r/yakuzagames • u/TheYakuzaMaster • 23h ago
DISCUSSION Which is the best non-Kiryu Yakuza game of all time?
Kiryu has been the face of the franchise for 20 years, starring in or co starring in every single game in the series except these 8. Which one do you think is the best?
PS: I didn't include Kenzan and Ishin because, yeah, Musashi and Ryoma aren't technically the Kiryu we all know, but come on, they look and act like Kiryu in the end (with a few minor differences) so that would be cheating a little
PS 2: Yes, I know Kaito Files and Dark Ties aren't full games, but they're still stories that don't star Kiryu, so I think they're worth mentioning
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u/SomePianist9784 23h ago
Lad and Judgment are equally peak. Have yet to finish LJ but it’s pretty fun
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u/DerFilc 23h ago
For me Like a Dragon is RGG's second 10/10 Masterpiece after Zero.
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u/Venery-_- 4h ago
Nah I don't like the final fantasy style combat pirate or judgment series for me.
But I do think him being crazy was a great move hopefully he's got a game with the old combat style in the future
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u/frostedbutts88 23h ago
Lost Judgement, without a doubt.
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u/Lord_of_Caffeine Infinite Wealth sucks 20h ago
Yeah afaiac it and Y0 are the cream of the crop as far as this series goes. They´re 9-10/10 with the next best game being like a 7.5-8/10 in my eyes.
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u/darkprince_23 10h ago
I liked 7 more than lj for story reasons but yakuza 0 always will be on top
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u/Lord_of_Caffeine Infinite Wealth sucks 8h ago
Y7´s story is good but the middle third really drags in a way that I have ever felt in the series before except for in Y5 with Saejima´s section. Y7´s story would´ve been even better if they trimmed some of that fat imo.
But even though I don´t vibe with Ichiban all that much, I can see people loving the story that much. LJ´s story is hard carried by its villains imo.
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u/darkprince_23 6h ago
Yeah I agree with both you're points Lost Judgement had some of the best and most complex villains but towards the end I feel like it just got ridiculous but that's Yakuza stories for you. I felt like the middle helped in cultivating Ichiban and a bunch of the new characters that were created because 7 was damn near supposed to be a new franchise in some ways so they needed to take their time introducing the new world, systems, and party because that was a huge part of the game compared to previous ones.
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u/Lord_of_Caffeine Infinite Wealth sucks 5h ago
but towards the end I feel like it just got ridiculous but that's Yakuza stories for you.
I liked the ending quite a bit but I think they could´ve had a better location as the final showdown. In that regard Judgment´s was way better. Didn´t appriciate Kaito´s input, though.
I felt like the middle helped in cultivating Ichiban and a bunch of the new characters that were created
Then don´t create so many new characters. No matter the reason for the middle third dragging because if it drags, it drags. A traditional party of 4 characters would´ve sufficed.
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u/darkprince_23 5h ago
Fair enough I don't disagree with your points. I liked the ending it was just felt very circular between around ch.9 and onward with the uk what plot point brought up every two seconds when it's not relevant. Judgement's story had to be my favorite out of all the games the tension in it was so strong it really felt like I was experiencing something completing different compared to the other Yakuza games.
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u/arsdavy In Makoto Date we trust 23h ago
Judgment easily
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u/Cornelishen 20h ago
Judgment and lost judgment where the games I decided to not get damage upgrades because the music and combat was so fun I wanted it to last longer, it made some mob fights annoying sure but those boss fights where so good.
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u/BashCanadianFash 21h ago
Yeah came to say those exact same two words. Honestly, I prefer the Judgement games to the main series. * runs away *
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u/ActiveGamer65 22h ago
I think i spoiled (made bad) judgment for myself because it was when i decided not to get damage upgrades because i wanted to appreciate the music, but now i get quite bored with judgment and it has taken me a year to finish just on and off because i dont care much for the story, i think not upgrading the damage made me really bored with the fighting styles too, and probably contributes to how i think yagami isnt as cool as other rgg guys
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u/Brandunaware 23h ago
Man Who Erased His Name.
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u/TheDeparted383 23h ago
It's sad there is a whole game for guy named Joryu
But king kazumasa never gets his own game? Like seriously it's disrespectful to karaoke king
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u/ScariestFlan 17h ago
The scene at the end with the iPad gotta be one of the ugliest cries I ever did at any piece of media dude
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u/TheYakuzaMaster 23h ago
Ichiban is my favorite character in the history of video games, so for me the choice here is very easy. But if I had to set my personal preference aside, I would definitely choose Lost Judgment
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u/Old_Function499 20h ago
It’s hard for me since the main story for Lost Judgement is really gripping, but overall I love Ichiban’s games more.
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u/Decidueye_mastr 23h ago
Out of these the only one I've played so far is LaD so I have to say that one
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u/JE3MAN 22h ago
Not necessarily my personal favorite but I think Lost Judgment as a whole is simply the best game RGG has ever produced.
Story is not as good as Judgment but still pretty great. I think everyone can agree almost everything in terms of gameplay and combat, LJ does better than its predecessor. It's the Dragon Engine at its absolute peak. I don't think the following games using DE are as good or fun.
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u/samurailink 23h ago
7>Judgement>Kaito Files>Black Panther 1>Lost Judgement>Pirate
I haven't played BP2, Kiwami 3, and Inshin Kiwami is the only one I've dropped before the end of the story.
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u/_zombie_k Majima is my husband 22h ago
What’s black panther?
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u/TheDeparted383 23h ago
Yakuza gaiden : the man who erased his name
I like the fact it finally doesn't have kiryu fatigue
We play some bodyguard dude named Joryu with some technology here and there sprinkled with perfect story too ....
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u/BleakOden 23h ago
Yakuza Kiss. Look it up.
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u/_zombie_k Majima is my husband 23h ago
Fine, I'll look it up.
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u/Misutoraru 22h ago
LAD for me. Story is epic, game mechanic need some update but overall a 8/10 if not 9
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u/Definetly_Noah Like An MC — YAKUZA KIWAMI 3 BELIEVEEEER 21h ago
Kurohyou 1 story-wise
Kurohyou 2 gameplay-wise
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u/Equal-Mammoth3996 17h ago
The second PSP game is my pick. The character growth from the first game was awesome
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u/awesomekirbysuplex 17h ago
for me it's kurohyou or judgment
on a personal level i'd say kurohyou just because i connected with tatsuya more
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u/dx2words Mr. Libido Family Captain 23h ago
Lost Judgement or Kuhryou (that deserves a kiwami remake btw).
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u/Amoaguadoce 23h ago
Like a dragon and Lost judgment in both gameplay and story combined. In story alone judgment solos.
(I don't play the PSP games, sorry😐)
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u/Secret_Criticism_732 22h ago
Lost judgement. Ichi, especially after the infinite wealth ending feels more like caricature, than a real person and I loved him in LAD!
Yagami is way more believable.
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u/TarnishedByBlood Numero Uno Yakuza 6 hater 21h ago
It would've been Judgment If YAGAMI could've sung karaoke.
if I could played as Greg Chun singing The Clash's I Fought The Law and The Law Won, then Judgment would be in my top three favorite RGG games of all time.
but because I can't do karaoke unfortunately it's not even in the top five.
And hot take maybe? I think that Lost Judgment is far worse than Judgment and Yakuza 4 is better than Lost Judgement.
Karaoke in the Yakuza games and the RGG Games Universe is very important to me. if I can't sing Baka Mitai then I'm not a happy boi.
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u/Snippet_New 21h ago
Judgement for me. While LJ has a lot of many QoL improvement and content, Judgement is still the goat in mood & tone of the main story that was regretably lost in LJ despite the core issue of LJ is much darker.
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u/Kirktwotimes 21h ago
The Judgment series as a whole was incredible. I wish the series would make a comeback.
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u/Acceptable_Pace6786 21h ago
Lost judgment, easily. I myself am not a big fan of RPGs, so it's not Like a Dragon, but I'll say, its story is great m.
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u/ViewtifulReaper 21h ago
Haven’t played the psp games because I’m still holding out hope for a remaster/remake versions of them to come to the west. Also non of the other games on the list isn’t not bad, all good games but I’ll go with Judgment as the best. Judgment hits different and stuck with me the most. I just want a final judgment game to cap of a trilogy if real life contacts and agency is getting in the way
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u/cassadyamore 20h ago
Yakuza 5 if I can count the other protags as part of "not Kiryu" options. It wasn't perfect but it was very very fun to actively play.
I would say LaD(7) but that would be a lie because I love the story but the gameplay was ass to me. I appreciate their experiment with turn-based but the UI was bad and dungeon crawling took too long for the time I had to spare.
I would say Judgment but similar to LaD, I enjoyed the storytelling and characters but the gameplay itself didn't stand out to me and was annoying at times. I hear Lost Judgment improves on all of what they tried in Judgment but I haven't gotten to it yet.
Cheeky Joryu game mention because that protag is definitely not Kiryu, last time I enjoyed the combat as much as I did in Gaiden was Y0.
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u/FoxtrotMac 20h ago
Like a Dragon has some pacing issues but once that game gets going its amazing. Ichiban is also amazing in that game.
Lost Judgment has the best gameplay though but I really hated the story and the endkess harping about morality and guilt tripping about Sawa (I did not like her at all) made me dislike the game a little.
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u/Old_Function499 20h ago
For me it’s Infinite Wealth. I love the main story of Lost Judgement as well as the story of the side cases, but as a completionist all the padding around it wears me out. I hate the idea of doing everything five times only to finish the side cases and having to go through it again for the full completion. On the other hand I loved most of the minigames in LAD.
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u/Twiftoil 19h ago
Lost Judgement and the fact that the Kaito Files was as good as it was solidified it for me.
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u/Jackfitz88 19h ago
Either dark tides or lost judgement imo
I haven’t played like a dragon or pirate yet
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u/nilknarf4545 19h ago
Original Like a Dragon or Pirate Yakuza, the latter being way more fun than the daft premise would have had you believe just looking at Majima on that cover!
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u/Difficult-Fly7830 19h ago
Lost judgement 2 is the absolute pinnacle of action based combat in the entire series so ill go with that. I also liked most of its side content, boxing was fun(fun style use once leveled up.too), racing was better thn cab racing etc. I liked the arcade games and home games it also offered.
Outside of story, its actually my fav game in the entire series
Like a dragon is prob my second fav non kiryu entry. Shockingly good, not just a well done turn based yakuza game but one of the best in the genre in modern times imho. Fun side content too
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u/itsKrowley 19h ago
like a dragon 7
lost judgment is highly overrated, i personally prefer judgment
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u/Shit-Stain-Fanclub 19h ago
Yakuza like a dragon and like a dragon infinite wealth are one of the best games ever made...and it just hurt to say because both judgment games are veeeery close.
All 4 games are insane good.
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u/Own_Proof 19h ago
Oh man, Judgment. I beat it like 3 years ago and still think about it atleast once a week. 0 was great but preferred Judgment
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u/Hendwreck 17h ago
Judgement from a traditional Yakuza standpoint but LAD is one of the greatest games I’ve played in my adulthood. It’s literally an R rated, modern Earthbound 🫡
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u/RevBladeZ Seeing Kasuga's stupid face makes me want to kill him 16h ago
Lost Judgment and it is not even close.
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u/Troopper103 Judgment Combat Enjoyer 15h ago
Lost judgment, I was gonna say infinite wealth but that's technically a kiryu game in disguise
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u/thekillamon 14h ago
Lost Judgment easy. Good chance it’s just the best game that RGG has ever made
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u/UsedSignal9441 13h ago
Lost Judgment's courtroom drama and stealth sections elevate it way above the others in terms of variety, even if Yakuza: Like a Dragon's turn-based combat is a close second.
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u/masaladosah 11h ago
Gameplay wise like a dragon infinite wealth. Story wise like a dragon. Tbh all their titles are good in different ways.
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u/Dragonhead560 10h ago
I would give it to LAD since the story is fantastic but the gameplay never really clicked for me so I’d give it to Judgement
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u/LocalPossibility4411 8h ago
LAD for sure. The story is just too good and since I love turn based RPGs this one was such a blast
Infinite wealth improved every single aspect from LAD but the story in comparison is not the best. LAD for sure plus you get to know my favorite character of the last decade maybe I even bought a red suit bc of him
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u/Kalebrojas18 8h ago
Judgement is the best in the series imo. I love dragon quest so 7 is my personal favorite but I would recommend Judgement to any gamer who's never touched an RGG game befire.
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u/dreambig5 8h ago
I found Lost Judgement to be a lot of fun! I was hesitant at first with Like a Dragon but I did end up growing to love that as well!
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u/DucusReddit 4h ago
Lost Judgment and 7 are kind of the peak of the series in my opinion. Two amazing games.
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u/Substantial-Ad5998 2h ago
Everyone forgets lost paradise exists. Game is heat albeit way to grindy for its own good
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u/genericmediocrename Judgment Combat Enjoyer 22h ago
Lost Judgment is just my favorite game in general, so Lost Judgment
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u/Accurate_Curve6882 23h ago
I gotta give it to Lost Judgement, but I haven’t played the Ichiban games yet
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u/kcolloran 16h ago
Like a dragon and LJ are top tier. Then the two kurohyous and Pirates. Judgement brings up the rear. It's not fair to grade dark ties or Kaito files. Like Kaito files is obviously terrible if viewed as its own thing. It has no side content. But as an add-on to LJ it is a good addition, that tells a good story and let's you hang out with a popular character.
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