Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i5-3470 at 3.2 GHz or an AMD Ryzen 3 1200 at 3.1 GHz. Both are quad-core entry parts from roughly a decade ago, and by today's reference points they sit in the very old or entry-level band. The minimum GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB, an AMD Radeon RX 460 4GB, or an Intel Arc A380 6GB, which are early entry-level cards and roughly comparable to a GTX 1050 Ti today. The minimum RAM is 8GB and the listed storage is 98GB. The publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel Core i7-4790 at 3.6 GHz or an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 at 3.2 GHz. The recommended GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB, an AMD Radeon RX 5700 8GB, or an Intel Arc A750 8GB. The RTX 2060 is a mainstream 1080p-class card, the recommended RAM rises to 16GB, and storage stays at 98GB. The GPU gap between the two tiers is large, roughly one to two generations of mainstream hardware. If your card sits near the minimum, treat the recommended tier as the realistic target for a smooth experience.
No tier above recommended is listed, so the requirements do not tell you exactly what higher settings will demand. In short, the minimum suits players who just want the game to run, and the recommended tier is where most players should aim.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who play at 1080p. Good GPU choices include the GTX 1650 Super, GTX 1660 or RTX 3050 6GB, paired with a Ryzen 5 4500 or Core i5-10400F. This combination should land around the recommended tier at low to medium settings. Go straight to 16GB of RAM, since 8GB is already tight in modern games.
The mainstream build is for players who want medium to high settings at 1080p without constant tweaking. An RTX 2060 6GB, RX 5700 or RTX 3060 8GB is a solid pick, with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 as the CPU. This is the same class of card the publisher uses as its recommended reference, so it should hold the recommended experience at most settings. 16GB of RAM is the standard here.
The high-end build is for players who want higher resolutions or higher graphics settings, such as an RX 6800 XT, RTX 3080 10GB or RTX 4070. Paired with a Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i7-11700K, this is well above the recommended tier and leaves headroom even at high settings. We suggest 32GB of RAM so background apps, recording software or mods have room.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In an action-adventure game like this, the settings that usually cost the most are shadows, volumetric lighting and fog, and the density of crowds and simulated objects. Shadow quality is often the most visible and the most expensive, so start at medium or high rather than maximum. Volumetrics and fog add atmosphere but are demanding on the GPU, so lower them if your card is near the recommended tier. View distance affects how far objects are loaded and drawn, and is a good first candidate to reduce if you see stutter.
Ray tracing effects are usually the heaviest option. If your GPU is around the recommended tier, leave them off or use the minimum, and spend that budget on resolution and base quality instead. Crowd and simulation density can add load in busy areas, and medium is usually enough without pushing it to the maximum.
Upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR and Intel XeSS render at a lower internal resolution and reconstruct the image at your target resolution. They can free up a large amount of performance, with some possible changes in fine detail. If your GPU supports one, start with a quality mode for a balance of image and smoothness, and move to a performance mode only if you still need more headroom.
Laptops and handheld PCs
A laptop GPU with the same name as a desktop card usually performs differently because of power limits and cooling. An RTX 2060 or RTX 3060 in a laptop typically runs with a lower power ceiling, and sustained performance can be limited by thermals. When evaluating a laptop, check the GPU's power rating rather than the model name alone, and keep vents clear. Plugging in usually gives you more performance than running on battery.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally have different hardware constraints, mainly power and heat. In general, these devices suit lower settings, upscaling and a reduced resolution. We do not have verified data for these devices, so this is general guidance only and we cannot promise a specific experience on a handheld.
If you plan to play on a handheld, check that the game's controls and display modes suit that device, and factor battery life and heat into your expectations.
Storage and memory
The listed storage is 98GB. Leave more room than that, because updates and temporary files take up extra space. The publisher does not require an SSD, but an SSD noticeably shortens load times and area transitions, which is a worthwhile upgrade for a large open game that reads a lot of data. The game will run from a traditional hard drive, only with longer waits.
For memory, the official minimum is 8GB and the recommended is 16GB. With background programs running alongside a modern game, 8GB often feels tight, so aim for 16GB even if you only meet the minimum. A dual-channel configuration, using two sticks, usually offers better bandwidth than a single stick and helps both CPU and integrated graphics.
Finally, clear out unneeded files regularly and keep some free space on your drive so that updates and save data do not run into trouble.