The series, which first debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, has seen its share of ups and downs in of popularity but has seen a notable surge in Western fans. This came following the release of Yakuza 0 – thanks in no small part to efforts by the Kasuga Ichiban.
According to early impressions from Yakuza: Like A Dragon maintains an approach which is distinctly Yakuza.
Rather than simply overlaying a typical JRPG with Yakuza characters, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has tailored each mechanic to ensure that it fits the tone and themes of the series. Characters will change classes by visiting a Hello Work office, cure status ailments by purchasing medicine and home remedies from drug stores, and purchase equipment from old ladies in boutiques, or even from sex shops, all of which are totally fitting for the Yakuza games. Completing substories will now award party with stat upgrades like wisdom or ion, offering even more incentive to track down and complete these incredibly entertaining missions.
Where Yakuza 7 falters a bit, according to the impressions, is in its length and pacing. Continuing some pacing issues found in spin-off title Judgment, Yakuza 7 introduces some story threads which are only tangentially related to the main lore of the game, often not reconnecting to the game's central story until hours later. Its length, too, may present new issues, as players may lose steam before actually finishing the game which is said to be the largest in the series' history. Despite these issues, fan response is positive overall, pointing to a bright future for the next release.
A Japanese demo for Yakuza 7 released late last year, with the Japanese release landing on January 16th. Fans outside of Japan will have to wait a bit longer, as there is currently no information regarding Western release timing, despite that an English localization for the game has been confirmed and is likely well underway. Players looking to fill the Yakuza-shaped hole in their hearts in the meantime can pick up the recently released Yakuza Remastered Collection, which adds Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 to the PlayStation 4 library, making Kazuma Kiryu's complete journey playable on one system for the first time ever.
Source: EuroGamer