Yakuza: Like A Dragon on Xbox Series X feels like a launch game

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is exactly the kind of game that I hope to find at a console launch. That is, it is the same as the current generation version with no obvious improvements. Part of this is that I am already taking some of the benefits of the Xbox Series X for granted because I have a hole inside me that prevents me from feeling happy or satisfied. Yakuza: Like A Dragon on Xbox Series X loads quickly. It is also an ideal game for Quick Resume, because it is like leaving a marker in a novel. But the actual experience of playing Yakuza hasn’t changed much.

I think Yakuza is emblematic of what we can expect from the first games on each new console. Cross-generation releases are common at launch, and this is one of those. Sega and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio built the game for current systems first, and it’s not rebuilding it from scratch on Xbox Series X.

But playing the game on Xbox Series X will likely offer the best console experience. And with Quick Resume, it could even outperform the PC.

In terms of visuals, Yakuza: Like A Dragon should offer a more consistent frame rate, with some graphical advantages compared to the PlayStation 4. But you will still be able to select from the graphics presets. High resolution mode renders in true 4K. High Framerate adjusts the settings and resolution, to lock at 60 frames per second. Meanwhile, normal runs mostly at 60 frames per second, but with slightly lower dynamic resolution and settings.

For me, Normal feels like the way to play. But it’s also not a revelation about the power of Xbox Series X.

As with Dirt 5, the hurdle isn’t hardware, it’s time and money.

Stop chasing next-gen exclusives and enjoy Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Don’t let anything I’ve written so far keep you from Like A Dragon. This Yakuza game still provides me with tons of entertainment.

So far, I’ve had the chance to play two updated games to run natively on Xbox Series X: this and Dirt 5. And Dirt 5 is definitely more interesting to me as a writer because it has a 120Hz mode. That is new and shiny. And yet Yakuza is the one I am most interested in playing.

Like previous Yakuza games, Like A Dragon is an absurd RPG, and this entry really shows those elements. In the time I spent with this preliminary version, I walked away from the evil spirits of the dream, took a written test, and could not identify a public urinator. I also hit someone so hard that I solved their mental health issues, which wasn’t great.

Also, the matter of the public urinal involves you joining the police to drug someone. So maybe the politics of the game is a bit embarrassing. But it has so many puns on peeing, and the person I thought was peeing was actually just playing a flute, so I’m not taking it too seriously.

But this is the point. I already have stories from my time with Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and that’s more important than trying to chase the next-gen tricks. The developers will eventually give you ray tracing and high refresh rates. However, if you’re buying a console at launch, don’t worry about it. Focus on the games.