Yakuza 0 is the best starting point and the strongest all-around game in the mainline series, while Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the most expansive. This ranking weighs story and characters, combat and progression, setting and side content, and how well each game works for newcomers. It is an editorial judgment, not a universal order: players who prioritize a particular combat style, protagonist, or era may rank the games differently.
Here, “mainline” means the core Kiryu-to-Ichiban story: Yakuza 0, the numbered entries through Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Kiwami and Kiwami 2 as remake versions of the first two games. Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is listed in SEGA’s 2026 lineup, but this ranking holds it outside the list because the available evidence does not establish its quality or relative place. Spin-offs such as Like a Dragon Gaiden, Ishin!, Judgment, and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii are not ranked here.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
PS4 YAKUZA 0 (PLAYSTATION HITS) (EURO) | $23.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Yakuza 0 (PS4) | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Yakuza Kiwami - PlayStation 4 Steelbook Edition | $59.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Yakuza 0 PS4 Playstation 4 Game | $59.95 | Buy on Amazon |
All mainline Yakuza games ranked
- Yakuza 0
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Yakuza 7)
- Yakuza Kiwami 2
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Yakuza Kiwami
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
- Yakuza 5
- Yakuza 4
- Yakuza 3
The ordering balances the complete experience rather than treating combat, story, or sheer volume as the sole measure. The middle and lower placements are especially sensitive to what a player values: a divisive combat change can be a welcome reinvention, while an older entry’s place in the saga can matter more than its age.
Why each game ranks where it does
1. Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is the most persuasive combination of gripping crime drama and playful city life in this ranking. Its linked stories follow Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in a vividly realized 1980s setting, giving the series two compelling perspectives before the main saga’s later events. The separate fighting styles also give its brawling a sense of variety and progression.
#1 Best Overall
It is an unusually approachable starting point: the story comes before the numbered games, and the protagonists’ connection gives newcomers a clear way into the world. Its top spot reflects that mix of character work, setting, combat, and accessibility—not a claim that every player will prefer its real-time fights.
2. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Yakuza 7)
Like a Dragon makes Ichiban Kasuga the new lead and replaces the series’ real-time brawling with turn-based RPG combat. That is a major change, but it suits Ichiban’s vivid, often comic view of the world and gives party members and their roles a central place in progression. Its story establishes a fresh protagonist and a useful entry point for players who have not followed Kiryu’s arc.
The change in combat will not work for everyone, and the game’s connection to the wider series rewards familiarity. It ranks near the top because it makes a substantial reinvention feel like a coherent new chapter rather than a side experiment.
3. Yakuza Kiwami 2
Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2, giving an early Kiryu story a more modern presentation while keeping it within the series’ crime-drama framework. It balances the appeal of a focused Kiryu-led installment with the accessibility of a remake, making it a strong follow-up for players who began with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami.
Rank #2
- A HARD BOILED CRIME DRAMA - The story follows Kazuma Kiryu as a junior yakuza member who finds himself in a world of trouble when a simple debt collection goes wrong and his mark winds up murdered Meanwhile, Goro Majima is living a "normal" life as the proprieter of a cabaret club, but is doing whatever it takes to rejoin the yakuza What that entails isn't exactly easy
- FIGHT LIKE HELL - Kiryu and Majima can each switch between 3 brutal hand-to-hand combat styles on the fly to creat the most fluid beatdowns ever experienced in a Yakuza game Use Heat Actions to trigger violent special attacks, or pick up environmental objects to whale on enemies
- TWO VIBRANT CITIES COMES TO LIFE - Kiryu and Majima will find themselves interacting with many of the colorful denizens of Tokyo and Osaka in some of the most absurdly comedic and heartwarming tales from the red light district From helping a budding S&M dominatrix learn her profession to ensuring a street performer can make it to the bathroom in time, there are 100 incredible stories to discover
- THE FINEST PURSUITS 1980s JAPAN HAS TO OFFER One of the main features the Yakuza series has to offer is being able to relax with the various entertainment options around Japan, and Yakuza 0 has more than ever Players can go to hostess and telephone clubs for some female companionship, disco halls and pocket car races to blow of some steam, hit up the CLUB SEGA Arcades for classic 80s video games, and much, much more!
Its position reflects the advantage of a refreshed version of an early saga entry, though its story lands best when the player already knows the first game’s characters and stakes. GamesRadar+ placed it third in its own selected ten-game ranking, a useful critic’s view rather than a complete or definitive mainline list.
4. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Infinite Wealth takes Ichiban’s RPG combat and party progression to a larger scale, with Hawaii providing a substantial new setting and a wealth of optional activities. Its breadth is a major strength for players who want to spend time away from the central story.
The trade-off is narrative focus: the dual-protagonist plot can feel muddled, particularly as it balances Ichiban’s story with returning Kiryu threads. It is a sequel, so its emotional payoff is stronger after Like a Dragon and the earlier Kiryu games. SEGA reported that it shipped and sold one million units worldwide in its first seven days; the company’s internally calculated total combined physical units shipped to retailers and downloadable units sold to consumers across platforms. That dated sales milestone measures commercial performance, not quality or current sales. GamesRadar+ ranked it seventh in its selected ten-game feature, praising its setting and side content while noting the plot’s difficulty staying focused.
5. Yakuza Kiwami
Kiwami remakes the original Yakuza and introduces Kiryu’s central story in a more accessible form than simply beginning with an older release. It is the natural continuation after Yakuza 0 for players who want to follow the chronology, and its familiar setting helps bridge the prequel and the main saga.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRank #3
- Includes limited edition Steelbook.
- Newcomers or those whose Yakuza experience started with Yakuza 0 will have familiar, exacting controls, top-notch SEGA localization, and a solid starting point for entering the Yakuza franchise fresh.
- Completely new to Kiwami is the "Majima Everywhere" system, where the series' deranged, one-eyed maniac will constantly surprise and challenge Kiryu to combat when he least expects it.
- Kiwami is rebuilt from the ground up with all new HD assets, exclusive Japanese voice audio re-recorded by the series cast, and more; optimized for the PlayStation 4 and running in 1080p/60fps.
Its story and characters benefit from that context, but the experience can feel less fully realized than the best entries around it. GamesRadar+ ranked Kiwami fourth in its selected ten-game list; that placement is one outlet’s judgment, not a consensus or an evaluation of every mainline game.
6. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza 6 is a late chapter in Kiryu’s story, so its emotional stakes are most effective after playing earlier entries. It earns a place above the bottom tier for players invested in Kiryu, but it is not an ideal first game: much of its impact depends on knowing the relationships and history it brings forward.
Its narrower role as a saga continuation is part of the ranking trade-off. GamesRadar+ placed it fifth in its selected ten-game ranking, but that list does not cover every mainline installment.
7. Yakuza 5
Yakuza 5 belongs in the ranking as a core numbered entry, but the available comparative evidence does not support a detailed claim that one particular feature decisively lifts or lowers it against the other games. Its position here is a cautious editorial placement in a series-wide order, not a verdict backed by a complete set of like-for-like reviews.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #4
- Region Free EUR Version
- 100% Compatible With USA Playstation 4 Console
- Work Exactly The Same As Local USA COPY
- A HARD BOILED CRIME DRAMA The story follows Kazuma Kiryu as a junior yakuza member who finds himself in a world of trouble when a simple debt collection goes wrong and his mark winds up murdered. Meanwhile, Goro Majima is living a "normal" life as the proprieter of a cabaret club, but is doing whatever it takes to rejoin the yakuza. What that entails isn't exactly easy...
- FIGHT LIKE HELL Kiryu and Majima can each switch between 3 brutal hand-to-hand combat styles on the fly to creat the most fluid beatdowns ever experienced in a Yakuza game. Use Heat Actions to trigger violent special attacks, or pick up environmental objects to whale on enemies!
For someone following Kiryu’s saga in release order, its role in the larger continuity is more important than this ranking number. The best way to judge it is in context, rather than treating seventh place as a recommendation to skip it.
8. Yakuza 4
Yakuza 4 is a numbered chapter in Kiryu’s larger story, and it sits lower here than the strongest all-around entries. GamesRadar+ ranked it tenth in its selected ten-game feature. That is one critic’s placement in a list that also included spin-offs and did not cover every core game, so it should not be read as a complete mainline comparison.
Its continuity makes it a more natural choice for players already moving through the saga than for newcomers seeking the single best introduction. Its place in this list reflects the ranking’s overall criteria, rather than a claim that its story has no value.
9. Yakuza 3
Yakuza 3 ranks last in this editorial order, but the evidence available here does not justify a detailed, feature-by-feature critique of its combat, story, or side activities against every later release. Its age and position in the saga make it a less straightforward first choice than Yakuza 0 or the Kiwami remakes, while its place in Kiryu’s continuing story may make it important to players following the series through.
Where does Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties fit?
SEGA’s official lineup lists Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties in its 2026 group. That confirms its place in the catalog, not its critical quality or how it compares with the other games. It is therefore held outside this ranking rather than assigned a speculative position or treated as a replacement for Yakuza 3. SEGA’s lineup groups titles by their initial Japanese release year and includes remakes and spin-offs as well as core games, so it is a catalog, not a definition of the mainline series. Platform availability varies by title and region; check the relevant edition and store listing before buying.
Which Yakuza game should you start with?
- For the clearest story starting point: Start with Yakuza 0, then play Kiwami and Kiwami 2 before continuing through the Kiryu games.
- For turn-based RPG combat and a new protagonist: Start with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It introduces Ichiban, although the wider series connection rewards returning players.
- For the biggest, most expansive experience: Choose Infinite Wealth if you have already played Like a Dragon and want more Ichiban, party combat, and optional activities.
- For the main Kiryu story: Follow the games in release order after Yakuza 0 and the Kiwami remakes. A best-to-worst ranking is not the same thing as a recommended play order.
How this ranking compares with other critics’ lists
GamesRadar+’s selected ten-game feature puts Yakuza 0 first and Like a Dragon second, while also ranking Kiwami 2, Kiwami, Yakuza 6, Infinite Wealth, and Yakuza 4. Its list includes spin-offs and leaves out some core mainline installments, so it offers a useful comparison of one critic’s preferences—not a complete ranking or industry consensus. The order above makes its own judgments across the full declared scope and leaves the 2026 remake unranked until its quality can be assessed.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
