Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Rock Paper Shotgun

Ed Thorn·Nov 9, 2023

Critic—

Agreement—

A shorter stop-gap that fills us in on Kiryu's agent activities after his "death", Gaiden's story might be a repetitive shuttle to endless scuffles, but the draw of its minigames is undeniable.

Pure Xbox

PJ O'Reilly·Nov 7, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another fine slice of Yakuza action from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio thart serves up a little bit of everything over the course of 15 or so hours. This may be a shorter affair than usual by quite some margin, but what's here still manages to deliver lots of exciting action, very silly gadgets, drama and deep cuts for the fans. If the intent was to whet our appetites for Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, then consider that mission well and truly complete. Roll on January 2024.

PC Gamer

Phil Savage·Nov 6, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

A condensed adventure brings a mighty new purpose for Kiryu.

Game Informer

Blake Hester·Nov 6, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

For the most part, Gaiden is an interesting bridge between Yakuza 6 and 7 – even if it doesn't always go as deep as I hoped.

IGN

Tristan Ogilvie·Nov 6, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Like a Dragon Gaiden’s combat hits with flash and fury and its story is sharp, but its setting and side activities feel a bit on the stale side.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Nov 6, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Like a Dragon Gaiden teeters on the edge of feeling tired and a bit predictable, but in the end, this is another memorable chapter in Kiryu's seemingly endless tale. It adds welcome weight to the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon while also telling a great individual story, which is stuffed with typically engaging characters. Refined combat carries this 'smaller' title even further, and although its optional excursions can feel a little too grindy for their own good, Gaiden stands as a rock solid instalment, and a potent reminder of why Kiryu's such a beloved protagonist.

GamesRadar+

Kazuma Hashimoto·Nov 6, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name feels like another swan song for Kiryu, and it’s one I’m tired of hearing.

GameSpot

Michael Higham·Nov 6, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

RGG Studio's latest action-brawler is a captivating and emotional look at Kiryu's life that offers a 'greatest hits' of the series' gameplay.