TheLike a Dragonfranchise, which was known asYakuzain the West until very recently, is a longstanding but still growingly popular series that has a huge breadth of content to offer fans. With series installments coming out faster than ever nearly two decades after its initial launch, there is understandably a huge amount of mainline games that come under theLaDcatalog.
Given the abundance of releases that have come out under theLike a DragonandYakuzaname, it can often be difficult for fans to get a clear understanding of which order to play the games, or at the very least what the chronological order of the titles is. Spanning over the course of nearly four decades and often going back and forth on the time in which it is set, the story and games of theLike a Dragonfranchise have a fascinating chronology that deserves to be outlined.
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Yakuza 0
Despite releasing in 2015, the extremely popular titleYakuza 0is actually the first title in the franchise that players should experience. Set in the 1980s during the boom of Japan’s economy,Yakuza 0seesfan-favorite protagonist Kazuma Kiryuas a wild-eyed 20-year-old, while also featuring other series favorite Goro Majima as a drastically different 24-year-old.
Taking place between 1988 and 1989,Yakuza 0is by far the earliest-set game in the mainline franchise, offering a unique and charming aesthetic befitting of the period. WIth many consideringYakuza 0to be one of the best franchise titles, it is as good a place as any for fans to begin experiencing the series.
Yakuza Kiwami and Kiwami 2
The series' next chronological steps come with the recent remakes ofYakuza 1 and 2,now namedYakuza KiwamiandYakuza Kiwami 2. Using the popular Dragon Engine that is now a staple of the franchise, theKiwamigames retell the original stories that launched the series, showcasing Kiryu’s first real struggles with the concept of power.Kiwami 1begins in the year 1995, although most of the title is played in 2005.Its direct sequel,YakuzaKiwami 2, takes place shortly afterwards in the year 2006, with both games telling intimate but deeply important narratives.
Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5
The next three games chronologically within the franchise are sensiblyYakuza 3, 4, and 5.While this trio of games has yet to get the same Dragon Engine remake treatment that the original two games have received, these three titles areavailable in a remasteredYakuzatrilogy collection, which released in 2019.
Yakuza 3takes place between the years of 2007 and 2009, introducing the new picturesque location of Okinawa and showing a much softer paternal side to Kiryu.Yakuza 4then takes place mostly in the year 2010, and revolutionized the franchise formula by introducing four playable protagonists that the player shifts between throughout the game.
Yakuza 5continues this trend, upping the ante and introducing five protagonists that the player controls over the course of the title. This title skips forward a few years, taking place mostly within 2012, although some flashback sequences are set prior to this.
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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza 6was the first title to showcase the aforementioned Dragon Engine, releasing in 2016. With the increased capabilities and scale of this new game engine, the title boasts a huge range of stunning locations, while reverting back to the single protagonist formula to showcase the end of Kiryu’s arc as the primary franchise lead.
Giving further credence to the massive scope of this particular title,Yakuza 6takes place between the years 2012 and 2016, exceeding the timeframe range of most other mainline series installments. When considering the gravitas behind the gamemarking an end of Kiryu’s saga, it is no wonder that the title has such an expansive timeframe in which it is set.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragonmarks a momentous shiftin the franchise formula, ditching the traditional beat ‘em up gameplay that the series had become known for in favor of a bold new JRPG system. Not only this, but the game also launched the character arc of Ichiban Kasuga, the brand-new face of the franchise who will essentially replace the role that Kiryu held for so long.
Befitting of such a new experience,Yakuza: Like a Dragontakes place three years after the events ofYakuza 6, taking place primarily in 2019 while earlier segments take place in 2000. As the series moves forward narratively as well as temporally it must modernize and adapt, andLike a Dragonis a perfect example of this need being met in a successful way.
Like a Dragon 8
Like a Dragon 8is the recently announced and upcoming latest addition to the franchise, and it’s the first mainline title to fully ditch theYakuzamoniker. Surprisingly, it’s also set to be the stage for a return of Kiryu alongside Ichiban, with the two acting as dual protagonists; the ambition and subsequent hype surrounding the game is clear to see.
While not a lot is currently known of the title other than its protagonists and that it will return to the iconic franchise location of Kamurocho, there is still a lot that can be inferred from what fans have already been shown. With Kiryu sporting a wildly different never-before-seen look, it is safe to say thatLike a Dragon 8will take place after its predecessor, bringing theLike a Dragonchronology to its most recent point.
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