Best Yakuza Upgrades in Like a Dragon Gaiden

It's important to know when to switch up your fighting styles during battle, utilizing your best abilities and skills to take down your enemies. However, figuring out which abilities to invest in isn't always easy.

The Yakuza fighting style has some of my all-time favorite moves, favoring brute strength and power moves that significantly damage your enemies. Here are the upgrades I recommend prioritizing first.

Best Yakuza Abilities to upgrade in Like a Dragon Gaiden

Abilities can be upgraded via your Upgrade Abilities menu. However, you'll need to spend some Yen and Akame Network points to purchase the upgrades. Moreover, you'll need to unlock the catalogs for each set of moves and abilities as you progress through the story.

While you'll probably want to purchase as many upgrades as you can, I found it better to prioritize the counter and defense move abilities that allow you to maximize your attack effectiveness while avoiding taking damage.

Twisting Ultimate Counter

The Ultimate Counter is probably one of my favorite moves to do while in battle, and one I find to be the most useful for defeating enemies, especially bosses. This Twisting Ultimate Counter will make your counter ability even more effective by adding on an extra move that throws the enemy back.

Rolling Escape

When a block just won't cut it, you have no choice but to dodge incoming hits. However, more than a single dodge is needed to escape incoming blows or multiple enemies. The Rolling Escape upgrade allows you to perform an extra roll in your dodge to increase the distance between you and your enemies and avoid taking damage.

Related: Best Stats Upgrades in Like a Dragon Gaiden

The Countdown

I hate it when an enemy manages to get a significant hit on me that knocks me to the ground. Luckily, The Countdown upgrade allows you to use the moment of weakness to your advantage, performing a counterattack from the ground—almost like a breakdance—that can sweep enemies off their feet and catch them off-guard.

Grip Breaker

The Grip Breaker is a must-get upgrade perfect for battling multiple enemies simultaneously. As it's named, it will allow you to break away from an enemy's grip and knock them back or down away from you. Just perform any combat move when surrounded or gripped by enemies.

Flexing Resolute Counter

Flexing Resolute Counter is another counter upgrade that is one of the most valuable skills to have. Even in a precarious situation, you can activate this ability while being hit to hit back even harder in an epic headbutt.

Tiger Drop

Tiger Drop is an even more significant counter-move that allows you to hit your enemy before they even get a chance to damage you. Activate this ability while in stance to strike with a power attack right before the enemy's attack lands. You will leap like a tiger toward them, knocking them off their feet.

Knock Back

Even when you're on the defense, you can create opportunities to strike, especially when you have the Knock Back upgrade. While blocking, press the power, ending blow button to knock the enemy back after they hit your guard.

Heat Action: Essence of Double Crush

The Yakuza fighting style is all about dragon-like strength, so why not emphasize that by getting upgrades like Heat Action: Essence of Double Crush? As long as you're at full health, this ability will allow you to grab onto one enemy while simultaneously taking down the other nearby enemy in one swift motion.

Related: Best Shared Abilities Upgrades in Like a Dragon Gaiden

Quickstep Strike

Quickstep Strike is one of the more straightforward upgrades available in the Yakuza abilities, but it's still worth getting. It allows you to kick immediately after dodging an enemy's attack, so you don't waste any time taking them out.

Temporary Attack Boost (Heat Action)

Temporary Attack Boost will boost your attack power while performing Heat Actions and dominating your enemies with high-damaging blows that will quickly drain their health. This allows you to gain even more power after performing your strongest attacks, preventing your enemies from recovering.

If you have the Yen and Akame Network points to continue upgrading your abilities, I suggest doing so, but these are just a few you might want to consider prioritizing. They will allow you to easily counter your enemy with every opportunity and increase your overall strength.

Looking for more Like a Dragon Gaiden content? Check out our guides on Like a Dragon Gaiden All Sotenbori Coin Locker Key Locations (Map) or All Chapters in Like a Dragon Gaiden – How long does it take to beat? here at Pro Game Guides.