8.5/10

While I'm still not a fan of the slower turn-based combat in RGG games, I'll admit they definitely improved the gameplay compared to Y7. The story felt imbalanced in my opinion. This definitely like this was more Kiryu's story than it was Ichiban's, and it feels like they tried to balance that out by giving Ichiban all the special minigames (Sujimon League, Dondoko Island, Miss Match, etc.). The characters were handled well for the most part. Seonhee becoming Kiryu fangirl was a bit weird, but I could roll with it. Chitose in particular was one I wasn't expecting to be a big fan of, but their story definitely took me by surprise. Bit disappointed that Gaiden set up Hanawa as a character, but we don't get any more details surrounding him. Soundtrack was good. Not an incredibly memorable one like other RGG titles, but there's yet to be a bad RGG soundtrack.

Overall, this felt like Kiryu's story that Ichiban was just side character in despite being a protagonist as well. Regardless, it's still a fun time worth playing through.

It's decent, but I feel like it fails to live up to its full potential.

The content of the game feels a bit lackluster when compared with its predecessor. What is there is done very well, the graphics are nice, and the controls handle very well. However, there are less items available and less gameplay options overall. I can understand if they wouldn't carry over all their DLCs, but cutting lawn care from the game entirely is kinda lame. The story mode was enjoyable. Nothing amazing, but decent enough. However, I don't think I'll be playing any of the post-story content. Buying and flipping houses in the first game was enjoyable because you would plan the house layout based on which client you wanted to purchase the house. This would allow you to step outside your comfort zone and pursue ideas you wouldn't have otherwise. Now that they've removed the clients, there's no incentive for me to not just flip all the houses in the exact same manner. I'd honestly rather go back to the first game and continue working on the houses there instead of this game. Overall, the game itself isn't bad per say, but it definitely doesn't live up to the first.

I know people are gonna write this game off simply because it's a gacha game, and I understand. But if you're willing to look past the gacha aspect of the game, you'll find gameplay that is incredibly fun, a diverse lovable cast of characters, a banging soundtrack, and some insanely good stories. I picked this game up in February of '23 because of their collab with Chainsaw Man. After not pulling any of the units, I dropped it. But after about a week, I realized I was actually very invested in the main campaign and that I was still genuinely curious to see how the story played out. So shortly thereafter, I picked it back up again and have been a daily player since. And not only the main campaign, but the stories in their bi-weekly/monthly have been super enjoyable as well. and do a great job of fleshing out a lot of the characters on the roster. And good lord, that soundtrack? Even if you have no intention of checking this game out, you should absolutely listen to the NIKKE soundtrack because it is fucking STELLAR. Now, have I spent money on this game? Yes, and honestly, I have had so much damn fun with this game, I'll never regret the money I've spent on it. But I legitimately believe this game is friendly for F2P players. I played this game for 3 months before ever spending a penny on it because I didn't want a repeat of what has happened to me with other gacha games (spend money only to drop it within a couple months). And even then, I was still having a blast playing this. I'll take 1 point off for it being a gacha game, but in all other aspects, this game deserves a 9/10.

An absolutely beautiful love letter to Kiryu and the "Yakuza" saga of Like a Dragon. While it seems Infinite Wealth will be our farewell to Kiryu, Gaiden feels like a heartfelt farewell to the games that introduced us to him.

The gameplay was a lot of fun. I'll admit, I definitely favored one style over the other, but even primarily using one style throughout most of the game, I still had a blast playing. As per usual, this game is chock full of minigames and side stories to invest your time in to, and they are absolutely worth it! Also in usual RGG fashion, the soundtrack was phenomenal. While being a game focused on Kiryu, it featured a cast of primarily new characters, and I loved them. Akame was an instant favorite for me. Shishido and Hanawa were strong favorites as well. But the story is where this game absolutely shines. It maintained continuity from the stories that came before, while also building up immense anticipation for the next game to come. The ending in particular was phenomenal.

This game was absolutely meant for the Yakuza fans who have been along for Kiryu's entire journey. If you're new to the series, this absolutely should not be your starting point. But it is a fantastic destination to look forward to.

Clannad is one of those stories where the experience overpowers any faults the game may have had. A game that made my stomach hurt from laughing and my eyes sting from crying. A journey I'll never forget.

Art - 6/10
Music - 7/10

Routes:
Misae - 3/10
Tomoyo - 9/10
Yukine - 7/10
Kotomi - 11/10
Kyou - 5/10
Kappei - 7/10
Mei - 7/10
Fuuko - 11/10
Nagisa - 9/10
After Story - 10/10

So much damn fun. Story took me by surprise in a good way. Love how the characters were casted. I know some didn't like the recasts with Y0, 6, & 7 chars, but I feel they fit their roles really well. They gameplay was a lot more fun than I expected. Early on, I thought I'd lock into one style and not have much use for the others, but I found myself switching between styles consistently and having fun with all four. As per usual, RGG knows how to make a banger soundtrack. Substories and minigames were very enjoyable as well. Overall great time.