Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

What to Know

Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 54

Play It

Like a Dragon Gaiden isn’t revolutionary, and it feels like more of a luxury than a necessity, but it does exactly what it was meant to do: to bring Kyriu back into the spotlight and whet your appetite for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, coming in January 2024.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 54

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 54

Like a Dragon Gaiden isn't revolutionary, and it feels like more of a luxury than a necessity, but it does exactly what it was meant to do: to bring Kyriu back into the spotlight and whet your appetite for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, coming in January 2024.

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

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

54

Reviews

Average Score

100

Ranges

7.9/10

Kai Tatsumoto (Wccftech)

While another trip to Sotenbori is always worth the price of admission, Joryu’s brief trip away comes at a high price: respecting the player’s time in Like a Dragon Gaiden.

November 9, 2023 |

Full Review

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.

November 7, 2023 |

Full Review

4/5

Keenan McCall (Twinfinite)

8/10

Harry Kalogirou (Press Start)

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.

November 7, 2023 |

Full Review

Kai Tatsumoto (Wccftech)

7.9/10 - (Read Review)

While another trip to Sotenbori is always worth the price of admission, Joryu’s brief trip away comes at a high price: respecting the player’s time in Like a Dragon Gaiden.

Keenan McCall (Twinfinite)

4/5 - (Read Review)

Harry Kalogirou (Press Start)

8/10 - (Read Review)

**Read all 54 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (54 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
ACG	Jeremy Penter	Recommended	11-06-2023	‘The Man Who Erased His Name’ is pure Yakuza tradition and an excellent revisit to real-time combat. It’s also a moment-to-moment reminder that while the engine and visuals are getting older, the world is so full of amazing stories and excellent action that its bumps are smoothed over.”	Read review
AnaitGames	Víctor Manuel Martínez García	7 / 10	11-06-2023	As an intermission or appetizer before the next big installment of the series, the Ryu ga Gotoku Studio Studio pays tribute to Kazuma Kiryu with a minor but hard to resist installment.	Read review
Areajugones	Cristian M. Villa	8.5 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is not simply a short story to contextualize the presence and appearance of Kazuma Kiryu in the chronology and history of Ichiban Kasuga. In the same way that Yakuza 0 ended up representing a magnificent ‘separate’ installment, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name also manages to maintain itself by pulling nostalgia and some other curious novelty.	Read review
Atomix	Jose Celorio	86 / 100	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a highly recommended title for this Christmas season, as it will serve as an appetizer to welcome Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which looks extremely ambitious and promising, and will be one of the strong cards for when 2024 begins.	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	Marc Magrini	4.5 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	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.	Read review
But Why Tho?	Eddie De Santiago	8.5 / 10	11-06-2023	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.	Read review
Cerealkillerz	Unknown	8.2 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name offers the usual high class story, which demands some knowledge from the previous Yakuza entries. The agent abilities insert themselves perfectly into the combat and there are also again, a lot of sidequests to do, sadly without much new elements. This short trip to Sotenbori is a must have for fans of the series but will be difficult for Newcomers to get into.	Read review
CGMagazine	Khari Taylor	8 / 10	11-06-2023	Despite a nonsensical plot and slightly lower emotional stakes, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a stunning refinement of the Dragon Engine that’s wholly deserving of your time, whether you’re a longtime Yakuza fan or new to the franchise.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Charlie Kelly	9 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name more than justifies its existence. It creates fantastic points of tension and a real constant threat in Kiryu’s attempts at anonymity as he butts head with the Yakuza and some mysterious, shadowy figures. Always keeping me on the edge of my seat, it’s a heavy-hitter in the narrative, having me actively weep at the conclusion. This kind of magnificence is the payoff of years upon years of hard franchise work, entirely rewarding for longtime fans though boldly unapologetic and unforgiving to the newcomers. Slamming enemy’s heads into walls and getting emotional over the franchise-long angst and baggage our beloved protagonist holds has truly never felt this good. Despite now hosting more than a dozen entries, Gaiden proves the Like a Dragon name is still endlessly valuable to this day. Bring on the next dozen, I say.	Read review
COGconnected	Rhett Waselenchuk	80 / 100	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means. For Yakuza/Like Dragon fans, it’ll be a familiar, albeit enjoyable experience. It has a few shortcomings – the most egregious being a painfully slow first few hours. But once it gets going, Gaiden packs a punch. One that’s sure to keep you satiated until Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth drops.	Read review
Cultured Vultures	Ashley Bates	7 / 10	11-06-2023	Like A Dragon Gaiden should tide fans over until Infinite Wealth drops as a shorter yet still enjoyable romp, but this is hardly a series highlight.	Read review
Daily Mirror	Scott McCrae	4 / 5 stars	11-07-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name goes toe-to-toe with the likes of Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2. It also serves its main purpose and then some: to bring Kiryu back into the fold and get you excited for what could be his final ride in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.	Read review
Destructoid	Eric Van Allen	8 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden has games, laughs, tears, and brawls where characters dramatically reveal their resplendent back tattoos. It does what a new Like a Dragon entry needs to do, and tees up some big emotional moments for its longtime series lead along the way. If you want a deep story with twists and turns, this may not be all you hope for. But if you run off the beaten path to get a model AiAi out of the UFO Catcher, this should more than tide you over to Infinite Wealth.	Read review
Digital Trends	Tomas Franzese	3 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	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.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Matt Sainsbury	3.5 / 5 stars	11-07-2023	Thankfully we only have to wait three months for the next “proper” title in the series to land. While Like a Dragon Gaiden might have been disappointing against the astronomically high standards of this series, I have no doubt whatsoever that January 2024 will deliver another bold step forward for SEGA’s gritty urban epic.	Read review
DualShockers	Matthew O’Dwyer	8.2 / 10	11-06-2023	Despite its flaws, I can’t deny that I had a great time walking in the shoes of Kiryu.	Read review
Game Informer	Blake Hester	8 / 10	11-06-2023	By the time credits roll, Gaiden neatly establishes Kiryu’s role in the next mainline game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and since that game’s out in a few months, the brief taste gave me plenty to be excited for. I wish the story were more interested in exploring who Kiryu is now that he’s forced into this double life, but as a thin bridge between games, Gaiden is a neat one.	Read review
Game Rant	Brie Hoban	4 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	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.	Read review
Game Revolution	Nicholas Tan	4 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	As an extended epilogue for Kazuma Kiryu, The Man Who Erased His Name is well worth the time. While the game could be longer, it’s a strong send-off for a character that has made Yakuza the thrilling, dramatic series it has been for nearly two decades. As the franchise transitions to Ichiban Kazuga as the main protagonist, I will still fondly remember him, with or without his name.	Read review
GAMES.CH	Olaf Bleich	76 / 100	11-08-2023	Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a more than solid spinoff for the successful Yakuza-series. With a satisfying fighting-system, tons of side-activities and the typical Yakuza-humor, Like A Dragon Gaiden make veterans happy and gives newcomers a chance to get into the series easily.	Read review
GameSpot	Michael Higham	8 / 10	11-06-2023	RGG Studio’s latest action-brawler is a captivating and emotional look at Kiryu’s life that offers a ‘greatest hits’ of the series’ gameplay.	Read review
GamesRadar+	Kazuma Hashimoto	3 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name feels like another swan song for Kiryu, and it’s one I’m tired of hearing.	Read review
GameXplain	Mac Campbell	Recommended	11-06-2023	Video Review	Read review
GamingBolt	Pramath	7 / 10	11-06-2023	While not on par with Kiryu or the franchise’s finest outings, Like A Dragon Gaiden is still a good enough game that does the job of priming you up for the next big entry in the saga.	Read review
GamingTrend	Henry Viola	80 / 100	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a great interlude before Infinite Wealth comes out next year, with its throwback to the franchise’s classic real time beat ’em up combat in the shoes of Kiryu. The narrative does take a step back, and the new characters aren’t as memorable, but there’s plenty of bizarre and addicting side activities to partake in on the streets of Sotonbori or at the Castle.	Read review
Generación Xbox	Gabriel Fuentes	8.1 / 10	11-07-2023	Originally conceived as a DLC, perhaps that’s why it’s smaller in size, and developed in just six months by Ryu Ga Gotoku, Like a Dragon: Gaiden – The Man Who Erased His Name is a very worthy installment of the saga, and although it may not add any significant novelty, seeing Kiryu in action on the streets of Japan is always something extraordinary. as is the fact that such a long-running saga doesn’t feel heavy or repetitive.	Read review
God is a Geek	Chris White	9 / 10	11-06-2023	Like A Dragon Gaiden has one of the better stories of the series, acting as a love letter to Kiryu that fans are going to fall in love with.	Read review
Hey Poor Player	Francis DiPersio	3.5 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	While Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name undoubtedly suffers due to its smaller scale and a heavy reliance on the Akame Network to pad out its 12-hour story, there’s no denying how good it feels to see the Dragon of Dojima back in action – especially with the grab bag of gadgets he has at his disposal. And while this spin-off’s story is over a bit too soon, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s penchant for spinning a compelling narrative shines through, showing Kiryu at his most vulnerable and setting the stage for what’s sure to be a momentous follow-up when Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches next January.	Read review
Hobby Consolas	Rafael Aznar	82 / 100	11-06-2023	Considered inside the long trajectory of the Yakuza franchise, this is a secondary chapter, as you can see in the digital format, the lenght or the mechanics, but it works really well as a bridge between the game from 2020 and the game that will be released in 2024. Few games can compite with this one in terms of script, characters, minigames…	Read review
IGN	Tristan Ogilvie	7 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden’s combat hits with flash and fury and its story is sharp, but its setting and side activities feel a bit on the stale side.	Read review
IGN Italy	Francesco Destri	7.6 / 10	11-09-2023	From a spin-off such as Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, we can’t expect any innovation, and in fact, while enjoyable and always entertaining thanks to its varied combat-system, the game does not add much to the Yakuza series.	Read review
IGN Spain	Rafa Del Río	8 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The man who erased his name serves as chapter 0.5, a title that brings back the figure of Kazuma Kiryu and serves as a connection between Yakuza 6: Song of Life and the next great adventure with Kasuga Ichiban in Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth.	Read review
LevelUp	Pedro Pérez Cesari	8 / 10	11-07-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a game that arrives more as a luxury than a necessity. Just when it seemed that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA had completely handed over the baton to Ichiban Kasuga, they pampered us with an installment that pays tribute to everything that made the series great and treats Kazuma Kiryu and the legacy he has within his universe as well as in the real world with immense respect. Yes, we’ll see Kiryu again in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but he may never star in another installment. If so, it would be a phenomenal goodbye for the Dojima Dragon. Thank you for everything, Kiryu.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	Michael Beckwith	7 / 10	11-06-2023	A much smaller Like A Dragon game, that offers everything fans love about the series, but one that doesn’t quite justify its own existence.	Read review
PC Gamer	Phil Savage	70 / 100	11-06-2023	It may be short, but it still packs a punch. Like a Dragon: Gaiden does little new, but its story is fascinating and heartbreaking in equal measure.	Read review
PCMag	Zackery Cuevas	4 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another excellent entry in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, one that’s packed to the gills with crime drama, oddball humor, and many mini-games.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Michael Harradence	8.5 / 10	11-09-2023	Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another fantastic entry into this much-loved series, proving that Kiryu has more than enough gas left in the tank to continue fronting the series. Despite some combat gadgets feeling a bit gimmicky and some obvious grinding to lengthen the story, The Man Who Erased His Name is a compelling time sink and proves that Kiryu isn’t a spent force.	Read review
Press Start	Harry Kalogirou	8 / 10	11-07-2023	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.	Read review
PSX Brasil	Isabella Alves	85 / 100	11-06-2023	Although not suitable for first-time players, Like a Dragon Gaiden is a spin-off made for fans that fulfills its objective: it delivers a narrative wrapped in a roller coaster of emotions with classic beat’em up gameplay and dozens of side activities.	Read review
Push Square	Robert Ramsey	8 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden teeters on the edge of feeling tired and a bit predictable, but in the end, this is another memorable chapter in Kiryu’s seemingly endless tale. It adds welcome weight to the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon while also telling a great individual story, which is stuffed with typically engaging characters. Refined combat carries this ‘smaller’ title even further, and although its optional excursions can feel a little too grindy for their own good, Gaiden stands as a rock solid instalment, and a potent reminder of why Kiryu’s such a beloved protagonist.	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Ed Thorn	Recommended	11-09-2023	A shorter stop-gap that fills us in on Kiryu’s agent activities after his “death”, Gaiden’s story might be a repetitive shuttle to endless scuffles, but the draw of its minigames is undeniable.	Read review
RPGamer	Sam Wachter	3.5 / 5 stars	11-09-2023	Did Kazuma Kiryu need another game? The short answer is both yes and no. It’s great that this side story exists as it does bridge some plot points from previous games together, and offers some interesting lead-ins for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. On the other hand, the narrative overall doesn’t have the same strength that we’ve seen from this series time and again. There is a lot to love here for fans of the series, but there are also some noticeable issues that keep it from being an easy recommendation. The Man Who Erased His Name is a decent addition to the series, but it misses the mark in being a truly memorable experience.	Read review
Screen Rant	Cody Gravelle	4.5 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a success. With just five chapters total, it tells a compelling story that maintains interest throughout. It’s also a neat summary of Kiryu’s storied past, serving as a solid introduction to him for those who found the franchise through Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Ichiban.	Read review
Shacknews	Lexi Luddy	9 / 10	11-06-2023	Having now completed every side mission, substory, and objective in a little over 25 hours, I can only hope Ryu Ga Gotoku learns from this game and works on more bite-sized spin-offs fleshing out the rest of this universe roster of loveable weirdos, gallant heroes, and snarling villains.	Read review
Slant Magazine	Justin Clark	4 / 5 stars	11-06-2023	Still, at the center of it all remains Kazuma Kiryu, a genuinely good man caught in the throes of a vicious career. Even with the series ready to move on without him as protagonist—no disrespect to everybody’s new favorite himbo, Ichiban Kasuga, who’s positioned to be our hero going forward—Gaiden makes a stronger than expected case for why and how he’s endured so much, and deserves a better ending than the old life has been willing to give him.	Read review
SpazioGames	Gianluca Arena	7.9 / 10	11-06-2023	Like a Dragon Gaiden: The man who erased his name was originally born as a DLC for the eighth chapter in the mainline saga, and it shows in its shorter length and in the reuse of assets, locations and character models. Still, exploring Sotenbori in the shoes of Kazuma Kiryu is a lot of fun like it’s always been up to now.	Read review
Stevivor	Matt Gosper	8 / 10	11-06-2023	While I did warm to new Like A Dragon protagonist Ichiban quickly, you can’t forget the OG. It’s great to see Kiryu take a victory lap in this tightly designed, smaller-scale story before the next big chapter kicks off	Read review
TechRaptor	Tyler Chancey	7 / 10	11-06-2023	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. (Review Policy)	Read review
The Game Crater	Jayden Hellyar	7 / 10	11-07-2023	Ultimately, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name provides the iconic Kiryu Kazuma with a fitting conclusion to his story and sets the foundation for the next game.	Read review
The Games Machine	Daniele Cucchiarelli	8.6 / 10	11-07-2023	A fitting “Yakuza” that takes the old Kazuma Kyriu and launches him into a new life	Read review
Twinfinite	Keenan McCall	4 / 5 stars	11-07-2023	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.	Read review
VG247	Josh Broadwell	Recommended	11-06-2023	Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may be a side story in RGG Studio’s long-running Yakuza franchise, but it’s also one of the biggest steps forward in quality and thoughtful design that the series has seen in years.	Read review
Wccftech	Kai Tatsumoto	7.9 / 10	11-09-2023	While another trip to Sotenbori is always worth the price of admission, Joryu’s brief trip away comes at a high price: respecting the player’s time in Like a Dragon Gaiden.	Read review
Xbox Achievements	Richard Walker	80 / 100	11-06-2023	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.	Read review

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

Game Description / Storyline:

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. Under the codename “Joryu”, Kiryu embarks on a gripping action narrative with bone-shattering combat in vibrant locations filled with exciting characters and activities.

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PC System Requirements

Windows

MINIMUM

OS: Windows 10 1903 (OS Build 18362)

Processor: Intel Core i5-3470, 3.2 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 3.1 GHz

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, 4 GB or AMD Radeon RX 460, 4 GB or Intel Arc A380, 6 GB

DirectX: Version 12

Storage: 98 GB available space

Notes: 1080p Low @ 30 FPS w/ Balanced FSR 1.0, requires a CPU which supports the AVX and SSE4.2 instruction set

RECOMMENDED

OS: Windows 10 1903 (OS Build 18362)

Processor: Intel Core i7-4790, 3.6 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 3.2 GHz

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 6 GB or AMD Radeon RX 5700, 8 GB or Intel Arc A750, 8 GB

DirectX: Version 12

Storage: 98 GB available space

Notes: 1080p High @ 60 FPS w/o FSR, requires a CPU which supports the AVX and SSE4.2 instruction set

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