Other notable PS5 titles include Ballistic Moon’s Until Dawn, a less-acclaimed remake based on Supermassive’s 2015 narrative horror, and V Rising, a sandbox action RPG where players control a newly awakened vampire. There’s also Wizard with a Gun, if you’re keen on less serious survival crafting action.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon will also be available for PS5 and PS4 players alongside narrative adventure As Dusk Falls and Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1. Premium subscribers also receive access to classics like Tekken 3, one of the best entries in the series, for both platforms. Strangely enough, Tomb Raider: Anniversary and Soulcalibur 3, also rumored to be added, are missing.

Regardless, stay tuned when these titles go live next week. In the meantime, subscribers of all tiers can experience Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3 and Cocoon.

That’s as per series director Ryosuke Horii and lead planner Hirotaka Chiba, who said in a recent interview with Automaton that the Like a Dragon series, as it’s now known, is going to continue telling stories focused on “middle-aged guy things”.

“We are middle-aged guys ourselves… so I guess that’s the kind of target audience we’re going for, probably,” they said.

Horii went on to talk about how it’s this very aspect that gives the series a unique identity. “I think that this is precisely one of Like a Dragon’s selling points. In Yakuza: Like a Dragon, everything starts with three unemployed middle-aged guys being like ‘Let’s go to Hello Work.’ They have a different air about them than a group of young heroes would, complaining about back pain and the like. But this ‘humanity’ you feel from their age is what gives the game originality.”

Chiba chimed in with an example as well, pointing to a conversation in the game where a character mulls over whether or not to drink beer on account of being worried about his uric acid levels.

“For example, there’s a conversation where Adachi is conflicted about whether he should drink beer or not because he’s worried about his uric acid level,” he said. “We’re making the hearty talks of middle-aged dudes our identity, rather than youthfulness.”

Horii went on to add that though the Like a Dragon series has certainly seen an influx of new fans and demographics, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio doesn’t intend to change the way it makes its games.

“We have had a large increase in new fans, including women, which we’re truly happy and grateful for,” he said. “However, we don’t plan to do anything like deliberately changing conversation topics in order to cater to new fans. That would make us unable to keep talking about things like uric acid levels… [laughs]”

Similarly, Horii says that though the franchise has found a much larger international audience in recent years, that hasn’t impacted the way RGG Studio goes about its creative process.

“Our policy as creators has not changed,” Horii explained. “We are very grateful for the recognition we have received from overseas fans and new, younger players, but we will not change our policy of creating games, which is based on our personal ideas of what’s fun.”

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will be announcing its next game later this month at Tokyo Game Show, so stay tuned for updates on what the developer has planned next.

As revealed by the PlayStation Blog, it isn’t just a term for Kiryu’s side content but an actual bucket list. It consists of tasks like trying out candy, visiting a specific Cabaret club and going fishing. While it’s pretty emotional, especially for long-time fans of the character, completing tasks will also improve his Brawler, Rush and Beast Styles (divided into soul, tech and body, respectively).

Launching January 26th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the longest game in the series. Check out the latest gameplay here.

The combat remains turn-based, but this time, players can take advantage of improvements like characters moving around during battle for easier combos. There are also new area-of-effect attacks, improved knockback strikes, combo attacks and extra hits on Perfect Attacks. One of the better quality-of-life features is Smackdown to annihilate weaker foes to earn money and items quickly.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Ichiban Kasuga adventure without ridiculous boss fights. Spoilers for those who want to go in blind, but they’re over-the-top, sticking to the RPG fantasy approach of the previous game.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches January 26th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Unlike Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, it won’t be available on Game Pass.

And as you would expect, it’s exactly that success that has afforded developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio the confidence to stick with the series’ new direction with its next mainline instalment, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Speaking recently with TheGamer, series lead producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto revealed that if Yakuza 7 hadn’t been as successful as it turned out to be, its sequel wouldn’t have stuck with its new cast and mechanics, which presumably means the series likely would have reverted to its original brawler framework.

“If Like a Dragon 7 wasn’t received very well, then we probably wouldn’t have this game,” Sakamoto said. “It is really because of the success of the previous game that we were able to come up with this one.”

He added: “We really try to focus on the balance between good gameplay and a good story. We don’t want to have just good gameplay and a mediocre story, and vice versa. We’re always trying to have that balance and make sure that we give you the full package in terms of quality.”

Of course, even though the mainline games have firmly established themselves as RPGs now, the series hasn’t completely moved on from is brawler-style experiences. Just recently, we got Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, a brawler, while that’s also the formula that the Judgment series sticks to.

Speaking of which, the third Judgment game could also be unveiled this year, with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio having a major new announcement planned for 2024.

Meanwhile, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches on January 26 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

As revealed by Sega during a recent management meeting, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has sold 1.8 million units worldwide across all platforms. In Japan, the game has sold over 400,000 units, while selling over 1.4 million units across the rest of the world. It’s worth noting that the game has often been available for free to subscribers of PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass, which means its total player count is likely higher than its sales figures.

In our review of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, we awarded it a score of 9/10, saying, “Yakuza is reborn in this brilliant and compelling new addition to series canon that recontextualizes series tropes and mechanics for an entirely new genre, delivering one of the best outings the series has ever seen.” Read the full review through here.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Its sequel, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, will launch for the same platforms on January 26.

Baldur’s Gate 3 

Released a few months ago, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a benchmark for modern RPGs in more ways than one. It takes place in a well-realized fantasy world with rich details and compelling gameplay mechanics, and the developer excellently balances its large scale with great attention to detail on a micro level. The gameplay is highly dynamic despite its turn-based nature, and players are encouraged to look for creative ways to tackle encounters. 

On the official website (translation via DeepL), different areas in Hawaii are described, like Aloha Beach for relaxing, surfing and swimming with friends. Anaconda contains the Anaconda Shopping Center and is always busy. You’ll find arcade games, food and more, but those seeking a different shopping experience can go to Waikiki Town. Its Worldwide Market Village offers souvenirs and brand-name clothing.

Chinatown has various food stalls and markets during the day, but Nirvana Hotel comes to life at night, with the “world’s wealthiest people” frequenting it. Little Japan offers a shrine (where a “mysterious character” appears) and a sushi restaurant. The Fifth District is a “dangerous area” where the local mafia hangs out.

Other noteworthy areas include Downtown, the Wharf, and the Pier. Players can walk around and find various materials for weapons, armor and recovery items. You can also find items in the ocean, palm trees, trash cans and more, so there’s plenty of reason to explore.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is out on January 26th, 2024, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Head here for more details on combat and here to learn more about the new Jobs.

https://twitter.com/ryugagotoku/status/1727949071929999395

Check out the range of titles coming to both Extra and Premium:

• Adventure Time Pirates of the Enchiridion (PS4)
• Ben 10: Power Trip (PS5, PS4)
• The Escapists 2 (PS4)
• Evil Genius 2: World Domination (PS5, PS4)
• Far Cry 5 (PS4)
• Far Cry New Dawn (PS4)
• Far Cry Primal (PS4)
• Gigantosaurus The Game (PS4)
• Judgment (PS5, PS4)
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4)
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of War (PS4)
• Mortal Shell (PS5, PS4)
• The Pedestrian (PS5, PS4)
• Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire – Ultimate Edition (PS4)
• WWE 2K22 (PS4)
• Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (PS4)
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon (PS5, PS4)
• Worms W.M.D (PS4)

Some heavy hitters include Judgment and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, playable on PS5 and PS4. Far Cry 5 and New Dawn may also be worth jumping into, while Far Cry Primal offers a prehistoric spin on the series’ open-world gameplay.

Premium subscribers also get new Classic titles this month, including Pinball Heroes and Ridge Racer 2 on the PlayStation Portable. Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus on the PlayStation One and Ninja Theory’s Heavenly Sword on PS3 are also being added. For more details on the free titles offered with PlayStation Plus Essential, head here.

PlayStation Plus Extra is available for $14.99 monthly and $99.99 yearly. PlayStation Plus Premium costs $17.99 monthly and $119.99 yearly. Stay tuned for more details on future additions to both tiers in the coming weeks.

Elden Ring

It’s easy to dismiss Elden Ring as little more than open-world Dark Souls. But it takes the sheer freedom of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and packs it with weapons, Incantations, Sorceries, armor, enemies, mini-bosses, side quests, lore and quirky characters. Elden Ring is a dense experience that goes from one spectacle to the next.