Game Review - Yakuza 0

"I'll let you in on a little something, the Yakuza game, it's not like boxing. The man who gets down isn't the loser. The guy who can't tough it out to the end, he's the one who loses." 

Release Date: 2015 (initial, international 2017) 

Genre: Action 

Platforms available: Xbox One, PS4, PC (Steam, Microsoft store) 

Platform reviewed on: PC 

Rating: PEGI 18 

Hours to Finish: at least 31 hours (but the average is around 60 odd hours) 

Cost: €20, also on Xbox game pass.  

5/5 Stars 

In game purchases: None 

(This review contains no major spoilers) 

Ryu Ga Gotoku’s long running “Yakuza” franchise initially began in 2005, with this game being released as a celebration of the series as a whole; it serves as an optional yet stunning introduction for those who wish to get into the franchise. 

PLOT 

While the game is set as a prequel, it offers the player more detail for characters who are integral to the plot of the original, in addition to introducing a new cast of characters, and a multi-layered story that subverts expectations. You play as both Kiryu Kazama, a low-level debt collector working for the Yakuza in Tokyo, and Goro Majima, a troubled owner of a club in Osaka, alternating between their stories. A debt collection goes wrong for Kiryu, while Majima struggles with his past coming back to haunt him, and both events are the catalysts for the events of the game. One thing which I appreciated is the fact that there’s a recap cutscene at the beginning of each new chapter, like a drama, so even if you’re not able to recall some details after a few weeks, you have a built-in reminder. 

Acting 

As a story focused game, one of the key things one may want to bear in mind is the acting. It is entirely voice acted in Japanese and has no English dub, which may turn some people off from buying the game, but the translation team managed to do an incredibly good job, even down to nailing down how certain accents may sound in the context of English translation. Additionally, even though there are only subtitle options for languages other than Japanese, the acting is second to none, with experienced actors such as Hitoshi Ozawa (a veteran of Yakuza films and someone well versed in the material) and Tayaka Kuroda (who has voice-actor credits in projects such as Square Enix’s “Bravely Default” and MAPPA’s adaptation of “Jujutsu Kaisen”). 

Side content silliness 

In terms of the plot, there is both the main plot, which centres about the districts of Kamorucho, Tokyo and Sotembori, Osaka (both incredibly unsubtle fictional versions of the real districts of Kabukicho and Dotembori), however there are miniature sub-stories, with a quality of writing that equals that of the main story, but in a smaller, sillier form, which can vary from pizza delivery to battling kids in remote car races. This makes the game a lot more light-hearted, which is a welcome feature for this reviewer. 

However, one of the defining features of “Yakuza” is the abundance of minigames! There are over a dozen minigames you can play, each with a different skill to be mastered, from snooker to darts to bowling, to western gambling games like poker, to games that are from Japan like riichi mah-jong, to situations as… unique as trying to date someone via the telephone and saying the right words.   

Combat 

The gameplay of Yakuza 0 is interesting, as the main form of gameplay is combat with random people, which can range from gangsters, to hoodlums, to random rich people who have a hatred for you for some reason (because why not?). Furthermore, something which is interesting is that there are various fighting styles that one can achieve, like one focused on speed, or another focusing on brute strength, each with their own differences. If that’s not enough, there’s also the ability to use your environment to your advantage, whether it’s weapons or a random bike lying about to throw at some unfortunate guy you’re pummelling. If that’s not enough, one of the key features of the “Yakuza” series is ‘heat moves’, flashy high damage moves you can use after dealing enough damage to your enemies without getting hit. Whether it be smashing a bicycle over someone’s head and it shattering completely, or battering them with a traffic cone, they’re always fun to execute. 

Graphics and style 

The visuals, while not too important, are great for a game from nearly 10 years ago, with the vibrant lights and bustling crowds contributing to realistic, lived-in locations as opposed to sandbox games like GTA. The art style stays realistic, however that doesn’t mean they are constrained from things that are interesting, like during minigames (a personal favourite is a minigame where you sing karaoke and the player imagines themselves as a singer in the respective genre, be it pop or metal, with silliness ensuing). 

Original soundtrack and impact 

Something which can make or break an experience, I feel, is that of the soundtrack. In this regard, Yakuza 0 does not disappoint, with a good mix of electronic and rock music throughout (with disco making an appearance, of course, complete with songs inspired by Japanese city pop and a parody of a certain king of pop), with some themes etching themselves into your memory after you’ve played it. It also helps that there’s a theme for each fighting style so you’re not stuck to just the one song throughout.  

Final thoughts 

In conclusion, from a satisfying combat loop, to an intriguing storyline and an abundance of side content, you’ll be spoiled for choice! Through and through it’s an over-the-top (in the best and sincerest way) but engaging story from beginning to end. I strongly urge people who have not tried it to play through this game, you won’t regret it.