Writing this review whilst perpetually half way through the Japanese copy. (As of 11/9/20) Figured I could push this out before the English copy comes out for anyone it might help influence to buy the game.
Yakuza 7 really had me worried when I first saw it. I hate change, and boy, did I hate what I saw when the game was first announced. I am glad to say I was being an idiot, and I love what this game did to the Yakuza formula. Everything that I loved about the old Yakuza games is still here. Sure there is no Kiryuu or Majima in the main party, but the new cast is fun and honestly has some charming dialogue, from my limited Japanese of course. The main things that I really love about this game is the class system which works like just about any other JRPG class system, but the classes realistic and breathe life into the tried and true JRPG. The combat itself is a pretty happy marriage between typical turn based hit x to hit enemy and Yakuza brawling. You can do perfect timing blocks, and if you line yourself up you can use your environment. I've seen some people call it brain dead, and I'm not going to sit here and say it is intellectually stimulating combat; but if you actually take advantage of the combat system laid bare before you there are some cool things you can do.
As far as side content, this is Yakuza. You aren't getting anything less than what you have gotten in any other game. The map is massive - Kamurocho feels claustrophobicly small in comparison. I have never spent much time in Yokohama in my travels to Japan, but you can tell the life of the city is clearly present just like Kabukicho is in the other games. Lastly, it has Baka Mitai so... good game.
One day I'll finish it.
Yakuza 7 really had me worried when I first saw it. I hate change, and boy, did I hate what I saw when the game was first announced. I am glad to say I was being an idiot, and I love what this game did to the Yakuza formula. Everything that I loved about the old Yakuza games is still here. Sure there is no Kiryuu or Majima in the main party, but the new cast is fun and honestly has some charming dialogue, from my limited Japanese of course. The main things that I really love about this game is the class system which works like just about any other JRPG class system, but the classes realistic and breathe life into the tried and true JRPG. The combat itself is a pretty happy marriage between typical turn based hit x to hit enemy and Yakuza brawling. You can do perfect timing blocks, and if you line yourself up you can use your environment. I've seen some people call it brain dead, and I'm not going to sit here and say it is intellectually stimulating combat; but if you actually take advantage of the combat system laid bare before you there are some cool things you can do.
As far as side content, this is Yakuza. You aren't getting anything less than what you have gotten in any other game. The map is massive - Kamurocho feels claustrophobicly small in comparison. I have never spent much time in Yokohama in my travels to Japan, but you can tell the life of the city is clearly present just like Kabukicho is in the other games. Lastly, it has Baka Mitai so... good game.
One day I'll finish it.