Where Has the Yakuza Series Been All My Life?
When I was a kid working at Electronics Boutique, I remember seeing the Yakuza games on the PS2 wall and not paying it too much attention. The cover art looked interesting but I’d be lying if I said that I even read the back cover of the case. Fast forward 22 years later and I really wish I had taken the time.
The Yakuza series needs little introduction at this point. They are open world action adventure games set within the various districts of Tokyo. I was almost tempted to refer to these games as being like Grand Theft Auto, but that really does this series a disservice. For starters, you don’t steal cars, and you certainly can’t randomly attack people. Where GTA and Read Dead are about giving players the freedom to do what they please, and suffer the consequences for them, Yakuza is more about guiding the player along set narratives and experiences. That’s part of why the games limit you to a few districts.
Don’t let the small real estate dissuade you from trying the games though (especially if you’re more accustomed to the Rockstar Games catalog.) The map is littered with a seemingly endless supply of side quests, random fights, bars, restaurants, arcades, and small businesses to occupy your time. If you just focus on the main story, each entry lasts about 10-20 hours. The real fun though, lies in all those distractions I mentioned. Enjoying everything a Yakuza game has to offer adds in an extra 20-80 hours depending on how invested you get. The karaoke minigames alone are worth the price of admission.
The entry I’ve spent the most time on recently has been one of it’s spinoff, Judgement. Without giving too much away, you play as a private eye solving a series of murders in the district of Kamurocho. You spend quite a bit of time roaming the streets, looking for clues, investigating potential witnesses, and finding out how everything connects to a much larger conspiracy. The characters are exceptionally well written from what I’ve experienced. There are very few one dimensional characters outside of the random NPCs you run into. If you do more than just listen to what someone has to say, you’ll often find out a bit of their personal lives, motivations, flaws, and even redeeming qualities. It doesn’t take long to start figuring out who your favorite characters are.
The various side jobs you take on serve as a much needed pallet cleanser to the main story’s serious tone. So far I’ve helped a guy find his missing jacket, stopped a panty thief, chased down a wig for a teen heartthrob, and played a VR game to help a homeless man get a prize. The lighthearted nature of these jobs are enhanced by the more comedic tracks in an overall amazing score. The Yakuza games almost feel like a season of a really wild anime. The series does an incredible job of balancing the serious stakes of the main campaign, with the often downright goofy side missions/activities. Where a lesser series would have these distractions disrupt the flow or tone of the game, Yakuza embraces everything with such care that these tonal transitions feel oftentimes natural. You believe that in this world, you can switch your focus from solving a murder to teaching a group of greasers how to be cool (actual side quest in Yakuza 0.)
Unlike the Final Fantasy series, the Yakuza games are best experienced in order, starting with 0 and working your way through The Man Who Erased His Name; with the notable exceptions of Judgement and Ishin as they are both spinoffs with limited involvement in the main series. I have played quite a bit of Like A Dragon as it looked like a great jumping off point since it had a new protagonist, but I found out that the series’ previous main character makes a cameo so I held off finishing it until I’m caught up. Keep in mind that playing Like A Dragon doesn’t absolutely require any previous knowledge, but it helps in a couple of points. Plus I’m so enamored by what I’ve played so far, I want to get the full experience.
So if you’ve ever wondered if the Yakuza games are worth looking into, I can’t recommend it enough from what I’ve played. I heard some of the entries get a little stale when you get to parts 3-5 or so, but if that’s the case, that’s where YouTube FMV compilations can come in handy.
For now though, I’m genuinely hooked. Which is great since Dawntrail is still a few months out.
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect those of my employer: Activision Blizzard
