RGG Studio's new title, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, will offer multiple difficulty levels and provide assist items such as health recovery from the start, lowering the combat barrier for newcomers. Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto also confirmed that the highest difficulty, aimed at experienced action players, will remain "extremely challenging."
The combat design in this title differs significantly from the studio's previous works. Players need to use the controller's shoulder buttons and triggers to execute left and right attacks respectively, with blocking and parrying playing a more crucial role, resulting in more proactive gameplay requirements. The team has fine-tuned details such as difficulty balance and control responsiveness based on feedback from attendees at various gaming exhibitions.
The team refers to these assist items as "cheat gear," which provide effects such as automatic health recovery and other buffs. Players who struggle with blocking can also use another type of assist equipment that relies primarily on basic left and right punches for combat, with comprehensive tutorials provided early in the game.
There is currently no information suggesting that these items incur stat penalties; however, they are visible as clothing or outfits, meaning others may immediately recognize that a player is using assist features. Chronologically, the game can be considered a prequel to the Yakuza series, but it will feature different characters, and many scenes will be remade.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza is being developed for current-generation consoles and PC, and is scheduled to launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC on January 15, 2027.