Hello!

{hope you're having a good week so far}

The enduring optimism and determination of Ichiban - the main protagonist and player character of Yakuza: Like A Dragon - can't be understated. Channeling major Monkey D. Luffy vibes (lets go, One Piece!), I find myself endeared to him immediately, even as I occasionally question his decision-making, as he feels straight out of an anime. He's goofy, kind-hearted, determined, and - perhaps more than slightly - delusional. As Matt says in today's episode, "He's a total golden retriever."

At the same time, there's a underlying hardness to him. It makes sense: he's been through some tough times growing up, and we're introduced to him on the eve of a major betrayal. I'm curious to see how his character evolves as we go through this journey.

Ichi sees life as an RPG (hehe - how convenient from a game design perspective 😁 But really, it offers lots of fun meta moments in the game). He really is the embodiment of growth mindset, believing that failures are an opportunity to grow, challenges are worth the effort, and goals are meant to be worked toward...even when they feel difficult or currently unattainable. "Yet" is a key word in his vocabulary, even if he doesn't always say it out loud.

It's especially interesting to have Ichi, in world where so many of the rest of the characters have starkly different outlooks on life. Where Ichi sees life as an RPG - leveling up and all - we'll quickly meet others who have a much more fixed mindset about things. Ex-detective Yu Namba says "life is work". Yakuza Jo Sawashiro believes more cynically "Life's a bitch, and then you die." To different degrees, they have more fixed mindsets about life: you can learn, but you can't necessarily change. Systems, rules, and structures should be considered more unyielding. Sometimes, things that seem difficult really are that hard, and are perhaps not worth fighting.

Now, I'm not saying any one of these frameworks about life are more or less true: they all hold truths to them. Each of these statements depends on your history, your experiences, the lessons you've gained, and your belief in change. And as you generate more experiences and lessons, that feeds and adds to that framework.

But playing the game through the lens of someone who has a growth mindset is definitely impacting how I see the rest of this world and the characters around me. It makes me see Yakuza: Like A Dragon as a game that often believes in and advocates for second chances and redemption, and I love it for that. I will admit, though, I also am curious to see how this extends to some of the bigger questions surrounding loyalty, trust, and family introduced at the start of the story.

As an aside, if you're interested in developing more of a growth mindset, some tips (via the Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning) include:

• learn to value effort - understanding you are in the process of becoming what you want to be, and that means you won't get everything right. Reframe failures as a chance for growth.
• use the word "yet" - by using the word "yet", you focus on the future and the potential for improvement. Think, "I don't understand how this works yet," rather than "I don't get it."
• practice self-compassion - this is an effective emotional regulation strategy that helps neutralize negative emotional patterns and engenders more positive feelings of kindness and connectedness. One way to do this? Talk to yourself the way you'd talk to a friend, especially in moments of challenge.

Playing these first few chapters, has me wondering: if I was a character Ichi met when wandering Yokohama, what would I convey about life to him? And that leads me to our first reflection question:

Today's Episode ☕

{what we covered in today's podcast}

We're back after a summer break, and ready to hop into our next game, Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Since this is a heftier title, we're taking two months with it, playing it from August all the way through September. Fortunately, I've got an incredible co-host with me who is a Yakuza expert: Matt aka DJ Stormageddon of Fun 'N Games Podcast!

In today's discussion we:

• Highlight a few of our favorite August indie game releases.
• Learn more about Matt's work, and their passion for Yakuza.
• Provide context for Like A Dragon, including a brief overview of the franchise, tips (especially if you're a first-timer to the series), content notes, and questions to kick start your thinking on as you begin your journey.

If you have thoughts on the game or related topics you'd like to share, please leave a voicemail or email me at jenny@geeksandgrounds.com. It could be featured in a future episode!

Pour Over

{supplementary materials, resources, and questions to expand your understanding and get you thinking about the game and it's world}

Supplementary Links

• [Listen] Here's the official OST to get you in the Yakuza headspace. [link]
• [Read] Ichi moves through life like it's an RPG...but what does research say about gamification in terms of health and wellbeing? Take a look at this literature review from the NIH to see a brief summary. [link]
• [Read] Homelessness is a major part of the narrative in this first section. This Street Roots article explores the real-world impact that the lack of healthcare and homelessness has on elderly populations in Oregon. [link]
• [Watch] Dragon Quest is Ichiban's favorite game! If you're not familiar with the franchise - or you'd just like to learn more - here's a brief history thanks to DATALOG. [link]
• [Read] Read about Beniko Iromachi -- a former soapland worker -- and her autobiographical/ethnographic efforts to document the soapland industry.
• [Watch] Thanks to Virtual Explore Youtube channel, you can see the real-world inspiration for the Isezaki Road shopping area: the real Isezaki Mall. It's absolutely wild how accurate the game is to the real thing! [link]

Reflection Questions

• How do you feel about Ichiban at the start of the game? Make a note, and see how that compares to how you see his character evolve throughout the story.
• Characters each have a different take on what life means. Ichi believes life is an RPG, Namba says life is "work", and [NAME] says "life's a bitch, and then you die." If you had to sum up life right now, what metaphor would you choose? Why?
• "According to society, the people who raised me are scum...but they aren't" - Ichiban. How does Yakuza: Like A Dragon portray groups that are often at the edges of society? How do you feel about these representations, and why?
• The district of Ijincho is densely populated and full of alley and shops to explore. What are the ways the city feels like its own character in the story?
• Yakuza: Like A Dragon is chock full of additional activities to do in your spare time. Do you have a favorite mini-game or thing to do aside from following the main story? Which one, and why?

Indiescovery 🎮

{curated indie releases you should know about}

​Big Walk | August 4 Open World Co-op Puzzle Hang out and get lost with close friends in a big world. A cooperative online walker-talker from the creators of Untitled Goose Game.

​Fields of Mistria | August 5 Farming Sim Dating Life Sim Start your new life! Build the farm of your dreams as you discover a world brimming with possibilities. Magic, romance, and adventure all await you in this nostalgic farming / life sim RPG!

​Signy & Mino: Against All Gods | July 30 RPG 2.5D Adventure Signy & Mino is a Tag-Team Battle RPG where every move combos together! Discover your hidden powers as you find yourself hurtled into a conflict among the gods

​Duskfade | August 13 3D Platformer Exploration Shatter the shackles of time as you jump, swing, and slash through a fantastic world in this love letter to classic 3D action platformers.

The Pastry Case 🍰

{things that've recently caught our attention and enriched our world}

​

Matt Became obsessed with the Detective Grimoire series after playing and reviewing The Mermaid Mask. My physical copy of Hi-Fi Rush arrived from Limited Run, so I started a replay Saw Spider-Man: Brand New Day and it is easily a perfect Spidey movie… which then immediately made me boot up Spider-Man Remaster for PS5 for a replay Been obsessed with Ariana Grande’s new album “petal” Just finished watching Fallout Season 2 with my partner. Saw Qveen Herby and THOT SQUAD (aka Prism from Dispatch) in concert

​​​

Jenny Played a BUNCH of games during our “summer break” last month! Highlights include The Adventures of Elliot, The Incident at Galley House, and Big Walk! Ran my first half marathon in July…and I fear I'm already planning to do another one because it felt so cool. Celebrated my birthday! 🥳 Did a Lord of the Rings bike ride via Portland's Bike Summer programming

Brewing For Next Time ☕

{look forward to more discussion coming your way}

• August 25th - Our first discussion episode, covering chapters 1-5 of the game. Get ready for full spoilers for those sections!
• August 29th - Our monthly hangout in Discord.