Played this on the PS3 HD remaster using a guide. So much better than people give it credit for. Yeah the Kiwami remakes are the shiny, newer games, and I can still have fun with them, but I really don't see them as replacements.
The Yakuza series, at least from the first game up to 0, are very clearly meant to build on each other mechanically, and it wasn't until 6 where we got our first drastic mechanical shake-up. With that in mind, it's why I recommend OG Yakuza 1 + 2 as the starting points if you can find a way to play them. Yakuza 1 is definitely Yakuza at its most "barebones", but that doesn't make it bad at all. Quite the opposite, really, I think its simplicity really add to its charm. It feels pretty snappy once you unlock more moves, with heat moves that are much more to-the-point than in later entries, feeling almost like extensions of your base moveset rather than the crazy spectacle super moves like in later games. Not saying this is better than what later games do, just that there's something equally satisfying to it, in my eyes at least.
Before I finish this write-up, I'm aware that one major barrier for people wanting to try the original PS2 games is the official translations, especially for Yakuza 1 with its, uh... "colorful" English dub. Although I do consider the HD remasters on PS3/Wii U to be the best way to "play" them, there is another option.
YouTube user Sylwahan had worked for years on an undub patch for the PS2 version of Yakuza 1 that not only restores Japanese audio, but also re-translates all the text to better fit the original dialogue, as well as a bunch of other little adjustments to make it all work seamlessly. Here's a trailer for it, with details on how to install it in the description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXsiu9PUbxM
Last I saw on Sylwahan's Twitter, he's been working on a similar patch for Yakuza 2, which hopefully won't be as heavy work for him considering he won't have to replace the audio on it, as Yakuza 2 was never English dubbed.
Anyways, point being: I don't hate the Kiwami remakes at all (though Kiwami 1 has some really annoying design aspects), and while starting from 0 into the Kiwami remakes and so on is the most logical starting point for most because it's what's available on modern platforms (hell, it's how I started the series myself, too), I personally believe starting from the PS2 originals and onward is what truly feels the best. This is one franchise where each subsequent game evolves from what came before, I truly think it's fascinating watching this series evolve and seeing what sticks around and changes.
If you're willing to give Yakuza 1 a shot, I highly recommend it. There's a lot to this game that even the newer games don't exactly replicate, it's such a unique experience even amidst this franchise's long history.
The Yakuza series, at least from the first game up to 0, are very clearly meant to build on each other mechanically, and it wasn't until 6 where we got our first drastic mechanical shake-up. With that in mind, it's why I recommend OG Yakuza 1 + 2 as the starting points if you can find a way to play them. Yakuza 1 is definitely Yakuza at its most "barebones", but that doesn't make it bad at all. Quite the opposite, really, I think its simplicity really add to its charm. It feels pretty snappy once you unlock more moves, with heat moves that are much more to-the-point than in later entries, feeling almost like extensions of your base moveset rather than the crazy spectacle super moves like in later games. Not saying this is better than what later games do, just that there's something equally satisfying to it, in my eyes at least.
Before I finish this write-up, I'm aware that one major barrier for people wanting to try the original PS2 games is the official translations, especially for Yakuza 1 with its, uh... "colorful" English dub. Although I do consider the HD remasters on PS3/Wii U to be the best way to "play" them, there is another option.
YouTube user Sylwahan had worked for years on an undub patch for the PS2 version of Yakuza 1 that not only restores Japanese audio, but also re-translates all the text to better fit the original dialogue, as well as a bunch of other little adjustments to make it all work seamlessly. Here's a trailer for it, with details on how to install it in the description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXsiu9PUbxM
Last I saw on Sylwahan's Twitter, he's been working on a similar patch for Yakuza 2, which hopefully won't be as heavy work for him considering he won't have to replace the audio on it, as Yakuza 2 was never English dubbed.
Anyways, point being: I don't hate the Kiwami remakes at all (though Kiwami 1 has some really annoying design aspects), and while starting from 0 into the Kiwami remakes and so on is the most logical starting point for most because it's what's available on modern platforms (hell, it's how I started the series myself, too), I personally believe starting from the PS2 originals and onward is what truly feels the best. This is one franchise where each subsequent game evolves from what came before, I truly think it's fascinating watching this series evolve and seeing what sticks around and changes.
If you're willing to give Yakuza 1 a shot, I highly recommend it. There's a lot to this game that even the newer games don't exactly replicate, it's such a unique experience even amidst this franchise's long history.