An earnest, easily captivating story set inside a very alive city. The protagonist is just this absolutely perfect person without a flaw, except maybe that he is in the Yakuza, which is presented as a cutthroat, ruthless organization, full of betrayal and deception. Same for the police. Both of its main representatives are outlaws, who actively escape them.
Though, admittedly, there is a certain hope that both will work, somehow, an inevitability. Other than that, my only complaint is the fact that villains often get introduced the moment you have to go face them, rather than letting the feelings of anger towards them simmer.
But the main story beats are so simple to get behind. A helpless child, a person's sense of duty and honor. Kazuma is such an idealistic character that he goes to prison for 10 years on false accusations to protect those closest to him. And you'd think at some point he'd break, and he does for like a split-second I guess, but other than that he just doesn't. It's, well, inspiring to be honest, to have a protagonist like this, almost as if he's taken straight out of Kamen Rider or something like that. Just a bit more presentable to older audiences; though, in reality, there's little difference. And that's admirable, I thought it was brilliant.
All the ridiculous characters really shine in combat, though. Fighting Majima, Nishiki, or that fucking red-coat gunman. The fighting system is full of these high-impact hits and animations, but it has a solid enough depth too for the game's length.
The way you improve is through gathering EXP or finding people who can teach you techniques. This is where the living city comes in. Aside from being an excellent backdrop to this crime thriller, there's all these individual stories, which are even more ridiculous. The main story and the side-content were actually written by different people, and several, even crazier ones were rejected because they would just go too far with how silly they were. Imagine that.
Somehow, despite the fact that traveling takes a good while, I did feel inclined to check the side-activities out from time to time. Not enough to complete the game 100%, but enough to get immersed in the setting. The game really shows just how effective side-content can be when it is able to complement the core gameplay. The game is very heavy-handed and has these crazy high-stakes scenarios one after another. So go play baseball for a little while. Go visit a girl, spend some of that money you've gathered up.
Overall, even in this first entry, I'm entirely captivated by this series. I honestly can't believe how many of these games exist, and it makes me so glad to know how much more is in store. It's a game I'll need every once in a while. And maybe you will too.
Though, admittedly, there is a certain hope that both will work, somehow, an inevitability. Other than that, my only complaint is the fact that villains often get introduced the moment you have to go face them, rather than letting the feelings of anger towards them simmer.
But the main story beats are so simple to get behind. A helpless child, a person's sense of duty and honor. Kazuma is such an idealistic character that he goes to prison for 10 years on false accusations to protect those closest to him. And you'd think at some point he'd break, and he does for like a split-second I guess, but other than that he just doesn't. It's, well, inspiring to be honest, to have a protagonist like this, almost as if he's taken straight out of Kamen Rider or something like that. Just a bit more presentable to older audiences; though, in reality, there's little difference. And that's admirable, I thought it was brilliant.
All the ridiculous characters really shine in combat, though. Fighting Majima, Nishiki, or that fucking red-coat gunman. The fighting system is full of these high-impact hits and animations, but it has a solid enough depth too for the game's length.
The way you improve is through gathering EXP or finding people who can teach you techniques. This is where the living city comes in. Aside from being an excellent backdrop to this crime thriller, there's all these individual stories, which are even more ridiculous. The main story and the side-content were actually written by different people, and several, even crazier ones were rejected because they would just go too far with how silly they were. Imagine that.
Somehow, despite the fact that traveling takes a good while, I did feel inclined to check the side-activities out from time to time. Not enough to complete the game 100%, but enough to get immersed in the setting. The game really shows just how effective side-content can be when it is able to complement the core gameplay. The game is very heavy-handed and has these crazy high-stakes scenarios one after another. So go play baseball for a little while. Go visit a girl, spend some of that money you've gathered up.
Overall, even in this first entry, I'm entirely captivated by this series. I honestly can't believe how many of these games exist, and it makes me so glad to know how much more is in store. It's a game I'll need every once in a while. And maybe you will too.