With the recent success of Judgment both critically and commercially, Sega has now turned its eye towards the impending release of the next mainline Yakuza title, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Following a very strong showing at Tokyo Game Show a few weeks ago, where a ton of new information about the game and its mechanics was released, producer Masayoshi Yokoyama has now revealed via an interview with Famitsu, that Sega will be releasing a demo for Yakuza: Like a Dragon at a later date.
In terms of what prospective players can expect from gameplay, it was also detailed that the demo will basically be an upgrade to the version shown at Tokyo Game Show 2019, with most of the battle action similar to what the final product will feature at the launch of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Check out the battle gameplay footage below in case you missed its first outing a few weeks ago.
One of the biggest and most notable changes that comes with Yakuza: Like a Dragon is its departure from the regular beat ‘em up style of Yakuza gameplay when it comes to combat. Like a Dragon will instead utilize a notable first for the series: a turn-based battle system. One of the first things you tend to notice with this change is the pace; whereas the old Yakuza games were somewhat more frantic when it came to combat, the turn-based style utilized here feels a bit underwhelming in comparison, especially given the high-energy and over-the-top feel the series is best known for. That said, it could easily be compelling for some people, although it’s not surprising to see the updated combat system receive some backlash for this unforeseen change.
Going back to the interview, Yokoyama also confirmed that a female-only ‘office worker’ job will be available to play for Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This character is voiced by Eri Kamataki, who’s best known for starring in the recently released film The Forest of Love by director Sion Sono. This ‘office worker’ character will of course utilize office supplies, matching the ridiculousness of the series.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is slated for a January 16 release for the PlayStation 4 in Japan, and later during the same year for the Americas and Europe.
