At SEGA's Tokyo Game Show 2023 exhibition booth, the officials not only brought the latest updates and playable demos for the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Yakuza 8) but also included a demo for Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which is set to be released on November 8.

The on-site trial version of Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden allowed players to take control of Joryu (Kiryu's agent codename) as he explored the mysterious cruise known as the "Castle". The brief experience included a fight in the arena, a casino, a boutique, and, most notably, the highly-anticipated cabaret club mini-game!

At the start of the demo, players are immediately confronted by a group of Yakuza, serving as an introductory tutorial to familiarize us with Kiryu's diverse combat maneuvers. Kiryu's combat skills include immobilizing a cluster of enemies using a web-like laser, throwing explosive devices, summoning swarms of bees to assail foes, and executing swift dash attacks. Beyond these, there also two fresh combat styles in this game: "Yakuza" and "Agent." The former adheres to Kiryu's traditional combat approach, delivering powerful and ruthless punches, while the latter represents a new style that combines martial arts with specialized agent gadgets.

After we've mastered the fundamental gameplays, we could then delve into the game's other highlights. Upon entering the arena, players have the option to pick from two modes and select their character. These modes include one-on-one duels and a one-against-many challenge where the objective is to defeat all opponents to secure victory. As for the boutique, well it's pretty much self-explanatory.

Now, let's talk about the highlight: In the demo's cabaret club mini-game, players have the option to pursue three different characters. However, due to time limitations, we were only able to successfully advance our relationship with Ai Kaname to the first level out of three.

Throughout this mini-mgae, players will interact with the girls using a variety of choices, and selecting the right ones will increase intimacy. As the intimacy meter fills up, your connection with the girl will progress to the next level, with a maximum of three levels of intimacy. Each successful advancement leads to different questions and choices in your interactions. Additionally, as the selection phase approaches its end, players can also offer gifts as a conclusion, further enhancing the level of intimacy.

And that concludes our brief hands-on experience with Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden. We are eagerly looking forward to the official release so that we can delve deeper into the game's content, especially when it comes to pursuing the five cabaret girls! Hehehe!