Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 297 sampled Steam reviews (272 positive / 25 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing34% mention it
- Combat18% mention it
- Grind & repetition11% mention it
- Difficulty & balance5% mention it
- Music & audio5% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing40% mention it
- Grind & repetition36% mention it
- Combat28% mention it
- Progression & loot20% mention it
- Difficulty & balance16% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
74%
23 reviews
5-15h
86%
43 reviews
15-40h
91%
46 reviews
40-100h
94%
143 reviews
100h+
98%
42 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 86 | 66 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 91 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 88 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 92% | 87 | 91 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 261 reviews sampled · 198 total reviews in window · weighted 197.6 up / 16.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (146)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 95
“Ichiban’s journey is an epic tale of loyalty, love and honour, and this is likely to be an experience you’ll remember for years to come. Like a Dragon is an absolute must-play.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“You should look at Yakuza: Like a Dragon through the lens of it's protaginist. This game is unapologetically brash, unmistakable bold, life-affirming and insanely charismatic. The legend of Ichiban Kasuga journey, like a bright flame, tells us one familliar, but sweet and romantic idea - each and every one of us can become a true Hero, even if you have to fight the fate itself, while making your way through hundrends upon hundreds of random encounters.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a rich RPG full of interesting content. It may not be the top in its genre, however, it certainly does things well enough to fully deserve your attention. Great story and diverse playability make it a title which will keep your eyes on the screen for an impressive amount of time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For the new players who don't want to spend tons of hours playing the first seven games, Like a Dragon is a perfect opportunity to introduce themselves to Yakuza. Despite the slow start and some shortcomings, it's still a great game you don't want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ichiban himself is an interesting character and his friends are such a crazy bunch too. We definitely recommend playing this episode. For us, the game exceeded all expectations we had. It's just a shame that Kiryu didn't have more space, but hopefully we'll see him in the next episode.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“This story of not just Ichiban, but also his allies both former and new, is a tour de force that sucks players in completely. It’s a roller-coaster taking players through the full gamut of emotions and an easy, if slightly caveated, recommendation even to newcomers.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“What they have here is an amazing foundation for the future of the franchise.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“If Yakuza is to truly grow, we need to be the one to call it in.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Whether you’re a Yakuza veteran or a newcomer to the series, there is a lot to love with Like A Dragon. It takes the series in a fresh new direction, tells an engaging story packed with quirky characters and has a fun and brave combat system. The overall presentation of the game is top notch, taking place in a vibrant and busy representation of Japan with a really solid English dub. The game does have some late game flaws that are certainly noticeable but if you’re wanting a new Yakuza game to check out, I whole heartedly recommend checking out Like A Dragon.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Just like past games, Yakuza: Like A Dragon still retains the magic of balancing the serious and the absurd side-by-side with deft precision and skill. You won't regret this trip down Isezaki Ijincho and getting enamoured by its 40-hours plus journey.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“If it's not the best game in the series, it's not too far behind, which is saying quite a bit for one that has spent the entire eighth generation improving itself.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Yakuza: Like a Dragon does exactly as hoped and brings a whole new audience to the series with a reinvention of sorts. It plays well, looks great, and has one of the simplest stories to understand fronted by Ichi, the most likeable protagonist so far. It was a bold move in it's radical approach to the combat system that has paid off spectacularly, when partnered with a wealth of sub-quests that never feel forced and always delight. If you are a long time Yakuza fan, take comfort in knowing that even in a new direction this not only holds up, but is the best in the series. For newcomers, go and grab one of the games of the year. Consider this reviewer converted.”
read full review ↗
TheReviewGeek
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
Gaming Professors
RPGamer
Seasoned Gaming
Paste Magazine
ani-game.com
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Cubed3…and 134 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update 1.08 is LIVE!Jan 19, 2021
- Update 1.07 is now live!Jan 11, 2021
- Update 1.06 is LIVE!Dec 22, 2020
- 1.05 is Live!Dec 14, 2020
- 1.04 is Live!Dec 8, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- 1.03.1 is Live!Dec 2, 2020
- Patch 1.03 is live!Nov 30, 2020
- Patch 1.02 is Live!Nov 17, 2020