Like a Dragon Gaiden: How Substories Work in Sotenbori

One of the reasons RGG Studio’s long-running Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series has become so popular is because of how well the team does its substories. In most games, players often stumble across these side tales during normal gameplay, making it feel like they’re discovering them organically even when RGG is funneling them in a specific direction. However, if you’ve been running around Sotenbori in LIke a Dragon Gaiden, you may have noticed that substories simply don’t pop up in the way you’re used to. Instead, you have to engage with a new mechanic to start seeing them populate your map. Here’s what you need to do.

How to Find Substories in Like a Dragon Gaiden

Early in your Like a Dragon Gaiden playthrough, you’ll meet a character named Akame. She runs a network of informants all over the city and is the main source of substories in Sotenbori. However, you’ll first need to complete several Stroll ‘n’ Patrol missions before they unlock. These are relatively easy tasks that you can see on your map. They range from quick fights against a few thugs to being asked to track down a specific item. 

Once you’ve completed enough Stroll ‘n’ Patrol missions, you’ll notice that Akame has several Request missions for you. These are the standard substories you’re used to and include all of the wacky fun Like a Dragon players crave. It’s worth noting that some of these are also locked behind story progression, so you won’t be able to knock them all out all at once. Moreover, once you unlock Requests, you should definitely do as many of them as you can because they’ll earn you way more Akame Points than Stroll ‘n’ Patrol missions, meaning you’ll more quickly move up the ranks and unlock even more Requests.

It’s important to note that you’ll also find several substories in the Coliseum. During the main storyline, you will inevitably meet the Four Kings, who are the strongest fighters in the fighting pits. Taking down these fighters will also get you new substories mostly related to more fighting in the Coliseum. Either way, between the Coliseum and Akame, you’ll quickly unlock every substory in Like a Dragon Gaiden, though remember this is a shorter game, so don’t expect there to be nearly as many as you’d see in a mainline entry.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is out now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.