Gang of Dragon

Yakuza/Like a Dragon creator Toshihiro Nagoshi’s first project since leaving Ryu Ga Gotoku in 2021 seems comfortably within his wheelhouse. Gang of Dragon centers on organized crime, has brawling combat, and features a recognizable actor in a prominent role, all set within a specific area of Tokyo. While Nagoshi is playing his greatest hits, I’m curious how they sound without the backing of RGG or Sega.

Actor Ma Dong-seok (Train to Busan, Eternals) lends his voice and likeness to protagonist Shin Ji-seong, a high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate who we first meet as he’s getting stabbed in the gut by a masked thug. As Ji-seong grips the bloody blade, he fiercely stares into the obscured eyes of his sunglasses-wearing assailant and sputters “motherf*****” before the game’s debut trailer begins in earnest. That may not seem like the most auspicious way to debut a new hero, but the next scene shows Ji-seong effortlessly brutalizing a small gang of armed thugs in a bar with his bare hands. I’m thinking the guy who stabbed him got extremely lucky.