The Yakuza series is finally getting the attention it deserves in the west, with the series’ popularity snowballing since the release of Yakuza 5 a few years back. The releases of 0 and Kiwami last year have only added momentum, and now Yakuza 6 is on the horizon to deliver not only the first true sequel installment since 5, but to also bring protagonist Kazuma Kiryu’s story to an end.
I’ve spent about a dozen or so hours with Yakuza 6 thus far, and can confidently say that things are shaping up nicely. Despite being the first game in the series to utilize the Dragon Engine and be built from the ground up for PlayStation 4, those who have played any of the recent games will feel right at home here. This isn’t to say that Yakuza 6 doesn’t make any strides forward, but the game essentially delivers more of the excellent characters and writing that fans have come to expect.
This time Kiryu finds himself on the hunt for the person responsible for putting his ward Haruka in a coma after she was hit by a car. Of course, as the story unfolds the narrative slowly becomes more and more complex, introducing unlikely characters and plot twists that turn the story on its head. The writing is on point here as always, and the narrative grips you right from the get go. I need to see the game through to its conclusion to form an overall judgment here, but so far the game is delivering a narrative that is on par with the series’ best stories.
The gameplay still sees Kiryu stomping the streets of Kamurocho (and other areas) as he completes various missions, with there being plenty of silly side quests and mini-games to divert your attention away from the very serious story. An early side quest that stood out in particular has Kiryu taking a job as a town mascot, performing for kids in a ridiculous costume and then having to beat down thugs in said ridiculous costume. It’s all classic Yakuza and offers some welcomed breathers from the narrative.
Combat here is simplified compared to some of the other entries in the series, as you utilize one combat style rather than switching between several. The combat certainly isn’t anything too impressive at this point seeing as we’re so many games in, but it still packs a powerful punch and can result in some hectic bouts as Kiryu regularly takes on hordes of enemies at once. Picking up random items off the street or performing a special attack when your heat gauge is filled up still delivers thrills, which is saying something at this point. There’s also a pretty standard skill tree that allows you to improve your various stats and learn new abilities. Nothing special, but it keeps things interesting.
Of course, this has all never looked better thanks to the excellent Dragon Engine that is at work here. Whether you’re in an intense battle, a cutscene or just wandering the city streets, the game is simply gorgeous. The fluidity of the movement is fantastic, with Kiryu being able to move around more easily thanks to quality of life improvements like vaulting certain objects. This is definitely a big step up from previous games, and makes the whole experience that much more immersive.
The big new addition in the gameplay department is the new Clan Creator minigame, which has you recruiting various people to join your clan and then lead them in battle. You send out various types of units and issue commands to them similar to how you would in an SRPG, which is an interesting change of pace. You have grunt units and special units that you need to send out wisely, as they cost energy that needs to recharge gradually. I haven’t spent too much time in this facet of the game, but so far it’s definitely intriguing and I’m interested to see how deep you can go with it.
I still have a ways to go before I can make my judgment on Yakuza 6 as a whole, but fans who are curious about how it shaped up can rest assured that SEGA delivered another winner here. Newcomers also don’t need to be shy to jump on board with this one, as the developer does an adequate job of getting you up to speed with various characters and plot threads. You’ll definitely benefit from playing the more recent installments like 0 or Kiwami, however. I’ll be back with a full review soon, but so far I’m very satisfied with what Sega is offering here.
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