With the Japanese release date for Yakuza: Like a Dragon (a.k.a. Ryu Ga Gotoku 7) fast approaching, Sega is gearing up to give players a sampler before the game's launch. In this week's latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Like a Dragon's producer Masayoshi Yokoyama confirmed that a demo for the studio's latest game will be coming to the Japanese PSN soon.
The version fans will get to try out is an upgraded demo of the one present that the Tokyo Game Show 2019. It will feature the live command battles system and more closely resemble what the final product will be. It should finally put to bed the fan unrest that this latest game isn't a Yakuza title.
Yokoyama also got to talking about a new job for female characters in-game. Jobs take the place of traditional RPG classes and the latest job revealed is the "Office Worker." A dedicated role for a character played by Japanese actress Eri Kamataki, the character will be a woman that does battle with various office supplies. Think Office Space's Milton if he cut loose a little.
As of right now, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is set for a January 13, 2020 release in Japan. The game is scheduled to hit North American and European PS4's sometimes in 2020. Eschewing the series' typical action format, Like a Dragon will be a twist on the traditional JRPG. It'll feature action commands and less direct control over characters.
Many fans aren't exactly thrilled that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios is leaving behind the gameplay style that made it famous. After 14 years, though, it's hard to blame the company. The Yakuza series has never shied away from trying to create new experiences and Yakuza: Like a Dragon looks primed to be yet another high-quality adventure.
In the interim, there's always a chance that spin-off series Judgment will become a proper franchise in its own right. More closely resembling past Yakuza titles, it seems Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios is looking to keep the old and work on the new at the same time. Whether the experiment is successful is anyone's guess, but the studio's reputation for great games has more than earned the opportunity to branch out a little.
Source: Famitsu