In 2007, Yoshitaka Mine is the founder and leader of a successful startup company till he is forced out of it due to being stabbed in the back by his colleagues. Wandering aimlessly through Kamurocho, he sees a conflict between Yakuza and is startled to see several subordinates be willing to sacrifice their lives for their boss, spurring him to want to join the Yakuza as well. Joining forces with Tojo Clan lieutenant Tsuyoshi Kanda, Mine resolves to make his way to the top of Tokyo's criminal underworld.Adaptational Attractiveness: Whereas the Second Acting Chairman of the Nishikiyama Family was bald with a bulbous nose and lips in the original game, his appearance here looks more dignified due to being based off his actor, Kenji Matsuda. Adaptation Expansion: The plot of Dark Ties is adapted directly from "The Man Called Yoshitaka Mine", a short story in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online that details Mine's fall from grace in the civilian world, his alliance with and later betrayal by Kanda, his growing friendship with Daigo Dojima, and his eventual rise within the Tojo clan. Although that game was never released in English, a fan translation can be found here. Breaking Old Trends: Dark Ties is the first entry in the franchise's history to star an established villain rather than a straight up heroic and honorable character. Mine's journey is meant to explore the seedier underbellies of Japanese organized crime without the moral constraints that all previous Like a Dragon protagonists, including Majima, have. Advertisement: Tired of seeing ads? Subscribe! Darker and Edgier: The game is described as a return to the grittier crime drama tone of the earlier entries in the series, after the Ichiban saga and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii were considerably more lighthearted. Mine's primary motivation for roaming around Kamurocho to help people isn't because of altruism for its own sake, but to serve as good PR for his criminal associate, the violent and brutish Kanda. A Day in the Limelight: Aside from dealing with Mine's backstory, Kanda also plays a major role, with the game showing how he and Mine used to be allies, in contrast to the bitter rivalry they have in 3. There's also a dedicated mechanic around fixing his garbage reputation which is connected to his Drink Link. Dramatic Irony: This game's karaoke has Mine singing his own version of Baka Mitai, where he laments about his regrets while longing for the love and connection he feels towards... Kanda, of all people. As in, the very same Kanda he eventually grows to despise and orders his men to execute in 3 after Kanda proves to be too vile and out of control. Indeed, at the end of the game, Mine finds out the hard way that Kanda never saw him as anything more than a pawn, and betrays him as soon as it's more convenient for Kanda to do so. Glowing Eyes of Doom: Heat actions performed while using Mine's "Dark Awakening" cause Mine's right eye to glow bright red. Framing Device: That the story of tAdaptational Attractiveness: Whereas the Second Acting Chairman of the Nishikiyama Family was bald with a bulbous nose and lips in the original game, his appearance here looks more dignified due to being based off his actor, Kenji Matsuda. Adaptation Expansion: The plot of Dark Ties is adapted directly from "The Man Called Yoshitaka Mine", a short story in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online that details Mine's fall from grace in the civilian world, his alliance with and later betrayal by Kanda, his growing friendship with Daigo Dojima, and his eventual rise within the Tojo clan. Although that game was never released in English, a fan translation can be found here. Breaking Old Trends: Dark Ties is the first entry in the franchise's history to star an established villain rather than a straight up heroic and honorable character. Mine's journey is meant to explore the seedier underbellies of Japanese organized crime without the moral constraints that all previous Like a Dragon protagonists, including Majima, have. Advertisement: Tired of seeing ads? Subscribe! Darker and Edgier: The game is described as a return to the grittier crime drama tone of the earlier entries in the series, after the Ichiban saga and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii were considerably more lighthearted. Mine's primary motivation for roaming around Kamurocho to help people isn't because of altruism for its own sake, but to serve as good PR for his criminal associate, the violent and brutish Kanda. A Day in the Limelight: Aside from dealing with Mine's backstory, Kanda also plays a major role, with the game showing how he and Mine used to be allies, in contrast to the bitter rivalry they have in 3. There's also a dedicated mechanic around fixing his garbage reputation which is connected to his Drink Link. Dramatic Irony: This game's karaoke has Mine singing his own version of Baka Mitai, where he laments about his regrets while longing for the love and connection he feels towards... Kanda, of all people. As in, the very same Kanda he eventually grows to despise and orders his men to execute in 3 after Kanda proves to be too vile and out of control. Indeed, at the end of the game, Mine finds out the hard way that Kanda never saw him as anything more than a pawn, and betrays him as soon as it's more convenient for Kanda to do so.