Like a Dragon: Difference between revisions

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'''K''': [[Hypocrisy Nod|Sure it was a tax shelter]] but he ran it like a legitimate thing. You know.|[http://www.boingboing.net/2010/08/10/yakuza-3-review.html Real Yakuza gangsters review the game].}}

 

 

 

Fighting enemies earns you experience points to gain new moves to punish them with, and you can also learn new moves by doing sidequests. There's also tons of items and equipment to find, and you can even create your own. The series is considered by many players to be the spiritual successor to ''[[Shenmue]]'', and is also compared to such classic old-school series as ''[[Streets of Rage]]'' and ''[[River City Ransom]]''.

 

* Seven games in the main series with Kiryu as protagonist, ''0 - 6,'' plus remasters of ''1-5'' and ''Kiwami'' remakes of ''1'' and ''2'', and [[Gaiden Game]] ''Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name''.

* Two feudal-era but otherwise unconnected spin-offs called ''Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!'', starring Miyamoto Musashi as "Kiryu Kazuma-no-suke", and ''Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!'', starring Sakamoto Ryōma. ''Ishin!'' has a remake, ''Like a Dragon: Ishin!''

* Very one-on-one combat-oriented PSP spinoffs called ''Kurohyou: Ryu Ga Gotoku Shinshou'' and ''Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura-hen'' that focus on the life of underground fighter Ukyou Tatsuya.

* The spin-off featuring characters from the main series, ''Ryu Ga Gotoku: Of The End''/''Yakuza: Dead Souls'', takes place during an... [[Zombie Apocalypse|umm... outbreak of the living dead]].

* ''Hokuto ga Gotoku/[[Fist of the North Star]]: Lost Paradise'', which is technically a FotNS game but made by the ''Yakuza'' developers, using the same gameplay and mechanics, having ''Yakuza'' alumni in the cast including Kenshiro's Japanese voice being Kiryu's voice actor Takaya Kuroda and with a few familiar faces showing up, and is therefore considered part of the family.

* A live-action prequel to the first game, a live-action adaptation of the first game directed by [[Takashi Miike]], and radio dramas.

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[Abhorrent Admirer]] - in the third game, Kazuma's animal magnetism draws the attention of the [[Drag Queen]] Michiru, causing 'her' to stalk you through several pulse-pounding chase-scenes. How is it possible to run that fast on high heels? The world may never know...

* [[Action Commands]] - Some of Kazuma's Heat Actions have these to potentially increase their damage (and pain to the unfortunate recepient). And in the second game, these sometimes crop up when Kazuma has to avoid some damaging move, tying in with [[Press X to Not Die]].

* [[Actually Four Mooks]] - Used extensively. Anytime you walk into some random punk on the streets, you may safely assume that he's got anywhere between 1 and 3 buddies hiding somewhere [[Behind the Black]], ready to jump in to help him the moment the fighting starts.

** Also used with an amusing twist by a [[Recurring Boss]] in the third game, {{spoiler|the [[Abhorrent Admirer]] [[Drag Queen]], Michiru}}. His uncanny ability to pop up behind you when you least expect it culminates in a lengthy chase where, every time you think you've shaken him, he appears AGAIN, right in front of you, [[Daffy Duck]] style. In the end, it's revealed that {{spoiler|he's actually a team of cross-dressing [[Always Identical Twins|identical triplets]], and the other two were just chasing you to make sure you 'broke up' with the real Michiru so she could get back together with her Drag-King ex-'boy'friend.}}

* [[Amazing Freaking Grace]]: Played over the end credits for the first game.

* [[Anti-Frustration Features]]: In ''0'', you can't die when learning new moves for styles from the respective trainers. A good thing, too, considering some of the missions involved can be very annoying. That said, you don't get it back after you finish said missions either, so you'd better have a healing item on hand in case you get jumped on the way to the nearest save point.

** Koji Shindo was just a lieutenant of the Nishiki Family notable for leading the back-alley ambush on Kazuma at Serena in the first game. In the second, he became the Patriarch of the Nishiki Family.

** Hiroshi Hayashi was one of Ryuji Goda's right-hand men in ''2''. In ''Dead Souls'', he's a {{spoiler|''freaking'' zombie. And not just any zombie. He's the insanely durable zombie (mutant may be a more suitable term for him) who kicks off the zombie outbreak. Granted, he didn't turn into one by will, and wanted to stop Nikaido and DD from whatever their plans were before he was mutated.}}

* [[Authority Equals Asskicking]] {{spoiler|Kazuma}} taking the title of Chairman of the Tojo Clan. Later {{spoiler|Daigo Dojima}} in future games.

* [[Ax Crazy]]: Goro Majima. Holy crap.

* [[Badass Crew]]: Everyone who supported and helped Kazuma has at least done something awesome to earn this. Two of them being his [[Nakama]] in ''4'' (Akiyama, Saejima and Tanimura) and the other playable characters in ''Dead Souls'' (Akiyama again, Goda, Majima)

* [[Badass Family]]: The Amons are a clan of notorious assassins who hold a grudge against Kiryu for being one of the very few people to not only survive but defeat them.

{{quote|'''Majima:''' This is the part where you're SUPPOSED TO LAUGH! [WHACK!] '''[[Cluster F-Bomb|LAUGH YOU STUPID MUTHAFUCKA!]]'''}}

* [[Betting Minigame]]: The two hidden (and illegal) Casinos as well as the (also hidden and illegal) Cho-Han Dice Parlor in Kamurocho, although oddly enough they don't offer a direct cash payout, rather relying on a prize exchange system. There's also the Volcano Video Slot Parlor which is more legal and also relies on a prize exchange system for the payoffs.

* [[Bloodless Carnage]]: In the fourth game, Saejima's murderous rampage at the start of his story has a surprising lack of gunshot wounds on his victims. {{spoiler|[[Fridge Brilliance|Which makes perfect sense]] when you later discover he was set up as [[The Scapegoat]] by Katsuragi.}}

* [[Bonus Boss]]: Jo Amon, an assassin who makes an appearance in almost every game, shows up when certain requirements are fulfilled. In the fourth game, he makes an appearance with his three brothers to take on Kazuma, Akiyama, Saejima and Tanimura. By ''Dead Souls'', he's been {{spoiler|zombiefied, but can still be fought in Kamurucho's underground (you know, [[Bonus Dungeon|the one full of zombies and mutants waiting to kick your ass]]).}} Players are usually rewarded for defeating him with a [[Game Breaker]], since he's just [[That One Boss|that hard to kill.]]

* [[Bragging Rights Reward]]: In ''0'', beating a Mr. Shakedown gives a boatload of cash. However, by the time Kiryu or Majima is strong enough to treat them as farmable [[Giant Mook]]s rather than [[Skippable Boss]]es to [[Run or Die]] from, they'll also be strong enough that not much else is a challenge that needs the upgrades that windfall will purchase to overcome.

* [[Breakable Weapons]]

* [[Bullying a Dragon]]: While most random encounters are cases of [[Mugging the Monster]], many thugs and gangs seek out fights against you knowing full well who you are and thinking they can take you anyway.

* [[Call to Agriculture]]: Kazuma's call is to manage a tiny beachfront orphanage with ten kids in it, but it's the same idea: this is his peaceful retirement from a life of crime. Or so he hoped, until ''Yakuza 3'' happened.

* [[Car Fu]]: In the first game, everyone's favorite [[Psycho for Hire]] Goro Majima [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJH8-_S1Ns literally crashes the party at the Shangri-La soapland with a truck].

{{quote|'''Majima:''' LET'S FUCK THIS SHIT UUUUUUP!!}}

** The third Game has {{spoiler|Hamazaki}} who lets Lau and his henchman fight his own war.

** {{spoiler|Munakata}} in the fourth game. While Kiryu, Akiyama, and Saejima have one-on-one boss fights with their enemies, Tanimura has to deal with {{spoiler|half a dozen elite police forces while Munakata runs around and shoots him with his pistol.}}

* [[Curb Stomp Battle]]: You might as well not even bother trying to fight the Dragon of Dojima if you're a nameless thug, because you *will* be sent to the infirmary... if you're lucky.

* [[Cutscene Incompetence]]: In a cutscene at the start of ''0'''s fourth chapter, Majima has a [[Bad Dreams]] flashback to how he was prevented from helping Saejima with the Ueno hit because he was attacked by a large number of mooks sent by Shibata. This would appear to be fair if not for the fact that Kiryu had fought through a similar number of mooks in gameplay not too long ago. It thus becomes evident that Majima could have gotten out of this jam had he been under player control rather than in a cutscene.

** Pretty well averted in 4 and Dead Souls, whose multi-character gameplay (with Kiryu being the last character) allows him to be presented as more of a larger-than-life character from the perspectives of other characters. Additionally, many of his random encounters in 4 are people attacking him knowing that if they should take down the Dragon of Dojima, their own reputations will skyrocket. Still [[Suicidal Overconfidence]], but it's [[Suicidal Overconfidence]] out of ''respect''.

* [[Dulcinea Effect]]: Men are falling over themselves to protect Lily in 4, though everyone does have their own reasons. Doesn't change the fact that only one of the main characters has known her for more than a week.

* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: {{spoiler|At the end of Chapter 12 in the second game, Kazuma chases Sengoku up the Golden Palace past an army of [[Samurai]]-clad [[Mooks]]- and even a pair of tigers- to his office after he kidnapped Haruka as a ploy to lure Kazuma into an ambush. Sengoku is quite surprised to see Ryuji Goda waiting there for them all with a [[Katanas Are Just Better|katana]] over his shoulder. After commiserating with Kazuma's plight, Goda responds to Sengoku's mouthing off by cutting a deep gash in his chest. At that point, Ryuji makes it clear abducting Haruka was in poor taste. That might have been it if Sengoku actually had common sense and kept quiet. Instead, he [[Too Dumb to Live|spits out]] that Ryuji only got far because of his [[Nepotism|father]]. Ryuji [[You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry|had enough of Sengoku at that point]], stabbing him with the katana and pushing him to the balcony before kicking him off the top of the Golden Palace. He then lets Kazuma leave with Haruka, but makes it clear that there would be a huge brawl between the Omi and the Tojo in one day.}}

* [[Evil Counterpart]]:

** Most of the playable characters have some reason for how they can kick so much ass, and then there's Akiyama. He's ostensibly a former investment banker who was made homeless after failing to fight off false charges, only to receive a windfall from the sky that he leveraged into becoming a successful entrepreneur. None of this adequately explains how he became strong enough as to become a commendable opponent for Kiryu, first as a [[Dual Boss]] with Tanimura in ''4'' and then by himself in ''6''.

** While the series can get wacky at times, most of it remains within the conventions of [[Heroic Bloodshed]] and modern criminal action. Then there's the [[Bonus Boss]] Amon Clan, who have [[Kill Sat]]s, [[Laser Blade]]s and all other sorts of genre-defying weirdness, and no explanation whatsoever offered for all of it.

* [[Kingpin in His Gym]]: in the third game Mine appears kickboxing with a sandbag in a cutscene because the game wants you to know that he's no pushover. {{spoiler|Which you end up learning by yourself since he is the [[Final Boss]]}}.

* [[Knife Nut]]: Goro Majima.