Summary
- Yakuza series, a cult hit in the West, changed with Yakuza 0, becoming a global success with Game of the Year nominations.
- Yakuza 2 improved over the original game, featuring faster combat and more side content, but is showing its age compared to newer titles.
- Yakuza: Dead Souls, a spin-off with zombies, offers fun gameplay but suffers from performance issues.
Yakuza, also known as Like a Dragon, is a semi-open world action RPG crime series developed in Japan. It shares many similarities with Sega’s Shenmue series and is loaded with pop culture and side distractions. In the West, the series has mostly been considered a cult hit, and the crime series has stayed under the radar since it was first released to Western audiences in 2006.
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PostsHowever, this all changed with the launch of Yakuza 0, with the game selling far better than expected and earning several Game of the Year nominations. The various instalments are now launched simultaneously worldwide, and the IP has become Sega's biggest franchise aside from Sonic the Hedgehog. Most of the games are really good, as well.
Updated on March 13, 2025, by Dominic Allen: With the release of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, it's a great time to update this list. There are several changes that have been made to keep it up to current standards, plus the new Pirate Yakuza game has been included as well. The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series won't stop anytime soon, so this list is bound to be updated many more times in the future.
17 Yakuza
The Rusty Original
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Action-Adventure Beat 'Em Up Systems Released September 5, 2006 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon Engine Franchise Yakuza Number of Players 1 Platform(s) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U How Long To Beat 14 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseThe first game in the Yakuza series was released in 2005 in the West, and its crime story is as compelling now as it was back then. However, being the first in the series, it is seen as a diamond in the rough, especially now with the Kiwami remake available.
The game was also fully voiced in English, and despite not being bad performances, the dialogue has been accused of being overly Westernized compared to its original Japanese launch. Additionally, it’s the only game in the mainline series to be localized in this way, and it feels awkward as a result. On the plus side, you do get Mark Hamill voicing Majima, and that's pretty cool.
16 Yakuza 3
The First Tropical Entry
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Action-Adventure Systems 4.0/5 Released March 9, 2010 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Sega Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon Engine Franchise YakuzaWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALYakuza 3 was the first game in the series to be released on the PlayStation 3 and told a fantastic story that let us peek at a softer side to the lead character Kiryu as he tries to leave behind the life of a gangster and run the Morning Glory Orphanage. The tropical setting of Ryukyu is a refreshing one.
Unfortunately, this entry is held back by the awkward transition in development to the newer hardware. Worse still, there is a significant amount of side content that was cut from the game, such as the hostess clubs sections and a large chunk of substories. Shortfalls aside, Yakuza 3's story is still a gripping one. Additionally, most of the cut content was added back in for the remastered version!
15 Yakuza 2
A Good Follow-Up
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Action-Adventure Beat 'Em Up Systems Released September 9, 2008 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon Engine Franchise Yakuza Number of Players 1 Platform(s) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U How Long To Beat 19 Hours Powered by Expand CollapseWhen played back to back, the improvements to Yakuza 2 over the original are far more noticeable than they seem on the surface. The combat is faster and smoother, and the game is filled with even more side content to keep players busy for hours.
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PostsThe second entry has arguably one of the best-developed stories in the saga and featured one of the series’ best villains in Ryuji Goda. Sadly, it is starting to show its age, especially compared to the more recent titles.
14 Yakuza: Dead Souls
Yakuza With Zombies
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Action-Adventure FPS Systems Released June 9, 2011 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Sega Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon Engine Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise YakuzaWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALJapan has had several Yakuza spin-offs over the years; however, Yakuza: Dead Souls was the first to make its way to Western audiences (there are still many that need to be localized over here). This game is set a year after Yakuza 4 but is not canonical to the rest of the series, and understandably so, as it features a zombie outbreak.
Look no further if you ever wanted a fun zombie shooter featuring four of your favorite characters from the Yakuza series. Kiryu, Akiyama, Majima, and Ryuji are all playable characters in this title, and there's plenty of comedy alongside the zombie slaying.
It's fun for what it is, but the performance drags down the game immensely. If you have the horsepower, you're better off playing it through RPCS3 for a more consistent framerate.
13 Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii
Should Have Been Better
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Action Adventure RPG Systems 4.5/5 9.0/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 85% Released February 21, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon EngineWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALWhile Goro Majima first became playable in Yakuza: Dead Souls, his first solo game arrived in 2025 with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Introducing sea traversal and ship battles to the series, the melee and ship combat are both a lot of fun. The doppelganger move, especially, is one of the best Super moves in the franchise.
However, since this is not a mainline title, the side content pales in comparison to what was offered just a year prior in Infinite Wealth. Exploring islands can also be repetitive, with many being little combat arenas where you fight 100 enemies.
12 Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
An Amazing Side Story
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Action-Adventure Systems 4.0/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 79/100 Critics Rec: 82% Released November 9, 2023 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon EngineWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONLike a Dragon Gaiden is essentially the prologue for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, similar to Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes. It sets the stage for the eighth installment, and as such, it doesn't offer a lot. You get only one real location to delve into being Sotenbori, and there's nothing really new in terms of side activities.
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PostsEven the Hell Team Rumble matches are essentially a bigger version of the tag team bouts you'd have in previous games. That said, it's still a really good Yakuza game with a great story. Writing continues to be stellar, and the ending might have you cry. It just doesn't bring anything new to the table, which is why it's quite low.
11 Yakuza 4
When The Franchise Went Big-Time
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Action Adventure Systems Released March 15, 2011 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Unreal Engine 4 Franchise YakuzaWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALYakuza 4 was one of the better entries to the series that launched on the PlayStation 3. The city of Kamurocho was expanded and improved upon from Yakuza 3 in every way, and no side content was cut, with exploration far more enjoyable as a result.
What some players may find jarring is that the game’s story is told from the perspective of four characters. In addition to Kazama Kiryu, there’s Masayoshi Tanimura, Shun Akiyama, and Taiga Saejima. Players may take some issue with the game not opening with Kiryu and the focus on the new characters, but Yakuza 4 is still a great title in the series. (And opened up a whole new fandom crush when it came to Akiyama.)
10 Yakuza 5
The Biggest Yakuza Game
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Action-Adventure Systems Released December 8, 2015 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine overhaul Franchise YakuzaWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALExpanding on the fourth entry’s interweaving stories and perspectives, Yakuza 5 features five characters. While this may sound like overkill, the overarching story is expertly crafted and so well put together that each character's path feels both unique and familiar.
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PostsEach character not only offers engaging gameplay and combat variety, but the expanded viewpoints also place your characters in five distinct locales. Returning are Kamurocho and Sotenbori from the first two games and three new cities to explore, which are so packed with content and self-contained that they could pass as individual games in their own right.
9 Judgment
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Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 90% Released June 25, 2019 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega Engine Dragon Engine Franchise JudgmentWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALA Great Start To The Side Series
CloseJudgment is a Yakuza spin-off series, giving players a detective drama set in the same familiar Kamurocho district. However, unlike the Yakuza: Dead Souls spin-off launched in 2012, Judgment is canon to the Yakuza universe. Despite being its own self-contained story that stands apart from the mainline series, with its detective mechanics and new characters, Judgment is a Yakuza title in all but name.
Though some of the features felt a little clunky at times — namely tailing people and the seemingly pointless key mechanic — there's a lot to love about Judgment, and it offers an enticingly dark story to sink your teeth into. Plus, it features popular Japanese singer and actor Takuya Kimura in the lead role; what more could you want?
8 Yakuza Kiwami
The Remake Yakuza 1 Needed
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Action Adventure Systems 4.0/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 80% Released August 29, 2017 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Publisher(s) Sega, Deep Silver Engine Dragon EngineWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALYakuza Kiwami is a remake of the first game and sets the bar for how remakes of classic games should be handled by developers from now on. Remade from the ground up with re-recorded lines from the original cast and added scenes; this is the absolute best way to experience the first game in the series.
Yakuza Kiwami was built on the same engine as Yakuza 0 and packs in many new features and content. A standout addition is the 'Majima Everywhere' side quest, which sees Goro Majima stalk Kiryu throughout the game in a variety of ways, such as using disguises and hiding spots throughout the story and initiating fights.
