I may have finished the main story, I’ll be going back for more side content to see what I may have missed along the way. While the combat may not demand a high investment from its players, there’s no denying that the deeper you dig, the more you get. This is a game that rewards its players for high levels of engagement but doesn’t punish the casual player just along for the ride. Whether you’re a true blue fan or a newcomer to the series, there’s a lot to enjoy about Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Treading the path well-traveled, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name -- far from the most radical of entries in the series -- remains a delightful example of Ryu Ga Goktoku's knack for high drama, wild antics and all-round time thoroughly well spent. A tad harsh it would be to so quickly denote this a "more of the same"-type of release, even with its status as an interlude between more pivotal, mainline outings, that the reliance on what has worked wonders -- as much what has been so integral to the series' structure, for better or worse -- is so apparent does limit how far Gaiden will reach in the series' hierarchy. Even so, that what this game professes is nothing short of lovably eccentric and a touch more on the unashamedly-indulgent side is far from a bad thing. The kind of writing, presentation, content and all-round execution that, even at its seemingly "least-brilliant," still stands leagues above a vast majority of games. Put it this way, that Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name can take the concept of self-indulgence and make it one you happily grin at, applaud and ask for more of is an accomplishment in of itself.

Gaiden sets up a lot for the future, but also manages to pay tribute to the legends that came before. Despite being a shorter narrative Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is chock full of things to do. Moreover, what is here is some of the best stuff RGG has ever crafted, from memorable set-pieces to fun combat, all while juggling years of fan-service and payoff, and setting up Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It’s a shock that Gaiden doesn’t crumble under its own weight and restrictions.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name packs a massive punch for such a little package.

Despite missed potential in terms of its main story, Like a Dragon Gaiden makes up for it with incredible combat and fantastic side content. Hopefully RGG Studio continues to expand on the beat-em-up style instead of going all-in on turn-based combat, because Gaiden offers one of the most fun gameplay experiences of the franchise.

Taking place before, during, and just after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the intriguingly titled Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name tells us all about what Kazuma Kiryu was up to in that time — and it's fair to say he was busy. But before we dig into the details, it's important to note that in its latter half, Gaiden goes all-in on adding context to the story of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. As such, knowledge of that game is a necessity if you want to get the most out of this Sotenbori-based adventure.

Once a legendary yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu faked his own death and abandoned his name for the sake of protecting his family. Now, he is thrust into conflict by a mysterious figure attempting to drive him out of hiding. PS5 version reviewed.

While short and lacking in side content, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a good entry point for curious players and a nostalgic throwback for longtime fans.

Developed in only six months, Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name was originally conceived as DLC for the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. However, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has grown the concept into an effective and impactful re-introduction to Kazuma Kiryu that balances the remarkable depth and zany qualities that the Yakuza franchise is best known for. Gaiden stands on its own as a strong entry in the Like a Dragon series, delivering an experience that both veteran fans and complete newcomers can enjoy. The title does more than an excellent job of setting the stage for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a tale in which Kazuma Kiryu and Like a Dragon’s Ichiban Kasuga will have their fates intertwined during the Dragon of Dojima’s final days. Those fans who complete Gaiden will get a first glimpse at Infinite Wealth, as story completion unlocks a Special Trial Version of the title. Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name marks the beginning of the end for Kazuma Kiryu, but, if its quality is anything to go by, the Like a Dragon series has a long and bright future ahead.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may not be as long as other games in the series, but it still provides a deep sandbox in which to lose yourself for hours, whether it’s in the arena, the arcade, or simply helping out around the neighborhood.

Although a solid entry, this title serves as an intermediary of Kiryu's actions between Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like A Dragon so its endpoint is inherently predictable and as enjoyable as it is, the narrative is relatively thin in exchange for a wealth of side content to pad it out.

In an interview with developers at RGG Studio, they revealed that Gaiden was originally conceived as a DLC to Infinite Wealth in the same way Lost Judgment had The Kaito Files. They decided to make it a standalone entry and were working on it at the same time as Infinite Wealth. I think that if they kept it as additional content, it would have looked at it a bit more fondly. I wouldn’t recommend this at full retail price. However, it’s on Game Pass for Xbox and PC, which I would recommend if you’re interested and have about 8-10 hours to kill.

To say that Kazuma Kiryu is facing an identity crisis is an understatement. As the name of Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name references, Kiryu made a deal with the Daidoji Faction to fake his death at the end of Yakuza 6. As a result, he’s in purgatory, unable to reach out to the Tojo Clan and, most important of all, Haruka at Morning Glory Orphanage. Outside of that, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku has moved away from the Yakuza brand and towards the Like A Dragon name instead. Though the game’s length is relatively short, the game is a fond farewell for Kiryu before the series turns the page to another chapter.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name delivers an impactful story through the perspective of Kazuma Kiryu, the beloved protagonist of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. In preparation for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Gaiden bridges an important gap in the timeline while providing additional context with new characters that enter the fold. Meanwhile, Gaiden introduces various improvements to the signature combat system and many hours of compelling content as a can't-miss entry in ...

The same array of activities that has made past games in the series such a joy to play returns once more, but the effect isn't quite as impressive because the central story hasn't been given enough time to properly develop.

“Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name satisfyingly ties up many loose ends in Kiryu's story, but it's one of the franchise's most tedious adventures.”

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Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name brings back long-time Yakuza protagonist Kiryu Kazuma for another rousing crime-filled adventure. Based on our hands-on demo, this game could be another hit for the series.