Republished on Wednesday, August 10, 2022: Following the announcement of the PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup in August, I’m reviving this review from the archives. The original is below.
The Yakuza series is one of PlayStation’s most overlooked gems, especially here in the West. Unashamedly Japanese in tone, humor and storytelling, it’s definitely a niche property, but that’s why it’s so different from just about anything else on the market today. Yakuza 0 as described is a blend of mature themes, mental side quests, brutal combat, and a ton of silly mini-games. Those of you who have dabbled in past titles will know what to expect, but in our circle, this is one of the best Yakuza installments ever.
Set in the winter of 1988, Yakuza 0 is a prequel. Kazuma Kiryu, the traditional series protagonist, is only 20 years old, and at the start of the game is paid to collect a debt from Kamurocho’s biggest loser. Kamurocho itself is a fictional red-light district, home to everything from casinos and strip clubs to his relatively rustic karaoke bar. It’s probably the perfect setting for a gritty crime drama, and perhaps why the game still insists on using it as a backdrop, despite the fact that the neon-soaked streets are starting to get very familiar. I am explaining.
Indeed, longtime fans of the franchise have struggled through this hive of decadence time and time again, and it’s safe to say that the setting gets a little less exciting with each new release. Yes, the same convenience stores are in their usual places, and the same seedy alleyways are once again home to all sorts of thugs and gangsters. Yakuza 0 could have happened almost 30 years ago, but aside from his cheesy ’80s hairstyle and a few small details, much of Kamurocho feels stuck in the modern era. The fact that you can buy the current Mountain Dew branding doesn’t exactly help either.
The game could have done a lot more with its ’80s setting, but the atmospheric flaws are easy to overlook thanks to the title’s downright engaging storyline. In the fashion of , the plot seems to go on forever, with a bewildering amount of twists and turns. It takes at least 20 hours to read through the main story. Events can certainly go pretty slowly, and there’s filler here and there to stuff it all together, but it’s all quickly forgotten once the game pulls out one of its brilliantly acted cutscenes.
This release is meant to tell a mature story from the start. It’s an intricate web of lies, deceit, violence, and death, as well as one of loyalty and honor. A sensational cast of characters carries the experience, and clever writing lends purpose to each personality.As far as game storytelling is concerned, Yakuza 0 has some of the best the industry has to offer. Sure, it might get a little too dramatic and drown out the deliciously dark tones, but the simple truth is that it’s incredibly hard to keep down. Immerse yourself in the characters and their various situations and you’ll be completely immersed. Localization is also top-notch, which is obviously a big help for a purely Japanese-voiced title.
Throughout the game, we alternate between the stories of Kiryu and Goro Majima. In 1988, he’s a series mainstay desperately trying to get back into the gangster organization that disowned him. Switching things up every few chapters keeps the overall story moving along nicely, and sticking to two heroes keeps the plots falling apart like Yakuza 4 or Yakuza 5 ruled over four different main characters. This means that it will not become
However, the true genius of the Yakuza series is revealed outside the main plot. If you want to get away from all the intense storylines, you can freely wander the game world and try different activities. When it comes to optional minigames, nothing beats Yakuza 0’s variety. There is something for almost everyone to enjoy. Arcade his machine featuring darts, batting cages, snooker, bowling, karaoke, model car racing, Sega classics, UFO catchers, and disco dancing. And the best part is that they’re all amazingly fleshed out – they all have their own unique gameplay style, and each takes a different kind of approach to master. You can spend hours hopping from one facility to the next. Not to mention the underground catfighting arena.
And on top of all this, you’ll have to chew through a frankly ridiculous amount of side quests. and hysterical dialogue choices. Especially when you need to find specific items and deliver them to the parties involved, but it’s generally handled much better here. Many of the distractions offered in Yakuza 0 are relatively short and snappy, ending with either a nice heartwarming lesson or a really funny payoff.
Throw all these elements into one big crucible and you have a map worth exploring, even if you’ve walked the streets of Kamurocho a few times. But then again, it’s the combat that holds it all together like nice blood clotted glue. It revolves around a simple combo string consisting of: Usually you will be facing off against a group of enemies. That means the emphasis is on watching your opponent’s movements and reacting accordingly. It’s not the deepest combat system in the world, but it works well enough, even if the controls feel pretty awkward by today’s standards.
However, it’s the heat attacks that really highlight each battle. Both playable characters have access to bone-crushing cinematic moves to quickly kill smaller enemies and deal massive damage to bosses. Shamelessly brutal to the point of flinching alone, heat attacks add a gloriously satisfying kick to combat if you can withstand the destruction – it just wouldn’t be the same without them.
Visually, it’s easy to see that Yakuza 0 was born on PlayStation 3. At times it looks decidedly like the previous generation, with blurry textures for sports, some jagged unplayable character models, and an entire library of clunky games. game animation. Luckily, the title runs at a very smooth 60 frames per second, and at least everything feels smooth.
Last but not least, the music is as impactful as you’d expect. With a fusion of heavy electric guitars and thumping electronic beats, it’s not the best yakuza soundtrack I’ve heard, It’s the perfect time to get your blood pumping in the middle of a fight. And I have to admit, some karaoke and disco songs are much more catchy than they should be.
Conclusion
At this point, the property’s trademark formula is seriously starting to thin, but at the end of the day, nothing quite like Yakuza 0…a memorable experience. Bolstered by a gripping story packed with great characters, even fans of Japanese games and Japanese culture are obligated to give this prequel a try. It’s the perfect place for and, moreover, one of the best entries in the series so far.
