At first launched as a PlayStation 2 game, Yakuza (referred to as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) spawns a long collection that follows the stairs of Kiryu Kazuma, a member of probably the most necessary yakuza households (the Dojima circle of relatives, below the Tojo Extended family), within the sport’s fictional town of Kamurocho, Tokyo. He and his more than one allies and pals attempt to steer clear of the conflicts and plans being schemed by means of different tough mob teams.
It took years for the Yakuza franchise to start out receiving the reward and recognition it recently has outdoor Japan. Its popularity simplest turns out to extend because of the more than one localized re-releases and new video games. On this article, you’ll discover a chronology of the collection in the event you’re interested by taking part in each and every access from the very starting.
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How Many Yakuza Video games Are There?
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku studio have launched 8 main Yakuza games and two remakes because the collection’ debut in 2005. They had been initially PlayStation-exclusive titles, however they had been later ported to Xbox and PC, with each and every new sport since Yakuza: Like a Dragon freeing concurrently for each and every gadget apart from Nintendo Transfer.
On the other hand, Yakuza is a chain identified for having more than one and broadly other spin-offs. For instance, Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho and its sequel Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura henu are two titles unique to the PlayStation Moveable, and so they characteristic Tatsuya Ukyo, an absolutely new personality. The Judgement collection, which follows the tale of detective Takayuki Yagami, could also be set in Kamurocho however with different characters.
Then there’s the zombie-infested spin-off Yakuza: Dead Souls, which options the vintage forged of characters in a dystopic surroundings. Yakuza Online is a free-to-play TCG to be had on cellular and PC by which you play as Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The preferred Jap collection Fist of the North Superstar gained the Yakuza remedy when the studio advanced the online game Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, which stocks Kiryu’s video games’ construction and gameplay parts.
In spite of everything, there are two spin-off video games which can be set in older Jap eras and have historical figures as their primary protagonists. Those are Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! The latter has been launched within the West in 2023 as Like a Dragon: Ishin!
As a facet word, it’s price citing that once Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the collection followed ‘Like a Dragon’ as its new title, which is the English translation of ‘Ryu ga Gotoku’ (the unique Jap title).
Yakuza Video games in Chronological Order
Watch out for spoilers for the tales, characters, and related occasions of each and every sport within the checklist underneath.
1. Yakuza 0 (2014)
The 6th launched sport is in reality the primary Yakuza in terms of its chronology. In Yakuza 0, we play as a two protagonists. The primary one is a tender Kiryu Kazuma within the past due Eighties, who’s being framed for a homicide arrange by means of certainly one of his lieutenants within the Dojima circle of relatives. The rationale at the back of this has to do with an ‘Empty Slot’, the place the plain homicide happened. This can be a piece of land that will probably be a key asset for the individual and staff who owns it.
As Kiryu turns into a goal by means of his personal yakuza circle of relatives, former yakuza member Goro Majima is operating in a cabaret as a punishment for being a part of an assassination some years in the past. He’s tasked by means of his ex-patriarch, Futoshi Shimano, to kill a blind girl named Makoto for unknown causes — it’s later printed that she’s the reliable proprietor of the Empty Lot.
Via the tip of the sport, Kiryu will get again to the Dojima circle of relatives after defeating all of the lieutenants, Majima leaves Makoto to reside her existence, and the Empty Slot is destroyed — right here will probably be constructed the Millennium Tower, a key location within the collection.
2. Yakuza (2005)
The primary Yakuza sport stars Kiryu Kazuma as its simplest protagonist after he is going to jail because of taking the blame for a homicide he didn’t devote. The sufferer was once Sohei Dojima, Kiryu’s boss, and he was once murdered by means of Akira Nishikiyama, our protagonist’s easiest pal. The rationale at the back of this crime was once that Sohei attempted to rape Yumi Sawamura, a chum of each Kiryu and Nishikiyama.
When Kiryu comes out of prison ten years later, he’s expelled from the Tojo Extended family, any person has stolen ten billion yen from the extended family’s account, and Yumi is nowhere to be discovered. In the midst of this, Kiryu meets Haruka, the daughter of a girl named Mizuki. Haruka has a pendant that appears to be a key part associated with the misplaced cash. Additionally, Nishikiyama shoots Kiryu’s former captain and adoptive father, changing into an hostile pressure.
All the way through the climax, Kiryu unearths Yumi, the misplaced cash, and fights Nishikiyama. Kiryu is requested to be the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Extended family, which he accepts. On the other hand, moments later he names Yukio Terada, a former Omi Alliance yakuza, as the brand new chairman, and he makes a decision to forestall being a yakuza to boost Haruka as his followed daughter.
3. Yakuza 2 (2006)
Yakuza 2 begins with Terada, the 5th Chairman of the Tojo Extended family, asking Kiryu to assist him save you a battle between his extended family and the Omi Alliance, their everlasting competitors. After being shot in an ambush, Terada appears to be useless and Kiryu seems to be for Daigo Dojima, son of Sohei Dojima, to make him the brand new chairman of the extended family.
Whilst serving to Daigo, Kiryu meets Ryuji Goda, the son of the Omi chairman, and so they change into enemies as a result of Ryuji doesn’t desire a truce with the Tojo Extended family. Every other personality, detective Kaoru Sayama, comes into play and tries to assist Kiryu whilst finding out about her folks, who disappeared when she was once younger.
4. Yakuza 3 (2009)
The primary access launched on PlayStation 3, Yakuza 3 gifts an extraordinary starting with Kiryu some distance clear of the yakuza way of life. As a substitute, he’s taking good care of an Orphanage in Okinawa referred to as Morning Glory Orphanage. He’s assisted by means of Haruka, and he takes care of many new youngsters dwelling there.
Sadly, peace doesn’t remaining for lengthy. Our protagonist has to stand more than one troubles with other characters, involving new yakuza households, more than one assassinations, shootings, betrayals, an palms smuggling staff, or even the CIA.
5. Yakuza 4 (2010)
Three hundred and sixty five days after the occasions of the former sport, Yakuza 4 raises the stakes and brings any other form of tale to apply. That is nonetheless a story of households, betrayals, and crimes, however in this alternative, it’s proven from the eyes of 4 protagonists.
Except for our well known Kiryu Kazyuma, 3 different new faces sign up for the streets of Kamurocho. The primary one, Shun Akiyama is a mortgage shark who works in his personal company, Sky Finance, and unearths himself in the midst of a war between the Tojo Extended family and the Ueno Seiwa Extended family. He’s additionally requested for a 100 million yen mortgage from a mysterious girl named Lily.
Taiga Saejima, Goro Majima’s buddy, went to jail after acting successful in opposition to the Ueno Seiwa Extended family in 1985. 20 years later, after effectively escaping, he seems to be for Majima, who deserted him once they needed to carry out the hit.
Detective Masayoshi Tanimura, any other new protagonist, is investigating some of the fresh murders within the Tojo Extended family. Whilst doing so, he meets Lily, who’s in reality Saejima’s sister, and he or she’s being attacked by means of the Shibata circle of relatives. Tanimura later unearths out that the patriarch of that circle of relatives was once associated with the hit Saejima participated all the ones years in the past.
In the end, Kiryu meets his new companions and unearths out what took place to all of the characters concerned within the ongoing conflicts.
6. Yakuza 5 (2012)
If Yakuza 4’s tale were given difficult with the more than one protagonists’ issues of view, Yakuza 5 went all-in in the similar course. This time, you play as 5 protagonists in numerous eventualities, making this one the most important sport within the collection.
First you apply Kiryu, who left Kamurocho and moved to Fukuoka with out Haruka, leaving his orphanage at the back of. As same old, he received’t be calm for lengthy earlier than he learns that Daigo is lacking, and the peace between the Tojo Extended family and the Omi Alliance is set to damage.
Saejima is in jail as soon as once more, however he’s taking a look to flee together with his cellmate Shigeki Baba when he hears that his buddy Majima is useless. Within the period in-between, Haruka is already a teen and he or she’s following her dream of changing into a J-Pop Idol. Issues get difficult when the president of her skill company, Mirei Park, is located useless, with what turns out like a staged suicide. Returning protagonist Akiyama seems to assist Haruka be told who was once truly at the back of Park’s loss of life.
The remaining piece of the puzzle is the new personality Tatsuo Shinada, a former skilled baseball participant who was once banned after being framed for solving a very powerful fit. A mysterious guy, who’s in reality Daigo, will meet Shinada and ask him to determine what truly took place all the ones years in the past.
7. Yakuza 6: The Music of Lifestyles (2016)
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is gifted as the general beat in Kiryu Kazuma’s existence within the Yakuza collection. Our protagonist spends a while in jail once more, however in this instance, it’s for his previous crimes and no longer by means of being framed by means of somebody. On the finish of the former sport, Haruka printed in a live performance broadcast that Kiryu was once her father and that he was once an ex-yakuza member.
After you have out of jail, Kiryu returns to Kamurocho however just for a short time. He learns that Haruka is in a coma because of an obvious automobile twist of fate, and he or she had a kid named Haruto. Haruka was once in Onomichi for a very long time earlier than the twist of fate, so Kiryu is going there to analyze what took place and who’s Haruto’s father.
Whilst discovering clues, necessary characters like Daigo, Saejima, and Majima are imprisoned, and the rival teams of the Chinese language Saio Triad and the Jingweon Mafia wish to make their strikes in Kamurocho.
8. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
A contemporary new get started, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a large turning level within the collection. For the primary time, the principle protagonist isn’t Kiryu, however a Tojo Extended family member named Ichiban Kasuga, who went to prison for 18 years to offer protection to Jo Sawashiro, his captain. When he will get out, he unearths out that no person is in search of him since the Tojo Extended family has in the end been defeated by means of the Omi Alliance.
Masumi Arakawa, the patriarch of the Arawaka circle of relatives and the person who requested Ichiban to take the blame and pass to jail as a substitute of Sawashiro, was once scheming with the Omi and betrayed the Tojo Extended family. He additionally shoots Ichiban once they meet after virtually two decades.
Ichiban wakes up in Ijincho, and a homeless guy referred to as Yu Nanba heals his wounds. That is the place to begin for our new protagonist, who will meet more than one new faces for his birthday party. The brand new staff will attempt to discover the rationale at the back of Arakawa’s play, and they are going to face 3 felony teams whilst doing so: the Yokohama Liumang, the Geomijul Mafia, and the Seiryu Extended family.
Learn how to Play the Yakuza Video games Via Unlock Date
- Yakuza (2005)
- Yakuza 2 (2006)
- Yakuza 3 (2009)
- Yakuza 4 (2010)
- Yakuza 5 (2012)
- Yakuza 0 (2015)
- Yakuza 6: The Music of Lifestyles (2016)
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
What’s Subsequent for Yakuza?
It kind of feels just like the Yakuza universe is some distance from over. Now retitled ‘Like a Dragon’, there are two new upcoming releases within the franchise: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which has a free up date for someday in 2023, and Like a Dragon 8, which is scheduled for 2024. The previous will center of attention on Kiryu and what took place to him after Yakuza 6, whilst the latter will proceed Ichiban’s tale, however with Kiryu additionally having a significant position within the plot.
