Okay, I’m not going to go on about it in the games completed thread as it doesn’t feel like the right place… but I am going to go on about it here.
Years after buying the original Yakuza (first) game on the PS2 I was enjoying it but got stuck right near the start at the funeral scene. Over 4 years ago Yakuza Kiwami was included on PS+. I played it and it’s a straight remake of Yakuza, impressed but again I put it down - until a few months ago… and it clicked and I had a lot of fun with it’s near 30 hour (for me) span.
Bought all of the Yakuza game that were £3:99 on the PS store and have played roughly 4 hours of Yakuza 0, and it is completely fantastic. Going Rush mode this time as opposed to Brawler and the combat is lighting fast, also has a lock on which YK didn’t. Running from Mr. Shakedown is a little like running from Mr X in Resident Evil 2 (remake), but miles more fun. The characters and the story, like some arthouse violent Tokyo mafia masterpiece. The characters in it already, the fight scenes, enemies literally flying across the screen… and I’m still at the beginning!
Got a feeling I’ll be going through all of these games. The scenes and story with this guy at the start, so gripping…
I would say zero is prob the best of that style. The Kiwami remakes of 1 and 2 are good but you may find 3-4 and maybe 5 a bit hard going after those 3 as 3-5 are straight ports that show their age a little whereas kiwamis have had QOL improvements. 6 is a good un!
I love the series but 3 and 4 in particular could do with a kiwami refresh
Then you’ve also got Ishin (the ancient Japan one with the same actors) and also the fist of the North Star game!
I’ve got all of them 1-6 and Like A Dragon from PS+. Ishin sounds good too, will pick it up at some point, in no rush as there’s a lot to get through first.
Thanks. I can feel Yakuza 0 is going to be an absolute all-timer, it’s already streets ahead of Yakuza Kiwami, which I loved to bits, the main character has come into his own already and the actual main story is top drawer.
Remember being delighted when 2 got a 2008 release here, and then 3 getting a localisation in 2010 with stuff missing cos “we won’t get the japanese stuff”
Yakuza 5 was the longest wait i think. Came to ps3 as a digital only release in 2015, 3 years after Japan
Then Yakuza 0 came along and just put a hard reset on the franchise in the West. Was a perfect starting point and people weren’t as ignorant about games with subtitles or Japanese excentricities anymore
Edit: you might enjoy Yakuza 0 even more after Kiwami cos you’ll learn how Majima became such a bonkers wild man
Double edit: reckon the series really came into its own around Yakuza 4 as the sub stories got better written and increasingly silly and/or touching
Yeah i love the original yakuza games especially i skipped 3 and 4 waiting for rereleases if they ever happen 0/5/6 but Like A Dragon i feel nails the balance of goofy/serious and i just like roaming around with a party and prefer the turn based combat. Im about 50hrs into infinite wealth and feel it may be one of the best jrpgs ever made its just been a joy from start tonfinish (although the start maybe was a lil too slow) its up there with Dragon Quest 11 for me. Not played too lany jrpgs as they can easily lose my attention but Like A Dragon is just so damn charming and fun that youre always wondering whats going to happen next and Kasuga is such a fun protagonist. Borderline iconic after 2 games.
2 iconic protagonists in ine series is quite impressive. I have doubts when they switch Kiryu as the main focus as hes an incredible charactwr ive spent years with bit boy they pulled it off
Oh… yeah this is the first one youve played with the truly wild shit - not sure youre prepared for the stuff youll end up doing bit its great. You got to remember the latest ones main selling point leading up to release was it having an animal crossing style game appear mid way through the story.
I bounced off Dragon Quest xi because I couldn’t deal with the random encounters and hated the accompanying music, but for some reason here (on Infinite Wealth), I really like both those things
Yakuza 0 isnt a jrpg its a beat em up like streets of rage i find the random encounters more palletable in jrpg form [also u can easoly avoid them if u cba with the segway] not really an option in 0 as you can only try and sprint past them in very narrow streets where as the maps in like a dragon are way more open. Also the music bangs in combat!
The thing about Yakuza 0 is the combat is arguably the least appealing thing about it but if you dont like it youre unlikely to see its true hand where it becomes the selection box of treats and gameplay that the series excels at as all yakuzas start slow
Can’t decide between Beast, Brawler and Rush mode now, all 3 of them feel great, Beast even has a slight Dark Souls roll to it. Story is ace, side quests bonkers. Just spent half an hour disco dancing.
Speaking of i just spent 30mins playing a dating app sim in infinite wealth- got ny first ‘real’ one and my god the amount of subtle cheese in the live action FMV pov softcore porn you get thrown your way is amazing.
