@@SirBigWater I enjoyed death stranding. To be honest persona 5 has its moments and it’s chill to play but they repeat the same things over and over and over again and it’s high school drama (I know that’s the intent I guess)
@@alanramirogarcia2886 See the thing is, there are gameplay segments. The gameplay is you just walking around a beach, waiting for the character to stumble and for another character to tell you things you've heard already. So when I say 4 or so hour cutscene, I don't mean like a long continuous thing like MGS4 had. But it's pretty much you doing nothing listening to characters. Also I don't remember much, I finished the game maybe in December or January. All I remember about that part is getting to a cutscene at around 1 am, and seeing the end credits at 5 am.
How to rate any Yakuza game: -How's the karaoke -How's the Cabaret Club -How good is that game's version of Bakamitai if it exists -Does it make you feel hungry when you look at food in the game's restaurants? - from someone who's played all 6 (zero included) and the spin-offs and Judgement, I can't wait for how over the top this one's going to be.
Cyberpunk is never gonna live up to the hype. It will be a good game but don't suspect "the best thing ever" because that ain't gonna happen. So many people have set the bar so high for this game so either suspect a "good game" or follow the hype and get let down
@@Deivid-bn6yw you should start with the number release order which is : 0- kiwami 1 (remake of the original) - kiwami 2 (remake of the second installment) - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
@@mohammedse3dawy831 Second this, the story being related feels so much better this way when you understand the ties between characters and get emotionally attached to them.
@@mohammedse3dawy831 actually 0 was released like 15 years after 1. You never actually have to start with 0. I played yakuza 1, 2, 3 and 6 before I finished 0. It's made as a prequel doesn't mean you are required to start off with it. Some of the best stories go back in time
I have more games than I know what to do with already filled up almost an entire four terabyte hard drive yet this will be likely the only game I play for the rest of the year, no regrets
Yeah, they do that a lot in the series now. They even had to change one character in Judgement because the real life actor got caught up in a scandal and was really well known in Japan.
@@carpetfluff35 well that, and Yagami is played by Takuya Kimura, littéraly one of the biggest Japanese stars in the east, so much that nagoshi called him "brad Pitt level of famous"
I'm 25 hours in and still in Chapter 7; I've never played a Yakuza game and totally into this :p playing the management mini game definitely helps out in chapter 7 btw; all my characters are level 20 too, haven't been back to that boring dungeon either.
You should definitely play the series of you have a PS4/PS5 (for 3,4,5, and 6, otherwise you can only play 0, Kiwami, or Kiwami 2). 7 games of good stuff. They aren't too long if you rush through everything, except 5 which even if you rush I'd say you can do the story in about 30 or 40 hours maybe. Definitely fun for the most part. I just got to 7 a few days ago. Started the series with 0 in January. Definitely cool knowing alot about what some of the people around you have been through. Like who Daigo, Majima, Saejima, and a bunch of others are. Or what the Tojo clan and Omi alliance have done to get to the point they are. Good thing about 7 is that it's a new cast of main characters. So they'll learn something that they've never known before that you might know if you've played the series, but it'll probably be explained to them since they don't know it. So pretty much it's great for newcomers, and since Ichiban was in prison before Yakuza 1 takes place, he wouldn't know about anything that's went on. It is nice knowing some of those details though.
"Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." - Bong Joon-Ho The same applies to games. The salt was real in this one. :P
I mean, the dude fully admits that his choice of English voice actors is on him, acknowledges that the Japanese at least *sounds* well-performed to him, but has to elaborate on what he actually experienced. For those of us who already play them in their native tongue, it’s a complete non-issue. For those that cannot handle it (and I have to imagine that group is relatively sizable), knowing the quality of the English voice work is relevant. I think the salt is being imagined, or perceived incorrectly by someone unfamiliar with this content creator.
Kinda missing the point when his justification was "I don't understand Japanese," as though there aren't subtitles. Is reading that daunting of a task to some people? It shouldn't be distracting.
I loved parasite and would *never* want a dubbed version of it, but for video games...I’m convinced that if I played a game like persona 5 or FF VII remake with Japanese voices, there’d be a little bit of something I was missing out on, some bit of personality or subtle characterization I would miss because I don’t understand the language.
@@jejo63660 The thing is those subtlelties can't always be translated and Dubs would just replace it with their own subtleties, because the deliveries and stuff wouldn't be exactly the same, making the game different than what the original was. In other words, in either case you miss the subtleties.
Small chance that will happen though. But the other games in de series are insanely good. I have all the main games and oh man, I never get tired of seeing the over the top Heat moves.
Reviews a game that's made to be played in Japanese because it's set in Japan, then knocks it for not going big budget on the voice actors for the less preferred, alternate language... good stuff.
It's clear that the Yakuza team had fun here. They do indeed experiment with gameplay from time to time probably to change things up, like the Zombie Yakuza action game they did previously.
I only did that "damn dungeon" once. There were better ways to get EXP later on, and all the materials it dropped can be found in the shops in the park on the top right of the map.
Man, I did NOT expect a character to carry a game so hard. I finally got this game and while it is fun and engaging, I keep playing because of how much I like Ichiban and his perspective on life. I'm playing with English voices. Ichiban is such a cool dude. Edit: Funny you should say the story doesn't have the punch of the prior games. I tried Yakuza: 0 and most definitely could not get into it, which is why I waited for a sale to pick up Like A Dragon. Maybe I'll give 0 another chance
ACG gives such an objective and deep analysis of the game that I feel things end up bothering me when I play said game that would not otherwise. I know that's a terrible backhanded compliment but it's a genuine observation of the effects of someone doing their job TOO well. I think he's possibly the greatest reviewer right now in so many regards. And for that he will always have a dedicated following. But for me, I just like to go in a little more blind than knowing every little negative and positive detail.
I’m coming back to listen to this review ; man you missed the mark with this one Sir. I know your not going to read this but the enemy types and variation is huge firstly !! There is literally a play on Pokémon due to how many variations of enemies you come across on this game. They walk around just like they do in say a good older final fantasy title or literally any other turn based “ open world-ish” game. The difference here is the connection you get with the characters via having drinks and eating with them , which helps them level up faster the higher the connection rating it is to said character . Should have left the shovel in the shed ; cuz you didn’t dig deep enough on this one . 9/10
When I first played the game I hated the turn based system but slowly started loving it. The only annoying part is that there's two major sections in the game where the difficulty spike is so high that I had to grind over 2 hours TWICE to get through the story. This game definitely has some strange spikes
Why would we say to listen to it in Japanese? Because the series is known for having fabulous Japanese voice actors for years and years now. English voice actors are bush league in comparison. Plus I definitely don't want to hear them pretending to be a Japanese gangster singing karaoke
@@Grandmaster-Kush I think they should just have kept the Japanese dubs on the karaoke songs. And have the rest of the normal game be a choice between english or Japanese.
@@MrHungryforbeats the crappy mobile Mafia game advertisements that were memed to hell and back, "That's how Mafia works" Yakuza is essentially the Japanese equivalent of the Mafia, and the series has enough wacky moments so the meme kinda fit.
Always watch your reviews, you just give so much information about a game. That really helps me with deciding if a game that's not a immediate buy is worth it for me.
This game’s story is incredible Edit: the turn base system is literally a 1-to-1 reflection of dragon quest 11, so there’s no reason for it to be more “deep” if the combat it’s based on is a hit selling game
@Squant dude, I’m comparing the combat to a hit game like DQ11 that NO ONE had complaints about, to his remark on the game needing to add something to make the combat more “deep”. Read into what I’m saying instead of going off of your emotions.
Just want to say thanks for always making the reviews I trust most on UA-cam. I've been watching the channel for years now, and know I can rely on you to give honest insights that I mostly agree with (when I finally get around to playing whatever game is being assessed). I loved all your other Yakuza coverage, and now feel like I know exactly what to expect with this one. Cheers!
This review and the game couldn’t have come out at a better time. It does sound like the game fell short in some areas while excelling in others. As for the English dub and preferences, Like a Dragon is Yakuza’s first dub in years since the first Yakuza released on PS2 in 2006 (Judgement has a dub, but it’s spin-off of the series, so I see it as it’s own thing). As someone who has played the Kiwami and 0 for hours, it can be a jarring experience to switch to English audio in a series that’s had Japanese audio only for years. It’s a preference born from the fact that there was no other option to choose from. I’m willing to give it a chance, but it will take some time getting used to it. Not gonna lie. I love English dubs, and I’m willing to give it a try.
@Haitian Xu you the dumb one the sub are there for that and its not just about having a nice voice but how the emotions are conveyed ...English is not my first language and I have learned it by watching series and movies with subtitle because I always found the original better then some dub... Its weird because most of the time the people who complain about subtitles are often english speaking people.
@Haitian Xu as far as I know there are many things one can hear from vocal language despite not understanding the language, with emotion being one of them. Also, some people just prefer hearing Japanese in games featuring Japanese characters. It's the same as why Kpop is a global phenomenon even though the global audience doesn't understand the language. No need to insult other people for having different preferences.
@Haitian Xu Do I have to be able to appreciate the full range of someone's voice acting to be able to enjoy it more than another person's voice acting? I didn't know it took expertise in order to enjoy something. Stop being an elitist and let people enjoy what they enjoy bro. And am I being asked to communicate with the voice actor as I'm playing the game? Or am I just being asked to listen to the voice acting? You're going off track with your argument as well.
I agree with the spirit of your points, but I just couldn’t help but love this game from beginning to end. I spent about 3 days just grinding for that final boss fight in the after game to get the platinum trophy. I don’t regret it for a second.
Not your best review, I heard about your personal gripes but little context on the game itself (if it matters if you played the others in the series etc). Little Juxtaposition outside of the obvious differing combat systems. How the characters compare to those in the previous titles (characters are one of the main pulls of these games), if the story is on a similar grand scale, not necessarily a grand scope. If the classes that were there actually work well, not much on performance outside of the fast load times. What you liked received mostly one liners with no real explanations most of the time but what you didn't like took the spotlight so as a consumer its hard to really gauge if your reasonings would align with what I look for in these types of games. Regardless, thank you, your time is appreciated bro. Have a good one.
The dub version of Yakuza 1 wasn't received well either and so most fans prefer the original Japanese voices. Some of it was the fault of the developer's/publisher's own making as they supposedly hadn't told the actors all that much about the characters they were voicing.
@@SaberisloveSaberislife right? I actually am only just playing like a dragon now, as in right now haha. I was late to this one. Mainly because I binged the whole series over about 2 years or so, and LAD released pretty much as I finished Yakuza 6. So I figured...with the change in main characters and direction of gameplay and being a bit burnt out I have it a rest. Started yakuza 7 properly yesterday, maybe 8 hours in (go weekends!) Besides the absolute deluge of cutscenes at the beginning (standard yakuza, really.) I've hit a little bit of a lull. I'm still running around looking for work. But I've full confidence in RGG studios and their games. Despite a few moments of boredom today, I'm reminded of the absolute great stories these guys have written and told over the years, so while I'm in a "lull" right now, I don't expect it to last too long. The narrative is one of many "bread and butter" moments of these awesome games. The games just ooze content and style. And the narrative' s have absolutely no right being as good and as ridiculous as they are hehe.
@@michaeloconnor1281 I meant Yakuza 8 lol. LAD is a great game in terms of story but I didn't like the turn based combat that much as I feel it didn't fit the series or I just got too used to the beat em up style. Also hated grinding for money with the real estate mini game.
The Yakuza series is so good. I have full faith in this totally different style. In fact, it's almost like a dream come true. It comes out on PS5 in a few months, so I'll play it then. Thanks for the excellent review!!
There is never a dull moment, the story is freakin amazing. the combat is 1 million times better. the only dull moment is maybe chapter 12, but it's a 9/10 game.
I've never ever ever been interested in Yakuza gameplay before so I've never tried it, but maaaaan, I can't wait till I can try this on ps5 (I might cave and buy this on PS4 and just play on ps5) This battle system and comedic touch really speaks to me. Tysm for the great review as per always ♥️
This game is trash. Wouldn't bother as it's unbalanced they litterally have lvl 30s in the starting zone that 1 shot your guys. Top it off the turn based is pretty lame. I would stick with yakuza 0. The fighting was based on skill unlike this game where it's just lvl only matters.
I like the english dub but it might be bc im german and receive it different i never liked it when ppl be like omg i need to play a game in japanese dub just to feel special lol why would i listen to a language i cant even understand makes 0 sense
Hey Karak, are you going to do a next gen TV review? VRR Gamma wash out on OLEDs, burn in, etc... would probably make a good video right now. Great review as always but there are too many of these games for me to jump in and I know this one is made to remedy that.
I've started playing the Yakuza series recently and am about to start 3. Absolutely great series, and the developer has a lot of heart for what they do. Highly recommend
@@deatheater6222 Reading that sounds weird now as Y0 was my favorite and thr best. But I definitely enjoyed 3. Sorry I enjoyed it and you didnt. I could easily ask why whichever one is your favorite.but the answer will always be preference....come on man, be better than that
I dont have an issue with that with this game since it starts to open up more later on and the game is story driven for the most part and i think it does it really well
Any major differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions? Only asking because you can't transfer the PS4 save data to the PS5. Wondering if I should wait for the PS5 version instead.
I love the japanese dub over the english, but most big japanese franchise also use the same 3 same voice actor's, for every 3 male VA in japan there's 10 female VA lol
uhh To me i like the original audio because it just fits the game/characters better, english dub voices just very often feel out so out of place for me, and sometimes some lines in english just make me cringe.
ACG is lying guys. This is MUST BUY if you are into story/character. Play with Japanese dub for real emersion. (I'm guessing ACG played with English dub) The New Dragon has arrived to the Yakuza world!!
You should definitely buy. I purchased it last week, no regrets. Funniest game I’ve ever played. I summoned a chicken named Omlette that was clutch in a boss fight. I also hired Omlette to work for my company. No joke 10/10. P.s. Also, saved a crawfish named Nancy from being eaten and now I can summon her to battle.
I'm on Yakuza 4 now. Started the series in January. It's great series, I'm definitely gonna buy this. But isn't the next gen version coming in 2021? I might wait until then, since I still have 3 games and maybe Judgment to play.
do yourself a favour, play Judgement!!! it's fantastic. I've been revisiting all the titles too in time for the release of 7 and felt 4 in hindsight was the weakest. But then 5 comes along and Ryu Ga Gotoku's magic just changes everything. Judgement has the best story out of all of the games, but the gameplay isn't as tight as say 0 or the Kiwami entries. But it's god damn incredible
@@SirBigWater 4 starts off well but there’s a lot of issues with the story and the character development. The ending doesn’t pay off well either but I suppose that’s down to taste. 5 is brilliant. Like I cannot stress to you enough how good 5 is. The writing takes a clear turn for the better at 5 if you played the OG versions of 1 and 2. The vanilla SEGA entries have a fluctuating pattern of writing. It’s sometimes good and sometimes awful. You’ll see the difference when you play 5
@@SirBigWater Yakuza 5 may be the "worst", but IMO "worst" in Yakuza doesn't mean anything, since they are all amazing (unless we talk about Dead Souls)
I haven’t played the game yet, but after playing the first three, sad they took out the button mashing fight style. Might be a nice change of pace, but I hope it doesn’t stay all that long. I can see boss battles not being as meaningful as previous games.
I’ve been really excited for Like a Dragon. The goofiness just looks like a blast, with the drunk’s fire breath and the woman beating people with her purse. But, it’s probably just as well to wait for a sale as I’ve got more games in my radar for this holiday than I have time or money as it is!
Hmmm, well waited for a sale and nope. Still not 'feeling' this game. Unless I'm missing something extremely obvious, I don't get the appeal of sitting through 2-3 hours of game content/movie material, for maybe 10 min. of actual gameplay.
Wait, when did Yakuza get English voice acting?! That was always one of the things that kept me from finishing them, because I couldn’t multitask during the cutscenes.
You know you’ve watched/played too many games/anime in dub, when he gets to the “sound, music & voice” section and it’s just recognize every single voice. Yikes.
I cannot wait to dive in in 8 days on PC. I've been a Yakuza fan since 0, but I'm still waiting for Sega to port the other ones after Kiwami 2. Thanks for the review Karak!
Will playing in the English version ruin the experience with meetings kiryu and majima? I've played all the rest so I'm use to the reading subtitles but I'm not sure what to choose in this one
These are my thoughts so far and is not final. At first I thought it was a mistake that Kiryu was being replaced as the main character and the combat system being changed, but I was more than okay with both changes. Ichiban is his own character and I love the difference between him and Kiryu. The combat was so refreshing and was way more fun than I originally thought it would be and maybe that was because I played and appreciated Persona 5's combat so much but it still had that Yakuza style that sets it apart. Overall I give this a 9.5/10. I loved the story (This had one of the best openings in this series' history) the combat, new characters, minigames, graphics, the good 'ol Yakuza humor, etc. Only things I had a bit of a problem with so far (this can change to a 10/10 as I continue my quest to make Ichiban a hero and a Sujimon Master) were the substories being a bit meh from what I played so far and the transition into battles because they were a bit awkward and meh compared to the older games. All in all it is tied with Ghost of Tsushima for my game of the year and I am looking forward to seeing more from Ichiban's story!
English version he went to jail for 15 years wasn’t it but then while in jail he got into a fight which extended it to 18 years and didn’t his mom quit working at the soapland and his dad was arakwa so basically in a way he kinda was sorta raised by his dad
Well the fact that most Japanese(or i should just say a lot) media when dubbed have generic voices not rlly rememberable or enjoyable... which is why a lot of ppl read with sub titles. So I mean complaining about the voices while understandable, should have been a no Brainer 😂
@@joshuabrien2970 your right, but at the same time I can understand why a lot of people don't. First they gotta like anime culture, be good at voice acting, have to make a somewhat diverse and dramatic voice that doesn't sound like its out of a cartoon(ei: finn, mordicai, dipper, ben ten.) Ig its just easier in Japanese to make it sound unique and more natural
@@hg06syndicate14 Wouldn't agree about the diversity being simpler in Japanese, that's probably the skill of the voice actors. With a prevalence of English Dub actors and there by development of said industry it should get there as well.
Yep, his teeth are all crowns and the 2 fronts are off center so 1 front tooth is right in the middle. You can actually see 1 of his original front teeth in Risky Business is turning gray, hence the crowns.
Jeez there's a lot of games released over the next few weeks that's all not to mention the ps5 🤷🏻♂️ I can't afford it all so I watched this review to decide if I could take or leave this entry to the series (thats purpose of a review to help people decide). What's it to you if I want to cancel it to save some money? I work hard to earn it so its my choice what I spend it on.
@Amelia you don't know me. My time and money and what I chose to do with it is none of your business. For your information I have all the Yakuza games this one just doesn't appeal to me that's all it's as simple as that. Stop being so defensive it's got nothing to do with you what I do or don't do
10 min cut scenes don’t seem too bad...I once played persona 5 for two hours and only hit X
Death Stranding's end cutscene was about 4 or so hours long if I remember correctly. That was a rough morning I had
@@SirBigWater I enjoyed death stranding. To be honest persona 5 has its moments and it’s chill to play but they repeat the same things over and over and over again and it’s high school drama (I know that’s the intent I guess)
@Hollow Skull isn’t every game based on you trashing everything in the comments?
@@SirBigWater can you save between? is longer than the lord of the rings
@@alanramirogarcia2886 See the thing is, there are gameplay segments. The gameplay is you just walking around a beach, waiting for the character to stumble and for another character to tell you things you've heard already. So when I say 4 or so hour cutscene, I don't mean like a long continuous thing like MGS4 had. But it's pretty much you doing nothing listening to characters.
Also I don't remember much, I finished the game maybe in December or January. All I remember about that part is getting to a cutscene at around 1 am, and seeing the end credits at 5 am.
How to rate any Yakuza game:
-How's the karaoke
-How's the Cabaret Club
-How good is that game's version of Bakamitai if it exists
-Does it make you feel hungry when you look at food in the game's restaurants?
- from someone who's played all 6 (zero included) and the spin-offs and Judgement, I can't wait for how over the top this one's going to be.
Don't forget MesuKing from Yakuza Kiwami. That was the best mini game. It was so hilarious!
@@The_Wailing_Doom Man of culture alert.
- is there a horny minigame segment like Livechat, MesuKing, & the video store of 0 basically?
@@Sumblueguy41 Majima Everywhere is the best lewd content of the series.
@@fhantasm No Goromi no buy!
I'm kinda glad that Cyberpunk got pushed back so I can give this game the time it deserves
Agree, Now i have some time to enjoy this game without rushing.
Was thinking the same, didn't want to rush it.
Cyberpunk is never gonna live up to the hype. It will be a good game but don't suspect "the best thing ever" because that ain't gonna happen. So many people have set the bar so high for this game so either suspect a "good game" or follow the hype and get let down
@@haunteddreams7856 bruh nobody asked you
@@radarphaser as opposed to the other comments that were specifically asked for?
Super excited to play this game, glad the yakuza series has been getting more attention in recent years
I want to get into this series but there’s about 9 billion of these games where do I start? I have Yakuza Kiwami and it was pretty fun
@@Deivid-bn6yw you should start with the number release order which is : 0- kiwami 1 (remake of the original) - kiwami 2 (remake of the second installment) - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
@@mohammedse3dawy831 Second this, the story being related feels so much better this way when you understand the ties between characters and get emotionally attached to them.
@@mohammedse3dawy831 actually 0 was released like 15 years after 1. You never actually have to start with 0. I played yakuza 1, 2, 3 and 6 before I finished 0. It's made as a prequel doesn't mean you are required to start off with it. Some of the best stories go back in time
@@haunteddreams7856 you get attached to Nishiki more by playing 0 first and u also know some of the characters already like kazama or kashiwagi
Ok now Yakuza is a bit popular, now we need the localization of Yakuza Ishin, come on
Yes...YES....YESSSSSS!!!!
@@GamingKick I want a Kiwami of Kenzan
Ive dreamed of such a moment for a long time.
Ive dreamt of just such a moment for a long time.
I played Ishin while synching up Salty Yens playthough...even though it was not localized...it still remains tied for my favorite yakuza with 0
Full 35 hours? I’ve been playing for 60 and haven’t finished the story yet haha.
some people rush games.. then they complain about it being to short... dont rush the game ^-^
I’ve beat it a couple of days ago in 70 hours.
And I haven’t even touched the True Final Millennium Tower yet
It took me about 40 to just beat the main story, the sotenboro arena and a few sidequests
@@dvon1097 40 hours seems a good time to beat the game as when I finally beat The Young Master at 75 hours I was for to OP. Fantastic game though.
Far*
I chose this over AC Valhalla. No regrets.
Good choice.
Wrong.
@@darthsparrow1358 I made the right choice.
I have more games than I know what to do with already filled up almost an entire four terabyte hard drive yet this will be likely the only game I play for the rest of the year, no regrets
Valhalla is crap in comparison.
One of the party's characters looked so damned familiar. Turns out the model is based on an actual actor I've seen in TV shows.
Takeshi Kitano stared in the last one.
Yeah, they do that a lot in the series now. They even had to change one character in Judgement because the real life actor got caught up in a scandal and was really well known in Japan.
I thought you meant Ichiban since he looks like Eric Andre
@@Sumblueguy41 bruh lol
@@carpetfluff35 well that, and Yagami is played by Takuya Kimura, littéraly one of the biggest Japanese stars in the east, so much that nagoshi called him "brad Pitt level of famous"
I'm 25 hours in and still in Chapter 7; I've never played a Yakuza game and totally into this :p playing the management mini game definitely helps out in chapter 7 btw; all my characters are level 20 too, haven't been back to that boring dungeon either.
You should definitely play the series of you have a PS4/PS5 (for 3,4,5, and 6, otherwise you can only play 0, Kiwami, or Kiwami 2). 7 games of good stuff. They aren't too long if you rush through everything, except 5 which even if you rush I'd say you can do the story in about 30 or 40 hours maybe.
Definitely fun for the most part. I just got to 7 a few days ago. Started the series with 0 in January. Definitely cool knowing alot about what some of the people around you have been through. Like who Daigo, Majima, Saejima, and a bunch of others are. Or what the Tojo clan and Omi alliance have done to get to the point they are. Good thing about 7 is that it's a new cast of main characters. So they'll learn something that they've never known before that you might know if you've played the series, but it'll probably be explained to them since they don't know it. So pretty much it's great for newcomers, and since Ichiban was in prison before Yakuza 1 takes place, he wouldn't know about anything that's went on.
It is nice knowing some of those details though.
This game good I’ve never played none of the series
If you have the gamepass the entire trilogy is on there! Every single one is amazing but for me 1 and 4 are the best.
Playing in Japanese audio is a must :-) The script is entertaining.
"Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." - Bong Joon-Ho
The same applies to games. The salt was real in this one. :P
I mean, the dude fully admits that his choice of English voice actors is on him, acknowledges that the Japanese at least *sounds* well-performed to him, but has to elaborate on what he actually experienced. For those of us who already play them in their native tongue, it’s a complete non-issue. For those that cannot handle it (and I have to imagine that group is relatively sizable), knowing the quality of the English voice work is relevant. I think the salt is being imagined, or perceived incorrectly by someone unfamiliar with this content creator.
Kinda missing the point when his justification was "I don't understand Japanese," as though there aren't subtitles. Is reading that daunting of a task to some people? It shouldn't be distracting.
@@nbr1rckr sub elitists are very useless people :P
I loved parasite and would *never* want a dubbed version of it, but for video games...I’m convinced that if I played a game like persona 5 or FF VII remake with Japanese voices, there’d be a little bit of something I was missing out on, some bit of personality or subtle characterization I would miss because I don’t understand the language.
@@jejo63660 The thing is those subtlelties can't always be translated and Dubs would just replace it with their own subtleties, because the deliveries and stuff wouldn't be exactly the same, making the game different than what the original was.
In other words, in either case you miss the subtleties.
So glad I recently found this series. So over the top and awesome. Can't wait to play this one. Wish they would port the samurai one over to the US.
Small chance that will happen though. But the other games in de series are insanely good. I have all the main games and oh man, I never get tired of seeing the over the top Heat moves.
They finally did
@@gidkidd-maddcity3104 Yes! I saw that earlier. HYYYYPE!!
Reviews a game that's made to be played in Japanese because it's set in Japan, then knocks it for not going big budget on the voice actors for the less preferred, alternate language... good stuff.
"0:14 A Dejected Thundercat" 😂😂
Don't ever change. Love lines like that ☺️
Just wanna hear majima say kiryus name one more time😔
That bromance is so endearing huh lol
@@tylerhill40 yes very
My male fantasy
@@fhantasm Everyone's fantasy
@Kasumi Yoshizawa heheh
Just googled "Yom Cruise middle tooth" I can't unsee it now
Who's Yom Cruise?
No better reviews out there. Absolutely love this series so great to have an in depth review on what this one is really like. Keep up the great work!
It's clear that the Yakuza team had fun here. They do indeed experiment with gameplay from time to time probably to change things up, like the Zombie Yakuza action game they did previously.
I actually liked Dead Souls a whole lot. It was a nice experiment and it still had that Yakuza charm. Especially Majima, who REALLY got into it.
@@thestigsdutchcousin Majima is by farrrr my favorite in all of Yakuza. He is hilarious.
That was the only major change and it was a fucking spinoff. Not the next main entry.
A Yakuza review. Nice
I only did that "damn dungeon" once. There were better ways to get EXP later on, and all the materials it dropped can be found in the shops in the park on the top right of the map.
Man, I did NOT expect a character to carry a game so hard. I finally got this game and while it is fun and engaging, I keep playing because of how much I like Ichiban and his perspective on life. I'm playing with English voices. Ichiban is such a cool dude.
Edit: Funny you should say the story doesn't have the punch of the prior games. I tried Yakuza: 0 and most definitely could not get into it, which is why I waited for a sale to pick up Like A Dragon. Maybe I'll give 0 another chance
Never clicked so fast on a review from my boy ACG!
thanks
@@ACGreviews you will click faster for cyberpunk
@@joey.99 Probably 😅
ACG gives such an objective and deep analysis of the game that I feel things end up bothering me when I play said game that would not otherwise.
I know that's a terrible backhanded compliment but it's a genuine observation of the effects of someone doing their job TOO well.
I think he's possibly the greatest reviewer right now in so many regards. And for that he will always have a dedicated following. But for me, I just like to go in a little more blind than knowing every little negative and positive detail.
I’m coming back to listen to this review ; man you missed the mark with this one Sir. I know your not going to read this but the enemy types and variation is huge firstly !! There is literally a play on Pokémon due to how many variations of enemies you come across on this game. They walk around just like they do in say a good older final fantasy title or literally any other turn based “ open world-ish” game. The difference here is the connection you get with the characters via having drinks and eating with them , which helps them level up faster the higher the connection rating it is to said character . Should have left the shovel in the shed ; cuz you didn’t dig deep enough on this one . 9/10
Remember when this was just an april fool's joke, the joke landed with style
When I first played the game I hated the turn based system but slowly started loving it. The only annoying part is that there's two major sections in the game where the difficulty spike is so high that I had to grind over 2 hours TWICE to get through the story. This game definitely has some strange spikes
I lived in Japan for almost 15 years, this game was fun and few years back. I didn't know a new one dropped....as always another great review thanks
Why would we say to listen to it in Japanese? Because the series is known for having fabulous Japanese voice actors for years and years now. English voice actors are bush league in comparison.
Plus I definitely don't want to hear them pretending to be a Japanese gangster singing karaoke
English Baka Mitai: "I'm such a meeeeessss!" Yakuza with dubs is an abomination
@@Grandmaster-Kush I think they should just have kept the Japanese dubs on the karaoke songs. And have the rest of the normal game be a choice between english or Japanese.
@@MeldinX2 but then whats the point of a dub if its not gonna dub stuff
@@joshuabrien2970 In my opinion it does not need a dub. Every other Yakuza game before it have been in Japanese only.
Judgement has great English dubs. Not sure for this one though...
I've never felt more in line with a character than I do with "Pseudotrash."
ryu ga gotoku studio really got inspired by the "that's how the yakuza works" adverts
What is that ?
@@MrHungryforbeats the crappy mobile Mafia game advertisements that were memed to hell and back, "That's how Mafia works" Yakuza is essentially the Japanese equivalent of the Mafia, and the series has enough wacky moments so the meme kinda fit.
Always watch your reviews, you just give so much information about a game. That really helps me with deciding if a game that's not a immediate buy is worth it for me.
This game’s story is incredible
Edit: the turn base system is literally a 1-to-1 reflection of dragon quest 11, so there’s no reason for it to be more “deep” if the combat it’s based on is a hit selling game
@Squant dude, I’m comparing the combat to a hit game like DQ11 that NO ONE had complaints about, to his remark on the game needing to add something to make the combat more “deep”. Read into what I’m saying instead of going off of your emotions.
7:15 yo wtf. Did this guy even play the game in the first 5 hours. Man got nearly every detail in this span of the video wrong.
Yeah this one threw me off as well. ACG is normally on point with his research so I'll give him a pass.
I think he skipped many cut scenes because I don't get how this story can be cateogirzed on a "disney" level haha.
Just want to say thanks for always making the reviews I trust most on UA-cam. I've been watching the channel for years now, and know I can rely on you to give honest insights that I mostly agree with (when I finally get around to playing whatever game is being assessed). I loved all your other Yakuza coverage, and now feel like I know exactly what to expect with this one. Cheers!
This review and the game couldn’t have come out at a better time.
It does sound like the game fell short in some areas while excelling in others.
As for the English dub and preferences, Like a Dragon is Yakuza’s first dub in years since the first Yakuza released on PS2 in 2006 (Judgement has a dub, but it’s spin-off of the series, so I see it as it’s own thing). As someone who has played the Kiwami and 0 for hours, it can be a jarring experience to switch to English audio in a series that’s had Japanese audio only for years. It’s a preference born from the fact that there was no other option to choose from. I’m willing to give it a chance, but it will take some time getting used to it. Not gonna lie. I love English dubs, and I’m willing to give it a try.
@Haitian Xu What? You don't need to speak japanese to hear if the voice acting is better in japanese or english...
@Haitian Xu you the dumb one the sub are there for that and its not just about having a nice voice but how the emotions are conveyed ...English is not my first language and I have learned it by watching series and movies with subtitle because I always found the original better then some dub... Its weird because most of the time the people who complain about subtitles are often english speaking people.
@Haitian Xu as far as I know there are many things one can hear from vocal language despite not understanding the language, with emotion being one of them. Also, some people just prefer hearing Japanese in games featuring Japanese characters.
It's the same as why Kpop is a global phenomenon even though the global audience doesn't understand the language. No need to insult other people for having different preferences.
@Haitian Xu Do I have to be able to appreciate the full range of someone's voice acting to be able to enjoy it more than another person's voice acting? I didn't know it took expertise in order to enjoy something. Stop being an elitist and let people enjoy what they enjoy bro. And am I being asked to communicate with the voice actor as I'm playing the game? Or am I just being asked to listen to the voice acting? You're going off track with your argument as well.
I agree with the spirit of your points, but I just couldn’t help but love this game from beginning to end. I spent about 3 days just grinding for that final boss fight in the after game to get the platinum trophy. I don’t regret it for a second.
Not your best review, I heard about your personal gripes but little context on the game itself (if it matters if you played the others in the series etc). Little Juxtaposition outside of the obvious differing combat systems. How the characters compare to those in the previous titles (characters are one of the main pulls of these games), if the story is on a similar grand scale, not necessarily a grand scope. If the classes that were there actually work well, not much on performance outside of the fast load times. What you liked received mostly one liners with no real explanations most of the time but what you didn't like took the spotlight so as a consumer its hard to really gauge if your reasonings would align with what I look for in these types of games.
Regardless, thank you, your time is appreciated bro. Have a good one.
As somebody who likes Yakuza 0 and dragon quest, I’m very excited for this game. Good review
as always premium content
thanks!
One of the few no bullshit reviewers around, keep up the good work 👍🏻
I guess AGC doesn't watch older Animes, he'd understand why people don't like English dubs if he did.
The dub version of Yakuza 1 wasn't received well either and so most fans prefer the original Japanese voices. Some of it was the fault of the developer's/publisher's own making as they supposedly hadn't told the actors all that much about the characters they were voicing.
I like English dubs and watched older anime. They have certainly gotten better. I also prefer some older English dubs like in Naruto and FMA.
I think the Dub for Yakuza: Like a Dragon was really good.
@@TheMixedPlateFrequency Agreed! It has an amazing dub.
Weebs need to grow up
Hell of a review! Really love the no bullshit approach to your content. I just got this for $29.99 on sale per your recommendation.
This series deserves more recognition. If only Ishin and Kenzan can get localized so the collection can be complete.
Now Isshin is finally coming!
@@michaeloconnor1281 Plus Yakuza 7! It's a good year for Yakuza fans.
@@SaberisloveSaberislife right? I actually am only just playing like a dragon now, as in right now haha. I was late to this one. Mainly because I binged the whole series over about 2 years or so, and LAD released pretty much as I finished Yakuza 6.
So I figured...with the change in main characters and direction of gameplay and being a bit burnt out I have it a rest. Started yakuza 7 properly yesterday, maybe 8 hours in (go weekends!) Besides the absolute deluge of cutscenes at the beginning (standard yakuza, really.) I've hit a little bit of a lull. I'm still running around looking for work.
But I've full confidence in RGG studios and their games. Despite a few moments of boredom today, I'm reminded of the absolute great stories these guys have written and told over the years, so while I'm in a "lull" right now, I don't expect it to last too long. The narrative is one of many "bread and butter" moments of these awesome games. The games just ooze content and style. And the narrative' s have absolutely no right being as good and as ridiculous as they are hehe.
@@michaeloconnor1281 I meant Yakuza 8 lol. LAD is a great game in terms of story but I didn't like the turn based combat that much as I feel it didn't fit the series or I just got too used to the beat em up style. Also hated grinding for money with the real estate mini game.
One thing that I REALLY wish they would change is the option for a rotating mini-map.
it has a rotating mini map!
The only game were i didn't saw that feature was Judgement Eyes
Josue Dr I know I’m so happy! Kiwami 2 didn’t have it, first game in the series that I’ve played that did.
The Yakuza series is so good. I have full faith in this totally different style. In fact, it's almost like a dream come true. It comes out on PS5 in a few months, so I'll play it then. Thanks for the excellent review!!
There is never a dull moment, the story is freakin amazing. the combat is 1 million times better. the only dull moment is maybe chapter 12, but it's a 9/10 game.
Garbage
How the hell is chapter 12 dull
@@futureking5374 dont like turn based games? piss off then.
The thing with the Japanese dub is that you can hear emotion regardless of language. English dub definitely feels lackluster, but it usually does.
Once I heard the guy from monster hunter my mind was made up his voice doesn't even fit.
Basically gonna buy this game on PC this month for sure. I really hope SEGA bring the rest of Yakuza & its spin offs games to PC fast enough though.
I've never ever ever been interested in Yakuza gameplay before so I've never tried it, but maaaaan, I can't wait till I can try this on ps5 (I might cave and buy this on PS4 and just play on ps5)
This battle system and comedic touch really speaks to me.
Tysm for the great review as per always ♥️
Do it. I think it's great so far.
This game is trash. Wouldn't bother as it's unbalanced they litterally have lvl 30s in the starting zone that 1 shot your guys. Top it off the turn based is pretty lame. I would stick with yakuza 0. The fighting was based on skill unlike this game where it's just lvl only matters.
ichiban wasn't the one left in the locker, it was the guy in the wheelchair... and thats about as far as i got into the story so far lol
I like the english dub but it might be bc im german and receive it different i never liked it when ppl be like omg i need to play a game in japanese dub just to feel special lol why would i listen to a language i cant even understand makes 0 sense
Hey Karak, are you going to do a next gen TV review? VRR Gamma wash out on OLEDs, burn in, etc... would probably make a good video right now. Great review as always but there are too many of these games for me to jump in and I know this one is made to remedy that.
I've started playing the Yakuza series recently and am about to start 3. Absolutely great series, and the developer has a lot of heart for what they do. Highly recommend
3 was my favorite, but 0 is definitely the best
@@DV-ou1yu 0 was terrific. I'd love to see more of Kuze in Like a Dragon but I don't think we will. Kiwami 2 is excellent as well
3 is the worst in the series but still a good game.
@@DV-ou1yu how the hell is 3 your favorite
@@deatheater6222 Reading that sounds weird now as Y0 was my favorite and thr best. But I definitely enjoyed 3. Sorry I enjoyed it and you didnt. I could easily ask why whichever one is your favorite.but the answer will always be preference....come on man, be better than that
When I started it I played for 6 hours straight. Don't know the real numbers but it felt like 3-4 of those hours were cutscenes. Be prepared, people.
I dont have an issue with that with this game since it starts to open up more later on and the game is story driven for the most part and i think it does it really well
@@hallowd4893 I'm saying 'be ready for a slow start' not 'stay away'.
Very enjoyable but it also has some warts
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Any major differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions? Only asking because you can't transfer the PS4 save data to the PS5. Wondering if I should wait for the PS5 version instead.
1:40 Respect the camera's original boundary.
Is there an option to change the mini map to rotate? I’ve always kind of found stationary mini maps disorienting.
The problem with the English dubs is that you see the same actors used in too many games Japanese dub all the way.
"you see the same actors used in too many games" That's...the same with the original dub
I love the japanese dub over the english, but most big japanese franchise also use the same 3 same voice actor's, for every 3 male VA in japan there's 10 female VA lol
Yes. All I hear are Persona 5 characters lol
You know it works both ways, right? To me, almost every Tsundere sounds like Rie K to me.
uhh To me i like the original audio because it just fits the game/characters better, english dub voices just very often feel out so out of place for me, and sometimes some lines in english just make me cringe.
Ichiban was not left in a locker as a baby. Arakawa was.
ACG is lying guys.
This is MUST BUY if you are into story/character.
Play with Japanese dub for real emersion. (I'm guessing ACG played with English dub)
The New Dragon has arrived to the Yakuza world!!
Yeah, the game is amazing specially with the original japanese voices, I played it for a bit with the english dub and I could not stand the voices.
2:18 omg, is Ichiban's outfit a nod to Kiryu?
At 5:46 Adachi has Kiryu's 0 White suit
Nah bro that’s *literally* his outfit from 0
@@PÉTRIC-m7f Yeah, that's what I said.
This will be my first Yakuza game, really looking forward to getting into this weird world.
Oh no he missed Kiryu 😭
Play yakuza 0 first!
Play them In order, you won't regret it.
Keep me coming man . Best reviews around
I disagree with the wait for the sale. I am gonna buy it. I loved this video. It was funny and informative.
You should definitely buy. I purchased it last week, no regrets. Funniest game I’ve ever played. I summoned a chicken named Omlette that was clutch in a boss fight. I also hired Omlette to work for my company. No joke 10/10.
P.s. Also, saved a crawfish named Nancy from being eaten and now I can summon her to battle.
@@princesquirtle7460 I agree with you on that.
definitely worth the money. Don’t skip any sub stories, they are amazing stories.
I'm on Yakuza 4 now. Started the series in January. It's great series, I'm definitely gonna buy this. But isn't the next gen version coming in 2021? I might wait until then, since I still have 3 games and maybe Judgment to play.
do yourself a favour, play Judgement!!! it's fantastic. I've been revisiting all the titles too in time for the release of 7 and felt 4 in hindsight was the weakest. But then 5 comes along and Ryu Ga Gotoku's magic just changes everything. Judgement has the best story out of all of the games, but the gameplay isn't as tight as say 0 or the Kiwami entries. But it's god damn incredible
@@tarinmatoo9470 I heard 5 was the worst of the bunch . 4 is pretty good so far.
@@SirBigWater 4 starts off well but there’s a lot of issues with the story and the character development. The ending doesn’t pay off well either but I suppose that’s down to taste. 5 is brilliant. Like I cannot stress to you enough how good 5 is. The writing takes a clear turn for the better at 5 if you played the OG versions of 1 and 2. The vanilla SEGA entries have a fluctuating pattern of writing. It’s sometimes good and sometimes awful. You’ll see the difference when you play 5
@@tarinmatoo9470 Well theres probably going to be conflicting retcons in 6. Since 0 and Kiwami 1 were done before 6
@@SirBigWater Yakuza 5 may be the "worst", but IMO "worst" in Yakuza doesn't mean anything, since they are all amazing (unless we talk about Dead Souls)
Thanks for bring us the best reviews on YT
It’s still hard for me to think about playing yakuza without it’s chaotic real time combat
I agree
I haven’t played the game yet, but after playing the first three, sad they took out the button mashing fight style. Might be a nice change of pace, but I hope it doesn’t stay all that long. I can see boss battles not being as meaningful as previous games.
To me they have pretty much just took out the soul of the game by making it a TBA RPG.
Anyone else notice that Skills, Etc., Guard and Attack spell out SEGA?
Nice.
This is one of the best games to come out in a while. Absolutely worth full price.
did remove the game plus and easy and hard mode do you need to buy the dlc for it
It would be funny if a kid asked for that "Japanese fighting game" for Xmas and finds this under the tree instead of Ghost of Tsushima.
yeah but yakuza games are fun
I waited for the sale as u said, and now will play on PSN plus
I’ve been really excited for Like a Dragon. The goofiness just looks like a blast, with the drunk’s fire breath and the woman beating people with her purse. But, it’s probably just as well to wait for a sale as I’ve got more games in my radar for this holiday than I have time or money as it is!
Hmmm, well waited for a sale and nope. Still not 'feeling' this game. Unless I'm missing something extremely obvious, I don't get the appeal of sitting through 2-3 hours of game content/movie material, for maybe 10 min. of actual gameplay.
I am so hype to play this game.
Love your videos Karak! Keep it going!
Wait, when did Yakuza get English voice acting?! That was always one of the things that kept me from finishing them, because I couldn’t multitask during the cutscenes.
only this and the original first ps2 game. Judgment, which is also made by RGG, has an english dub too. But thats all
@@BrixieGunMage Thank you!
@@D71219ONE no problem
The Thundercat reference at the start - smashed like button already!
You know you’ve watched/played too many games/anime in dub, when he gets to the “sound, music & voice” section and it’s just recognize every single voice. Yikes.
ahahah I totally get that
English dubs for Japanese media in a nutshell lol
Always a true pleasure to watch your reviews. Simply the best
yakuza In english removes so much of the emotion from the characters imo
It's $35 on Amazon and Target right now
Get it from best buy!
You'll get two steelbook cases with purchase, its their on going deal! Same price as amazon but better bonuses.
I cannot wait to dive in in 8 days on PC. I've been a Yakuza fan since 0, but I'm still waiting for Sega to port the other ones after Kiwami 2.
Thanks for the review Karak!
Comes out on the 10th, why you gotta wait the extra 2?
you bet
Will playing in the English version ruin the experience with meetings kiryu and majima? I've played all the rest so I'm use to the reading subtitles but I'm not sure what to choose in this one
Ive always watched these games with Japanese voices, hearing the English is still a little jarring
Ikr
I thought the man baby scene was just a cutscene typical of Yakuza series but when he started swinging on them I lost it lol
These are my thoughts so far and is not final. At first I thought it was a mistake that Kiryu was being replaced as the main character and the combat system being changed, but I was more than okay with both changes. Ichiban is his own character and I love the difference between him and Kiryu. The combat was so refreshing and was way more fun than I originally thought it would be and maybe that was because I played and appreciated Persona 5's combat so much but it still had that Yakuza style that sets it apart. Overall I give this a 9.5/10. I loved the story (This had one of the best openings in this series' history) the combat, new characters, minigames, graphics, the good 'ol Yakuza humor, etc. Only things I had a bit of a problem with so far (this can change to a 10/10 as I continue my quest to make Ichiban a hero and a Sujimon Master) were the substories being a bit meh from what I played so far and the transition into battles because they were a bit awkward and meh compared to the older games. All in all it is tied with Ghost of Tsushima for my game of the year and I am looking forward to seeing more from Ichiban's story!
I am surprised they dubbed this one in English, they didn't do that with the previous ones and I can definitely see why...
You got the story totally wrong lol. The baby that was in the locker wasn’t Ichiban it was Arakawas son.
This games long and some of the missions are hard, but its damn fun with a great story
English version he went to jail for 15 years wasn’t it but then while in jail he got into a fight which extended it to 18 years and didn’t his mom quit working at the soapland and his dad was arakwa so basically in a way he kinda was sorta raised by his dad
Well the fact that most Japanese(or i should just say a lot) media when dubbed have generic voices not rlly rememberable or enjoyable... which is why a lot of ppl read with sub titles. So I mean complaining about the voices while understandable, should have been a no Brainer 😂
More people need to go into the dubbing business that's why
@@joshuabrien2970 your right, but at the same time I can understand why a lot of people don't. First they gotta like anime culture, be good at voice acting, have to make a somewhat diverse and dramatic voice that doesn't sound like its out of a cartoon(ei: finn, mordicai, dipper, ben ten.) Ig its just easier in Japanese to make it sound unique and more natural
@@hg06syndicate14 Wouldn't agree about the diversity being simpler in Japanese, that's probably the skill of the voice actors. With a prevalence of English Dub actors and there by development of said industry it should get there as well.
@@sushantsardeshpande your probably right, but thats was the only way I could think about it, like why a lot of dubs are mediocre😂.
So do we know if its available on Xbox game pass?
14:35 Wait, Tom Cruise has a middle tooth?
Yep, his teeth are all crowns and the 2 fronts are off center so 1 front tooth is right in the middle. You can actually see 1 of his original front teeth in Risky Business is turning gray, hence the crowns.
After obtaining my first "Poundmates" summon monster, I'm going to have to upgrade your review from "wait from a sale" to "buy"
Just in time 👌🏻 After watching your review I don't think this one is for me so going to cancel my Pre-order. Thanks buddy.
I'm sorry but what did you expect? Aside from the changes to combat this looks to be very much a Yakuza game.
Jeez there's a lot of games released over the next few weeks that's all not to mention the ps5 🤷🏻♂️ I can't afford it all so I watched this review to decide if I could take or leave this entry to the series (thats purpose of a review to help people decide). What's it to you if I want to cancel it to save some money? I work hard to earn it so its my choice what I spend it on.
@Amelia you don't know me. My time and money and what I chose to do with it is none of your business. For your information I have all the Yakuza games this one just doesn't appeal to me that's all it's as simple as that. Stop being so defensive it's got nothing to do with you what I do or don't do
@@NeonNans ignore them dawg, people just wanna bark, while he's technically right it's not that deep
People get so upset when you dont like something they do.
Hi Karak. Just wanted to say congrats on your amazon show. Loving it so far
Playing Yakuza with English voiceovers? That's a big goof.
Careful. Your weeb is showing. The localization is great.
@@Caidezes subs are better because all the other games are sub only, its more consistent