Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)
The "last" game for the franchise's main protagonist Kiryu oddly has less of everything when compared to the financial successful Yakuza 0, as in less playable characters, less heat actions, less fighting styles and less side quests than the aforementioned title. And who knew, Yakuza 6 is the better game for it.
Woven under a brand new engine, the combat physics has been overhauled quite a bit as now every time an attack is blocked, it will bounce back, briefly staggering Kiryu and resetting your attack. Though it might not seem much, it adds a certain weight to each blow while the game requires more attentiveness from the players pressing the action, besides bringing a more realistic raggdoll like physics to each fight. Also, the advantage of Kiryu possessing just one fight style is that he now can mix stand up and grappling moves in a seamless manner during combos. Better yet, all these can also be applied to grounded opponents when in previous titles you could only execute single stomps or grappling attacks. A first for the franchise is also having variation of attacks and combos depending on the direction Kiryu is facing. And as long as Kiryu's attacks are not being blocked, combos can change direction on the fly with basically you engaging enemies on all sides at will non-stop. This makes the battle system much more fluid than the one presented in Yakuza 0 or previous games. Better yet, you are no longer restricted by the surrounding area where the fight was initially engaged. If you feel the current area is too cramped for a proper brawl then just run away to any part of the map of your liking that you feel you will have the advantage, even indoor places like convenience stores where more heat action options will be available. The smooth transition between combat and exploration mechanics with the Dragon engine allows for such tactical approach and more (ie. high ground advantage).
Onto the exploration aspect, there is an extra layer of vertical exploration to be had with some segments that resemble 3D platform games, as Kiryu is now able to perform small feats of parkour like jumps between rooftops of buildings, houses and streets (and sewers). Eateries and soda machines now complement combat (or even totally replace them) for experience points and can addionally infuse various buff effects during fights. So grinding, the worst aspect of these games is hugely alleviated by this new eating mechanic element. Another huge improvement is the design choice of minimizing healing items hoarding and weapons in your inventory as the way to bypass difficulty with no drawbacks, like it was done in past games. In Yakuza 6 players can't purchase weapons anymore and can only carry a very limited amount of the same healing item, with no more of the full health recovery types readily available anymore. In exchange, there is a new rage meter in which all heat action orbs can be sacrificed in favour of a temporary "berserk" mode where Kiryu's moveset is slightly altered in combos that can be chained with new heat action moves while the meter lasts plus the extra armor gain. Also, during that mode Kiryu's HP will not drop below zero, meaning he can't die while in rage mode. That feature alone adds another layer of strategy during tough fights that if used correctly, a skilled player never will have to rely on recovery items for the entirety of the game even in the higher difficulty settings.
As for the sidequests, though there are way fewer than previous titles they are all fully voiced and manage to integrate all features new to this game, like the use of the first person camera and vertical exploration. Plus some of these substories lead to new mini-games which subsequently link to other sidequests and new mini-games and by the end, there will be even an in-game acknowledgement of the impact you had in the city if you fully engage on all these sidequests (more apparent in Onomichi, the game's brand new location). Speaking of which, the new location is the only instance in the series the passage of time is depicted in a manner other than only for narrative purposes or simply aesthetics, as some mini-games and substories can only be accessed during certain times of the day as well as you will find some stores staying closed during night time (ie. pharmacy).
Now as for the core appeal of the series, its action setpieces, what you will find here are simply the best ones yet, as they are all well paced and varied thematically and design wise. In one instance you will find yourself trying to stealthily sneak in to an enemy compound, while in another there is a setpiece out of a Resident Evil level design book, and a third one in which you will be platforming from ship container to container in a port like location. Setpieces with a full gang, a single partner or simply solo, you will have it all and these scenarios are highly memorable simply because there is nothing quite like them, even among the best ones found within the long running franchise.
Less is more, and Yakuza 6 embodies that with gusto.
Highly recommended: 5/5
Dan, it's time to vote for 3. I love 6, but you, me, and Truck are basically the lone defenders of 3. The 3 gang of 3! ... a-ahem. I mean, please choose wisely.I gravitate to either 3 or 6 these days. I really like the low key vibes of Okinawa in Y3. Same with Hiroshima in Y6.
I've always said I prefer the games that focus directly on Kiryu and those two are two of the best for me.
I don't blame you at all honestly. I love Yakuza, and yet I still get a little butthurt/jealous with how many installments it got compared to Shenmue's measly 3. And then people tell Yu he needs to wrap it up by 4 (some nutters even said he should've wrapped it up with 3) to make matters worse. Like, I get it, the future of the series is always uncertain and whatnot. But man, what I wouldn't give for a full Ryo Shenmue hexalogy like Kiryu got with Yakuza...I still haven't touched a Yakuza game lol. Maybe when Sega help to get Shenmue finished. After all it was the one that started it all and still hasn't seen its conclusion. How many Yakuza and spin-off titles do we have now? Compared to Shenmue's... 3? Often feels like a bit of a slap in the face.
I loved Y1 at the time (PS2) but it's a deeply flawed game. Y2 improved the formula in so many ways, so much so that Y3 felt like a sidewards step to me -- not enough progress was made going from PS2 to PS3. I'd appreciate it more now...maybe. Y4 was a slow burn but I really liked the characters...
For me, I would say Ryu Ga Gotoku VI, would be my favorite. This may sound strange, but I can relate to Kiryu as someone who is approaching middle-age. I just do not have the energy to care anymore about all the nonsense that is happening around me. With that said, I enjoyed the story and beat every minigame which is something that I have rarely done in a Ryu Ga Gotoku title.
My only complaint is that I wish Haruka had left with Kiryu. After seeing how strong their bond was in the fifth title which is my favorite ending scene in the mainline series, I think she just compliments him perfectly. She has become stronger because of him and he has become kinder because of her. She is the daughter Kiryu never had.
"I can take another name, and build a new life... But on the inside I'll always have that instinct, no matter how much I hate it. I'm yakuza through and through. Guile only gets you so far in this game. Remember that. You won't get another chance."