Where to Start · Yakuza / Like a Dragon
Where to Start with Yakuza / Like a Dragon
Yakuza (rebranded Like a Dragon from 2020 onwards in the West) is Sega's crime drama series following members of Japanese organised crime through the neon-lit streets of Kamurocho — a fictional recreation of Tokyo's Kabukicho district. The series is known for a tonal range that no other franchise attempts: one minute you are watching a devastating story about fathers, sons, and yakuza honour; the next you are playing a karaoke minigame or managing a cabaret club. Both things are taken completely seriously.
The series has been running since 2005 and now spans 9+ mainline entries. The play order question is genuinely complicated — here is the honest answer.
The two ways to start
There are two valid entry points depending on what you want. If you want the classic brawler series and Kiryu Kazuma's complete story, start with Yakuza 0 (2015, set in 1988). If you want the most modern and accessible entry with turn-based RPG combat, start with Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) — the mainline RPG debut starring Ichiban Kasuga (not to be confused with Like a Dragon: Ishin, the separate samurai-period spinoff). Both are excellent starting points for different reasons.
Yakuza 0 — the best starting point for the classic series
Yakuza 0 is a prequel set in the 1980s bubble economy Japan — two protagonists, Kiryu and Majima, and a story about how they became who they are. It is widely considered the best game in the series and the ideal entry point because it requires no prior knowledge, the 1980s setting gives it a distinct aesthetic, and it introduces the two most beloved characters in the franchise at their most compelling. Play Yakuza 0 first if you want to follow Kiryu's complete story through Yakuza 1-6.
Following Kiryu's story
After Yakuza 0, the Kiryu saga continues: Yakuza Kiwami (remake of Yakuza 1) → Yakuza Kiwami 2 (remake of Yakuza 2) → Yakuza 3 → Yakuza 4 → Yakuza 5 → Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. This is a significant time investment — each game is 30-50 hours. The Kiwami remakes are the recommended versions of 1 and 2. Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 show their age but the stories are worth the journey. Yakuza 6 is Kiryu's farewell and lands hardest if you have played the full saga.
Fair warning — Kiryu's full arc is a marathon of 30-50 hour RPGs. Substories and minigames balloon the clock — treat calendar space like a second hobby, not a weekend binge.
Like a Dragon — the new era
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) introduces Ichiban Kasuga as the new protagonist and shifts from real-time brawling to turn-based JRPG combat explicitly modelled on Dragon Quest. It is set in Yokohama rather than Kamurocho. You do not need to play any prior Yakuza game to enjoy it — Ichiban is a newcomer to the yakuza world and the game contextualises everything. Like a Dragon: Ishin (2022) is set in feudal Japan with Ryoma Sakamoto. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024) reunites Ichiban and Kiryu in Hawaii. If turn-based RPG combat appeals over brawling, start with Like a Dragon and work backwards.
Judgment and Lost Judgment
Judgment (2018) and Lost Judgment (2021) are spinoffs set in Kamurocho following defence attorney Takayuki Yagami rather than yakuza members. Both are excellent — tighter narratives than the mainline games, strong detective mechanics, and the same Kamurocho playground. Standalone starting points if the lawyer-detective angle appeals more than organised crime. Lost Judgment has the better story of the two.
What platforms you need
The entire modern series is on PS4/PS5/Xbox/PC via digital stores. Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1 and 2, 3-6, Like a Dragon, Judgment, Lost Judgment, and Infinite Wealth are all available. The Like a Dragon: Ishin remake is also available. Physical versions exist for most entries. Xbox Game Pass has included multiple entries in the past.
Recommended order
Yakuza 0 → Kiwami → Kiwami 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → Like a Dragon → Infinite Wealth for the complete experience. Like a Dragon standalone if you want to start modern. Judgment standalone if you want the detective angle.