The 12 Days of Gamesmas — Day 3

And Fighting in River City
My Former Loves

Nameless Men

Genre: beat-em-up adventure
Check out our review

Okay, hear me out before you get the pitchforks: while the Yakuza — now the Like a Dragon — franchise has a lot of violence and posterior-based blunt force trauma, it can be argued that isn’t the main message, which is doubly true for the latest entry Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. In this title, as in many others, series protagonist Kiryu is attempting to leave the life of the yakuza behind, though this time, he has slightly more success, as he is presumed dead. In order to protect those he loves, he has cast his name away and left them behind.

For many of us, the need to disappear and start fresh may rear its head during the holiday period, especially when relatives come walking about asking when you’ll get a “real” job and stop all this silly writing chicanery. However, as Kiryu learns, leaving everything behind is not that easy, as he is thrust back into the thick of things, now acting as an agent of a shady organisation of all things! … okay you got me, I’ve got nothing here. I just really love the Like A Dragon series, and the idea of Kiryu Kazama as a secret agent, complete with gadgets, is a mental image that will carry me through these dark months! Cue the angry mob and pitchforks!