Upgrading your character is always an important part of any game, and it’s especially true in Like A Dragon Gaiden. Not too far into the main story, you will gain the ability to purchase new upgrades for Kiryu with your money. However, until you unlock the Coliseum, money can seem a bit tight, so your upgrades will likely suffer because of that. In addition to that, once you progress even more, skills will start to require Akame Network Points, which are even in shorter supply. This page will focus on which upgrades to work towards first when your resources are more finite.
Upgrades are important to make Kiryu stronger.
Attack and Health¶
Two of the most important upgrades in the game are definitely Attack and Health. The more health you have, the more punishment you can take, which means the less likely you will die. Of course, upgrading your attack is also a wise idea, as the more damage you do, the sooner your battles will be over. So, both of these upgrades correlate with one another and have multiple tiers. The first tier of both only costs money, but the second tier (and onwards) will require Akame Points, too.
By the time you reach Chapter 3 of the main story, you should have the first tier of upgrades for each of these stats. That should be able to carry you until Chapter 4 or 5, which is when you will want to start getting some of the second tier. You really don’t need to max either one out until the endgame content, like the Four Kings or Amon. The last tier of each stat will have multiple levels to them, so they will truly get very expensive. However, by that time, you should have no problem getting money, since the later Coliseum battles offer great rewards.
Heat Gauge¶
Similar to Attack and Health, Heat can be an indispensable tool in your journey. Not only do you use this for strong Heat Actions, but you also have Extreme Heat. You only start with a single Heat gauge, with the remaining four bars unlocked through Upgrades. You definitely want to get one or two by the time you hit Chapter 3 or 4, as a single bar isn’t going to cut it. While you aren’t invincible or anything during Extreme Heat, it is a great option to use when surrounded by foes, or when you need that extra damage.
(1 of 2) Heat Actions are not only powerful
Heat Actions are not only powerful (left), but they can make some enemies a lot easier, too. (right)
Gear Slots¶
When you first begin the game, you will only have a single Gear slot, with the rest of them requiring you to unlock them, through your Upgrades menu. You can get a total of four Gear slots, including the starting one, and they can be quite important. However, you will have to wait until you unlock the option for Akame Points for upgrades. One of the reasons that gear is important in this game is that it can protect you from ailments. Also, once you unlock all four slots, you can get some pretty good boosts from some of the best equipment in the game.
Agent Style Upgrades¶
The number of upgrades you get from the Agent Style set of upgrades solely depends on how often you use it. A good number of upgrades relate to the gadgets, which power them up in some manner. The gadgets can be great in combat, but some of them are situational. For example, the Serpent gadget is nice for a large crowd of enemies, especially in the Coliseum, but it’s not really useful outside of that. Daidoji Knockdown Avoidance is nice, as it allows you to dodge more, and Double Guard is another good defensive option. You will also want the Ultimate Counter upgrade that adds and extra hit to it. The Heat Actions aren’t really complicated either, so you could grab those, too.
The Agent Style upgrades are great if you use the gadgets often.
Yakuza Style Upgrades¶
One of the first upgrades you want from this tree is the Rolling Escape, as it’s a fantastic defensive maneuver. It allows you to roll out of danger, as well as get some breathing room against more challenging enemies. Likewise, Knock Back can be another useful defensive move, especially with enemies that continually attack you. While a bit expensive at first, Triple Finisher gives an extra hit when using Triangle/Y attacks during combos. The first two Heat Actions are easy to perform and don’t cost a lot, while Ultimate Essence can be good for when you use Extreme Heat.
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