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SEGA's Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise has become immensely popular over the years. This massive following has resulted in the creation of many memes, spin-off games, niche references, and a fanbase so dedicated that one can find Yakuza references and jokes across the internet.
Interest in the series has also been renewed since the announcement of the new Like a Dragon: Yakuza TV show coming to Amazon Prime this October. The franchise was previously known as Yakuza, and since 2020, it's been referred to as Like a Dragon.
Yakuza mainline games in chronological order
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The change to a turn-based combat system in 2020's Like a Dragon has also marked a new entry point to the franchise, with a new protagonist at the helm. So, here are the Yakuza games in chronological order:
1) Yakuza 0 (2017)
Set against the backdrop of the late 1980s Japanese bubble economy, Yakuza 0 was released in 2015 in Japan and 2017 globally. It is the first game of the series timeline, despite being released 10 years after the first game's launch. Familiar faces from the franchise in the form of Kiryu Kazuma and Majima Goro feature as the playable protagonists of this thrilling game.
The game takes place across two fictionalized districts in Tokyo and Osaka. Kiryu and Majima are young and tasked with conflicting interests. They seek the same person; however, one seeks to protect and the other is out to kill. Throughout the game, we also see immense development for both characters.
The game faithfully recreates and captures the essence of the late 1980s in Japan. The usual street fights can sometimes reward the player with millions, or even billions, of Yen for defeating the enemies.
2) Yakuza (2005)/Yakuza Kiwami (2017)
The original Yakuza was released in 2005 on the PS2 and was the birthplace of the modern franchise. To honor the 10th anniversary of the original, SEGA released a remake titled Yakuza Kiwami in 2016, which was released globally in 2017. The game takes place over a decade after the events of the first game.
This game features the story that made Kiryu the legendary "Dragon of Dojima." Having spent 10 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Kiryu is released from prison and seeks answers. However, the world he knew changed drastically since the last time he was free.
A thrilling story of betrayal, heartbreak, and absurdity takes place in Yakuza Kiwami, which ends with a cinematic showdown on a rooftop, typical of the franchise.
3) Yakuza 2 (2006)/Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2018)
Yakuza 2 was originally released in 2006 for the PS2. Its remake, Yakuza Kiwami 2 was released in Japan in December 2017, followed by a global release in August 2018. The game's events take place approximately a year after those of Kiwami 1, and once again, the focus is on series regular Kiryu Kazuma's new adventures.
The game introduces a new villain in the form of Ryuji Goda, who is at loggerheads with Kiryu regarding which one of them can truly be considered worthy of the title of “The Dragon.” Many twists and turns lead Kiryu to again find himself fighting Ryuji in a no-holds-barred fight on a rooftop.
The title also features a small segment called the Majima Saga, which is the only other time Goro Majima is playable in a mainline game apart from Yakuza 0. The Majima Saga, though short in terms of duration, completes Majima's story arc in a way many fans have appreciated.
4) Yakuza 3 (2010)
First released for the PS3 in 2009, Yakuza 3 was remastered by SEGA in 2019. This game takes the players on a journey with Kiryu Kazuma once again as the protagonist. Wanting to distance himself from a life of violence, Kiryu moves far away from the series' established grounds of Kamurocho over to pristine, beautiful Okinawa to run an orphanage.
However, his plans are quickly and rudely interrupted by Yakuza members who force him to return to his old ways and even have him return to Kamurocho. Some familiar faces return and some new ones show up, but again, the finale is a cinematic showdown, once again on a rooftop.
The story's many twists and turns are supplemented by a wealth of side content to enjoy. The Karaoke minigame we have all come to love was introduced in this game alongside other minigames like fishing. The game's combat system may be a hot topic of debate among fans, but on the whole, the game is a crucial part of Kiryu's story arc.
5) Yakuza 4 (2011)
Originally released in 2010 for the PS3 and receiving a remaster in 2019, Yakuza 4 was the first multi-protagonist game in the franchise. Alongside Kiryu Kazuma, players experience the story through the perspectives of new protagonists Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, and Masayoshi Tanimura.
Each character has a unique backstory and fighting style inspired by martial arts from all over Asia. The game features one of the most expansive stories in the franchise, and only in the finale do all four team up to fight for a common cause.
Familial ties, bonds, and loyalties are tested in a thrilling and suspenseful story. And, like the conclusion to many other games in the franchise, the final fights take place on the rooftop of the Millennium Tower.
6) Yakuza 5 (2015)
Yakuza 5 has one of the most detailed, thorough, and expansive stories in the whole franchise. Again, multiple protagonists feature in the story, with Kiryu Kazuma, Shun Akiyama, and Taiga Saejima's stories being built upon. However, joining them in the story is newcomer Tatsuo Shinada and a recurring supporting character in the form of Haruka Sawamura.
The latter was introduced to the franchise in Yakuza Kiwami in a supporting capacity and is considered to be Kiryu's adoptive daughter. With the story taking place across five districts and five unique cities, Yakuza 5 boasts immense map variety and one of the longest stories of the franchise.
The game was first released for the PS3 back in 2012 and was then remastered for modern systems in 2020. The title's conclusion is one of the most cinematic in the entire franchise, and this time around, only some fights in the game's finale take place on the roof of the Millennium Tower.
7) Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life (2016)
Yakuza 6 was released for the PS4 in 2016. It was the first game built on an all-new game engine developed in-house by SEGA, dubbed the “Dragon” Engine. With the story of Yakuza 6 picking up directly after the conclusion of the previous game, Kiryu finds himself in prison once again. Once he leaves prison, he tries finding Haruka everywhere, but to no avail.
Kiryu has last seen Haruka in the cinematic epilogue of the previous game, and his desperate search leads him to Onomichi, a sleepy coastal town. With Haruka's child left in Kiryu's hands and her missing for most of the story, Kiryu uncovers many secrets and ghosts of the past over his time in Onomichi and Kamurocho.
The title is the last main-line entry, with Kiryu as the main protagonist. The conclusion to the game and his story arc is quite an emotional one and is supported by many established and new cast members throughout the narrative.
8) Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the first mainline game in the series to not feature Kiryu Kazuma as the main protagonist. Instead, a new main character in the form of Ichiban Kasuga takes center stage, and he is joined by many new allies unlocked throughout the story's progression.
Kasuga can choose to party with a whole host of new characters, including Koichi Adachi, Yu Nanba, Saeko Mukoda, Joon-gi-Han, Eri Kamataki, Tianyou Zhao, and Seon-Hee. Departing from the traditional setting of Kamurocho, a new city district is featured, called Isezaki Ijincho in the city of Yokohama.
The game was released in January 2020 for the Japanese market, and in late 2020 for the rest of the world. Unlike all the previous entries in this list, Like a Dragon is the first game in the franchise to not feature brawler combat, with the series instead opting for a turn-based combat system. Players can take on “jobs” they can level up, and each character can have their unique jobs.
9) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024)
The latest installment in the franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, continues the story of Kasuga Ichiban and his peers across the beautiful settings of Yokohama and a new district in Honolulu, Hawaii. Joining Kasuga and his friends in the story is Kazuma Kiryu, though only in a supporting capacity to Ichiban.
Ichiban's friends have also made their way to Hawaii, with new party members in the form of Eric Tomizawa and Chitose Fujinomiya. Ichiban is in Hawaii on a quest. Unlike the Dragon Quest games he so dearly loves, this quest is to help him find his long-lost mother.
The turn-based combat system introduced in the previous entry returns and has been improved upon in every way. Many series regulars show up in supporting roles, and the story is quite typically cinematic like many games in the franchise tend to be.
Also read: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review
And with that, we conclude how one can play the main-line Yakuza franchise in chronological order, from start to finish. The recently announced TV series based on the story of the first game will launch this October on Amazon Prime. Fans eagerly await its release as well as the next installments of the franchise.
Also read:
- Everything you need to know about the live-action Yakuza TV series
- Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth ending explained
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