The Secret Best ‘Story Game’ Franchise

Now on Nintendo Switch — and TV?

Yakuza Kiwami’s protagonist Kazuma Kiryu stands outside a very important hot dog restaurant. Xbox screenshot taken by the author.

If you’ve never tried Sega’s long-running Like A Dragon/ Yakuza game franchise, then you’re missing out on one of the most enjoyable and deep role playing sagas ever created. “Saga” is the appropriate word, as the narrative here now stretches across over a dozen different titles, with twists and turns and fun characters that will burn themselves into your mind.

I’d argue that the series deserves to come up in conversation just as often as other celebrated role playing greats like Final Fantasy, Persona, or Dragon Quest. Like A Dragon has a rock solid design foundation that draws inspiration from across the entire pantheon of RPGs, blending exceptional gameplay and systems with over-the-top melodrama and an ever-evolving episodic storyline. Each title clearly has the sure hand of an experienced team behind it, and you can feel the legacy of years of work in every facet of the gameplay.

Also, unlike so many other games these days, the Like A Dragon series actually comes out at a decent clip. If you get sucked into its world, you probably won’t have to wait more than a year or so for the next installment thanks to the development team’s careful planning and scope management. They’re not small games by any measure, but still very purpose-built compared to the sprawling open…