“When I saw the end of the episode, I just started screaming, unable to hold back. I literally leaned forward in my office chair, thrilled by the twist at the end.”
“My hands kept shaking when I went to have a cigarette in the office smoking room right after watching the episode. I was so excited. I think it was something incredible,” the game director added.
Yokoyama assured that fans of the original game series will find plenty of references and Easter eggs in the adaptation.
“The atmosphere of the game is felt everywhere. Fans of the game who love the original story will understand this completely. Everything here was made with passion. Every half-minute something will surprise you. If you have never played the games, this will be a completely new world for you. But if you are already familiar with them, you will be smiling the entire time.”
The studio head noted that some key characters from the games, such as protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, differ slightly from the original in the adaptation. However, the developer praised the changes made and stated that they are completely justified when adapting a work to another medium.
As a reminder, the first season of Like a Dragon: Yakuza will be released on Amazon Prime Video on October 25. The series consists of six episodes.
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Cover author: Amazon. Cover source: VGC