This should've had a thread of its own. All Ryū ga Gotoku related news will be in this thread from now on!
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What is Ryū ga Gotoku?
Ryū ga Gotoku (龍が如く, which translates to Like a Dragon in English) is an action-adventure video game franchise created, owned and published by Sega. The series primarily focuses on Kazuma Kiryu, a yakuza from the Tojo clan, who goes through various problems that are related to his clan that only he (and in the later installments with his friends) can resolve when the situation goes wrong. The gameplay has the player controlling Kazuma (or other characters in later instalments) in an open world where enemies will often appear to attack or civilians ask for assistance. While the gameplay is similar to Shenmue (another Sega title that everyone knows and loves), the overall experience is completely different.
For the localisation, the main title was renamed from Like a Dragon to Yakuza to represent the characters featured in the main game. However, this ends up with some misconceptions as the story and spin-off games set in various timelines don't represent Yakuza at all.
The franchise was originated from Toshihiro Nagoshi, the producer and game designer for the series (he also worked on other titles including Daytona USA, the first two Super Monkey Ball, and F-Zero GX), was inspired to create a new game that would tell the life of a yakuza. Nagoshi initially struggled to find a platform for the project until Sony stepped in as they showed interest in the prospect. The series ended up becoming a commercial success with 7.8 million copies sold for the first game alone. The series expanded into more title installments, spin-offs and even a feature film.
What's the Plot Synopsis for the first game (without spoiling it)?
The story follows a yakuza named Kazuma Kiryu, who, after spending ten years in jail for a crime he did not commit, learns that 10 billion yen has been stolen from the Tojo clan, which the criminal underworld is searching for. He finds an orphaned girl Haruka who is being targeted by the clan, as she is believed to have the key for their lost money, and he resolves to protect her. The game takes place in Kamurocho, which is a realistic recreation of Tokyo's Kabukicho.
I would like to know more about the franchise, is there a video that explains everything (without spoiling it)?
There is! Thanks to YouTuber HyperBitHero who made a 50-minute long video covering every Ryū ga Gotoku title before Zero (minus the PSP games), I highly recommend you check it out!
Before the franchise found new success in the west, why was only half of the games localised?
The series has sold rather poorly in English territories (with Yakuza: Dead Souls taking most of the blame in this case), but thanks to fan demand and Sony's special Twitter program, Yakuza 5 finally saw a release followed by Yakuza 0 and eventually more Yakuza games later down the line. The success of Yakuza 0 helped provide a new audience.
What games were released for the franchise:
There are many installments in the series so here's a brief list to help you out!
PlayStation 2
Yakuza (Ryū ga Gotoku)
Yakuza 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku 2)
PlayStation 3
Ryū ga Gotoku 1&2 HD EDITION
Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!
Yakuza 3 (Ryū ga Gotoku 3)
Yakuza 4 (Ryū ga Gotoku 4)
Yakuza 5 (Ryū ga Gotoku 5)
Yakuza: Dead Souls (Ryū ga Gotoku OF THE DEAD)
PlayStation 4
Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!
Yakuza 0 (Ryū ga Gotoku 0)
Yakuza 3 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 3 HD)
Yakuza 4 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 4 HD)
Yakuza 5 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 5 HD)
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (Ryū ga Gotoku 6)
Yakuza Kiwami (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami)
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami 2)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Shin Ryū ga Gotoku)
PlayStation Portable
Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō
Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura henu
PC
Yakuza 0 (Ryū ga Gotoku 0)
Yakuza Kiwami (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami)
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami 2)
So, any trailers for the latest games then?
Sure!
Yakuza Remastered Collection Trailer:
Yakuza: Like a Dragon Trailer:
Sources for the info above are courtesy of Wiki, Eurogamer and Sega Sammy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is Ryū ga Gotoku?
Ryū ga Gotoku (龍が如く, which translates to Like a Dragon in English) is an action-adventure video game franchise created, owned and published by Sega. The series primarily focuses on Kazuma Kiryu, a yakuza from the Tojo clan, who goes through various problems that are related to his clan that only he (and in the later installments with his friends) can resolve when the situation goes wrong. The gameplay has the player controlling Kazuma (or other characters in later instalments) in an open world where enemies will often appear to attack or civilians ask for assistance. While the gameplay is similar to Shenmue (another Sega title that everyone knows and loves), the overall experience is completely different.
For the localisation, the main title was renamed from Like a Dragon to Yakuza to represent the characters featured in the main game. However, this ends up with some misconceptions as the story and spin-off games set in various timelines don't represent Yakuza at all.
The franchise was originated from Toshihiro Nagoshi, the producer and game designer for the series (he also worked on other titles including Daytona USA, the first two Super Monkey Ball, and F-Zero GX), was inspired to create a new game that would tell the life of a yakuza. Nagoshi initially struggled to find a platform for the project until Sony stepped in as they showed interest in the prospect. The series ended up becoming a commercial success with 7.8 million copies sold for the first game alone. The series expanded into more title installments, spin-offs and even a feature film.
What's the Plot Synopsis for the first game (without spoiling it)?
The story follows a yakuza named Kazuma Kiryu, who, after spending ten years in jail for a crime he did not commit, learns that 10 billion yen has been stolen from the Tojo clan, which the criminal underworld is searching for. He finds an orphaned girl Haruka who is being targeted by the clan, as she is believed to have the key for their lost money, and he resolves to protect her. The game takes place in Kamurocho, which is a realistic recreation of Tokyo's Kabukicho.
I would like to know more about the franchise, is there a video that explains everything (without spoiling it)?
There is! Thanks to YouTuber HyperBitHero who made a 50-minute long video covering every Ryū ga Gotoku title before Zero (minus the PSP games), I highly recommend you check it out!
Before the franchise found new success in the west, why was only half of the games localised?
The series has sold rather poorly in English territories (with Yakuza: Dead Souls taking most of the blame in this case), but thanks to fan demand and Sony's special Twitter program, Yakuza 5 finally saw a release followed by Yakuza 0 and eventually more Yakuza games later down the line. The success of Yakuza 0 helped provide a new audience.
What games were released for the franchise:
There are many installments in the series so here's a brief list to help you out!
PlayStation 2
Yakuza (Ryū ga Gotoku)
Yakuza 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku 2)
PlayStation 3
Ryū ga Gotoku 1&2 HD EDITION
Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!
Yakuza 3 (Ryū ga Gotoku 3)
Yakuza 4 (Ryū ga Gotoku 4)
Yakuza 5 (Ryū ga Gotoku 5)
Yakuza: Dead Souls (Ryū ga Gotoku OF THE DEAD)
PlayStation 4
Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!
Yakuza 0 (Ryū ga Gotoku 0)
Yakuza 3 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 3 HD)
Yakuza 4 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 4 HD)
Yakuza 5 HD Remaster (Ryū ga Gotoku 5 HD)
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (Ryū ga Gotoku 6)
Yakuza Kiwami (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami)
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami 2)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Shin Ryū ga Gotoku)
PlayStation Portable
Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō
Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura henu
PC
Yakuza 0 (Ryū ga Gotoku 0)
Yakuza Kiwami (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami)
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku Kiwami 2)
So, any trailers for the latest games then?
Sure!
Yakuza Remastered Collection Trailer:
Sources for the info above are courtesy of Wiki, Eurogamer and Sega Sammy.
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