Summary
TheYakuzaseries has been going strong in Japan since 2005. There are a lot of staples that have been established over the years such as minigames. There aren’t a lot of new ones to speak of in the latest adventure,Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
That makes sense sinceLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Nameis a side project that takes place simultaneously with the seventh main game,Yakuza: Like a Dragon.Kazuma Kiryu has“died,”become a spy, and changed his name to Joryu. Thankfully Joryu still has time to let loose, and the minigames he has access to are just as enjoyable as they were in the games they appeared in before.
6Attend The Cabaret
Drink And Be Merry With Hostesses
One of the biggest re-occurring mini-games in this franchise involves players interacting with hostesses in clubs. There are two clubs in the game with a total offivehostesses to flirt with.There is one club located in Sotenbori while the other is located on The Castle, a giant gambling ship.
The biggest change this game makes to this minigame is that the hostesses are seen through an FMV sequence. Kei, for example, is one of the girls players can interact with and she is a highlight. This dating sim can feel more immersive for players because of the live girls, and it will be interesting to see if Sega will use FMV in the future.
5The Arena
Recruit A Team To Be The Best
The Castle is home to more than just a hostess club. Players can gamble at tables, buy new clothes for Joryu, and then there is an arena. This arena skirts the line between minigame and side quest, as there are some narrative elements to it as well. However, since it changes the mechanics of the main game, it can still be considered a minigame.
Players can go a few rounds in the arena with Joryu solo, which doesn’t change the mechanics. However, the star of the arena inLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Nameis the Hell Team Rumble. These matches are fought as a team, and players can recruit members in a myriad of ways. They can level them up in battle or grow bonds outside of combat. It’s the main reason to check out The Castle’s arena besides the obvious allure of money.
4Playing Classic Games
At Home Or At The Arcade
Sega is one of the biggest companies that rival Nintendo in terms of their outreach. Nintendo has Mario and Sega has Sonic. Sega also has a storied history of titles from consoles to arcades anda few of them are highlightedinLike a Dragon Gaiden. TheYakuzafranchise has always been good at allowing players to test out their classic games.
Players can collect cartridges for the Sega Mega System and play them at the Daidoji Hideout, featuring games likeAlex Kidd in Miracle World. Then there are arcade titles to check out, likeSonic the FightersandMotor Raid.These are all technically full-fledged experiences, but they feel like minigames in the wider world ofLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
3Sing Karaoke
Bring Akame In For Fun
TheKaraoke mini-games in theYakuzaseriesare far from the best rhythm game experiences out there. They aren’t even Sega’s best, because the company has theSamba de Amigofranchise under their belt. WhatLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namelacks in mechanical finesse, it makes up for in wild sequences.
For example, in “Sayonara, Silent Night,” players can see Joryu dressed up as a Santa version of Ono Michio who is an orange mascot. In “Like A Butterfly,” players can sing with Joryu’s business partner, Akame. This is one of the goofiest songs in the game because of Joryu breaking down the lyrics with his intense raps and even more intense sunglasses.
2Pocket Circuit
A Children’s Hobby For Spies Too
Pocket Circuit is a rather silly minigame too. Players can build acar from parts they buy in shopsin the game world, or they can earn them through racing or other side quests. Players will not directly control their cars as they are automatic.
Players can give their car a boost or make sure it doesn’t fly off the track by improving its handling. It’s not the most engaging minigame to play, but the building aspect is fun. Also, it’s funny to see a grown man like Joryu race against a bunch of school kids.
1Pool
Eight Ball In The Corner Pocket
There are a lot of standard sports activities that players can get into inLike A Dragon Gaiden. Joryu can throw darts, play a game of golf, or jump into pool halls. Of the few in the game, pool is where it’s at. There are various versus modes to go through with the AI, but that’s not the best part.
The most engaging things aboutpool inLike a Dragon Gaidenare the challenges. Players will often get one chance to hit a ball in a hole with a bunch of obstacles in the way. Figuring out the right angle can turn the pool mini-game into a puzzle, and it’s a cool twist on the classic sport.
