It's really hard rating this game. I loved it a lot. I really enjoyed my time with it. I loved the characters. I loved Ijincho. I loved that Yakuza was willing to move on and create a whole new cast. It is their first try at an RPG, and it shows. It's not a great RPG system. But also, Yakuza wasn't a great beat em up. It's almost series tradition to have just passable gameplay, as that's not the point. The story was that of a soap opera in the best possible way. I loved all the twists and turns. I think it's gripping, and while it might be kinda cheesy, it's always fun and enjoyable. Ichiban also stands as one of the best RPG protags ever. Please play this game, even if you don't know much about Yakuza.