Yakuza

Games: Yakuza

Release Date: September 05, 2006
Genre: Action
Style: Action Adventure
Similar Games: Shenmue (Dreamcast), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PlayStation 2), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ["M" Version] (PlayStation 2)

Game Description

After serving a ten-year sentence for murder, Kiryu Kazuma is out of prison and working to rebuild his life, away from the Yakuza. Yet he is plunged back into the underworld of Tokyo as he tries to unravel the mystery behind a girl named Haruka and some missing money. Players take the role of Kiryu and explore a GTA-esque Tokyo complete with nightclubs, neon-lit streets, and real shops.

By battling opponents, Kiryu can improve his skills and increase his attributes. He will also accumulate weapons and other useful items as he scours the city, bribing informants, taking on side quests, gambling, and practicing his swing in the batting cage. The fighting engine used in Yakuza allows players to string together attack combos and deliver more devastating blows to enemies during street brawls.

~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Fans of hand-to-hand combat games will find plenty of action in Yakuza. Yet the story is the biggest surprise, as it's filled with enough intrigue to keep users playing until the violent end. Kazuma Kiryo, the game's main character, begins with few fighting abilities and a short health bar. Kazuma will improve his body, technique, and "soul" over time by gaining experience through fighting and helping others. Soul, the equivalent of an adrenaline meter, increases as Kazuma pummels enemies while avoiding injury. Once the soul meter reaches a certain point, special moves are available to inflict more damage.

Fighting primarily consists of tapping buttons as fast as you can while stringing together combos. Nearly every area contains items such as tables, lead pipes, and signs that can be wielded as weapons for a limited number of uses. Most battles feature enemies that approach from all sides, and it can be a chore to make sure you are facing the correct direction at the right time. A shift button keeps Kazuma facing in one direction and another button resets the camera, but there will still be numerous occasions where you find yourself heading in the wrong direction in the middle of a combo you can't get out of.

Fortunately, there are a few distractions from the constant fighting. Yakuza takes place in a small section of Tokyo that features stores, restaurants, amusement centers, gambling, and adult entertainment, each offering interactive mini-games to waste some time on. The city isn't large, however, and can be walked across in a short amount of time. Walking is the primary means of transportation, but there is also a taxi service that travels between the edges of a city map. One strong reason to avoid walking is the random battles: on nearly every street, you will be attacked by a group of thugs demanding money or respect.

In order to fully enjoy Yakuza, you have to tolerate the frequent use of cinematic cut-scenes to tell the story. Both the cut-scenes and battles also require patience due to slow load times. Despite these issues, Yakuza entertains with its Japanese mafia storyline and a central character who is always ready to kick butt. Kazuma even shows some emotion when he has to protect a young girl, reminiscent of Denzel Washington in Man on Fire, giving Yakuza a dramatic undercurrent that is uncommon in the genre.