teep_ posted...
0 -> K1 -> K2 -> 3 -> ... -> 6 -> 7 aka Like a Dragon -> 8 aka Infinite Wealth
is my understanding. The others are spin-off games
This except throw in Gaiden after 7. If you want to play the Judgment series, you can play it probably anytime before Gaiden. I recommend Judgment before 7 and Lost Judgment after 7, but it's not that big of a deal.
The only other option is release order. However, the games have sort of pivoted around Zero and Kiwami. Even in retrospect, they make the stories in 3, 4,and 5 more meaningful because they know what to emphasize and expect. Going from K2 to 3 will feel weird, but it's a great game in it's own right. It just takes some getting used to.
I was someone just like you. I started with Kiwami 1, but I wish I had started with Zero since it set up the entire franchise really nicely. I just went through the entire series (including Judgment, Ishin, and even Fist of the North Star) and it's an incredible ride. Finishing Infinite Wealth earlier this year felt amazing.