How to Perfect Block in Yakuza: Like a Dragon

The amusing thing about Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, is that because he likes to fight as though he were an RPG hero, he’ll stand there and take it when a foe comes swinging at him. But just because he’s taking the hit, that doesn’t mean he takes the full brunt of the hit. After all, any true hero is a master of the Perfect Block. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about how to Perfect Block in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

How to Perfect Block in Yakuza: Like a Dragon

When an enemy takes a swing at you, you can mitigate some of the damage by pressing the B button (or whichever button you’d press to Guard on your turn) right as their attack connects. Time it right, and not only will your damage be lessened, but you also won’t be knocked down. This is what’s known as Perfect Block.

The primary difference between performing a Perfect Block and performing offensive skills is that you won’t get an onscreen button prompt for a Perfect Block’s timing. You’re going to have to figure out the timing through your own intuition, and it will take some practice, but there are a few things you can watch for.

Perfect Block Timing

Most enemies, moreso the earlier ones, have some kind of tell when they’re about to attack, such as raising their arms to swing at you, jumping up to kick, or raising a weapon. It’s all about animations; the enemy will usually have to run up to you first, and then they’ll begin their attack animation, so don’t bother trying to press the button until they’re right in your face.

As the game goes on, this process will become more complicated. Enemies may start taking multiple swings at once or use ranged weapons. All attacks can be Perfect Blocked, though, even from firearms. It’s the same rule: wait until right before you think the bullet is going to hit you, then push the button. It is entirely possible to Perfect Block every bullet from a machine gun, though admittedly it ain’t easy. Make sure to practice on some normal enemies in a low-stakes setting like on the street or in the Sewers.

A couple of additional caveats about Perfect Blocking: first, while you can mitigate damage from any attack, status effects like bleeding and silence can’t be blocked. Even if you nail the Perfect Block, if there’s a status effect, you’re getting it no matter what. Secondly, you can only perform a Perfect Block from a neutral stance. Performing an attack, using a skill, or using an item will all leave you in a neutral stance afterward. If you use your turn to Guard, though, you won’t be able to perform a Perfect Block if attacked. Not that it matters anyway, since you’re already Guarding.