Yakuza 0 - Why is the Series so good?

[HiddenX]

Games Horizon takes a look at the Yakuza series:

What Makes Yakuza Games So Good

The Yakuza franchise from Ryu-Ga-Gotoku studios is currently enjoying a much deserved revival in the West. Right from early games like Yakuza 0 and Ishin : Like A Dragon that went under the radar at their original launch; to new releases like Yakuza : Like A Dragon and Like A Dragon : Infinite Wealth now regularly find their place in lists for top games of the year, best RPGs, best open worlds and so on. In fact, the Yakuza games (and by Yakuza games we mean all the numbered titles in the franchise, the Judgment series and Like A Dragon series) collectively work out to some 14 games with an average Metacritic score of 81 - I doubt there would be any other franchise that comes anywhere close to this level of consistently high scores, across so many titles. So, clearly they are doing a lot of things right that are loved by both critics and gamers. Lets look at what makes Yakuza games so good!

The strongest pillar for all Yakuza games is that all of them, without exception, have gripping stories to tell. There are (very) long cut scenes that set up the main plot : in fact, for the first hour and a half or so for the games, you would not have much to do at all with the controller, as the introductory set of cut scenes lay out the story elements quite leisurely but deliberately - akin to watching a movie. Over the next 25-30 hours of gameplay, there are twists, characters that backstab, there are redemption arcs for other characters and everything gets put up with flashy camera angles in dramatic fashion accompanied by suitably grand music.

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Thanks Couchpotato!

More information.

 

[epithumia]

Those games really aren't my thing, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed playing Yakuza 0. I got it in a bundle and played it on a whim and was really impressed with just how dense and alive the small environments felt. I was terribly bad at the fighting, though, and 100% completion is a hilariously unattainable goal for me. That's OK, though.

 

[JDR13]

I thought it was terrible. A bunch of silly mini-games and over-the-top acting. Maybe I would have liked it if I was more familiar with modern Japanese pop culture, but I bounced off hard.

 

[Couchpotato]

Personally I loved playing the console versions just because the controls were made for a controller. Not saying the controls are bad on the PC just more annoying.

Joxer used to complain on every thread about the issues in the past.

 

[purpleblob]

I couldn't play it myself (I hate playing set protagonist and can't RP male) but enjoyed watching hubby play. I thought the game is hilarious. I generally don't like over the top dramatic reaction in Japanese games but I think this was done well in humourous way (I'm pretty sure they were making fun of their own (Japanese) games).

I also sucked at Karaoke game so bad (hubby let me try a few), the Karaoke bird was on life support and skipped the entire silly cut scenes lol. Had a good laugh with hubby

 

[JFarrell71]

Those games really aren't my thing, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed playing Yakuza 0. I got it in a bundle and played it on a whim and was really impressed with just how dense and alive the small environments felt. I was terribly bad at the fighting, though, and 100% completion is a hilariously unattainable goal for me. That's OK, though.

I can't imagine playing to 100% in any Yakuza game. Talk about boring. But I love the games and do everything that is, in my opinion, interesting: the side stories, the main plot (obviously), the major minigames (like the club/hostess stuff), and I try each minigame at least once.

 

[Zloth]

I really loved 0 - one of the best RPGs I've ever played. I don't know how they managed to bounce between zany and serious so well, but they did it!

1 and 2 were pretty good.

3 was not so good. The hard hitting, cutthroat world of Yakuza gangsters had to share the stage with kids and their growing pains. The fighting system took a hit, too, with enemies that defend themselves so much that the battles turn into a slog.

4 was so bad, I only played about a third of it. The fighting designers overcorrected from 3 and made all the enemies boring pushovers. 5 looked like more of the same, so I skipped it.

6 was pretty good, though. Not as great as 0, but it got back to the level of 1 and 2.

 

[Philistine]

I loved 0 and 1... they are my favourite games played since Witcher 3. Much more fun than Cyberpunk or BG3. Hot girls, cool dudes, simple combat, ton of varied content. I was never confused in those games by character motivation, and while you can grind for some things, it's purely optional - as such, I did 100% CP but not the Yakuza games. I will be playing 2 either before or after I attempt Elden Ring.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I tried one yakuza game, and I just checked, and it was Like a Dragon. I was so out of my element, and couldn't get into the over-the-top style of it. Just not for me, I guess.

 

[Vaelith]

I'll have to try these series sometime. What puts me off is the general theme, though it would be unfair to write it off without giving it a try. Something for my gaming to-do list.

 

[Carnifex]

Same, I've read lots of good stuff on this series yet have never taken the plunge.

 

[Redglyph]

Watching a few seconds of the gameplay were enough to tell it wasn't for me. I do like cutscenes, but not when it's so long and so often, and I hate the camera shaking at every blow when fighting enemies (a typical Asian game feature). No appeal for the general presentation and the atmosphere, either.

 

[JDR13]

I loved 0 and 1... they are my favourite games played since Witcher 3. Much more fun than Cyberpunk or BG3.

Did I click on the wrong link? I feel like I've left the Watch and entered the Twilight Zone.

 

[Redglyph]

It surprised me as well, but to each their own.

 

[purpleblob]

I can see how some people would enjoy Yakuza more than CP and BG3. I'm definitely charmed by Yakuza 0 myself. I thought I would never enjoy Japanese games when I was younger but now Monster Hunter: World and Dragon's Dogma 2 are now my favourite games.

 

[JDR13]

I thought I would never enjoy Japanese games when I was younger but now Monster Hunter: World and Dragon's Dogma 2 are now my favourite games.

Capcom games aren't very Japanese though style-wise. Well, maybe MH:W is somewhat, but most of their titles aren't. I've been playing their games since the late 80's starting with the original Ghost n Goblins.

They're easily my favorite Japanese developer along with FromSoftware. It's no coincidence that they both make games that aren't distinctly Japanese in terms of the characters and art style.

 

[Philistine]

Did I click on the wrong link? I feel like I've left the Watch and entered the Twilight Zone.

It's not that I don't think Cyberpunk and BG3 are good games, but they don't work for me because of the people I have to work with. They both have a lot of content that has you dealing with characters I personally never bond with, which is a drag. Yakuza has characters that are much more relatable for me. I am much happier going bowling, playing slot racers, macking on hostesses, etc., than dealing with depressing or duplicitous 'friends'.

 

[Terry]

By the reception here it looks like this series is worth giving a try to, I will give it a go in the near future.