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Retro|Spective 132: Yakuza

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    Retro|Spective 132: Yakuza

    Bonus installment this week as with most of the franchise on offer at the moment it seems a well timed occasion to look over the long history of...

    History in Games:
    2005 - Yakuza
    2006 - Yakuza 2
    2008 - Yakuza: Kenzan
    2009 - Yakuza 3
    2010 - Yakuza: Black Panther
    2010 - Yakuza 4
    2011 - Yakuza: Dead Souls
    2012 - Yakuza: Black Panther 2
    2012 - Yakuza 5
    2014 - Yakuza: Ishin
    2015 - Yakuza 0
    2016 - Yakuza Kiwami
    2016 - Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
    2017 - Yakuza Kiwami 2
    2018 - Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
    2018 - Judgment
    2019 - Yakuza 3: Remastered
    2019 - Yakuza 4: Remastered
    2020 - Yakuza 5: Remastered
    2020 - Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon

    Overview:
    Launching during the days of the PS2, the series was dogged in its early days by ill-fitting comparisons to GTA and Shenmue with the games neither featuring the explorative freeform antics of Rockstars series or the sedate, minute interactivity of Shenmue. Instead the series takes the traditional form of a greatly expanded walk a long beat em up with Kiryu, the series primary lead, walking the streets as he beats countless hordes of goons and bosses until facing down with that entries big bad - often at some point on top of Millennium Tower. The series is the definition of survival after disappearing following the beloved second entry. Sega catered the franchise more strongly to Japanese tastes with the arrival of the PS3 and left western markets alone but the vocal fanbase it had created wouldn't be silenced and eventually Sega braved the market again with the third and fourth games as well as the more easily marketed Dead Souls spin-off. The experiment still faltered and the fifth game stumbled out as a digital only release.

    It was the dawn of the third generation of the franchise though that turned things around. The well received prequel entry Zero as well as the Kiwami remakes brought greater recognition to the franchise and over the last few years western markets are finally in a position where all but the more obscure entries are now available on one system with ports slowly making their way to PC and Xbox ahead of the genre swapping seventh mainline entry that lies as the next title lined up after the last two spin-offs - The mostly unrelated Fist of the North Star project and the much more related Judgment.






    Are you inducted into the Yakuza?

    #2
    I can't believe there's that many!

    I loved the first two games on the PS2, they were the main reason I wanted to pick a system up. I kind of fell off after that though and I'm just getting back into it with Yakuza Zero now.

    Dead Souls seemed like a cool spin off game from what little I played of it. The intro FMV certainly sells it.

    Comment


      #3
      I love this series, but I kinda OD'd on it a while back and I've taken a very long break.

      I've played through all of them up to 0 - so the first two on PS2, then 3, 4 and 5 on PS3.

      They're a mixed bag to some extent, but it's a terrific series. NI makes a very good point in his OP about them being dogged initially by comparisons to GTA and Shenmue. While there are resemblances to both series, they really are very much their own thing, and quite different to those franchises.

      The highlight of the games in the series that I've played is certainly 2. It's a fan favourite, and with good reason - it has by far the most compelling storyline, followed by the first game. I really enjoyed 3, 4 and 5 (and the expansion into new geographical areas brought by the fifth game was interesting, as well as the prison sequence and minigames such as taxi driving), but the narrative has become more and more convoluted and soap opera esque as they've gone. The first two had much more focused storylines.

      One thing that I think is quite unique about the series is just how closely linked the storyline of each is. The fact that each game reproduces Kamurocho in exactly the same way, gives the series a very consistent centre, while the games' stories are more like seasons of a TV show than entirely distinct stories. It's a cool way of doing things - there aren't a whole lot of games which do that, certainly not to the scale that this series does.

      I really must play Zero, this thread has now put me in the mood for it!

      Comment


        #4
        I was Johnny-Come-Lately to Yakuza but LOVED Yakuza 0. All 70+ hours of it. I really need to play another but keep getting the impression I've played the best one. Might pick up 6 or Judgment in the current Big In Japan sale.

        Comment


          #5
          I'm all over the place with this franchise having mostly stuck to just the core questline in each one because it's so much of very similar content to go through at this point:

          Yakuza - The first game never made the impression on me that it did on others, partly because of its beat em up mechanics and also the rough edges

          Yakuza 2 - As a result it took me a while to play the second game but it did ultimately make a better impression in the end

          Yakuza 3 - I was very belated in going through this one, I think the change in location helped even if it's very much the most sedate entry. It's not the best but played at the right time it's alright as a change of pace one.

          Yakuza 4 - I didn't get far into this before hitting burn out and haven't gone back to it since.

          Yakuza 0 - After a long break this was the next one I played and it was a much more enjoyable entry than most. I don't think it's wildly different but it is a very focused entry and a great place to start from fresh.

          Yakuza 6 - Despite not going through 4 and 5 I jumped in and did 6 a bit after it came out and it was a decent one. Perhaps not the best way to wrap things up as it veers to being more like the third game than the others making it a fairly low key finale but a solid entry.

          Yakuza Kiwami - Solid, but despite polishing up the original game so much it's still just okay.

          Judgment - Seems to have been largely ignored due to not carrying the franchise name but I genuinely think it's one of the best ones they've done. It's very focused from a story stand point and pretty polished overall with a likeable lead. I'm more interested in this getting a sequel than I am the main series at this point.

          I have 4, 5, Dead Souls, Ishin and Kenzen on PS3 making the PSP games the only ones to escape me as such. I avoided FOTNS because it seemed basic and unrelated but opinions from franchise fans of Yakuza seem fairly solid. Still can't decide whether the remasters of the main games on PS4 are worth it or stick with the PS3 versions. I've been so scattershot that there's an appeal to going back to Zero and playing the series in narrative order now that pretty much the entire series is available.

          Comment


            #6
            I absolutely love this series and it's arguably the main reason I bought a PS3 and PS4. It can be broken down into a few reasons.

            Story: It's one of the few games I can think of where I'm genuinely interested in the characters and story side of it. I'd say the first two games have the best plot by far and can be taken more seriously, whereas the others are slightly surreal soap operas with more twists and turns than you could imagine - regardless of the insanity of any story parts, all of them will have characters you end up caring about. As a general rule of thumb, almost everyone who turns up and you think "this guy is simply just a horrid person" will turn out to have all kinds of hidden honour that ends up being revealed at some point. Various points of the story will inevitably build up into some kind of shirtless rooftop fight where the guy ultimately ends up showing some hidden depth and then end up being your best mate or something nuts like that. When someone actually dies (which isn't that often), you may well genuinely care that it happened. It's great!

            Location: Although most of the games have various locations, they're all primarily set in one town. It changes a bit, but it's basically the same and when you inevitably get there (often not starting there) it feels like stepping into an old pair of comfy shoes. When I first get my chance to explore (they usually seal it off a bit to begin with), I'll end up spending the whole evening wandering about seeing what's different - which businesses have closed, which businesses have opened, where I can go. Some of them are more expansive than others - allowing you into underground areas and rooftops, as well as inside some of the bigger buildings. Far from getting bored of the city, there's something relaxing about being in it every time. You care more about the place as it feels like your own in-game "home from home" as you wander down the Champion District and have a sneaky drink. As crazy as the story can be, not much dramatic happens to the town itself - it's just business as usual.

            Play at your own pace: The entire game mechanics are based around the fact that progressing the story is well-signposted and you only have to do it when you feel like it. Someone can end up being bundled into a car and driven away by goons and you can quite happily spend the next ten hours winning teddies on the crane game or doing one of the many comprehensive (and almost entirely optional) mini-games. Some are very expansive whereas some are just diversions. One of the reasons I like the games so much is that they fit into my life well - I can pop on for an hour and tinker about when I can, saving up the story for a proper evening session.

            The sense of humour: It's one of the few games I've found genuinely very funny. While it is a game about a bunch of mostly very serious gangsters, the dialogue can be very well-written and it is quite self-aware of how peculiar it can be. The main protagonist is a very serious and tough but ultimately kind-hearted man who in a lesser game would be a real bore - he's not particularly emotional, is extremely deadpan yet can pull off all kinds of dramatic cool moves with ease. The twist is that the designers love putting him in absurd situations where he looks absolutely ridiculous. Probably best summed up by how he answers the phone to a potential hot date here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn_GO50AAjE

            How everything blends together: Ultimately though, it's how all these elements blend together well to give you a series with a lot of charm. You care about your main characters because you've spent good times with them trying to beat the karaoke and chat up girls at the hostess club, you're interested in the side characters because of how they interact with them. Old favourites return and it's like meeting an old friend again. You're interested in what's going on in the town because you are so familiar with it and any new place you explore with enthusiasm, wondering how it's all laid out and what's on offer. The quality can be up and down sometimes, some of the mini-games can feel a bit bare bones and occasionally a sequel will feel like it had a bit less to do than its predecessor. I stick with the series because I love it

            With the new one (not yet in English) moving from real-time fights to RPG-style battles I'm interested to see how it plays out. A lot of people are afraid to lose the fighting mechanics from the old games (the developers have said they're trying it out to see how people react), but after playing this many in the series I find the actual fighting so much of a doddle that I'd be happy to try something new. It says a lot about how the characters are connected to the town that the new game not only features a new character but is based in a different town. As long as it's a series about exploring a town, seeing a story and having some adventures along the way I reckon I'll be happy to continue.

            Comment


              #7
              Love this series. The only one I don't have is 7.

              My favourite is 4.

              Least favourite are the PSP ones. Your character is an obnoxious prick. Nearly everyone you meet is even less likeable.

              The excellent, responsive controls make the fighting great fun. I could do without the chase scenes though.
              Last edited by DeathAdder; 27-04-2020, 14:36.

              Comment


                #8
                Amazing series, and delighted it gets a lot of love in the west now too. Can't wait for 7 to get localised. Only other one from that list I've not got is Black Panther 2, which I should probably get just to fill in the blank.

                Favourite bits include;
                - This cut scene - https://youtu.be/4Iq2hHcn0Z4?t=405
                - Pretty much everything Akiyama
                - Kiryu answering the phone
                - COME ON EVERYBODY, ROUGE OF LOVE

                Comment


                  #9
                  Well, this thread was a mistake...
                  Just bought Kiwami 2, 4 Remastered, 5 Remastered, Judgment and Fist of the North Star

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Neon Ignition View Post
                    Well, this thread was a mistake...
                    Just bought Kiwami 2, 4 Remastered, 5 Remastered, Judgment and Fist of the North Star
                    Now you just need a few hundred hours or so.

                    Been eyeing up Judgment myself ... itching for a dive back in Kamurocho since looking at this thread.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Hirst View Post
                      I absolutely love this series and it's arguably the main reason I bought a PS3 and PS4. It can be broken down into a few reasons.

                      Story: It's one of the few games I can think of where I'm genuinely interested in the characters and story side of it. I'd say the first two games have the best plot by far and can be taken more seriously, whereas the others are slightly surreal soap operas with more twists and turns than you could imagine - regardless of the insanity of any story parts, all of them will have characters you end up caring about. As a general rule of thumb, almost everyone who turns up and you think "this guy is simply just a horrid person" will turn out to have all kinds of hidden honour that ends up being revealed at some point. Various points of the story will inevitably build up into some kind of shirtless rooftop fight where the guy ultimately ends up showing some hidden depth and then end up being your best mate or something nuts like that. When someone actually dies (which isn't that often), you may well genuinely care that it happened. It's great!

                      Location: Although most of the games have various locations, they're all primarily set in one town. It changes a bit, but it's basically the same and when you inevitably get there (often not starting there) it feels like stepping into an old pair of comfy shoes. When I first get my chance to explore (they usually seal it off a bit to begin with), I'll end up spending the whole evening wandering about seeing what's different - which businesses have closed, which businesses have opened, where I can go. Some of them are more expansive than others - allowing you into underground areas and rooftops, as well as inside some of the bigger buildings. Far from getting bored of the city, there's something relaxing about being in it every time. You care more about the place as it feels like your own in-game "home from home" as you wander down the Champion District and have a sneaky drink. As crazy as the story can be, not much dramatic happens to the town itself - it's just business as usual.

                      Play at your own pace: The entire game mechanics are based around the fact that progressing the story is well-signposted and you only have to do it when you feel like it. Someone can end up being bundled into a car and driven away by goons and you can quite happily spend the next ten hours winning teddies on the crane game or doing one of the many comprehensive (and almost entirely optional) mini-games. Some are very expansive whereas some are just diversions. One of the reasons I like the games so much is that they fit into my life well - I can pop on for an hour and tinker about when I can, saving up the story for a proper evening session.

                      The sense of humour: It's one of the few games I've found genuinely very funny. While it is a game about a bunch of mostly very serious gangsters, the dialogue can be very well-written and it is quite self-aware of how peculiar it can be. The main protagonist is a very serious and tough but ultimately kind-hearted man who in a lesser game would be a real bore - he's not particularly emotional, is extremely deadpan yet can pull off all kinds of dramatic cool moves with ease. The twist is that the designers love putting him in absurd situations where he looks absolutely ridiculous. Probably best summed up by how he answers the phone to a potential hot date here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn_GO50AAjE

                      How everything blends together: Ultimately though, it's how all these elements blend together well to give you a series with a lot of charm. You care about your main characters because you've spent good times with them trying to beat the karaoke and chat up girls at the hostess club, you're interested in the side characters because of how they interact with them. Old favourites return and it's like meeting an old friend again. You're interested in what's going on in the town because you are so familiar with it and any new place you explore with enthusiasm, wondering how it's all laid out and what's on offer. The quality can be up and down sometimes, some of the mini-games can feel a bit bare bones and occasionally a sequel will feel like it had a bit less to do than its predecessor. I stick with the series because I love it

                      With the new one (not yet in English) moving from real-time fights to RPG-style battles I'm interested to see how it plays out. A lot of people are afraid to lose the fighting mechanics from the old games (the developers have said they're trying it out to see how people react), but after playing this many in the series I find the actual fighting so much of a doddle that I'd be happy to try something new. It says a lot about how the characters are connected to the town that the new game not only features a new character but is based in a different town. As long as it's a series about exploring a town, seeing a story and having some adventures along the way I reckon I'll be happy to continue.
                      As a fellow fan, I agree with all of this!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Damn you all, I just bought the PC versions of Zero, Kiwami and Kiwami 2 - and yes, it means I bought Kiwami 2 twice this week. I think I now own every installment bar the PSP pair

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I love them all, but I think I liked three the best, the sleepy seaside setting just clicked. Still need to revisit that on the ps4. Wonderful series, one of my faves.

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