Lan_Fan
It's been 4 years since RGG Studios soft-rebooted the Yakuza franchise, handing the reigns from Kazuma Kiryu's hands to Ichiban Kasuga. Well, sort of... Between the release of the Ishin remaster, Like a Dragon Gaiden and Infinite Wealth, it's clear that RGG weren't quite finished with the Dragon of Dojima. From the way the game was advertised, it seemed as though they wanted to give Kiryu an ultimate final send-off, perhaps to appease those who found the ending of Yakuza 6 dissatisfactory.
One point of criticism I have, not towards this game in particular but more so towards the marketing team is that I feel the trailers showed too much. The main story trailer that aired during the RGG Summit in Fall 2023 showed lots of footage from the final chapter. In fact, one of the first cutscenes we saw of this game in which Kiryu and Ichiban discuss their dating history plays out just before the final bosses occur. One of the Character Spotlight trailers shows the final boss of the game and the Bucket List trailer revealed many cameos that would have been nice to have not known about prior. In fairness, this seems to be an issue with marketing in Japan as a whole due to differences in culture regarding spoilers in media but with the franchise becoming much bigger in the West as of late, going as far as to include prolific Western actors such as Daniel Dae-Kim and Danny Trejo in the dubbed cast, some extra restraint as to what they decide to showcase in promotional material would be appreciated for future entries.
Infinite Wealth is a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, however, this game takes a similar structural approach to Yakuza 0, with a dual-protagonist dynamic. Ichiban is of course still very much present, with his story revolving around his mission to track down his long lost mother in Hawaii, who for unknown reasons has become the target of multiple criminal organisations. Fairly early on, he is joined by Kiryu who eventually returns to Japan during the game's latter half to tackle some newfound issues surrounding his health. After the two split up, the game alternates between Ichiban in Hawaii and Kiryu in Japan and admittedly, it isn't handled with as much grace as Yakuza 0 did. In that game, Kiryu and Majima's stories start out seemingly unrelated but gradually close in on one another as the central mystery unravels. In Infinite Wealth, it feels as though Ichiban's story somewhat takes a backseat once Kiryu leaves his party. In fairness, though, Kiryu's half of the game is essentially heaps of fan-service for previous games, including some neat shoutouts to the spin-off titles and much of the game's emotional core revolves around him. That isn't to say that Ichiban gets the short end of the stick per se. The two newcomers to his party - Tomizawa and Chitose are some of the best characters in the game plus some standout supporting characters and antagonists such as Eiji and Yamai.
Most of the game is spent in Hawaii, marking the first time the franchise has gone outside of Japan and it's, in my opinion, one of the best settings we've had thus far. It's a large, densely-packed sandbox with no shortage of things to do, as is typical for a Yakuza game. For as many side activities as there are, they all manage to be really fun, the personal standouts for me being Crazy Delivery and Dondoko Island, condensed parodies of Crazy Taxi and Animal Crossing, respectively. Kiryu's side content is a brilliant contrast, having less of the trademark Yakuza wackiness and opting to take a more reflective approach. With how often RGG tends to leave characters in the past, it's nice to see them be acknowledged again. If there's one thing Infinite Wealth does a lot better than 6, it's in actually tying up loose ends left throughout the whole series and getting to hear Kiryu's thoughts on the people and events that left such a profound impact on him.
One issue I do have regarding the side-content is that a few times during the game's first half, you are stopped semi-frequently to be introduced to a new side activity. This isn't a problem exclusive to Infinite Wealth but it's something I'd hoped they would have remedied by now. The worst offender is in Chapter 4 where you are halted from main story progression to listen to a spiel about the Sujimon League that goes on for an eternity. This isn't helped by the generic Yakuza sidequest storyline writing we've seen time and time again with yet another league of comical villains (i.e. the Four Kings in Gaiden, the Five Billionaires in 0, the Twisted Trio in Judgment, the Three Musketeers in Kiwami 2, JUSTIS in 6, you get the picture). Whilst these side activities are at the very least entertaining enough for me to actually do them in my free time, I hope future entries keep these pace-killing exposition dumps to a minimum, or at least keeps them out of mandatory progression.
Pacing in general seems to be a widespread issue surrounding this game and I definitely don't completely disagree. Ichiban's half can feel meandering at points but it moves swiftly enough and has sufficiently engaging character interactions and plot developments to keep it interesting. My only real issue is that two party members join very late into the game's runtime, one of which shows up in the second-to-last chapter and was very underlevelled by the time he joined. Considering how little they actually contribute to the plot, I feel as though they may as well have joined a bit earlier. However, character writing is just as strong as it was in the previous game. That being said, I do think Yakuza 7 was definitely better at keeping things moving and was much more focused overall on top of having some better villains. Infinite Wealth introduces a lot more threads and some of them unfortunately do not get wrapped up as neatly as I would have liked them to have. The ending, especially, leaves some things to be desired in how much either occurs off-screen and is told to us via passing mention or simply doesn't get acknowledged at all. Without delving too deep into spoilers, it does feel as though Infinite Wealth is setting up for future entries, both spin-offs like a third Judgment or second Gaiden and the next mainline entry whenever that comes around. I suppose a part of me was hoping for this game to feel like a complete package, with a definitive end to allow RGG Studios to begin fresh moving forwards with Kiryu out of the picture but that isn't the impression this ending left me with, for better or worse. That being said, I don't fault the game for not going in the direction I thought they would. Gaiden's more somber tone gave me the impression that Infinite Wealth would be going for a similar vibe but it's quite clear that it's trying to be anything but dire. The game constantly pushes themes of hope and what it means to live life regardless of the hand you've been dealt with. This not applies to Kiryu but to a large majority of the game's central cast, party members and villains alike. Considering that this is an Ichiban-centric game and with the parallels drawn to Yakuza 7, it's refreshing to see this kind of tone after how dismal Yakuza 5, 6 and Gaiden could at times be.
Gameplay-wise, Infinite Wealth trounces the previous game in every way. The ability to move during combat is a game-changer and additions such as combo attacks and everyone being able to use objects from the terrain makes for a much more robust system. Graphically, the game is also gorgeous with the odd green, yellowy filter from the last game thankfully not returning, with the game looking a lot more in line with entries such as Lost Judgment and Gaiden. The soundtrack is potentially my favorite yet, with some stellar battle themes, boss music, remixes of tracks from previous games and one particularly great use of licensed music at the end of the game. The karaoke selection is also the best it's ever been, with every song from Yakuza 7 returning (minus Eri's Like a Butterfly) plus an array of new tracks which are all fantastic (personal favorites being Baka Darou and Honolulu City Lights) and what is essentially a best-of selection of Kiryu tracks from throughout the series including Baka Mitai, Pride From Despair, Machine Gun Kiss, Hands and making its grand return - Judgement from Yakuza 0. Story-wise, as said before, is very strong as it always is though I do think Yakuza 7 may have the slight edge in that department but Infinite Wealth still delivers plenty of great moments. Though I think it does have more standout setpieces than 7, I think that game brought everything together in a much more cohesive and satisfying way, Mirror Face aside. As I also alluded to earlier, I do think 7 also edges Infinite Wealth out on villains though that's more so due to the fact that many of Infinite Wealth's villains leave a lot to be desired due to limited screentime. That being said though, I do like every villain in the game. I simply wish some of them had a greater presence, especially the final boss, Dwight and Wong Tou. Yamai was easily the biggest standout in terms of antagonists and I hope he continues to show up, I have a pretty good feeling he'll end up becoming a party member in the next game, if Seonhee was any indication.
Overall, Infinite Wealth is a fantastic package. It may not have delivered everything I wanted from it exactly but in most other aspects, I got what I desired and then some. The whole experience took me nearly 100 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've yet to decide if my preference leans towards Yakuza 7 and it doesn't quite take the crowning position from Yakuza 0 for me, but it's still one of the best products to come out from RGG Studio and I commend their efforts on this massive game whilst still delivering content regularly in between mainline entries, such as Lost Judgment, Ishin Kiwami and Gaiden. I am both excited and a little nervous to see what they do next. Whatever they do, I sincerely hope SEGA doesn't mandate locking New Game Plus behind a paywall. Low-hanging fruit, I know but it had to be said.
One point of criticism I have, not towards this game in particular but more so towards the marketing team is that I feel the trailers showed too much. The main story trailer that aired during the RGG Summit in Fall 2023 showed lots of footage from the final chapter. In fact, one of the first cutscenes we saw of this game in which Kiryu and Ichiban discuss their dating history plays out just before the final bosses occur. One of the Character Spotlight trailers shows the final boss of the game and the Bucket List trailer revealed many cameos that would have been nice to have not known about prior. In fairness, this seems to be an issue with marketing in Japan as a whole due to differences in culture regarding spoilers in media but with the franchise becoming much bigger in the West as of late, going as far as to include prolific Western actors such as Daniel Dae-Kim and Danny Trejo in the dubbed cast, some extra restraint as to what they decide to showcase in promotional material would be appreciated for future entries.
Infinite Wealth is a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, however, this game takes a similar structural approach to Yakuza 0, with a dual-protagonist dynamic. Ichiban is of course still very much present, with his story revolving around his mission to track down his long lost mother in Hawaii, who for unknown reasons has become the target of multiple criminal organisations. Fairly early on, he is joined by Kiryu who eventually returns to Japan during the game's latter half to tackle some newfound issues surrounding his health. After the two split up, the game alternates between Ichiban in Hawaii and Kiryu in Japan and admittedly, it isn't handled with as much grace as Yakuza 0 did. In that game, Kiryu and Majima's stories start out seemingly unrelated but gradually close in on one another as the central mystery unravels. In Infinite Wealth, it feels as though Ichiban's story somewhat takes a backseat once Kiryu leaves his party. In fairness, though, Kiryu's half of the game is essentially heaps of fan-service for previous games, including some neat shoutouts to the spin-off titles and much of the game's emotional core revolves around him. That isn't to say that Ichiban gets the short end of the stick per se. The two newcomers to his party - Tomizawa and Chitose are some of the best characters in the game plus some standout supporting characters and antagonists such as Eiji and Yamai.
Most of the game is spent in Hawaii, marking the first time the franchise has gone outside of Japan and it's, in my opinion, one of the best settings we've had thus far. It's a large, densely-packed sandbox with no shortage of things to do, as is typical for a Yakuza game. For as many side activities as there are, they all manage to be really fun, the personal standouts for me being Crazy Delivery and Dondoko Island, condensed parodies of Crazy Taxi and Animal Crossing, respectively. Kiryu's side content is a brilliant contrast, having less of the trademark Yakuza wackiness and opting to take a more reflective approach. With how often RGG tends to leave characters in the past, it's nice to see them be acknowledged again. If there's one thing Infinite Wealth does a lot better than 6, it's in actually tying up loose ends left throughout the whole series and getting to hear Kiryu's thoughts on the people and events that left such a profound impact on him.
One issue I do have regarding the side-content is that a few times during the game's first half, you are stopped semi-frequently to be introduced to a new side activity. This isn't a problem exclusive to Infinite Wealth but it's something I'd hoped they would have remedied by now. The worst offender is in Chapter 4 where you are halted from main story progression to listen to a spiel about the Sujimon League that goes on for an eternity. This isn't helped by the generic Yakuza sidequest storyline writing we've seen time and time again with yet another league of comical villains (i.e. the Four Kings in Gaiden, the Five Billionaires in 0, the Twisted Trio in Judgment, the Three Musketeers in Kiwami 2, JUSTIS in 6, you get the picture). Whilst these side activities are at the very least entertaining enough for me to actually do them in my free time, I hope future entries keep these pace-killing exposition dumps to a minimum, or at least keeps them out of mandatory progression.
Pacing in general seems to be a widespread issue surrounding this game and I definitely don't completely disagree. Ichiban's half can feel meandering at points but it moves swiftly enough and has sufficiently engaging character interactions and plot developments to keep it interesting. My only real issue is that two party members join very late into the game's runtime, one of which shows up in the second-to-last chapter and was very underlevelled by the time he joined. Considering how little they actually contribute to the plot, I feel as though they may as well have joined a bit earlier. However, character writing is just as strong as it was in the previous game. That being said, I do think Yakuza 7 was definitely better at keeping things moving and was much more focused overall on top of having some better villains. Infinite Wealth introduces a lot more threads and some of them unfortunately do not get wrapped up as neatly as I would have liked them to have. The ending, especially, leaves some things to be desired in how much either occurs off-screen and is told to us via passing mention or simply doesn't get acknowledged at all. Without delving too deep into spoilers, it does feel as though Infinite Wealth is setting up for future entries, both spin-offs like a third Judgment or second Gaiden and the next mainline entry whenever that comes around. I suppose a part of me was hoping for this game to feel like a complete package, with a definitive end to allow RGG Studios to begin fresh moving forwards with Kiryu out of the picture but that isn't the impression this ending left me with, for better or worse. That being said, I don't fault the game for not going in the direction I thought they would. Gaiden's more somber tone gave me the impression that Infinite Wealth would be going for a similar vibe but it's quite clear that it's trying to be anything but dire. The game constantly pushes themes of hope and what it means to live life regardless of the hand you've been dealt with. This not applies to Kiryu but to a large majority of the game's central cast, party members and villains alike. Considering that this is an Ichiban-centric game and with the parallels drawn to Yakuza 7, it's refreshing to see this kind of tone after how dismal Yakuza 5, 6 and Gaiden could at times be.
Gameplay-wise, Infinite Wealth trounces the previous game in every way. The ability to move during combat is a game-changer and additions such as combo attacks and everyone being able to use objects from the terrain makes for a much more robust system. Graphically, the game is also gorgeous with the odd green, yellowy filter from the last game thankfully not returning, with the game looking a lot more in line with entries such as Lost Judgment and Gaiden. The soundtrack is potentially my favorite yet, with some stellar battle themes, boss music, remixes of tracks from previous games and one particularly great use of licensed music at the end of the game. The karaoke selection is also the best it's ever been, with every song from Yakuza 7 returning (minus Eri's Like a Butterfly) plus an array of new tracks which are all fantastic (personal favorites being Baka Darou and Honolulu City Lights) and what is essentially a best-of selection of Kiryu tracks from throughout the series including Baka Mitai, Pride From Despair, Machine Gun Kiss, Hands and making its grand return - Judgement from Yakuza 0. Story-wise, as said before, is very strong as it always is though I do think Yakuza 7 may have the slight edge in that department but Infinite Wealth still delivers plenty of great moments. Though I think it does have more standout setpieces than 7, I think that game brought everything together in a much more cohesive and satisfying way, Mirror Face aside. As I also alluded to earlier, I do think 7 also edges Infinite Wealth out on villains though that's more so due to the fact that many of Infinite Wealth's villains leave a lot to be desired due to limited screentime. That being said though, I do like every villain in the game. I simply wish some of them had a greater presence, especially the final boss, Dwight and Wong Tou. Yamai was easily the biggest standout in terms of antagonists and I hope he continues to show up, I have a pretty good feeling he'll end up becoming a party member in the next game, if Seonhee was any indication.
Overall, Infinite Wealth is a fantastic package. It may not have delivered everything I wanted from it exactly but in most other aspects, I got what I desired and then some. The whole experience took me nearly 100 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've yet to decide if my preference leans towards Yakuza 7 and it doesn't quite take the crowning position from Yakuza 0 for me, but it's still one of the best products to come out from RGG Studio and I commend their efforts on this massive game whilst still delivering content regularly in between mainline entries, such as Lost Judgment, Ishin Kiwami and Gaiden. I am both excited and a little nervous to see what they do next. Whatever they do, I sincerely hope SEGA doesn't mandate locking New Game Plus behind a paywall. Low-hanging fruit, I know but it had to be said.
Of all the announcements made during the RGG Summit of Fall 2022, Like a Dragon Gaiden was probably the one I didn't really know what to think of. I was of course excited for Like a Dragon: Ishin and Like a Dragon 8 but I had no clue what to expect from Gaiden, even though it had a longer trailer than 8 did. I was initially a little sceptical about all of the new Kiryu-related content we were getting. After the Judgment duology and Yakuza: Like a Dragon proved that the series was more than capable of moving past Kiryu, everything announced at the Summit had something to do with him in some way, even LAD 8 which would co-star Kiryu alongside Ichiban. All we knew though was that Gaiden would bridge the gaps between Yakuza 6 and the upcoming Like a Dragon 8.
However, as time went on and seeing more of the game during Summer of 2023, RGG gave quite a few reasons to look forward to this game. The story trailer released in August was particularly good at showing exactly what they were going for with this game.
Gaiden spun off from what was initially a flashback segment in LAD 8 developed into its own game entirely. Technically, this game is a spin-off but I personally consider it part of the mainline series. Hell, the game is called Like a Dragon 7 Side Story in Japan, so it's more akin to the likes of the Majima Saga from Yakuza Kiwami 2, a smaller story that serves to fill in gaps between games. Where Majima Saga showed events between Yakuzas 1 and 2 and gave some closure on a plot thread from Yakuza 0, Gaiden is set concurrently with the events of Yakuza 7, showing what Kiryu was up to in Sotenbori whilst Ichiban was in Ijincho and there's even a few moments where the two games intersect. Though the game of course does address Kiryu's struggles to make peace with the decision he made at the end of Yakuza 6 and paves the way for his appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
That being said, RGG has advertised this as a viable starting point for Yakuza newcomers and whilst anyone is entitled to begin with any game they please, I would advise not making this game your first as it is very contingent on your knowledge of the rest of the series. With the game being set alongside Yakuza 7, that game's plot drives the direction that Gaiden's does and much of the twists of said plot get dropped on you during exposition dumps. Not only that but the impact of most of the game's emotional beats won't hit quite as hard without the context of the other games plus with this game still being relatively new, you could snag the entire Kiryu saga for the same price as this one game alone so if possible, I'd highly encourage playing Yakuzas 0-7 before this one (and Judgment if you have the time since that is also referenced).
That being said, it's very interesting to see another Kiryu game in a post-Yakuza 7 and Judgment world where I believe RGG has really perfected their craft in terms of storytelling and gameplay. A lot of the quirks that plagued the Kiryu Saga are absent in those games and thankfully, it comes full circle with Gaiden having some of the tightest storytelling and smoothest combat the series has ever seen. The story, being more compact this time around, never feels like it dawdles on too long, even when it makes you do some mandatory side content or dumps a bunch of expository dialogue onto you. It feels very setpiece-to-setpiece and nothing feels like it drags on or doesn't get sufficient screentime. Something the latter half of the Kiryu Saga somewhat fumbled on was having compelling villains with 4 and 5 having a few that felt like asspulls with little justification from the plot for their presence. However, all of the antagonists in Gaiden are fantastic with the final boss in particular feeling very much like Ryuji or Mine - a guy you understand and is ultimately fighting for their own beliefs and to maintain their way of life. The fight itself is genuinely the best in the entire franchise, beating out Judgment's for me. It evokes what Yakuza 5's final boss was going for but with a much stronger motivation behind it and some equally good setpieces. The entire climax in general feels like a culmination of everything the series has been leading up to - where Yakuza 6 marked the end of the familial side of Kiryu's life, Gaiden marks the end of the Yakuza side, with him confronting the very thing he continuously attempted to dissociate from one final time. Although the stakes aren't technically that high, the final battle still feels climactic due to how personal it feels from both ends. The supporting cast is solid too, Hanawa and Akame are standouts not only in this game but the entire series and considering how nearly every important character is entirely new to this game and is given sufficient time to breathe and develop within the parameters of the shorter duration is a testament to how good RGG's writing has become over time. You may have also heard many sing the praises of this game's ending and I will bravely admit to having ugly cried on my first viewing at it, it's genuinely heart-wrenching only made worse by a great voice performance by Kuroda-san and some mindblowing facial animation.
Gameplay-wise, this is definitely the best Kiryu has ever felt in the Dragon Engine, rivalling that of Yakuza Kiwami. Both fighting styles are very smooth and fluid, Agent in particular is insanely fun and unique and one of my favorites in the series, I'd like to see it implemented in a future Judgment game if we ever get one. My only issue with Agent is that it does take a while (and a lot of money) for it to feel truly viable compared to the powerhouse Yakuza style and a lack of New Game Plus does hurt the game's replayability signfiicantly.
In terms of side content, everything you would expect is here and accounted for. The karaoke selection is fantastic, Sayonara Silent Night is the only new song but is a genuine favorite of mine, and notable for being the first Christmas song in the series despite most games being set during then. Sure, 4 of the 6 songs are sad Kiryu songs but they feel appropriate considering what he's going through at the current point of time. Seeing him lament over Nishiki in Tonight, Haruto in Hands and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter in Baka Mitai (again) and that general sense of reflection is something embodied in quite a lot of this game. A few of the substories have Kiryu facing some ghosts of his past like hunting down supposed sightings of Ryuji Goda and helping out someone who idolised Kazama like he did. Even the more lighthearted misadventures such as the one riffing ChatGPT of all things has Kiryu reminiscing about Yumi and Kashiwagi. Yumi in particular gets brought up a number of times and whilst I never cared much for her as a character, I do appreciate them acknowledging her considering her significance to Kiryu, Haruka and the narrative of Yakuza 1 in general.
Pocket Circuit makes its grand return and is as fun as it was back in 0 and Kiwami alongside what I consider to be the best implementation of both the Coliseum and Clan Creator minigames, which I normally do not care much for. Being able to control your clan members in regular combat conditions as well as actually playing as them makes this infinitely better than Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2's Clan Creator minigames and provides some interesting variety that the Coliseum tends to lack. The only minigame I didn't care much for was the Hostess Clubs, the live-action aspect was funny as a gag for the Ichizu Samurai cinematic in Ishin Kiwami but having them be the central gimmick of a minigame is somewhat unsettling. I didn't really invest much time into it, I skipped the cutscenes and looked up the correct responses online (thank you, CyricZ) though that being said, you cannot skip the scenes where you visit their houses, so much for Joryu being on the downlow I guess.
Overall, Gaiden is a fantastic package. It feels a lot bigger than Majima Saga and Kaito Files, having aspects from the bigger campaigns to beef it up but it's still more compact than the 'full games'. I'd say it feels quite close to the Kiwami games in terms of content quantity. It's also the first Yakuza game where I've done essentially everything, I've gotten every achievement on Xbox at the very least. Thankfully, completion is much simpler here both for achievement hunters and those who fulfil the in-game 100% requirements (which I have not done). Whilst not technically essential, Gaiden serves as a good breather between the beefy Yakuza 7, Lost Judgment and the (as of writing) upcoming Infinite Wealth which is set to be the largest game in the franchise. I would highly recommend this title, not so much to a newer fan or someone who's only played a couple of games, but to those who have seen everything the series has to offer as this is by all metrics, a love letter for them. The fact that one of RGG's best titles was made in the span of 6 months alongside a gargantuan mainline JRPG title and the really beefy Lost Judgment which also got story DLC is mindblowing to me. RGG are miracle workers and I have full faith that they will send Kiryu off with the grace he deserves.
However, as time went on and seeing more of the game during Summer of 2023, RGG gave quite a few reasons to look forward to this game. The story trailer released in August was particularly good at showing exactly what they were going for with this game.
Gaiden spun off from what was initially a flashback segment in LAD 8 developed into its own game entirely. Technically, this game is a spin-off but I personally consider it part of the mainline series. Hell, the game is called Like a Dragon 7 Side Story in Japan, so it's more akin to the likes of the Majima Saga from Yakuza Kiwami 2, a smaller story that serves to fill in gaps between games. Where Majima Saga showed events between Yakuzas 1 and 2 and gave some closure on a plot thread from Yakuza 0, Gaiden is set concurrently with the events of Yakuza 7, showing what Kiryu was up to in Sotenbori whilst Ichiban was in Ijincho and there's even a few moments where the two games intersect. Though the game of course does address Kiryu's struggles to make peace with the decision he made at the end of Yakuza 6 and paves the way for his appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
That being said, RGG has advertised this as a viable starting point for Yakuza newcomers and whilst anyone is entitled to begin with any game they please, I would advise not making this game your first as it is very contingent on your knowledge of the rest of the series. With the game being set alongside Yakuza 7, that game's plot drives the direction that Gaiden's does and much of the twists of said plot get dropped on you during exposition dumps. Not only that but the impact of most of the game's emotional beats won't hit quite as hard without the context of the other games plus with this game still being relatively new, you could snag the entire Kiryu saga for the same price as this one game alone so if possible, I'd highly encourage playing Yakuzas 0-7 before this one (and Judgment if you have the time since that is also referenced).
That being said, it's very interesting to see another Kiryu game in a post-Yakuza 7 and Judgment world where I believe RGG has really perfected their craft in terms of storytelling and gameplay. A lot of the quirks that plagued the Kiryu Saga are absent in those games and thankfully, it comes full circle with Gaiden having some of the tightest storytelling and smoothest combat the series has ever seen. The story, being more compact this time around, never feels like it dawdles on too long, even when it makes you do some mandatory side content or dumps a bunch of expository dialogue onto you. It feels very setpiece-to-setpiece and nothing feels like it drags on or doesn't get sufficient screentime. Something the latter half of the Kiryu Saga somewhat fumbled on was having compelling villains with 4 and 5 having a few that felt like asspulls with little justification from the plot for their presence. However, all of the antagonists in Gaiden are fantastic with the final boss in particular feeling very much like Ryuji or Mine - a guy you understand and is ultimately fighting for their own beliefs and to maintain their way of life. The fight itself is genuinely the best in the entire franchise, beating out Judgment's for me. It evokes what Yakuza 5's final boss was going for but with a much stronger motivation behind it and some equally good setpieces. The entire climax in general feels like a culmination of everything the series has been leading up to - where Yakuza 6 marked the end of the familial side of Kiryu's life, Gaiden marks the end of the Yakuza side, with him confronting the very thing he continuously attempted to dissociate from one final time. Although the stakes aren't technically that high, the final battle still feels climactic due to how personal it feels from both ends. The supporting cast is solid too, Hanawa and Akame are standouts not only in this game but the entire series and considering how nearly every important character is entirely new to this game and is given sufficient time to breathe and develop within the parameters of the shorter duration is a testament to how good RGG's writing has become over time. You may have also heard many sing the praises of this game's ending and I will bravely admit to having ugly cried on my first viewing at it, it's genuinely heart-wrenching only made worse by a great voice performance by Kuroda-san and some mindblowing facial animation.
Gameplay-wise, this is definitely the best Kiryu has ever felt in the Dragon Engine, rivalling that of Yakuza Kiwami. Both fighting styles are very smooth and fluid, Agent in particular is insanely fun and unique and one of my favorites in the series, I'd like to see it implemented in a future Judgment game if we ever get one. My only issue with Agent is that it does take a while (and a lot of money) for it to feel truly viable compared to the powerhouse Yakuza style and a lack of New Game Plus does hurt the game's replayability signfiicantly.
In terms of side content, everything you would expect is here and accounted for. The karaoke selection is fantastic, Sayonara Silent Night is the only new song but is a genuine favorite of mine, and notable for being the first Christmas song in the series despite most games being set during then. Sure, 4 of the 6 songs are sad Kiryu songs but they feel appropriate considering what he's going through at the current point of time. Seeing him lament over Nishiki in Tonight, Haruto in Hands and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter in Baka Mitai (again) and that general sense of reflection is something embodied in quite a lot of this game. A few of the substories have Kiryu facing some ghosts of his past like hunting down supposed sightings of Ryuji Goda and helping out someone who idolised Kazama like he did. Even the more lighthearted misadventures such as the one riffing ChatGPT of all things has Kiryu reminiscing about Yumi and Kashiwagi. Yumi in particular gets brought up a number of times and whilst I never cared much for her as a character, I do appreciate them acknowledging her considering her significance to Kiryu, Haruka and the narrative of Yakuza 1 in general.
Pocket Circuit makes its grand return and is as fun as it was back in 0 and Kiwami alongside what I consider to be the best implementation of both the Coliseum and Clan Creator minigames, which I normally do not care much for. Being able to control your clan members in regular combat conditions as well as actually playing as them makes this infinitely better than Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2's Clan Creator minigames and provides some interesting variety that the Coliseum tends to lack. The only minigame I didn't care much for was the Hostess Clubs, the live-action aspect was funny as a gag for the Ichizu Samurai cinematic in Ishin Kiwami but having them be the central gimmick of a minigame is somewhat unsettling. I didn't really invest much time into it, I skipped the cutscenes and looked up the correct responses online (thank you, CyricZ) though that being said, you cannot skip the scenes where you visit their houses, so much for Joryu being on the downlow I guess.
Overall, Gaiden is a fantastic package. It feels a lot bigger than Majima Saga and Kaito Files, having aspects from the bigger campaigns to beef it up but it's still more compact than the 'full games'. I'd say it feels quite close to the Kiwami games in terms of content quantity. It's also the first Yakuza game where I've done essentially everything, I've gotten every achievement on Xbox at the very least. Thankfully, completion is much simpler here both for achievement hunters and those who fulfil the in-game 100% requirements (which I have not done). Whilst not technically essential, Gaiden serves as a good breather between the beefy Yakuza 7, Lost Judgment and the (as of writing) upcoming Infinite Wealth which is set to be the largest game in the franchise. I would highly recommend this title, not so much to a newer fan or someone who's only played a couple of games, but to those who have seen everything the series has to offer as this is by all metrics, a love letter for them. The fact that one of RGG's best titles was made in the span of 6 months alongside a gargantuan mainline JRPG title and the really beefy Lost Judgment which also got story DLC is mindblowing to me. RGG are miracle workers and I have full faith that they will send Kiryu off with the grace he deserves.
The Kaito Files is currently the latest entry in the Yakuza franchise though it isn't its own game necessarily. It's an extra campaign that can be purchased as DLC for Lost Judgment, releasing a little over half a year after that game's launch.
The Kaito Files is set shortly after the events of the main campaign, though it's a more self-contained story with minimal references to Lost Judgment's main events. With Yagami handling a case elsewhere, we instead see everything through his partner's eyes - Kaito. We learn a great deal about Kaito's past, particularly a girl he was dating back during his days in the Matsugane Family and the effects that his Yakuza life had on his relationship. Compared to most Yakuza plotlines, Kaito Files is refreshingly simple and straightforward but that's far from a bad thing. The main mystery revolves around the whereabouts of Kaito's former lover Mikiko and the reasons behind her disappearance.
One of the biggest standouts of the campaign is the main villain who much like the Mole from the first game, is inhumanely devious for the sake of no one but himself, serving a nice contrast to the main story's antagonist, who killed to serve justice for bullying victims and their families. Seeing Kaito take on a fatherly role to Mikiko's son Jun was also nice to see, we'd seen briefly prior that he has a soft spot for kids, like when he played ball with a kid who believed he was a superhero called Captain Cop or showing some how to play a game at the arcade, it's nice to see them delve deeper into that and it gives Kaito's character some nice closure, not that we won't see him ever again.
This DLC campaign is quite light on content with really the only thing to do being the main campaign which in it of itself is around 6-7 hours in length but considering how massive the main campaign was, this hardly matters though it would have been nice to handle some side cases as Kaito or to perhaps have the ability to play as him in the main game. Speaking of, Kaito has a moveset unique from Yagami's. I highlight it being unique from Yagami specifically because his moveset is reused from Kazuma Kiryu of all people, with Kaito utilising what is essentially his Brawler and Beast fighting styles from Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami with a sparkle of Lost Judgment polish. Kaito also some extra abilities pertaining to his detective skills, being able to his primal instincts to not only detect things by sight but also via his smelling and hearing. In the mode's short duration, they do enough to distinguish Kaito from Yagami and I hope that if we ever get a third entry in the series, Kaito returns as a playable character, much like how Miles co-stars in Insomniac's Spider Man 2 after taking the reigns of his own mini-adventure.
I suppose that's the best comparison I could draw really, Kaito Files is Lost Judgment's Miles Morales, a smaller little adventure that expands upon the main protagonist's partner character, both being more personal tales that explore the relationships of their respective characters. Kaito Files is easily RGG's best DLC and I hope we get more additional content of a similar vein in future entries.
The Kaito Files is set shortly after the events of the main campaign, though it's a more self-contained story with minimal references to Lost Judgment's main events. With Yagami handling a case elsewhere, we instead see everything through his partner's eyes - Kaito. We learn a great deal about Kaito's past, particularly a girl he was dating back during his days in the Matsugane Family and the effects that his Yakuza life had on his relationship. Compared to most Yakuza plotlines, Kaito Files is refreshingly simple and straightforward but that's far from a bad thing. The main mystery revolves around the whereabouts of Kaito's former lover Mikiko and the reasons behind her disappearance.
One of the biggest standouts of the campaign is the main villain who much like the Mole from the first game, is inhumanely devious for the sake of no one but himself, serving a nice contrast to the main story's antagonist, who killed to serve justice for bullying victims and their families. Seeing Kaito take on a fatherly role to Mikiko's son Jun was also nice to see, we'd seen briefly prior that he has a soft spot for kids, like when he played ball with a kid who believed he was a superhero called Captain Cop or showing some how to play a game at the arcade, it's nice to see them delve deeper into that and it gives Kaito's character some nice closure, not that we won't see him ever again.
This DLC campaign is quite light on content with really the only thing to do being the main campaign which in it of itself is around 6-7 hours in length but considering how massive the main campaign was, this hardly matters though it would have been nice to handle some side cases as Kaito or to perhaps have the ability to play as him in the main game. Speaking of, Kaito has a moveset unique from Yagami's. I highlight it being unique from Yagami specifically because his moveset is reused from Kazuma Kiryu of all people, with Kaito utilising what is essentially his Brawler and Beast fighting styles from Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami with a sparkle of Lost Judgment polish. Kaito also some extra abilities pertaining to his detective skills, being able to his primal instincts to not only detect things by sight but also via his smelling and hearing. In the mode's short duration, they do enough to distinguish Kaito from Yagami and I hope that if we ever get a third entry in the series, Kaito returns as a playable character, much like how Miles co-stars in Insomniac's Spider Man 2 after taking the reigns of his own mini-adventure.
I suppose that's the best comparison I could draw really, Kaito Files is Lost Judgment's Miles Morales, a smaller little adventure that expands upon the main protagonist's partner character, both being more personal tales that explore the relationships of their respective characters. Kaito Files is easily RGG's best DLC and I hope we get more additional content of a similar vein in future entries.
2021
SPOILER WARNING FOR YAKUZA: LIKE A DRAGON
Lost Judgment is a standalone sequel to Judgment, which had originally released a few years prior. The first game was a success both in Japan and worldwide despite not having the Yakuza brand in its title but the prospect of it branching out into a series seemed unlikely due to Takuya Kimura (Yagami's VA and face model) being under a talent agency that (to say the very least) is quite strict with how their talent is used, hence why we didn't see PC versions until very recently. Fortunately, in 2021, Judgment was announced to be returning with a sequel.
Lost Judgment, despite obviously being a sequel to the original Judgment, feels also like a follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon from the mainline series in which the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance formally disband. We see the aftermath of this in Lost Judgment with the main group of bad guys being a gang organisation named RK comprised of former Tojo members who didn't join Daigo and Watase's legitimate business ventures or find anything else to do. In fact, there's a lot of connections between Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Lost Judgment, with both games primarily being set in Ijincho, Yokohama. Yagami also comes across the Yokohama Liumang and the Geomijul as well, who Ichiban Kasuga previously had become acquainted with. Some familiar faces from Like a Dragon also show up.
The story primarily revolves around two cases - one involving a police officer who had been caught groping a woman on a train and the other involving bullying at Seiryo High School. Whilst seemingly unrelated, it turns out that these two cases are very much intertwined and much of the game is spent discovering the ties between them.
Plot-wise, I think this game is on par with its predecessor. Perhaps the first game was a bit more tightly paced and had the more interesting conflict, Lost Judgment's plot feels a bit more grounded in reality, touching upon more grounded issues than the nationwide medical and political conspiracy from before. The main antagonist in particular is one of the series' most interesting. Unlike the Mole from the first game, the main antagonist's motive for killing isn't just for fun and games, there's a very interesting moral dilemma between them and Yagami that persists throughout the game's latter half in which some thought-provoking perspectives are constantly put forward. It comes to the point where even your main partner Kaito isn't decided on who he believes to be right or wrong. The game serves as a massive middle finger to Japan's legal system and how ineffective it truly is and resolving the issues that plague the entire country. It's an engaging plot from start to finish with some very strong character writing and conflict, even more so than the original game.
On the gameplay front, Lost Judgment is the culmination of everything from RGG's history. Where Yakuza: Like a Dragon overhauled the combat system to be turn-based, Lost Judgment continues the real-time combat and tweaks it to perfection - it's smooth, fluid and is visually satisfying. In terms of the detective stuff, everything from the first game is here and accounted for (except wirehandling I think?) but they're used significantly less this time around, at least during the main campaign. There's only one tailing mission and it's at the very beginning of the game which is a godsend because it's still quite dull and boring but at the very least, the target moves quicker and there's more options to avoid detection. Other gimmicks like lock-picking and active search mode are also utilised from time-to-time but more liberally than before. Whilst this is an improvement, it does call into question if Judgment truly benefits from having these gameplay distinctions from the mainline series especially since they tend to be the weakest parts of these games. Not helping that case is the introduction of stealth sections which are better than tailing but still quite pointless and time-consuming. One addition I did enjoy was the parkour mechanic where instead of running head first into buildings, Yagami is forced to do some climbing around. Whilst it is quite limited since you can only do this during particular points when the game allows you to, I'd like to see this expanded upon in future entries as an alternative means of traversal. This could be a good way to bring back the verticality that Yakuza 4 brought with its version of Kamurocho.
Content-wise, this game rivals Yakuza 0 and even Yakuza 5 in how much side content there is to do. There's an abundance of side cases you can take as usual but there's the new school stories which effectively replace the friendship system from Yakuza 0 and Judgment, each primarily revolving around a unique minigame such as dancing, skateboarding, robot fighting, etc. Lost Judgment gives you plenty to do outside of the main campaign, as any RGG game does, but there's a butt-ton of it here too. Not everything is a winner but most of it is very enjoyable and they're nice pace-breakers to the main plot.
Overall, Lost Judgment is a fantastic game and quite possibly the best overall product that RGG Studios has ever put out. Whilst I still personally prefer Yakuza 0 and 6, Lost Judgment is the most refined and polished game we've ever gotten from the Yakuza franchise and is a must-play for fans of the series.
Lost Judgment is a standalone sequel to Judgment, which had originally released a few years prior. The first game was a success both in Japan and worldwide despite not having the Yakuza brand in its title but the prospect of it branching out into a series seemed unlikely due to Takuya Kimura (Yagami's VA and face model) being under a talent agency that (to say the very least) is quite strict with how their talent is used, hence why we didn't see PC versions until very recently. Fortunately, in 2021, Judgment was announced to be returning with a sequel.
Lost Judgment, despite obviously being a sequel to the original Judgment, feels also like a follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon from the mainline series in which the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance formally disband. We see the aftermath of this in Lost Judgment with the main group of bad guys being a gang organisation named RK comprised of former Tojo members who didn't join Daigo and Watase's legitimate business ventures or find anything else to do. In fact, there's a lot of connections between Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Lost Judgment, with both games primarily being set in Ijincho, Yokohama. Yagami also comes across the Yokohama Liumang and the Geomijul as well, who Ichiban Kasuga previously had become acquainted with. Some familiar faces from Like a Dragon also show up.
The story primarily revolves around two cases - one involving a police officer who had been caught groping a woman on a train and the other involving bullying at Seiryo High School. Whilst seemingly unrelated, it turns out that these two cases are very much intertwined and much of the game is spent discovering the ties between them.
Plot-wise, I think this game is on par with its predecessor. Perhaps the first game was a bit more tightly paced and had the more interesting conflict, Lost Judgment's plot feels a bit more grounded in reality, touching upon more grounded issues than the nationwide medical and political conspiracy from before. The main antagonist in particular is one of the series' most interesting. Unlike the Mole from the first game, the main antagonist's motive for killing isn't just for fun and games, there's a very interesting moral dilemma between them and Yagami that persists throughout the game's latter half in which some thought-provoking perspectives are constantly put forward. It comes to the point where even your main partner Kaito isn't decided on who he believes to be right or wrong. The game serves as a massive middle finger to Japan's legal system and how ineffective it truly is and resolving the issues that plague the entire country. It's an engaging plot from start to finish with some very strong character writing and conflict, even more so than the original game.
On the gameplay front, Lost Judgment is the culmination of everything from RGG's history. Where Yakuza: Like a Dragon overhauled the combat system to be turn-based, Lost Judgment continues the real-time combat and tweaks it to perfection - it's smooth, fluid and is visually satisfying. In terms of the detective stuff, everything from the first game is here and accounted for (except wirehandling I think?) but they're used significantly less this time around, at least during the main campaign. There's only one tailing mission and it's at the very beginning of the game which is a godsend because it's still quite dull and boring but at the very least, the target moves quicker and there's more options to avoid detection. Other gimmicks like lock-picking and active search mode are also utilised from time-to-time but more liberally than before. Whilst this is an improvement, it does call into question if Judgment truly benefits from having these gameplay distinctions from the mainline series especially since they tend to be the weakest parts of these games. Not helping that case is the introduction of stealth sections which are better than tailing but still quite pointless and time-consuming. One addition I did enjoy was the parkour mechanic where instead of running head first into buildings, Yagami is forced to do some climbing around. Whilst it is quite limited since you can only do this during particular points when the game allows you to, I'd like to see this expanded upon in future entries as an alternative means of traversal. This could be a good way to bring back the verticality that Yakuza 4 brought with its version of Kamurocho.
Content-wise, this game rivals Yakuza 0 and even Yakuza 5 in how much side content there is to do. There's an abundance of side cases you can take as usual but there's the new school stories which effectively replace the friendship system from Yakuza 0 and Judgment, each primarily revolving around a unique minigame such as dancing, skateboarding, robot fighting, etc. Lost Judgment gives you plenty to do outside of the main campaign, as any RGG game does, but there's a butt-ton of it here too. Not everything is a winner but most of it is very enjoyable and they're nice pace-breakers to the main plot.
Overall, Lost Judgment is a fantastic game and quite possibly the best overall product that RGG Studios has ever put out. Whilst I still personally prefer Yakuza 0 and 6, Lost Judgment is the most refined and polished game we've ever gotten from the Yakuza franchise and is a must-play for fans of the series.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon marks the biggest change in the core gameplay since Yakuza: Dead Souls, bringing the mainline series from real-time brawler combat to turn-based JRPG. However, the former style of gameplay still survives in spin-off entries. Make no mistake, however, despite not being a numbered entry outside of Japan and being an entirely different game with an entirely different cast of characters, this game very much is Yakuza 7 and I would highly recommend playing the Kiryu Saga beforehand.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is set primarily one year after the events of Judgment and three years after Kiryu's story came to an end in Yakuza 6, with the beginning of the game set at the start of the 21st century before series newcomer Ichiban Kasuga goes to prison for the sake of those he cares about - a premise that may sound awfully familiar.
After being released from prison, Ichiban returns to a very different Kamurocho where the Tojo Clan no longer dominate and his own patriarch seemingly has turned traitor. In order to discover the truth, Ichiban ends up in the new main area - Ijincho, Yokohama where he befriends a merry group of outcasts who join him in his quest of rise from rock bottom.
Right off the bat, the character writing in this game is probably some of the best this franchise has seen. Ichiban is a very different protagonist to Kiryu. In fact, the two contrast each other in many ways. Where Kiryu was stoic and fairly reserved, Ichiban is very outspoken and emotional - he's a bit more dimwitted and impulsive but he's an extremely endearing character and seeing him form genuine life-long bonds with his party members is very gratifying to see. Said party members are likewise some of the best supporting characters, everyone gets some good screentime and they're all in very different places at the end of the game compared to when we meet them first.
Getting to fight alongside your party members or having a casual chat with them over drinks is this game's strongest quality and I'm glad we're finally past the point of having underdeveloped supporting characters and getting the chance to more intimately interact with them, it's something Yakuza 5 and 6 definitely could have benefitted from.
Gameplay-wise, the JRPG is a fantastic translation of the former real-time combat into a turn-based format. A lot of what was present in prior games is still here and accounted for like heat actions, environmental weapon usage and the likes. That being said, there is a very big difficulty spike at Chapter 12 but the game gives you sufficient resources to bypass any possible roadblocks, it's a very accessible JRPG without devolving into mindless territory. In fact, the harder bosses are hard for a reason and long-time fans of the series will appreciate the context behind these sudden spikes in difficulty, considering the opponents in question.
Outside of combat, the game plays like any other Yakuza game. Goofy substories, business minigames and other side activities are as you remember them with some new additions such as a kart racing minigame and one where you partake in academic assessments and must use your knowledge to get the best grade possible - it's more fun than it sounds.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a stellar entry in the series, it may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's worth giving a shot in order to experience some of the best storytelling and some of the most fun gameplay the franchise has ever seen. Ichiban Kasuga made a great first impression as the new series lead and I look forward to seeing what they do with him moving forwards.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is set primarily one year after the events of Judgment and three years after Kiryu's story came to an end in Yakuza 6, with the beginning of the game set at the start of the 21st century before series newcomer Ichiban Kasuga goes to prison for the sake of those he cares about - a premise that may sound awfully familiar.
After being released from prison, Ichiban returns to a very different Kamurocho where the Tojo Clan no longer dominate and his own patriarch seemingly has turned traitor. In order to discover the truth, Ichiban ends up in the new main area - Ijincho, Yokohama where he befriends a merry group of outcasts who join him in his quest of rise from rock bottom.
Right off the bat, the character writing in this game is probably some of the best this franchise has seen. Ichiban is a very different protagonist to Kiryu. In fact, the two contrast each other in many ways. Where Kiryu was stoic and fairly reserved, Ichiban is very outspoken and emotional - he's a bit more dimwitted and impulsive but he's an extremely endearing character and seeing him form genuine life-long bonds with his party members is very gratifying to see. Said party members are likewise some of the best supporting characters, everyone gets some good screentime and they're all in very different places at the end of the game compared to when we meet them first.
Getting to fight alongside your party members or having a casual chat with them over drinks is this game's strongest quality and I'm glad we're finally past the point of having underdeveloped supporting characters and getting the chance to more intimately interact with them, it's something Yakuza 5 and 6 definitely could have benefitted from.
Gameplay-wise, the JRPG is a fantastic translation of the former real-time combat into a turn-based format. A lot of what was present in prior games is still here and accounted for like heat actions, environmental weapon usage and the likes. That being said, there is a very big difficulty spike at Chapter 12 but the game gives you sufficient resources to bypass any possible roadblocks, it's a very accessible JRPG without devolving into mindless territory. In fact, the harder bosses are hard for a reason and long-time fans of the series will appreciate the context behind these sudden spikes in difficulty, considering the opponents in question.
Outside of combat, the game plays like any other Yakuza game. Goofy substories, business minigames and other side activities are as you remember them with some new additions such as a kart racing minigame and one where you partake in academic assessments and must use your knowledge to get the best grade possible - it's more fun than it sounds.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a stellar entry in the series, it may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's worth giving a shot in order to experience some of the best storytelling and some of the most fun gameplay the franchise has ever seen. Ichiban Kasuga made a great first impression as the new series lead and I look forward to seeing what they do with him moving forwards.
2018
After the story of Kazuma Kiryu was done and dusted, RGG Studios began to experiment with new directions to take the series, helmed by new protagonists. Whilst the mainline series would undergo a drastic change in its core gameplay with the introduction of Ichiban Kasuga, a year before that, Takayuki Yagami was introduced, continuing the traditional beat-em-up gameplay of the Kiryu games.
Judgment is a spin-off set in 2018, between the events of Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Like the Kurohyo duology, the game is a complete standalone entry with the only real link being the presence of the Tojo Clan, meaning that no prior knowledge of the Yakuza series is required to play it. That being said, I do recommend playing it after Yakuza 6 as it helps to have some familiarity with Kamurocho as the city you see in Judgment has very much been transformed by the events surrounding Kazuma Kiryu. For example, Kamurocho Hills is in its completed state, having begun construction in Yakuza 2 and Little Asia is still in ruins due to events that occurred in Yakuza 6. None of this is particularly relevant to Judgment's narrative but its worldbuilding that may not go as appreciated by newcomers.
That being said, rather than focusing on some new Tojo Clan conflict, this game focuses on a cast primarily made up of Kamurocho citizens - lawyers, detectives, thieves, journalists with only a few exceptions such as Kaito being ex-Tojo Clan and Higashi being part of the Clan throughout the game. Yagami himself is a detective attempting to uncover the truth behind a series of murders in Kamurocho whilst confronting his past as a disgraced lawyer.
The game juggles multiple different plot threads and multiple different villains which has been a detriment to several of RGG's previous games, namely Yakuza 4. However, like Yakuza 0, Judgment successfully ties everything together. No character feels as though they aren't given enough screentime and there's none of the signature asspulls here, everything is well developed and the central mystery always remains at the forefront. The main villain, in particular, is my vote for the best antagonist in the entire franchise with a stellar final boss fight. Plot-wise, this game has one of the best stories in the Like a Dragon franchise, second only to Yakuza 0 which hit more emotional highs for me.
Judgment is also visually stunning, no matter which version you play. The PS4 original does have a more unique aesthetic but performance is quite shaky and it struggles to attain its 30fps frame cap. The 2021 remaster runs at a smooth 60fps throughout, though at the cost of the PS4's more distinct lighting which I believe to be an acceptable trade-off.
Combat-wise, Judgment is a good improvement over the previous Dragon Engine game. We're finally back to multiple fighting styles - Crane and Tiger, though the latter is notably more effective and can carry you throughout the entire game no problem which is something Lost Judgment improved upon.
For the most part, Judgment plays like your typical Yakuza game with minor differences such as substories being referred to as 'side cases', though they're very much one in the same. There are a few gameplay elements to compliment the fact you're playing as a detective instead of a Yakuza though I find most of them to be negligible at best (such as lock-picking or active search mode) and tedious at worst (tailing).
All in all, Judgment is a great package. Veteran Yakuza fans will feel right at home here and newcomers won't feel too alienated by this coming after seven mainline Yakuza titles. I wouldn't personally recommend starting here but this is a damn good first impression if you do. With one of the best narratives and cast of characters in the series, Judgment is an extremely engaging time from start to finish - one of RGG Studios' best games.
Judgment is a spin-off set in 2018, between the events of Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Like the Kurohyo duology, the game is a complete standalone entry with the only real link being the presence of the Tojo Clan, meaning that no prior knowledge of the Yakuza series is required to play it. That being said, I do recommend playing it after Yakuza 6 as it helps to have some familiarity with Kamurocho as the city you see in Judgment has very much been transformed by the events surrounding Kazuma Kiryu. For example, Kamurocho Hills is in its completed state, having begun construction in Yakuza 2 and Little Asia is still in ruins due to events that occurred in Yakuza 6. None of this is particularly relevant to Judgment's narrative but its worldbuilding that may not go as appreciated by newcomers.
That being said, rather than focusing on some new Tojo Clan conflict, this game focuses on a cast primarily made up of Kamurocho citizens - lawyers, detectives, thieves, journalists with only a few exceptions such as Kaito being ex-Tojo Clan and Higashi being part of the Clan throughout the game. Yagami himself is a detective attempting to uncover the truth behind a series of murders in Kamurocho whilst confronting his past as a disgraced lawyer.
The game juggles multiple different plot threads and multiple different villains which has been a detriment to several of RGG's previous games, namely Yakuza 4. However, like Yakuza 0, Judgment successfully ties everything together. No character feels as though they aren't given enough screentime and there's none of the signature asspulls here, everything is well developed and the central mystery always remains at the forefront. The main villain, in particular, is my vote for the best antagonist in the entire franchise with a stellar final boss fight. Plot-wise, this game has one of the best stories in the Like a Dragon franchise, second only to Yakuza 0 which hit more emotional highs for me.
Judgment is also visually stunning, no matter which version you play. The PS4 original does have a more unique aesthetic but performance is quite shaky and it struggles to attain its 30fps frame cap. The 2021 remaster runs at a smooth 60fps throughout, though at the cost of the PS4's more distinct lighting which I believe to be an acceptable trade-off.
Combat-wise, Judgment is a good improvement over the previous Dragon Engine game. We're finally back to multiple fighting styles - Crane and Tiger, though the latter is notably more effective and can carry you throughout the entire game no problem which is something Lost Judgment improved upon.
For the most part, Judgment plays like your typical Yakuza game with minor differences such as substories being referred to as 'side cases', though they're very much one in the same. There are a few gameplay elements to compliment the fact you're playing as a detective instead of a Yakuza though I find most of them to be negligible at best (such as lock-picking or active search mode) and tedious at worst (tailing).
All in all, Judgment is a great package. Veteran Yakuza fans will feel right at home here and newcomers won't feel too alienated by this coming after seven mainline Yakuza titles. I wouldn't personally recommend starting here but this is a damn good first impression if you do. With one of the best narratives and cast of characters in the series, Judgment is an extremely engaging time from start to finish - one of RGG Studios' best games.
This game is... fine. However, it should be noted that I am not a Fist of the North Star fan and have very limited knowledge on the franchise so I won't be commenting much on its story or its faithfulness to the source material.
If you've played any Yakuza or Judgment game, you'll know what to expect from this one, it's the same song and dance and it's all very solid. Despite coming out after Yakuza 6 and Kiwami 2 which used the new Dragon Engine, Lost Paradise uses a modified version of Yakuza Kiwami engine which debuted in Yakuza 5. For some odd reason, the sprint button that Ishin introduced was removed but the combat is fun and smooth, feeling distinct from what came before but still very familiar. Instead of grabs and throws, there's a bigger emphasis on QTEs and heat actions to locate pressure points and blow enemies' brains out. It all feels very fluid both in one-to-one encounters and group fights.
Lost Paradise's biggest downfall, however, is in its pacing. Too many times are you sent off to do some meaningless busy work or partake in mandatory sidequests and this oftentimes results in absolutely nothing. Chapter 10 is a prime example of this.
Personally, I got the most enjoyment out of this game by using the Kiryu costume DLC since (from the perspective of a Yakuza fan) most of the game's novelty comes from hearing familiar voices come out of these characters.
Aside from that, it's your average Like a Dragon game and that makes it really good but without any attachment or familiarity with its source material and some distracting shortcomings, Lost Paradise unfortunately doesn't stick out much in my eyes and is my least favorite game in the franchise as a result. I can only truly recommend this game to someone who is a fan of Fist of the North Star, though being a Yakuza fan also helps. However, as someone who is only a Yakuza fan, this game didn't do all too much for me.
If you've played any Yakuza or Judgment game, you'll know what to expect from this one, it's the same song and dance and it's all very solid. Despite coming out after Yakuza 6 and Kiwami 2 which used the new Dragon Engine, Lost Paradise uses a modified version of Yakuza Kiwami engine which debuted in Yakuza 5. For some odd reason, the sprint button that Ishin introduced was removed but the combat is fun and smooth, feeling distinct from what came before but still very familiar. Instead of grabs and throws, there's a bigger emphasis on QTEs and heat actions to locate pressure points and blow enemies' brains out. It all feels very fluid both in one-to-one encounters and group fights.
Lost Paradise's biggest downfall, however, is in its pacing. Too many times are you sent off to do some meaningless busy work or partake in mandatory sidequests and this oftentimes results in absolutely nothing. Chapter 10 is a prime example of this.
Personally, I got the most enjoyment out of this game by using the Kiryu costume DLC since (from the perspective of a Yakuza fan) most of the game's novelty comes from hearing familiar voices come out of these characters.
Aside from that, it's your average Like a Dragon game and that makes it really good but without any attachment or familiarity with its source material and some distracting shortcomings, Lost Paradise unfortunately doesn't stick out much in my eyes and is my least favorite game in the franchise as a result. I can only truly recommend this game to someone who is a fan of Fist of the North Star, though being a Yakuza fan also helps. However, as someone who is only a Yakuza fan, this game didn't do all too much for me.
2017
Although Yakuza 6 marked the end of the Kiryu Saga, there was still one outlier of a game that didn't quite match up with the rest of the series, that being Yakuza 2 from 2006 which had yet to leave the PlayStation 2. It only makes sense that it would also receive the Kiwami treatment though where the first was built off Yakuza 0's engine, the second was built off Yakuza 6's fancy new Dragon Engine.
If you're like me and most other recent Yakuza players, you've likely played the series in chronological order via the currently most accessible versions of these games, meaning that Kiwami 2 would be your third entry after 0 and Kiwami and therefore, your first exposure to the Dragon Engine. Admittedly, coming off the heels of those games, Kiwami 2 was a very jarring change and I initially found the new models to be disturbing. Also, having first played the game on Xbox One, the change from 60fps to 30fps was mildly nauseating and whilst I was able to adjust overtime and appreciate the new engine, going back to Yakuza 3 Remastered immediately afterwards gave me whiplash all over again. Playing the game after all the previous games and Yakuza 6 helped me to appreciate this entry quite a bit more.
Gameplay-wise, everything is a step-up from Yakuza 6, feeling a lot smoother than its at-times stiff and limited combat. The only real downgrade in terms of presentation is the return of textboxes and non-voiced dialogue but considering how big of an undergoing that must have been in Yakuza 6, it's no surprise they didn't continue to have every bit of dialogue voiced in future games.
Like the first Kiwami remake, Kiwami 2 takes the story and characters animations and essentially ports it over to the Dragon Engine. However, Yakuza 2's cutscenes were already an improvement over Yakuza 1's with better pacing and choreography so I find this a lot less jarring this time around, though going from Yakuza 6's longer cutscenes to Yakuza 2's more concise ones is still a noticeable change, just not as much as going from 0 to Kiwami 1.
Also like Kiwami 1, the script remains completely unchanged though unlike that game, we don't really get any additional scenes to expand the game's story like what the scenes that expanded on Nishiki's transformation during Kiryu's time in prison. Additional story content is still present in the new business minigames - Cabaret Club Management, returning from Yakuza 0 and Majima Construction, a reskinned Clan Creator from Yakuza 6 - and most notably, the new story campaign: Majima Saga.
The Majima Saga is comprised of three chapters set some time before the main game's events kick off and depicts the events that led Majima to leave the Tojo Clan to pursue a career in construction. Presentation-wise, it's very much on par with Yakuza 6's cutscenes with the final boss having a particularly stellar dynamic intro. However, the Majima Saga is ultimately fanservice for Yakuza 0 and we get some closure for Majima's story from that game and it's easily the best part of the campaign. The emotional beats hit really hard for those who played the prequel and it's handled very tastefully, maintaining the impact of 0's ending whilst giving it a nice bookend to make a bittersweet ending slightly less bitter. However, the main Tojo Clan conflict is quite uninteresting with the villains being obvious power-hungry villains who don't stick out at all, minus the main one having Dio's VA. It's a fairly inconsequential story outside the Yakuza 0 tribute but having the opportunity to play as Majima one last time before the end of the Kiryu Saga was much appreciated.
Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a solid package. Everything that was good about the original remains intact (minus the removal of Shinseicho, though that part of the game arguably didn't need to take place in a different city) with some nice extras and a visually pleasing coat of paint. It is what I consider the definitive Yakuza 2 experience. Yakuza 2 was never really my favorite in any sense, especially in the story department and Kiwami 2 doesn't do a whole lot to remedy it but it's still a good time and a solid final entry in the Kiryu Saga.
If you're like me and most other recent Yakuza players, you've likely played the series in chronological order via the currently most accessible versions of these games, meaning that Kiwami 2 would be your third entry after 0 and Kiwami and therefore, your first exposure to the Dragon Engine. Admittedly, coming off the heels of those games, Kiwami 2 was a very jarring change and I initially found the new models to be disturbing. Also, having first played the game on Xbox One, the change from 60fps to 30fps was mildly nauseating and whilst I was able to adjust overtime and appreciate the new engine, going back to Yakuza 3 Remastered immediately afterwards gave me whiplash all over again. Playing the game after all the previous games and Yakuza 6 helped me to appreciate this entry quite a bit more.
Gameplay-wise, everything is a step-up from Yakuza 6, feeling a lot smoother than its at-times stiff and limited combat. The only real downgrade in terms of presentation is the return of textboxes and non-voiced dialogue but considering how big of an undergoing that must have been in Yakuza 6, it's no surprise they didn't continue to have every bit of dialogue voiced in future games.
Like the first Kiwami remake, Kiwami 2 takes the story and characters animations and essentially ports it over to the Dragon Engine. However, Yakuza 2's cutscenes were already an improvement over Yakuza 1's with better pacing and choreography so I find this a lot less jarring this time around, though going from Yakuza 6's longer cutscenes to Yakuza 2's more concise ones is still a noticeable change, just not as much as going from 0 to Kiwami 1.
Also like Kiwami 1, the script remains completely unchanged though unlike that game, we don't really get any additional scenes to expand the game's story like what the scenes that expanded on Nishiki's transformation during Kiryu's time in prison. Additional story content is still present in the new business minigames - Cabaret Club Management, returning from Yakuza 0 and Majima Construction, a reskinned Clan Creator from Yakuza 6 - and most notably, the new story campaign: Majima Saga.
The Majima Saga is comprised of three chapters set some time before the main game's events kick off and depicts the events that led Majima to leave the Tojo Clan to pursue a career in construction. Presentation-wise, it's very much on par with Yakuza 6's cutscenes with the final boss having a particularly stellar dynamic intro. However, the Majima Saga is ultimately fanservice for Yakuza 0 and we get some closure for Majima's story from that game and it's easily the best part of the campaign. The emotional beats hit really hard for those who played the prequel and it's handled very tastefully, maintaining the impact of 0's ending whilst giving it a nice bookend to make a bittersweet ending slightly less bitter. However, the main Tojo Clan conflict is quite uninteresting with the villains being obvious power-hungry villains who don't stick out at all, minus the main one having Dio's VA. It's a fairly inconsequential story outside the Yakuza 0 tribute but having the opportunity to play as Majima one last time before the end of the Kiryu Saga was much appreciated.
Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a solid package. Everything that was good about the original remains intact (minus the removal of Shinseicho, though that part of the game arguably didn't need to take place in a different city) with some nice extras and a visually pleasing coat of paint. It is what I consider the definitive Yakuza 2 experience. Yakuza 2 was never really my favorite in any sense, especially in the story department and Kiwami 2 doesn't do a whole lot to remedy it but it's still a good time and a solid final entry in the Kiryu Saga.
This is a bit of a polarising game for many and from what I've seen, is the one where people's opinions differ the most. This game caps off the Kiryu Saga that began in 2005 but some would argue that this was an underwhelming way to end it.
In some ways I agree, many of the elements present in the Kiryu Saga games are absent and whilst characters disappearing between games isn't uncommon for this series, it would have been nice to have seen more familiar faces, even if just for quick cameos. That being said, the decision to reel back from Yakuza 4 and 5's multiple playable characters makes sense here, considering the focus is clearly meant to be squarely on Kiryu. The most important aspect of his arc is at the forefront here - his father-daughter relationship with Haruka and the lengths he's willing to go for her and although they spend very little time together, it's cleverly used to bring out aspects of Kiryu's character we don't see too often.
In hindsight, in a world where Kiryu continues to maintain his presence in future entries, it's a lot clearer what RGG were going for with this game. Whilst it's easy to lament the lack of screentime for characters like Majima, Saejima and Akiyama, it seems like the intention wasn't to give this universe a big last hurrah, it's simply the end of what is essentially the primary crux of Kiryu's story - his family, with future appearances exploring the ramifications of that.
Between RGG continuing the franchise with the Judgment spin-offs and beginning a new saga with Ichiban Kasuga, it's evident that their interest post-Yakuza 6 was introducing new protagonists and beginning new arcs. Even prior to Yakuza 6, most of the primary characters' arcs had essentially concluded. Goro Majima had his closure back in Yakuza 4 with Yakuza 0 displaying the catalyst for those events but his relatively minimal roles in Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and the upcoming Infinite Wealth are a result of his story having concluded, there's not much more than Yakuza 6 could have meaningfully contributed to his character whilst keeping the focus on Kiryu. Really, when taking all the protagonists upp until this point into account, as of the most recent mainline title (that being Yakuza 0), the only character who still hadn't had their loose ends tied was Kiryu and as I said before, I think they chose the right aspects to focus on. Whilst perhaps not as grandiose as Yakuza 0, 4 or 5, this game felt a lot more personal and as a conclusion to Kiryu's arc that was started back in the original Yakuza, the ending is appropriately bittersweet whilst leaving the door open for more. However, as far as we're concerned, the Kiryu and Haruka stories we had gotten used to over the span of 11 years are over.
Looking at the game in a vacuum though, this game has one of my favorite stories, settings and set-pieces in the Like a Dragon franchise. The narrative is engaging with a solid set of allies and antagonists tied together by a strong theme that makes all the strings of the story feel cohesive. Someya, in particular, is a standout and is one of the series' best villains to date. The Hirose boys are also a fun group, likely a parallel to Yakuza 3's Ryudo Family whilst offering their own flare. Hiroshima is also my favorite non-Kamurocho area in the series, it's a very cosy and pleasant area but not cumbersome to navigate like Yakuza 5's areas could often be. The soundtrack is also stellar, one of the best in the series.
In terms of side-content, Yakuza 6 does leave a bit to be desired. The substories are fantastic, with this being the only title to have all of them fully-voiced and they're some of the most bizarre and wacky to date. The karaoke selection is also really solid, with all but one of the tracks being completely original plus a new song that is unlocked in Premium Adventure. However, there's not much else really. Whilst surpassing Yakuza 5's extravagant quantity of side content was never going to happen, Clan Creator is a fairly dull distraction with an interesting plot and another generic group of bad guys you have to take on via the minigame.
Yakuza 6 was also the first to utilise the new Dragon Engine which looks stellar and makes the world feel more immersive, with loading screens being reduced to a minimum. That being said, the combat feels like a step down from Yakuza 0 and Kiwami with the removal of switchable fighting styles with one undercooked style in their places. Thankfully, combat would improve in future entries, particularly in the Judgment series.
All in all, Yakuza 6 is a fantastic entry where it matters and whilst I agree with most of the criticism that the game often gets, it has this earnest charm to it that makes it one of my personal favorites. I do wish it had just a bit more time to cook in the oven, perhaps an extra year or so to work out some kinks and simply add more content but for what it is, it's a good footnote to the Kiryu Saga and one of RGG's best.
In some ways I agree, many of the elements present in the Kiryu Saga games are absent and whilst characters disappearing between games isn't uncommon for this series, it would have been nice to have seen more familiar faces, even if just for quick cameos. That being said, the decision to reel back from Yakuza 4 and 5's multiple playable characters makes sense here, considering the focus is clearly meant to be squarely on Kiryu. The most important aspect of his arc is at the forefront here - his father-daughter relationship with Haruka and the lengths he's willing to go for her and although they spend very little time together, it's cleverly used to bring out aspects of Kiryu's character we don't see too often.
In hindsight, in a world where Kiryu continues to maintain his presence in future entries, it's a lot clearer what RGG were going for with this game. Whilst it's easy to lament the lack of screentime for characters like Majima, Saejima and Akiyama, it seems like the intention wasn't to give this universe a big last hurrah, it's simply the end of what is essentially the primary crux of Kiryu's story - his family, with future appearances exploring the ramifications of that.
Between RGG continuing the franchise with the Judgment spin-offs and beginning a new saga with Ichiban Kasuga, it's evident that their interest post-Yakuza 6 was introducing new protagonists and beginning new arcs. Even prior to Yakuza 6, most of the primary characters' arcs had essentially concluded. Goro Majima had his closure back in Yakuza 4 with Yakuza 0 displaying the catalyst for those events but his relatively minimal roles in Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and the upcoming Infinite Wealth are a result of his story having concluded, there's not much more than Yakuza 6 could have meaningfully contributed to his character whilst keeping the focus on Kiryu. Really, when taking all the protagonists upp until this point into account, as of the most recent mainline title (that being Yakuza 0), the only character who still hadn't had their loose ends tied was Kiryu and as I said before, I think they chose the right aspects to focus on. Whilst perhaps not as grandiose as Yakuza 0, 4 or 5, this game felt a lot more personal and as a conclusion to Kiryu's arc that was started back in the original Yakuza, the ending is appropriately bittersweet whilst leaving the door open for more. However, as far as we're concerned, the Kiryu and Haruka stories we had gotten used to over the span of 11 years are over.
Looking at the game in a vacuum though, this game has one of my favorite stories, settings and set-pieces in the Like a Dragon franchise. The narrative is engaging with a solid set of allies and antagonists tied together by a strong theme that makes all the strings of the story feel cohesive. Someya, in particular, is a standout and is one of the series' best villains to date. The Hirose boys are also a fun group, likely a parallel to Yakuza 3's Ryudo Family whilst offering their own flare. Hiroshima is also my favorite non-Kamurocho area in the series, it's a very cosy and pleasant area but not cumbersome to navigate like Yakuza 5's areas could often be. The soundtrack is also stellar, one of the best in the series.
In terms of side-content, Yakuza 6 does leave a bit to be desired. The substories are fantastic, with this being the only title to have all of them fully-voiced and they're some of the most bizarre and wacky to date. The karaoke selection is also really solid, with all but one of the tracks being completely original plus a new song that is unlocked in Premium Adventure. However, there's not much else really. Whilst surpassing Yakuza 5's extravagant quantity of side content was never going to happen, Clan Creator is a fairly dull distraction with an interesting plot and another generic group of bad guys you have to take on via the minigame.
Yakuza 6 was also the first to utilise the new Dragon Engine which looks stellar and makes the world feel more immersive, with loading screens being reduced to a minimum. That being said, the combat feels like a step down from Yakuza 0 and Kiwami with the removal of switchable fighting styles with one undercooked style in their places. Thankfully, combat would improve in future entries, particularly in the Judgment series.
All in all, Yakuza 6 is a fantastic entry where it matters and whilst I agree with most of the criticism that the game often gets, it has this earnest charm to it that makes it one of my personal favorites. I do wish it had just a bit more time to cook in the oven, perhaps an extra year or so to work out some kinks and simply add more content but for what it is, it's a good footnote to the Kiryu Saga and one of RGG's best.
2016
Essentially a Yakuza 0.5 that uses Yakuza 1's plot. This game both goes to extreme ends to be very different to the original Yakuza game and in some places, didn't change things to its own detriment.
Whilst I appreciate the game remaining faithful to the original game, reusing the exact same script and even the exact same cutscene animations makes it stick out in kind of a bad way. I think remaking the first game to be more accessible in the making it available on modern platforms and also more in line with the more recent games makes sense and I'm glad they did so. However, the game clearly expects that you've played Yakuza 0 before this one and with that having (in my opinion), the best narrative and storytelling in the series, it's a shame they didn't rework Yakuza 1's story to match.
Of course, they couldn't change too much but there's certain things they add on top of Yakuza 1's script to align it more with 0. I'm glad they gave Nishiki's descent into madness more focus, he was such a nothing burger in the original game before becoming one of the strongest characters in Yakuza 0 and I feel like they did him justice here with the extra scenes though it doesn't change the fact that he lacks presence throughout the main events of the story and I wish the story was reworked to have him more involved in the ten billion yen incident.
Goro Majima was given a much larger presence, with an entire gameplay gimmick tied to him which admittedly gets a little annoying when trying to navigate the overworld, especially in the late game where the fights can last for a long time. However, it is fun seeing how far they go in putting him in silly scenarios all for the sake of hunting Kiryu down. However, his involvement in the main story suffers from this and with the added context given by Yakuza 0 and the Majima Everywhere side content, it feels out of character for him to kidnap Haruka or hold a girl with a knife to her throat for no reason.
I think the cutscenes and the script should have been revised to better match Yakuza 0 but all in all, Yakuza Kiwami is the definitive way to experience the story of the first game in the franchise. It's made a lot better when seeing it as a remake of an old PS2 game as opposed to a sequel too Yakuza 0.
Whilst I appreciate the game remaining faithful to the original game, reusing the exact same script and even the exact same cutscene animations makes it stick out in kind of a bad way. I think remaking the first game to be more accessible in the making it available on modern platforms and also more in line with the more recent games makes sense and I'm glad they did so. However, the game clearly expects that you've played Yakuza 0 before this one and with that having (in my opinion), the best narrative and storytelling in the series, it's a shame they didn't rework Yakuza 1's story to match.
Of course, they couldn't change too much but there's certain things they add on top of Yakuza 1's script to align it more with 0. I'm glad they gave Nishiki's descent into madness more focus, he was such a nothing burger in the original game before becoming one of the strongest characters in Yakuza 0 and I feel like they did him justice here with the extra scenes though it doesn't change the fact that he lacks presence throughout the main events of the story and I wish the story was reworked to have him more involved in the ten billion yen incident.
Goro Majima was given a much larger presence, with an entire gameplay gimmick tied to him which admittedly gets a little annoying when trying to navigate the overworld, especially in the late game where the fights can last for a long time. However, it is fun seeing how far they go in putting him in silly scenarios all for the sake of hunting Kiryu down. However, his involvement in the main story suffers from this and with the added context given by Yakuza 0 and the Majima Everywhere side content, it feels out of character for him to kidnap Haruka or hold a girl with a knife to her throat for no reason.
I think the cutscenes and the script should have been revised to better match Yakuza 0 but all in all, Yakuza Kiwami is the definitive way to experience the story of the first game in the franchise. It's made a lot better when seeing it as a remake of an old PS2 game as opposed to a sequel too Yakuza 0.
2015
This game is incredible. Maybe that's bias speaking as this was my entry point into the series but even after playing the other games, this still reigns supreme in my eyes. There's a reason this game is generally considered the gold standard for this franchise, it excels on all fronts.
Story wise, we get one of most concise but engaging plots in the series, cleanly split in half between Kiryu and Majima, who go on seemingly unrelated excursions until they slowly start to converge. Both protagonists are very different to how we've seen them in prior games. Kiryu is more violent and hot-headed here, but gradually edges closer towards the character we see in future games. Conversely, Majima isn't as eccentric as he is in previous games though we get some deep insight into his backstory that completely recontextualises his character and expands upon what we already know from Yakuza 4. Both of their plotlines are equally engaging and for the first time in the series, the multiple threads of the story come together seamlessly by the end. The game ensures that you care about every character you're meant to care about and it makes the emotional beats land extremely well. Unlike in previous games where such moments fell flat either due to characters being underdeveloped or a reliance on overused tropes or ridiculous plot devices. Yakuza 0 avoids that by simply being well written, with plot twists that are built up well and don't feel like asspulls.
The side content is also stellar, the substories are some of the funniest and more goofy in the series, the karaoke selection is some of the best, both the Real Estate and Cabaret Club business minigames are really fun and this is all helped by the unique '80s atmosphere the game has.
All in all, Yakuza 0 is the most consistently solid overall package the series has to offer. It has no real lows in my mind but tons of the franchise's highest highs. My favorite game RGG has ever made without a doubt and one of my favorite games of all time.
Story wise, we get one of most concise but engaging plots in the series, cleanly split in half between Kiryu and Majima, who go on seemingly unrelated excursions until they slowly start to converge. Both protagonists are very different to how we've seen them in prior games. Kiryu is more violent and hot-headed here, but gradually edges closer towards the character we see in future games. Conversely, Majima isn't as eccentric as he is in previous games though we get some deep insight into his backstory that completely recontextualises his character and expands upon what we already know from Yakuza 4. Both of their plotlines are equally engaging and for the first time in the series, the multiple threads of the story come together seamlessly by the end. The game ensures that you care about every character you're meant to care about and it makes the emotional beats land extremely well. Unlike in previous games where such moments fell flat either due to characters being underdeveloped or a reliance on overused tropes or ridiculous plot devices. Yakuza 0 avoids that by simply being well written, with plot twists that are built up well and don't feel like asspulls.
The side content is also stellar, the substories are some of the funniest and more goofy in the series, the karaoke selection is some of the best, both the Real Estate and Cabaret Club business minigames are really fun and this is all helped by the unique '80s atmosphere the game has.
All in all, Yakuza 0 is the most consistently solid overall package the series has to offer. It has no real lows in my mind but tons of the franchise's highest highs. My favorite game RGG has ever made without a doubt and one of my favorite games of all time.
Serving as a spiritual successor to Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan, Like a Dragon: Ishin! sees familiar characters representing historical figures from the Edo period. Originally released in Japan between Yakuza 5 and Yakuza 0, this game never made it to Western territories until this particular version of the game - an enhanced port of sorts running on the Unreal Engine, with some changes to the graphics, characters and added side content.
I can't speak much on the original as I haven't played it but the remaster was a good time. I find myself with not much to say about, it's an RGG game with everything you'd come to expect from one. I often see Ishin heralded as having of the best stories in the franchise and i can't really see it. The fanservice is nice and I like the characters and writing but I never found the plot too overtly interesting, it just doesn't stick out in any way. It doesn't pull any fast ones on you like Yakuzas 2 through 5 necessarily but it doesn't have the emotional highpoints of games like Yakuza 0 or Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Most of my enjoyment came from seeing familiar faces again but not so much the events going on within the narrative itself. It's a good story for what its worth, I just didn't find myself too attached to anything.
Gameplay wise, it's fine. Yakuza I feel flourishes on its hand-to-hand combat so whenever they change that (guns in Dead Souls, swords in this game), it can feel a little underbaked. My main issue is that none of the gameplay styles feel that fun to use because of how powerless you feel unless you undergo intensive grinding. Gun can break the game but simply requires you to stand from a distance and mash a button, Dancer feels fluid but feels redundant when the Sword style deals so much more damage and the Brawler style is flat out useless, no idea why they included it.
Ishin is a really good game overall but I'd only recommend it if you're an avid enjoyer of the series and have played all the mainline entries as there's fanservice extending as recent as Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The 2023 remaster is a great way to play the game, despite some issues and there's a good wealth of side content too on top of the fairly beefy main campaign.
I can't speak much on the original as I haven't played it but the remaster was a good time. I find myself with not much to say about, it's an RGG game with everything you'd come to expect from one. I often see Ishin heralded as having of the best stories in the franchise and i can't really see it. The fanservice is nice and I like the characters and writing but I never found the plot too overtly interesting, it just doesn't stick out in any way. It doesn't pull any fast ones on you like Yakuzas 2 through 5 necessarily but it doesn't have the emotional highpoints of games like Yakuza 0 or Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Most of my enjoyment came from seeing familiar faces again but not so much the events going on within the narrative itself. It's a good story for what its worth, I just didn't find myself too attached to anything.
Gameplay wise, it's fine. Yakuza I feel flourishes on its hand-to-hand combat so whenever they change that (guns in Dead Souls, swords in this game), it can feel a little underbaked. My main issue is that none of the gameplay styles feel that fun to use because of how powerless you feel unless you undergo intensive grinding. Gun can break the game but simply requires you to stand from a distance and mash a button, Dancer feels fluid but feels redundant when the Sword style deals so much more damage and the Brawler style is flat out useless, no idea why they included it.
Ishin is a really good game overall but I'd only recommend it if you're an avid enjoyer of the series and have played all the mainline entries as there's fanservice extending as recent as Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The 2023 remaster is a great way to play the game, despite some issues and there's a good wealth of side content too on top of the fairly beefy main campaign.
2012
This is a big one. Yakuza 5 was the final mainline entry released on the PS3 and the last before the series blew up in popularity overseas with Yakuza 0. It's the first to utilise the new engine that would later be used in Ishin, 0, Kiwami and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise.
Set in 2012, two years after Yakuza 4 and a little after Kurohyo 2, this game centres around a whopping five protagonists. Kiryu, Saejima and Akiyama return from the previous game but joining them are Kiryu's de-facto daughter Haruka Sawamura and newcomer Tatsuo Shinada, all undergo seemingly separate strings of events across four cities which slowly begin to converge for the finale chapters in Kamurocho.
This game is easily the biggest and longest in the franchise up to this point, no question. A story-oriented playthrough will still average around 30 hours, even if side content is ignored. However, I find all of it extremely engaging. I've always preferred Yakuza 5's more personal feeling story compared to Yakuza 4's which felt more oriented around set-pieces, big cinematic moments and plot twists.
It's a convoluted plot for sure that gets somewhat muddy in places but it's easy enough to keep track of and everything comes to a neat conclusion by the end. The combat is a general improvement over that of the previous games, it feels a lot smoother and more fluid but traversal of the overworld can feel quite tedious with how many random encounters the game throws at you. This is something that Ishin and 0 would greatly improve upon.
Haruka's section deviates the most from the Yakuza norm, serving as an idol simulator where partaking in dance battles and working on your status as a celebrity takes centre-stage. It's the best part of the game, don't @ me.
Yakuza 5 hits all the right places for me, it's where the series really found its footing in my eyes. Gameplay is (mostly) great, the substories are the wackiest they've been up to this point, the side stories are good fun though Kiryu's taxi missions and Haruka's idol simulator are the clear standouts and the story is messy but very heartfelt. The best in the series, up to this point.
Set in 2012, two years after Yakuza 4 and a little after Kurohyo 2, this game centres around a whopping five protagonists. Kiryu, Saejima and Akiyama return from the previous game but joining them are Kiryu's de-facto daughter Haruka Sawamura and newcomer Tatsuo Shinada, all undergo seemingly separate strings of events across four cities which slowly begin to converge for the finale chapters in Kamurocho.
This game is easily the biggest and longest in the franchise up to this point, no question. A story-oriented playthrough will still average around 30 hours, even if side content is ignored. However, I find all of it extremely engaging. I've always preferred Yakuza 5's more personal feeling story compared to Yakuza 4's which felt more oriented around set-pieces, big cinematic moments and plot twists.
It's a convoluted plot for sure that gets somewhat muddy in places but it's easy enough to keep track of and everything comes to a neat conclusion by the end. The combat is a general improvement over that of the previous games, it feels a lot smoother and more fluid but traversal of the overworld can feel quite tedious with how many random encounters the game throws at you. This is something that Ishin and 0 would greatly improve upon.
Haruka's section deviates the most from the Yakuza norm, serving as an idol simulator where partaking in dance battles and working on your status as a celebrity takes centre-stage. It's the best part of the game, don't @ me.
Yakuza 5 hits all the right places for me, it's where the series really found its footing in my eyes. Gameplay is (mostly) great, the substories are the wackiest they've been up to this point, the side stories are good fun though Kiryu's taxi missions and Haruka's idol simulator are the clear standouts and the story is messy but very heartfelt. The best in the series, up to this point.
Quite possibly the most obscure game in the franchise, Kurohyo 2 is a surprisingly solid game that has a lot going for it.
Set over one year after the events of Kurohyo 1 and around half a year before Yakuza 5, Tatsuya is once again dragged back into the ring of Dragon Heat but this time, he's fighting in Sotenbori to take down a group of eight fighters working under a gang named Ashura.
This game maintains Tatsuya's development from the first and instead of going through change himself, he's grouped with some other Dragon Heat participants and bear witness to how he imposes change onto them, a good display of his growth over the series. Each member of the supporting cast gets some time in the spotlight with a personal obstacle to overcome, including manipulation, self-esteem and daddy issues and they're all very likable and interesting.
In particular, I really enjoy the game's main antagonist. Without spoiling anything, he maintains a large presence throughout the story and is genuinely one of the most engaging villains in the franchise, with a banger as hell theme to accompany his final battle.
Gameplay wise, it's more of what the first game offered. Not something I want to see return but fun nonetheless. Though, the bosses were noticeably easier this time around than in the first where they felt like they lasted forever.
Kurohyo 2 is a really good follow-up to its predecessor and has a really great story and cast of characters that most RGG fans will likely never get to experience.
Set over one year after the events of Kurohyo 1 and around half a year before Yakuza 5, Tatsuya is once again dragged back into the ring of Dragon Heat but this time, he's fighting in Sotenbori to take down a group of eight fighters working under a gang named Ashura.
This game maintains Tatsuya's development from the first and instead of going through change himself, he's grouped with some other Dragon Heat participants and bear witness to how he imposes change onto them, a good display of his growth over the series. Each member of the supporting cast gets some time in the spotlight with a personal obstacle to overcome, including manipulation, self-esteem and daddy issues and they're all very likable and interesting.
In particular, I really enjoy the game's main antagonist. Without spoiling anything, he maintains a large presence throughout the story and is genuinely one of the most engaging villains in the franchise, with a banger as hell theme to accompany his final battle.
Gameplay wise, it's more of what the first game offered. Not something I want to see return but fun nonetheless. Though, the bosses were noticeably easier this time around than in the first where they felt like they lasted forever.
Kurohyo 2 is a really good follow-up to its predecessor and has a really great story and cast of characters that most RGG fans will likely never get to experience.
2011
This is an interesting one - up until the upcoming Like a Dragon Gaiden, Yakuza: Dead Souls was the only spin-off to focus on the cast from the mainline games. Taking place in a non-canon alternate reality set after the events of Yakuza 4, Kamurocho is infested with zombies which is suspected to be the work of the Omi Alliance.
Like Yakuza 4, the story is told through the perspectives of four playable protagonists, all returning characters from previous games. Kiryu and Akiyama are once again here but making their playable debuts are Goro Majima and Ryuji Goda. Despite the absurdity of the plot, it's quite simple and easy to keep up with, a nice of change of pace coming off of Yakuza 4. However, everyone is characterised extremely well, the game doesn't take itself too seriously but everyone is as likable as they were in the mainline titles, we even see different sides of Ryuji now that he's no longer in the antagonist role and even a few tiny glimpses of the more noble and selfless Majima we would later see in Yakuza 0.
Gaemplay wise, it's very different to the typical Yakuza affair. Of course, combat is entirely weapon-oriented and it works fine enough to be dumb mindless fun. The controls take some getting used to and they're not exactly fluid but the enemies are designed around your means of mobility and combat so they're never too intrusive. Unfortunately, as this game has yet to receive any sort of remaster or remake, it's stuck on the PS3 and falls victim to lots of frame-rate issues, the game chugs quite often with how much is going on, especially during some of the boss fights, long battles and vehicular segments.
All in all, Yakuza: Dead Souls is a fun time and worth checking out if you want to see more of these characters. There's still substories, karaoke, arcade games and everything you'd generally expect from one of these games, except Date who's just not here for some reason.
Like Yakuza 4, the story is told through the perspectives of four playable protagonists, all returning characters from previous games. Kiryu and Akiyama are once again here but making their playable debuts are Goro Majima and Ryuji Goda. Despite the absurdity of the plot, it's quite simple and easy to keep up with, a nice of change of pace coming off of Yakuza 4. However, everyone is characterised extremely well, the game doesn't take itself too seriously but everyone is as likable as they were in the mainline titles, we even see different sides of Ryuji now that he's no longer in the antagonist role and even a few tiny glimpses of the more noble and selfless Majima we would later see in Yakuza 0.
Gaemplay wise, it's very different to the typical Yakuza affair. Of course, combat is entirely weapon-oriented and it works fine enough to be dumb mindless fun. The controls take some getting used to and they're not exactly fluid but the enemies are designed around your means of mobility and combat so they're never too intrusive. Unfortunately, as this game has yet to receive any sort of remaster or remake, it's stuck on the PS3 and falls victim to lots of frame-rate issues, the game chugs quite often with how much is going on, especially during some of the boss fights, long battles and vehicular segments.
All in all, Yakuza: Dead Souls is a fun time and worth checking out if you want to see more of these characters. There's still substories, karaoke, arcade games and everything you'd generally expect from one of these games, except Date who's just not here for some reason.