It feels like a bit of a sin given all the nerd stuff I'm into as well as the attendant affinity for/beginner's knowledge of/interest in the country's culture, but I have never been all that big on historical Japan stuff in media. Can't pin down why, but it never really appeals to me, and I usually go out of my way to sidestep it where possible. So, while I was never gonna NOT play this game (or KENZAN, which I'll get to at some point), I was expecting more of a dutiful observance than anything.
But, not so! This game rules and I loved it. Maybe I'd just played too many of the new-school RGGs in a row but damn if this didn't feel like some old time YAKUZA goodness. Some Y3-5 stuff, just tons of dumb crap to do and minigames and almost triple digit sidequests and that viiiibe. It really hit the spot for me.
And I ended up loving the story, despite my prejudices. The mystery plot was fun and the standalone nature of the game made the stakes astronomically higher than a mainline game, with the characters dropping like flies. It's easy fanservice, but seeing all the old (and some quite unexpected) faces pop up in this world (and then get taken out) was awesome.
The combat is 100% broken and the game is beyond easy with the right loadout but I just don't care about that stuff - really just not at all why I play these games. I can see why people who do would be rankled. But not my problem! Dumping on dudes with the equivalent of the Robocop gun while my invisible Shinsengumi trooper squad fry them with chain lightning and instaheal me is fun, lol.
I'm sure the original is better - just kinda how these things go - and I'll probably try it at some point (I do have it!) now that I would know what's going on. But on its own, this was a real good time for me. Love my Y games.
But, not so! This game rules and I loved it. Maybe I'd just played too many of the new-school RGGs in a row but damn if this didn't feel like some old time YAKUZA goodness. Some Y3-5 stuff, just tons of dumb crap to do and minigames and almost triple digit sidequests and that viiiibe. It really hit the spot for me.
And I ended up loving the story, despite my prejudices. The mystery plot was fun and the standalone nature of the game made the stakes astronomically higher than a mainline game, with the characters dropping like flies. It's easy fanservice, but seeing all the old (and some quite unexpected) faces pop up in this world (and then get taken out) was awesome.
The combat is 100% broken and the game is beyond easy with the right loadout but I just don't care about that stuff - really just not at all why I play these games. I can see why people who do would be rankled. But not my problem! Dumping on dudes with the equivalent of the Robocop gun while my invisible Shinsengumi trooper squad fry them with chain lightning and instaheal me is fun, lol.
I'm sure the original is better - just kinda how these things go - and I'll probably try it at some point (I do have it!) now that I would know what's going on. But on its own, this was a real good time for me. Love my Y games.