History VideoGame / YakuzaLikeADragon

** As a quick nod in the localization to a well-known gaming role his [[Creator/WillYunLee voice actor]] was in that is [[VideoGame/SleepingDogs within the same vein]] as ''Yakuza'', Ryo Aoki is referred to as being unable to "let ''sleeping dogs'' lie."

** Creator/WillYunLee portrays BigBad Ryo Aoki/[[spoiler:Masato Arakawa]] in this game's English dub. In ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs'', he was none other than [[TheHero Wei Shen]]. To drive the point home, one of Kasuga's lines in the finale is that Aoki couldn't "let Sleeping Dogs lie."

* AnachronismStew: All of the arcade games at Club Sega are playable during the prologue set in 2000... including ''[[VideoGame/VirtuaFighter Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown]]'', which was released in ''2010''.

** Ichiban gets [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHcc4IQ_LYo his own version of Essence of Microwave]] if he happens to be close enough to a convenience store when the player uses Essence of Roadside Weapon, which is normally Ichiban slamming his enemy's face into the pavement.

* ConflictBall: At the end of Chapter 5, Seong-Hui's insistance on [[spoiler:arresting and/or killing Nanba]] eventually proves to be the fault line in the Great Wall of Muscle, and eventually leads to [[spoiler:the Omi Alliance outright invading Ijincho when Nanba turns traitor as a direct result]]. All of this happens because Seong-Hui refuses to give [[spoiler:Nanba]] any information about his brother - even when he explicitly says that he just wants to know if his brother is at least still alive. This information is well within Seong-Hui's capacity to give, but she refuses to explain anything about what she's doing to Ichiban and his team, with dire consequences for everyone involved.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: [[spoiler:Kiryu really gives off this feeling. Even the way he meets with Ichiban in Chapter 14 is reminiscent of a side-story with Ichiban being one of the NPC’s he has to help.]]

*** It's fairly obvious what the Attack, Defence, Magic and Healing stats do, but Agility and Dexterity? (Agility influences turn order, Dexterity dodging).

** Nanba's "Essence of Resuscitation" is similar but instead, he prepares to give CPR to his comrade. However, what wakes them up is the VisualOdor from his mouth, as they promptly evade Nanba's lips, awkwardly telling him that they're fine.

! Spoilers for ''all'' preceding ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' entries will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

->"''We'll take the top, and it'll be a happy ending! Just like in VideoGame/DragonQuest.''"

* BonusDungeon: The Millennium Tower (which already serves as TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon) becomes the "Final Millennium Tower" in the post-game, including refights against amped-up versions of main storyline bosses, climaxing with a battle against who else but [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss Shin Amon]]]]. Beating that turns it into the "True Final Millennium Tower", which is even harder.

* BrutalBonusLevel: The Final Millennium Tower that's only available in Premium Adventure has higher level enemies, along with rematches with [[spoiler:shadow versions of Saejima, Majima, Tendo, and Kiryu]]. Beating it then unlocks The True Final Millennium Tower, which is even ''harder'', as every enemy is now level 99, and can KO a party member with two or even just one hit if not Perfect Guarded. Because of that that it's pretty much a must for Ichiban to use [[LastChanceHitPoint Peerless Resolve]] in every battle. [[BonusBoss Shin Amon]] also becomes more challenging, as he will summon [[spoiler:Saejima, Majima, Tendo, and Kiryu]] to assist him when he reaches a certain HP level, and taking Amon down doesn't end the battle, you still have to take down the shadows to truly win.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: {{Downplayed}}, but the universe of ''Videogame/{{Yakuza}}'' can be a surreal place at times. Combined with [[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness Ichiban]] daydreaming about everything being an RPG, this sometimes makes it hard to tell what is ''actually'' happening and what isn't.

** Like his predecessors, [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss Shin Amon]] fights using a variant of your party member's skills and Kiryu's four fighting styles.]]

In May 2021, Sega announced that with the success of ''Like A Dragon'', the GenreShift to turn-based JRPG [[https://www.ign.com/articles/the-yakuza-series-will-be-a-turn-based-rpg-series-fully-going-forward would remain for all mainline games for the series]]. The original action-RPG brawler format would remain, however, for spinoffs, including the sequel to ''Judgment'', ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'', and the {{Interquel}} GaidenGame, ''VideoGame/LikeADragonGaidenTheManWhoErasedHisName''. A sequel, ''VideoGame/LikeADragonInfiniteWealth'', is scheduled for 2023.

In May 2021, Sega announced that with the success of ''Like A Dragon'', the GenreShift to turn-based JRPG [[https://www.ign.com/articles/the-yakuza-series-will-be-a-turn-based-rpg-series-fully-going-forward would remain for all mainline games for the series]]. The original action-RPG brawler format would remain, however, for spinoffs, including the sequel to ''Judgment'', ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'', and the {{Interquel}} GaidenGame, ''VideoGame/LikeADragonGaidenTheManWhoErasedHisName''.

** Part of the central mysteries in both games include investigating the whereabouts of a very large stash of criminal money.

* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: [[spoiler:Part of the reason why Kiryu fought Ichiban is to get the latter, who was completely overcome by rage following Arakawa's death, to vent and get his shit back together.]]

** [[spoiler:While Nanba does leave the party after infiltrating the Geomijul Headquarters, the fact that you'll only have his Bond at Level 2 at the highest and that weapons for his unique job can still be obtained and collected both point to the fact that he comes back.]]

* InterfaceSpoiler: Four blacked out menus when you pause the game in the earlier stages not-so-subtly hide the fact that Business Management, Dragon Kart, and Part-Time Hero all exist, as well as Ichiban being given a smartphone to use by Adachi.

In May 2021, Sega announced that with the success of ''Like A Dragon'', the GenreShift to turn-based JRPG [[https://www.ign.com/articles/the-yakuza-series-will-be-a-turn-based-rpg-series-fully-going-forward would remain for all mainline games for the series]]. The original action-RPG brawler format would remain, however, for the ''Judgment'' spinoffs, including ''VideoGame/LostJudgment''.

** The Sujimon app will automatically record the data of any bosses from optional Chapter 3 sidequests you did before you obtained it, preventing them from being LostForever.