[12/11/23]
Honestly, my second favorite Yakuza game so far! Even though shit gets comically stupid and I understand why people hate this game (THAT twist and the final bosses), I think the pacing being so fast that it blindsides you with more shit actually isn't a bad decision in this case. Refreshing after 2 and 3, honestly. It's so cool to see Kiryu and the three new protagonists eventually meet up with one another. I see Kiryu's odd characterization as the way other people see him, seeing that Kiryu's actions from the past games built this image of him that we see come to life. This isn't Kiryu, it's the Dragon of Dojima as Kamurocho sees it. Akiyama's GOATed as a character and a fighter, Saejima's cool even though his fighting style is my least favorite of the four, and Tanimura's parry makes him the most unique. The new characters introduced through the other three's own storylines really helps make this tiny red light district I've known for 5 games deeper and more lively now. I'm a fan of the upgrade system in this game. Definitely like it more than Kiwami 2 and 3.
Somehow, I'm still not tired of this series yet. Goes to show what happens when I'm engaged with the world, and this entry continues to add new dimensions to it.
Honestly, my second favorite Yakuza game so far! Even though shit gets comically stupid and I understand why people hate this game (THAT twist and the final bosses), I think the pacing being so fast that it blindsides you with more shit actually isn't a bad decision in this case. Refreshing after 2 and 3, honestly. It's so cool to see Kiryu and the three new protagonists eventually meet up with one another. I see Kiryu's odd characterization as the way other people see him, seeing that Kiryu's actions from the past games built this image of him that we see come to life. This isn't Kiryu, it's the Dragon of Dojima as Kamurocho sees it. Akiyama's GOATed as a character and a fighter, Saejima's cool even though his fighting style is my least favorite of the four, and Tanimura's parry makes him the most unique. The new characters introduced through the other three's own storylines really helps make this tiny red light district I've known for 5 games deeper and more lively now. I'm a fan of the upgrade system in this game. Definitely like it more than Kiwami 2 and 3.
Somehow, I'm still not tired of this series yet. Goes to show what happens when I'm engaged with the world, and this entry continues to add new dimensions to it.