The Yakuza and Like a Dragon series have seen tremendous growth over the years. From humble beginnings on the PlayStation 2, the series saw a point of stagnation during the ill-fated PS3 era. But its sudden rise and triumphant foothold in the video game market is a spectacle to behold. I've been a staunch Yakuza lover since its PS2 heyday. With several games already out and my recent obsession with Infinite Wealth, I decided to sit down and rank the best Yakuza games of all time. So, without further ado, let's take a look at my favorites and see what you like.
Every Yakuza game rated
Note We exclude Yakuza spin-offs from this list and focus only on mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon games. That means we haven't included Judgment, Like a Dragon: Dead Souls, and Like a Dragon: Ishin here. The only exception to this rule is Like a Dragon: Gaiden
We kick off our rankings with the game that started it all. Yakuza was the first title to grace the PlayStation 2 in 2005. A semi-open world beat-em-up, the game featured a star-studded cast of English voice actors, side activities, and a hard-boiled storyline.
Although this game started the series, it has aged considerably. Whether it's the classic PS2 localization efforts by Japanese developers or the dated controls, some gamers may find getting into the original a hassle. But I still suggest you play it to ease the nostalgia of those great PS2 days.
