Yakuza 6 - Game View
13/05/18 23:55
I'll just cut to the chase.
This game is awesome.
With that out of the way, let me share with you the joy I have discovered, that is Yakuza.
I know I've heard of the Yakuza games in the past, and overlooked them as boring and mindless fighting games. But that is furthest from the truth for Yakuza 6, and I am so glad that I gave the game a chance.
For starters, this is the first Yakuza game that I've ever played. The game includes recap videos for the previous games, but even without watching them, the game does a good job of introducing the characters and establishing the plot, to where I'm not feeling like I'm lost in the story, or overwhelmed, or missing out on some crucial information. That is often hard to get right in sequels on long-running game franchises.
So, here we are as a Kazuma Kiryu, a legendary Yakuza fighter, who has decided to try turning a new leaf, and atoning for his past, to start a new life.
But when his daughter goes missing, he goes looking for her. And he finds things are quite complicated, and is dragged back to his old life, where he has to defend himself from mafia, and other various thugs.
The game starts out with a 20-minute cutscene. It's the first hint of what you can expect with this game. This game cares about story-telling.
Soon, you arrive in the main city of the game, and given free rein to roam about the city. The game gives you a map, with an indicator of where to go to further the story. Otherwise, you can visit just about anywhere in the city. The city is full of diversions and mini games and side quests (sub stories, as they call them) to encounter.
Like, immediately, I discover a karaoke lounge, where I can play a rhythm game, where Kiryu ends up in a bizarre music video.
Later, I stumble into a "cabaret club" where you flirt with girls to try to get them to go on a date with you.
Later, I run into someone on the street who is fighting with his girlfriend, because he's spending all his time and money in "live chat" rooms online. This triggers a sub story where he takes you to an internet cafe, where he teaches you how to flirt with cam girls online.
And then there's a whole thing where you have to chase a drone through the city.
You go to another city where this punk yakuza guy is picking fights with you. You keep beating him, but he keeps coming back for more. Until he is attacked by other yakuza, and you rescue him, and then he starts praising you and calling you his "anaki" as a term of respect. This goes on for quite a while.
And there's a whole section where you're going around a city carrying a baby at night looking for milk, and every few minutes he cries and you have to shake the controller to appease the child.
And all of the story content, and mini games, and substories, are all tracked via an in-game award system, where you are given experience to level up various aspects and unlock abilities, for everything you do.
Everything is played with such sincerity, yet there's also such a bizarreness to it all. The contrast between it all is simply amazing, and hilarious. I love it.
Most of the core of the game is walking from place to place, with short and intense fight scenes sprinkled about, with extended cutscenes all along.
It's hard to really describe this game. All the bizarre things it throws at you, while still wrapped in such a serious tone. The game seems to enjoy how bizarre it is, and it has no shame in doing absolutely anything it wants. And i love that.
I've already purchased Yakuza 0, which is a prequel to the entire series, which I look forward to playing once I finish through Y6.
So yeah, don't let the "tough brawler" exterior detract you from what is a delightful and quirky adventure.
This game is awesome.
With that out of the way, let me share with you the joy I have discovered, that is Yakuza.
I know I've heard of the Yakuza games in the past, and overlooked them as boring and mindless fighting games. But that is furthest from the truth for Yakuza 6, and I am so glad that I gave the game a chance.
For starters, this is the first Yakuza game that I've ever played. The game includes recap videos for the previous games, but even without watching them, the game does a good job of introducing the characters and establishing the plot, to where I'm not feeling like I'm lost in the story, or overwhelmed, or missing out on some crucial information. That is often hard to get right in sequels on long-running game franchises.
So, here we are as a Kazuma Kiryu, a legendary Yakuza fighter, who has decided to try turning a new leaf, and atoning for his past, to start a new life.
But when his daughter goes missing, he goes looking for her. And he finds things are quite complicated, and is dragged back to his old life, where he has to defend himself from mafia, and other various thugs.
The game starts out with a 20-minute cutscene. It's the first hint of what you can expect with this game. This game cares about story-telling.
Soon, you arrive in the main city of the game, and given free rein to roam about the city. The game gives you a map, with an indicator of where to go to further the story. Otherwise, you can visit just about anywhere in the city. The city is full of diversions and mini games and side quests (sub stories, as they call them) to encounter.
Like, immediately, I discover a karaoke lounge, where I can play a rhythm game, where Kiryu ends up in a bizarre music video.
Later, I stumble into a "cabaret club" where you flirt with girls to try to get them to go on a date with you.
Later, I run into someone on the street who is fighting with his girlfriend, because he's spending all his time and money in "live chat" rooms online. This triggers a sub story where he takes you to an internet cafe, where he teaches you how to flirt with cam girls online.
And then there's a whole thing where you have to chase a drone through the city.
You go to another city where this punk yakuza guy is picking fights with you. You keep beating him, but he keeps coming back for more. Until he is attacked by other yakuza, and you rescue him, and then he starts praising you and calling you his "anaki" as a term of respect. This goes on for quite a while.
And there's a whole section where you're going around a city carrying a baby at night looking for milk, and every few minutes he cries and you have to shake the controller to appease the child.
And all of the story content, and mini games, and substories, are all tracked via an in-game award system, where you are given experience to level up various aspects and unlock abilities, for everything you do.
Everything is played with such sincerity, yet there's also such a bizarreness to it all. The contrast between it all is simply amazing, and hilarious. I love it.
Most of the core of the game is walking from place to place, with short and intense fight scenes sprinkled about, with extended cutscenes all along.
It's hard to really describe this game. All the bizarre things it throws at you, while still wrapped in such a serious tone. The game seems to enjoy how bizarre it is, and it has no shame in doing absolutely anything it wants. And i love that.
I've already purchased Yakuza 0, which is a prequel to the entire series, which I look forward to playing once I finish through Y6.
So yeah, don't let the "tough brawler" exterior detract you from what is a delightful and quirky adventure.