Is Gaiden necessary?

[The Terrifying Testicle Tickler]

I've played every mainline Yakuza game and I was planning on playing the spin-offs after finishing LaD 8, but I've heard some people saying that knowlegde of what happens in LaD Gaiden is very important for the context of this game. Is that really the case?

[Valk]

This is mostly SEGA America's fault. Gaiden IS a main game. In Japanese, the title quite literally reads as "Like a Dragon 7 Side Story". It is a main game in the same way that 0 is, and is not a spinoff.

[Legato Bluesummers]

No, it's not too important to the plot of Y8. It was supposed to be a DLC after all. It basically fills in the gaps of what happened to Kiryu between 6 and 7 and then from 7 to 8. There's no plot points from Y8 that it really hits upon although you may benefit from playing it before 8, it's only for more Kiryu backstory. Missing Y7 would be a far bigger deal than missing Gaiden.

[karmazyn1]

What is Gaiden?

[Evangelion]

Originally posted by karmazyn1:

What is Gaiden?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2375550/Like_a_Dragon_Gaiden_The_Man_Who_Erased_His_Name/

[karmazyn1]

Originally posted by Evangelion:

Originally posted by karmazyn1:

What is Gaiden?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2375550/Like_a_Dragon_Gaiden_The_Man_Who_Erased_His_Name/

It says it is overhwelmingly positive. It looks nice. Should I play it before infinite wealth?

[Evangelion]

Originally posted by karmazyn1:

It says it is overhwelmingly positive. It looks nice. Should I play it before infinite wealth?

Yes it's pretty important for kiryus character. I haven't played it myself and have avoided spoilers about the game, but it's apparently really good, also not too long either so you could def finish it in time for infinite wealth

[Valk]

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

No, it's not too important to the plot of Y8. It was supposed to be a DLC after all. It basically fills in the gaps of what happened to Kiryu between 6 and 7 and then from 7 to 8. There's no plot points from Y8 that it really hits upon although you may benefit from playing it before 8, it's only for more Kiryu backstory. Missing Y7 would be a far bigger deal than missing Gaiden.

The fact it was a DLC is WHY it is so important. It was a story expansion to 7, not a spinoff. You could equally say that Yakuza 7 isn't relevant to 8 because all you're missing out on is a bit of character development, and not an actual plot hook.

[SHINRA-CORP]

Its the same as jumping in to any series late that is story heavy. You will still enjoy it but some scenes may lack significance for you because you dont know peoples back stories. But I think you'll enjoy this game regardless.

LAD games are really in their own lane they have a serious story with light hearted side stories for contrast. I played the Yakuza games in a random order and didnt find it made me enjoy them any less

[mimizukari]

Gaiden is officially LAD 7.5, it was meant to be DLC for 7, so it's required as a mainline title + it leads into lad8 and gives you exclusive IW story that won't be available in the main game.

also kson is in gaiden so...

[Legato Bluesummers]

Originally posted by Valk:

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

No, it's not too important to the plot of Y8. It was supposed to be a DLC after all. It basically fills in the gaps of what happened to Kiryu between 6 and 7 and then from 7 to 8. There's no plot points from Y8 that it really hits upon although you may benefit from playing it before 8, it's only for more Kiryu backstory. Missing Y7 would be a far bigger deal than missing Gaiden.

The fact it was a DLC is WHY it is so important. It was a story expansion to 7, not a spinoff. You could equally say that Yakuza 7 isn't relevant to 8 because all you're missing out on is a bit of character development, and not an actual plot hook.

You're basically saying that the DLC would have been played first to coincide with Y8, when it was clearly meant to be played post-game. Nothing in it is necessary for the plot of Y8. It's not even necessary for the plot of 6 or 7 either. It shows the in-between parts of the games. It's not like if you don't play it, Y8 will be ruined. It's fine to play it after 8.

[The Terrifying Testicle Tickler]

After reading the comments on the thread and doing my own personal analisys on why would I buy either of them I decided to play Gaiden first and Infinite Wealth later, as the main reason I fell in love with the series is to follow the intriguing plots and loveable characters; Gaiden manages to scratch both of those itches, while my desire to purchase LaD 8 was driven mostly by innate horde mentality of doing everything everyone around me is doing ( and also live-action cabaret minigame, but that is in both games, so whatevs ). Of course I'll play LaD 8 in the future, but that can wait

[Valk]

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

Originally posted by Valk:

The fact it was a DLC is WHY it is so important. It was a story expansion to 7, not a spinoff. You could equally say that Yakuza 7 isn't relevant to 8 because all you're missing out on is a bit of character development, and not an actual plot hook.

You're basically saying that the DLC would have been played first to coincide with Y8, when it was clearly meant to be played post-game. Nothing in it is necessary for the plot of Y8. It's not even necessary for the plot of 6 or 7 either. It shows the in-between parts of the games. It's not like if you don't play it, Y8 will be ruined. It's fine to play it after 8.

It was a DLC... FOR 7. It was intended to be played AFTER 7 and BEFORE 8. It is quite literally 7.5. NOT 8.5. Please stop spreading ♥♥♥♥ like this if you don't actually understand it.

[Legato Bluesummers]

Originally posted by Valk:

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

You're basically saying that the DLC would have been played first to coincide with Y8, when it was clearly meant to be played post-game. Nothing in it is necessary for the plot of Y8. It's not even necessary for the plot of 6 or 7 either. It shows the in-between parts of the games. It's not like if you don't play it, Y8 will be ruined. It's fine to play it after 8.

It was a DLC... FOR 7. It was intended to be played AFTER 7 and BEFORE 8. It is quite literally 7.5. NOT 8.5. Please stop spreading ♥♥♥♥ like this if you don't actually understand it.

wtf are you talking about? they didn't even have the voice lines finished before all the voice lines in 8.

Here's the producer Yokoyama in his own words:

Originally posted by Yokoyama:

"There isn’t a huge difference between Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth," Yokoyama said. "By this I mean that, in a sense, Like a Dragon Gaiden was derived from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

"We could have just told of Kiryu’s past through a 30-minute interlude as part of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but we decided it would be a lot more interesting as a game of its own, which is how the project came to be. Though this meant having a whole extra game to make, it still uses the same engine, so we thought, 'It’s not like we have to make it from scratch,' and decided to go with it. In the end, it took us about half a year to make it."

source: https://www.ign.com/articles/yakuza-spin-off-like-a-dragon-gaiden-was-originally-planned-as-dlc

OP asked if it was necessary to play it for Y8, the answer is no.

[Valk]

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

Originally posted by Valk:

It was a DLC... FOR 7. It was intended to be played AFTER 7 and BEFORE 8. It is quite literally 7.5. NOT 8.5. Please stop spreading ♥♥♥♥ like this if you don't actually understand it.

wtf are you talking about? they didn't even have the voice lines finished before all the voice lines in 8.

Here's the producer Yokoyama in his own words:

Originally posted by Yokoyama:

"There isn’t a huge difference between Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth," Yokoyama said. "By this I mean that, in a sense, Like a Dragon Gaiden was derived from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

"We could have just told of Kiryu’s past through a 30-minute interlude as part of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but we decided it would be a lot more interesting as a game of its own, which is how the project came to be. Though this meant having a whole extra game to make, it still uses the same engine, so we thought, 'It’s not like we have to make it from scratch,' and decided to go with it. In the end, it took us about half a year to make it."

source: https://www.ign.com/articles/yakuza-spin-off-like-a-dragon-gaiden-was-originally-planned-as-dlc

OP asked if it was necessary to play it for Y8, the answer is no.

Please read the JAPANESE name for the game.
LIKE A DRAGON 7 SIDE STORY.
It is quite literally designed to be played between 7 and 8. It tells a story taking place at the same time as 7. It explains why Kiryu will be in 8.

What the OP ACTUALLY said was that they plan to play the *spinoffs* after 8. Gaiden is not a spinoff. It is a main entry. Just like 0.

[The Terrifying Testicle Tickler]

Originally posted by Valk:

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

wtf are you talking about? they didn't even have the voice lines finished before all the voice lines in 8.

Here's the producer Yokoyama in his own words:

source: https://www.ign.com/articles/yakuza-spin-off-like-a-dragon-gaiden-was-originally-planned-as-dlc

OP asked if it was necessary to play it for Y8, the answer is no.

Please read the JAPANESE name for the game.
LIKE A DRAGON 7 SIDE STORY.
It is quite literally designed to be played between 7 and 8. It tells a story taking place at the same time as 7. It explains why Kiryu will be in 8.

What the OP ACTUALLY said was that they plan to play the *spinoffs* after 8. Gaiden is not a spinoff. It is a main entry. Just like 0.

To be fair, I talked as if I could afford either of those at the moment XD maybe the next paycheck...