Ryu Ga Gotoku revealed Project Century at The Game Awards 2024 final night time and Yakuza / Like a Dragon followers are already deep within the theorizing part to determine what the heck it really is.
The minute-and-a-half lengthy debut trailer for Project Century, which is presumably only a codename and never the ultimate title, confirmed what seems to be Tokyo in 1915. But the place in Tokyo? Let the theorizing start.
Project Century – Reveal Trailer
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Where is Project Century set?
Some followers consider Project Century is instantly linked to RGG Studio’s different video games by being set in Kamurocho, the fictional model of Tokyo’s crimson gentle district on the heart of the Yakuza / Like a Dragon collection. While its streets are clearly a far cry from the trendy metropolis that’s Tokyo at present, a sure constructing seen within the trailer seems just like a outstanding location in Kamurocho.
“I noticed a constructing that regarded like Shangri-la at first of the trailer,” Reddit person Jenkitten165 stated, referencing the one on the bottom-left of the road within the picture on the left, under. Shangri-La, a brothel which has appeared in numerous states throughout a number of Yakuza / Like a Dragon video games, is on the proper.
There are variations, in fact, however the form of the constructing, its place on the road, the big entrance door, and the balcony instantly above all of it match. Shangri-La can also be a distinctively older trying constructing than most in Kamurocho.
If it’s the truth is Shangri-La, this might make the principle road seen within the Project Century trailer East Taihei Boulevard, simply alongside the highway from the place the Millenium Tower now stands and the house of Kobuki Drugs.
Details are nonetheless slim on Project Century but it surely appears related in fashion to the Yakuza / Like a Dragon video games, with numerous road fights and, effectively, precise yakuza strolling round. Sticking to this theme would due to this fact make Tokyo’s crimson gentle district, as soon as once more, an ideal setting for Project Century.
Is Project Century a Yakuza / Like a Dragon recreation?
This raises the query of canon, as whereas Project Century is about in 1915 and due to this fact 90 years earlier than Yakuza 1, it might nonetheless be set in the identical universe and timeline. The Yakuza / Like a Dragon collection time hops loads already, with prequel Yakuza 0 going again to 1988 and a few cutscenes going again a long time earlier.
Yakuza gangs have been energetic throughout this time interval too, so regardless of its a lot earlier presence it might simply be concerning the Japanese underworld. The predominant household within the Yakuza / Like a Dragon collection, the Tojo Clan, has by no means had its origins explored both, maybe presenting a possibility to take action right here.
Project Century might nonetheless be set inside the Yakuza / Like a Dragon canon with out technically being a Yakuza / Like a Dragon recreation, nevertheless. RGG Studio has accomplished this earlier than with Judgement and Lost Judgement, a collection set inside the identical world however that includes (largely) totally different characters and a special story.
Some followers even assume it is linked to Judgement instantly. “Genuinely assume it could be Judgement: Isshin,” stated crazyred88 on Reddit. Like a Dragon: Isshin is the considerably confusingly non-canon Yakuza / Like a Dragon recreation that’s primarily a bit of historic fiction that includes characters from the trendy setting video games.
“That’s what I’m pondering too,” stated Shattered_Sans. “The protagonist seems related sufficient. It could possibly be to Judgement what Isshin is to Like a Dragon.” This concept is backed up by RGG Studio beforehand declaring Yakuza / Like a Dragon its turn-based role-playing recreation franchise and Judgement its motion recreation franchise, and Project Century could be very clearly the latter.
Who is the principle character of Project Century?
But is the protagonist of Project Century, presumably the person we see beating up baddies within the trailer, an alternate historical past model of Takayuki Yagami from the Judgement collection? The trailer solely exhibits a single shot of his face, so it is nonetheless exhausting to say, however some followers actually assume so.
Other theories exist too, in fact, with the most typical comparability being made between the protagonist and the actor who performed protagonist Kiryu Kazuma within the 2007 stay motion adaptation of Yakuza / Like a Dragon, Kazuki Kitamura.
“He seems like Kazuki Kitamura, who performed Kiryu within the first film,” stated SomeChunkyMilk on Reddit. “He’s my guess. The nostril and the hair look fairly rattling related.” FarEast_Frez chimed in too: “He’s fairly tall as effectively, which might in all probability assist with the mocap for the reason that character regarded fairly tall.”
This would imply he wasn’t Yagami, in fact, who’s performed by Takuya Kimura. Like a Dragon: Isshin beforehand introduced over all of the characters one for one, with the identical fashions and voice actors and so forth, so this might dissuade the Judgement Isshin concept.
Others, once more, level to a very recent character although: the founding member of the Tojo Clan. ” I ponder if it’s the primary Tojo patriarch, the one who takes Kamurocho underneath his management and establishes the household, then later the Tojo Clan,” stated Hold-My-Sake on Reddit. “Dude if that is legit the progenitor of the Tojo Clan I’ll really eat a shoe,” added Terrible_Guidance599.
Is Project Century a Dragon Engine recreation?
Whoever he’s, the protagonist of Project Century is way more violent than the likes of Kiryu or Yagami. Despite having crushed up 1000’s of individuals and brought down helicopters with rocket launchers and so forth, Kiryu has formally by no means killed somebody. The identical cannot be stated after 90 seconds of this new protagonist, who’s stabbing baddies with crowbars and ripping out their innards.
This is notable for different causes although; the present Dragon Engine has up to now been used to create Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, Judgement, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Lost Judgement, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the upcoming Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, for a complete of 11 video games over eight years.
It’s due to this fact getting a contact outdated, one thing RGG Studio has admitted already, and its technical director Yutaka Ito stated simply final month he is lastly desperate to make a brand new engine to be used on present consoles. All of the aforementioned Yakuza / Like a Dragon video games, together with the 2025 launch of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, can be found on the PlayStation 4 era.
Fans are debating whether or not Project Century is, or just isn’t, a Dragon Engine recreation. “It’s like they pushing the Dragon engine to its restrict, even for RGG normal that is insane,” Reddit person honoyom stated, however was refuted by AnyImpression6 who thought it was Unreal Engine 5.
Others identified that Project Century is already reusing animations from different RGG Studio video games although, one thing that is pretty widespread apply. “Like 4 of the fight animations are straight from the opposite video games too,” stated AppealToReason16. “I knew it was an RGG recreation earlier than the title reveal at that first motion.”
RGG Studio does clarify the trailer footage is pre-alpha, nevertheless, which means very early in growth. RGG Studio has in any other case made clear it favors the Dragon Engine for its capacity to provide a practical ambiance for cities at night time time. It might due to this fact make sense that, for Project Century, which does not function the intense lights of recent day Tokyo, RGG Studio can be extra snug stepping away from the Dragon Engine in favor of one thing extra technologically superior.
Fans will simply have to attend patiently for solutions to all of those questions. Project Century might be nonetheless some time away given it does not have a title but, and RGG Studio is presently creating Virtua Fighter 6 and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii alongside Project Century.
It is understood for its unbelievably speedy growth instances, nevertheless. In the final 5 years, for instance, its launched Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Judgment Remastered, Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, alongside three Super Monkey Ball Games and an enhanced remaster of Virtua Fighter 5. That’s 12 video games in whole.
In our 9/10 assessment of the final RGG Studio launch, IGN stated: “Sprawling, enthralling, and full of dynamic brawling, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t simply the very best turn-based Like a Dragon recreation, it’s one of many best video games in the whole collection.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll speak about The Witcher all day.
