History VideoGame / RyuGaGotokuKenzan

[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/61pefnfdbyl_sx342_5.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:342:The legend of Miyamoto Musashi takes a turn for the wild.]]

''Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan!'' (translates to "Like a Dragon Arrives!"; [[FanNickname unofficially]] known by fans as ''Yakuza Kenzan'') is a SpinOff of the ''VideoGame/LikeADragon'' series released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 in Japan on March 6, 2008. It is the third game overall in the franchise, developed primarily as a way for Sega and the developers of ''Yakuza'' to acclimate to [=PS3=] hardware before moving on to the [[VideoGame/Yakuza3 proper third installment]] in the Kiryu saga.

In addition to being the first ''Yakuza'' game to be released during the seventh generation, ''Kenzan'' is the first in the series to make use of motion capture technology in order to model the characters' faces after their voice actors, a practice that has been used in every single ''Yakuza'' game since.

''Kenzan'' received a follow-up six years later on both the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, titled ''[[VideoGame/LikeADragonIshin Ryu ga Gotoku: Ishin]]'', unofficially known by fans as ''Yakuza Ishin'', which revisits the feudal Japan setting, this time taking place in the 1800s and telling the tale of Ryoma Sakamoto, another real-life figure in Japanese history.

** It is the first and only ''Yakuza'' game on a home console post-UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 not to have trophies/achievements in any form[[note]] If you count the HD re-releases of the [=PS2=] games as straight ports, then it's the only one period[[/note]], as it was released right before the [=PS3=] introduced them and remains the oldest console title in the series not to receive a re-release or remake/remaster.

* OrphanedSeries: Possibly. At the moment, the samurai subseries of ''Yakuza'' is likely done, as the gap between ''Ishin'' and ''Kenzan'' was 6 years as it was, and in the time since then, the main series moved away from action to turn-based [=RPG=], with ''Judgment'' serving as a continuation of the brawler format. Unless the duo does get localized, it's likely to remain as such.

Unlike the main series, ''Kenzan'' was not officially released outside of Japan. However, due to the [=PS3=] not being region-locked, players outside of Japan are still able to play the game by purchasing a copy online. Fear not if you do not speak any Japanese, as the fansite [=KHHsubs=] have created a full English translation of the main story, [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76BD5F1774AD379E which you can view on YouTube.]] With the recent rise in popularity of the main series in the West, many fans have speculated whether or not ''Kenzan'' will ever get an official release stateside. While it does not seem likely, series producer Daisuke Sato said that he would love to see a ''Kiwami''-style remake of the game, and that if it were to happen, it "could" be released in the West. Given that it was just a consideration, however, the claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In 2021, Sato once again expressed interest in remaking it, also considering doing so for [[VideoGame/LikeADragonIshin its successor]], but once again, it is only a consideration - however, with Sato having left Sega in October of that same year, a localization now seems unlikely, though with its below-mentioned sequel receiving a remake in early 2023, the possibility has increased somewhat. Ultimately however, it was confirmed that not only due to the game's age, it would [[https://dojimasdragongirl.wordpress.com/2022/10/07/ryu-ga-gotoku-round-up-special-tokyo-game-show-2022/ need to be completely rebuilt from the ground up]], effectively dooming the game as a Japan-exclusive title.

''Kenzan'' received a follow-up six years later on both the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, titled ''[[VideoGame/LikeADragonIshin Ryu ga Gotoku: Ishin'']], unofficially known by fans as ''Yakuza Ishin'', which revisits the feudal Japan setting, this time taking place in the 1800s and telling the tale of Ryoma Sakamoto, another real-life figure in Japanese history.

''Kenzan'' received a follow-up six years later on both the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, titled ''VideoGame/LikeADragonIshin'', unofficially known by fans as ''Yakuza Ishin'', which revisits the feudal Japan setting, this time taking place in the 1800s and telling the tale of Ryoma Sakamoto, another real-life figure in Japanese history.

Unlike the main series, ''Kenzan'' was not officially released outside of Japan. However, due to the [=PS3=] not being region-locked, players outside of Japan are still able to play the game by purchasing a copy online. Fear not if you do not speak any Japanese, as the fansite [=KHHsubs=] have created a full English translation of the main story, [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76BD5F1774AD379E which you can view on YouTube.]] With the recent rise in popularity of the main series in the West, many fans have speculated whether or not ''Kenzan'' will ever get an official release stateside. While it does not seem likely, series producer Daisuke Sato said that he would love to see a ''Kiwami''-style remake of the game, and that if it were to happen, it "could" be released in the West. Given that it was just a consideration, however, the claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In 2021, Sato once again expressed interest in remaking it, also considering doing so for [[VideoGame/LikeADragonIshin its successor]], but once again, it is only a consideration - however, with Sato having left Sega in October of that same year, a localization now seems unlikely, though with its below-mentioned sequel receiving a remake in early 2023, the possibility has increased somewhat, though it's still not likely as due to the game's age, it was confirmed that it would need to be completely rebuilt from scratch with no reused assets.

Unlike the main series, ''Kenzan'' was not officially released outside of Japan. However, due to the [=PS3=] not being region-locked, players outside of Japan are still able to play the game by purchasing a copy online. Fear not if you do not speak any Japanese, as the fansite [=KHHsubs=] have created a full English translation of the main story, [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76BD5F1774AD379E which you can view on YouTube.]] With the recent rise in popularity of the main series in the West, many fans have speculated whether or not ''Kenzan'' will ever get an official release stateside. While it does not seem likely, series producer Daisuke Sato said that he would love to see a ''Kiwami''-style remake of the game, and that if it were to happen, it "could" be released in the West. Given that it was just a consideration, however, the claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In 2021, Sato once again expressed interest in remaking it, also considering doing so for [[VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin its successor]], but once again, it is only a consideration - however, with Sato having left Sega in October of that same year, a localization now seems unlikely, though with its below-mentioned sequel receiving a remake in early 2023, the possibility has increased somewhat, though it's still not likely as due to the game's age, it was confirmed that it would need to be completely rebuilt from scratch with no reused assets.

''Kenzan'' received a follow-up six years later on both the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, titled ''VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin'' (English: "Like a Dragon Restoration!"), unofficially known by fans as ''Yakuza Ishin'', which revisits the feudal Japan setting, this time taking place in the 1800s and telling the tale of Ryoma Sakamoto, another real-life figure in Japanese history.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Being only the third game overall in the entire franchise, a few things stick out about it compared to both the main series and future spinoffs including [[VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin its successor]]:

* ExcitedShowTitle: ''Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan!''

Unlike the main series, ''Kenzan'' was not officially released outside of Japan. However, due to the [=PS3=] not being region-locked, players outside of Japan are still able to play the game by purchasing a copy online. Fear not if you do not speak any Japanese, as the fansite [=KHHsubs=] have created a full English translation of the main story, [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76BD5F1774AD379E which you can view on YouTube.]] With the recent rise in popularity of the main series in the West, many fans have speculated whether or not ''Kenzan'' will ever get an official release stateside. While it does not seem likely, series producer Daisuke Sato said that he would love to see a ''Kiwami''-style remake of the game, and that if it were to happen, it "could" be released in the West. Given that it was just a consideration, however, the claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In 2021, Sato once again expressed interest in remaking it, also considering doing so for [[VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin its successor]], but once again, it is only a consideration - however, with Sato having left Sega in October of that same year, a localization now seems unlikely, though with its below-mentioned sequel receiving a remake in early 2023, the possibility has increased somewhat.

''Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan!'' (translates to "Like a Dragon Arrives!"; [[FanNickname unofficially]] known by fans as ''Yakuza Kenzan'') is a SpinOff of the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 in Japan on March 6, 2008. It is the third game overall in the franchise, developed primarily as a way for Sega and the developers of ''Yakuza'' to acclimate to [=PS3=] hardware before moving on to the [[VideoGame/Yakuza3 proper third installment]] in the Kiryu saga.

Unlike the main series, ''Kenzan'' was not officially released outside of Japan. However, due to the [=PS3=] not being region-locked, players outside of Japan are still able to play the game by purchasing a copy online. Fear not if you do not speak any Japanese, as the fansite [=KHHsubs=] have created a full English translation of the main story, [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76BD5F1774AD379E which you can view on YouTube.]] With the recent rise in popularity of the main series in the West, many fans have speculated whether or not ''Kenzan'' will ever get an official release stateside. While it does not seem likely, series producer Daisuke Sato said that he would love to see a ''Kiwami''-style remake of the game, and that if it were to happen, it "could" be released in the West. Given that it was just a consideration, however, the claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In 2021, Sato once again expressed interest in remaking it, also considering doing so for [[VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin its successor]], but once again, it is only a consideration - however, with Sato having left Sega in October of that same year, a localization now seems unlikely.

** Hostess and karaoke minigames are not present, as they wouldn't be introduced until ''3'', making it the only spinoff not to feature either.

* OnlyAFleshWound: Random mooks always brush off injuries in the series, but ''Kenzan'' takes it to extremes due to your option to use weapons all the time. No matter how many times Kiryu slices up his foes during random encounters, they always come out alive somehow. It gets especially egregious when using greatswords, which is so heavy that your movement speed is reduced to a snail's pace when using it, as enemies will somehow survive getting sliced or even ''smashed'' with it.

* OnlyAFleshWound: Random mooks always brush off injuries in the series, but ''Kenzan'' takes it to extremes due to your option to use weapons all the time. No matter how many times Kiryu slices up his foes during random encounters, they always come out alive somehow. It gets especially egregious when using the great sword, which is so heavy that your movement speed is reduced to a snail's pace when using it, as enemies will somehow survive getting sliced or even ''smashed'' with it.