• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Yakuza 0 |OT| Yes, you can start with this one!

So I just played and finished my first Yakuza game with 0. And I love it. And I need to know what happens next. I need another Yakuza game! I have the 4th one on PS+ and I'm itching to start it. Buuut I should probably wait for the remake that's coming out in a few months right? Will they be remaking 2 as well?

1 is basically a direct continuation to 0. Many characters that appeared in 0 return in Kiwami so if you can wait 3 months until its released its definitely the best way to go.

4 itself is another great game to play, and since 3 of the characters are brand new in that game you can play it without feeling lost. Its worth noting anyway that Yakuza stories are resolved by the end of each game, some plot points carry across but you won't ever feel lost skipping a game here and there.

Regarding 2 - there is no word on a remake at this point in time apart from a couple of comments from the team that they'd like to have other games in the series "remade" if they had the time/opportunity. A new Yakuza game is in development, and more details will be released at the end of this month (I can't wait!) but it sounds more like they are gearing up for a brand new chapter in the series, rather than a remake.
 

Jimrpg

Member
Man, that makes the last scene of Majima + Makoto pretty damn sad. Amazing ending scene honestly.

Yep! I'm used to the normally happy ending where they get together in the end, but Yakuzas recurrent theme about sacrifice is what they're trying to go for here.

Having recently walked around Kabukicho at night, I am really looking forward to getting home and firing up Yakuza 0 again!

Went last year. Even ate at the pork ramen place with the semi outdoor seating and ticket vending machine in Dotenbori. I showed my three year old with her and the ramen and she was blown away that it was in the game.

She also loves the arcade crane machine.

This game!
 

Jimrpg

Member
The story in this game is just phenomenal.

Outside of VNs, its the best story in gaming imo.

It's probably too early to talk about GOTY on GAF, but all the great comments have me hopeful it'll crack the top 10. The thing I don't like about the GOTY on GAF is that games that aren't as good but sold more copies have a higher chance of placing. But Yakuza has never had it easy.
 

LAA

Member
I tell you what's totally killed my enjoyment of the game. The minigames.
I tend to go after platinums and been doing fine with mini games and sub stories so far, completed 54/85 mini game stuff, then I encountered Mahjong...

Even after reading guides, still not even entirely sure what's happening and now I just feel like ditching the game because it's either a choice between just continuing with the main story, which makes everything I've done up till now a waste of time/effort or to just give up on it.

Just seems to require so much outside dedication to do the tasks related to it.
 

Jimrpg

Member
I tell you what's totally killed my enjoyment of the game. The minigames.
I tend to go after platinums and been doing fine with mini games and sub stories so far, completed 54/85 mini game stuff, then I encountered Mahjong...

Even after reading guides, still not even entirely sure what's happening and now I just feel like ditching the game because it's either a choice between just continuing with the main story, which makes everything I've done up till now a waste of time/effort or to just give up on it.

Just seems to require so much outside dedication to do the tasks related to it.

:( Once you get to grips with Mahjong (like most of Asia), you'll love it.

You have 14 tiles and the aim of the game is to collect sets. You can collect them in runs (1-2-3) or triples/quads (3-3-3)/(3-3-3-3). There are three different suits (sticks, balls, characters)

That is literally it.

There are some special hands that get you bonus points.

Mahjong players love it, because there is a great blend of strategy, tactics and luck, and there's plenty of offense (throw out whatever you need to get what you want), or defence (hold tiles you know others need).

If you have any questions just ask! Just go for the easy win first (1 point requirement).
 

LAA

Member
:( Once you get to grips with Mahjong (like most of Asia), you'll love it.

You have 14 tiles and the aim of the game is to collect sets. You can collect them in runs (1-2-3) or triples/quads (3-3-3)/(3-3-3-3). There are three different suits (sticks, balls, characters)

That is literally it.

There are some special hands that get you bonus points.

Mahjong players love it, because there is a great blend of strategy, tactics and luck, and there's plenty of offense (throw out whatever you need to get what you want), or defence (hold tiles you know others need).

If you have any questions just ask! Just go for the easy win first (1 point requirement).

Yeah I get about the basic set ups like 1-2-3, 3-3-3, But I don't understand hands and the deal with steals.
Like on one occasion I had two 5's left and all other sets completed but I couldn't finish the game for some reason so someone else won, so not entirely sure of how to win or the requirements to do it.
Also the steals too. I read you shouldn't always do it, But don't understand why since it would complete a set to do it?

Thanks for the help anyway
 

Shaneus

Member
I just realised that at some point, PS+ offered Yakuza 4 as a freebie and it is now downloading. Bit excited, should do me until Kiwami!
 
Yeah I get about the basic set ups like 1-2-3, 3-3-3, But I don't understand hands and the deal with steals.
Like on one occasion I had two 5's left and all other sets completed but I couldn't finish the game for some reason so someone else won, so not entirely sure of how to win or the requirements to do it.
Also the steals too. I read you shouldn't always do it, But don't understand why since it would complete a set to do it?

Thanks for the help anyway

Don't steal. Never worth it. The amount of points you get for a steal + the effort it takes to get a winning hand when stealing is way harder in my experience compared to not stealing (its ok to steal the final tile you need after you've declared Riichi).

Basically the easiest way I found for basic Mahjong wins is just getting sequential numbered tiles in the 2-8 range. 1 and 9 back you into a corner since you NEED to get a 1, 2 and 3 to get a trio, while if your going for a sequential trio in the 2-8 range it means if you already have 2 and 3, you need either a 1 or 4 to complete your set which odds wise your far more likely to get the tile you need.

But I get the frustration. I've played Yakuza since the first game, and played Mahjong on and off since the 4th game (since it was cut in 3...) and the mini game didn't click for me until the Japanese release of Ishin a couple of years back. Just play the bits you enjoy and don't worry about the rest, no point stressing out on a couple of virtual trophies!
 
So close...

XmD3M1W.jpg


Only Mahjong, pool, Darts, Koi Koi and one other obscure card game left.
 

LAA

Member
Don't steal. Never worth it. The amount of points you get for a steal + the effort it takes to get a winning hand when stealing is way harder in my experience compared to not stealing (its ok to steal the final tile you need after you've declared Riichi).

Basically the easiest way I found for basic Mahjong wins is just getting sequential numbered tiles in the 2-8 range. 1 and 9 back you into a corner since you NEED to get a 1, 2 and 3 to get a trio, while if your going for a sequential trio in the 2-8 range it means if you already have 2 and 3, you need either a 1 or 4 to complete your set which odds wise your far more likely to get the tile you need.

But I get the frustration. I've played Yakuza since the first game, and played Mahjong on and off since the 4th game (since it was cut in 3...) and the mini game didn't click for me until the Japanese release of Ishin a couple of years back. Just play the bits you enjoy and don't worry about the rest, no point stressing out on a couple of virtual trophies!

Thanks for the advice. I have no managed to get the 10 get puts, 10 million yen win, riichi ippatsu and 3/5 mangan.

So need full straight, Haneman and 2 more mangan.
Trying to go for full straight as that requires 1-9 in a suit and a set of anything else? Which seems to be fully reliant on luck?

Not so sure on requirements for the others.

EDIT: Wow!! Got very lucky. Got a full straight on the last tile! And few games later got Haneman and the last mangan in the same game.

Hope that's mahjong all done! It's similar to rumy which I like, but don't have a full grasp on the scoring, stealing and even why I don't have a winning hand at times. Hope it does a better job of explaining the game in the future.
 

Shaneus

Member
They did the same with Yakuza 5, I got both through PS+
Sweet, have to check that on my account, too.

Finally 100%
Kiryu's Real Estate minigame
, not so sure I can be bothered with Majima's. only want to complete the side missions now and I'll be happy, don't think I can be bothered with all the card/board games which largely seem based on luck and/or repetition.

Any tips for beating the dancing expert (with the ponytail and yellow-framed glasses) at Maharaja? It's getting annoying :/

And finding the phone cards, too. Is that just basically pixel hunting/following a map online with all the locations?
 

Theonik

Member
And finding the phone cards, too. Is that just basically pixel hunting/following a map online with all the locations?
You could use an accessory that will help you find them. It kinda works like hot/cold iirc.
Or you could cheat and look at a guide.
 

Shaneus

Member
You could use an accessory that will help you find them. It kinda works like hot/cold iirc.
Or you could cheat and look at a guide.
I've got that, but it still only works within a certain proximity. It feels like I haven't seen one for a while, too :/
 

Jimrpg

Member
Yeah I get about the basic set ups like 1-2-3, 3-3-3, But I don't understand hands and the deal with steals.
Like on one occasion I had two 5's left and all other sets completed but I couldn't finish the game for some reason so someone else won, so not entirely sure of how to win or the requirements to do it.
Also the steals too. I read you shouldn't always do it, But don't understand why since it would complete a set to do it?

Thanks for the help anyway

Thanks for the advice. I have no managed to get the 10 get puts, 10 million yen win, riichi ippatsu and 3/5 mangan.

So need full straight, Haneman and 2 more mangan.
Trying to go for full straight as that requires 1-9 in a suit and a set of anything else? Which seems to be fully reliant on luck?

Not so sure on requirements for the others.

EDIT: Wow!! Got very lucky. Got a full straight on the last tile! And few games later got Haneman and the last mangan in the same game.

Hope that's mahjong all done! It's similar to rumy which I like, but don't have a full grasp on the scoring, stealing and even why I don't have a winning hand at times. Hope it does a better job of explaining the game in the future.

The explanation is largely the same every game. Unless they have some sort of tutorial in Yakuza 6 which I am not aware of, the mini games don't change all that much between games, aside from different conditions in the completion list.

But congrats on finishing up Mahjong. Just be aware of 75% of the winning hands, and the rest will come over time. The more obscure hands take huge amounts of luck in real life (and in the game?) to get so its not worth learning them to begin with. It is almost impossible if you're not going for that hand at the start anyway.

what's up YakuzaGAF, been a while =)

just wanted everyone to know

figma: Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza) is on sale @ hlj for
3,490yen

https://hlj.com/product/MAX06410?SaleGroup

What is up Dave! When are you going to start the days to go countdown for Yakuza: Kiwami?
 
Do the answers you give people in side missions affect the outcome at all?

Not the conclusion, but you often get better rewards for choosing the "right" answers. Doesn't matter all that much though, so just choose what you like. The wrong answers are often way funnier.

Only exception: Whenever you're given a choice between black or white, always choose black.

Finally 100%
Kiryu's Real Estate minigame
, not so sure I can be bothered with Majima's. only want to complete the side missions now and I'll be happy.

Well, if you wanna finish the sidequests, you have to finish Cabaret Club. All the JAV girls have their own substory and you only get the last one after finishing the entire Cabaret Club storyline.

Any tips for beating the dancing expert (with the ponytail and yellow-framed glasses) at Maharaja? It's getting annoying :/

Play on hard (AI makes a lot more mistakes but it's all a bit dependent on RNG.) and use the d-pad.
 

Zyrox

Member
Just gut done with the game. Got really invested in the story at the end. Some random thoughts: When
whatshisface shot Makoto I actually shouted "Noo" irl. Was relieved when it turned out she survived that. Girl had it hard enough in her life. Also the ending with her not recognizing Majima was really sad. Since she is not appearing in later titles that's basically goodbye forever.


Kinda wished Majima would have at least punched Sagawa in the face once at the end. Dude got his comeuppance but still would have made for a really cathartic moment.

Really cool to see both Kiryu and Majima get their iconic outfits at the end. That was a nice moment.

I did all the substories (save for the final ones, still gotta do those) and the telephone club and hostess training substories were really tedious to get. Hope they won't do that again. Really enjoyed the substories otherwise.

Also wasn't really a fan of the money = exp system. Made the economy useless and made leveling up trivial thanks to shakedown.Speaking of leveling up, game really needed a faster way to fill out those nodes. Especially for the legendary styles. Didn't bother with leveling those up much because the process is tedious.

I now played 0, 4 and 5 and 0 has my favorite story of them all. Really good stuff. Can't wait for Kiwami (and 6). This series is a treasure.
 

Djostikk

Member
Took a break from the game after completing main story. Came back today and completed some substories and Cabaret story line. This was amazing and challenging at some point. I just love this mini game so much, it's addicting and pretty easy to get into.

Human trafficking sybstory is too good. Didn't see that ending coming.
 
After a few months away after completing the main story I came back to go all in on Club Sunshine and it's been sooo good. Grabbed me in a way that Kiryu's real estate business side-quest never did. I would genuinely buy the cabaret club minigame if it existed as a stand-alone product, it's so silly and addictive. Thought the ending to the storyline of the Cabaret Czar subquest was absurd, but in a way that totally suited the tone of the quest.

Like so much of the game, it manages to shift seamlessly from genuinely touching or tense moments to periods of real silliness and tongue in cheek humour. I don't know a game that's managed that in such a complete way.

Feel like I'm very unlikely to go back in for full completion (Mahjong, RC racing and fishing in particular just haven't grabbed me at all) but I definitely want to try and get as many sub-stories done as possible.

Again, big thanks to this OT as I probably would never have bought the game if it wasn't for peoples' enthusiasm and explanations. Looking forward to Kiwami!
 

Djostikk

Member
After a few months away after completing the main story I came back to go all in on Club Sunshine and it's been sooo good. Grabbed me in a way that Kiryu's real estate business side-quest never did. I would genuinely buy the cabaret club minigame if it existed as a stand-alone product, it's so silly and addictive. Thought the ending to the storyline of the Cabaret Czar subquest was absurd, but in a way that totally suited the tone of the quest.

Like so much of the game, it manages to shift seamlessly from genuinely touching or tense moments to periods of real silliness and tongue in cheek humour. I don't know a game that's managed that in such a complete way.

Feel like I'm very unlikely to go back in for full completion (Mahjong, RC racing and fishing in particular just haven't grabbed me at all) but I definitely want to try and get as many sub-stories done as possible.

Again, big thanks to this OT as I probably would never have bought the game if it wasn't for peoples' enthusiasm and explanations. Looking forward to Kiwami!

Same here, man. I won't probably go for platinum (I'm usually trying to get it, though), but I'm definitely going to finish all possible substories because they're​ awesome and missing them would feel like a waste. I hope I'll be able to buy Kiwami.

God, this is so good and I can't be more thankful to GAF and this OT in particular for letting me know about this masterpiece.
 

LAA

Member
The explanation is largely the same every game. Unless they have some sort of tutorial in Yakuza 6 which I am not aware of, the mini games don't change all that much between games, aside from different conditions in the completion list.

But congrats on finishing up Mahjong. Just be aware of 75% of the winning hands, and the rest will come over time. The more obscure hands take huge amounts of luck in real life (and in the game?) to get so its not worth learning them to begin with. It is almost impossible if you're not going for that hand at the start anyway.

Yeah felt they were nasty conditions, not a fan of luck based achievements at all really.
The batting mini game made me rage after that, but eventually got it when I learnt to watch the bat movements instead.

Up to Darts now, which I've not given a try so much, so we'll see how that goes. I read there's card games to do afterwards too...hope they're not so bad either.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I would really like to platinum this game but I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to do most of these minigame related challenges. I have no fucking clue how to play Majong or Shogi lol, I'm not even that great with American gambling games and their rules except for Black Jack.
 

Aselith

Member
I would really like to platinum this game but I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to do most of these minigame related challenges. I have no fucking clue how to play Majong or Shogi lol, I'm not even that great with American gambling games and their rules except for Black Jack.

Well, then it's time to play Persona and you can learn the strategy of Shogi at the hands of a queen and then back to Yakuza!
 
Also very important question: what's the deal with pocket tissues?
Based on real life.

Excerpt from an article:
Four billion packets of free tissues are distributed every year in Japan, a large proportion of which end up in my apartment. I just went through the places they collect, including a kitchen drawer and a basket just inside our entranceway, and found give-away tissues from travel agencies, consumer finance companies, fitness clubs, optical chains, banks and a fair number of drinking establishments. The most interesting find, if I exclude the one with an offer for a “massage” by a beautiful foreign blonde, was a pack with recruiting information for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

Why would such a range of organizations use tissues to promote their message? Because, in Japan, tissue-marketing is a proven and inexpensive way to advertise. For a cost of as little as ¥10 to ¥25 you can get your message directly into the hands of potential customers. What’s more, consumers who accept the tissues are likely to actually read your advertisement. If you’re lucky, they’ll look it over several times before the tissues are used up.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/08/21/reference/pocket-tissues/#.WSL8_WiGOUk
 
Well, then it's time to play Persona and you can learn the strategy of Shogi at the hands of a queen and then back to Yakuza!

I'm actually at that point now in P5, I'll definitely take a look as Shogi is really the only thing I don't understand in Yakuza (and I'd love to actually know what I'm doing rather than just cheesing the mini game!)
 

kaiiri

Member
So I'm at the point where I'm told to find Makoto. NPC says she should be in the empty lot. I go there and nothing. Is there something I'm missing?
 
I would really like to platinum this game but I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to do most of these minigame related challenges. I have no fucking clue how to play Majong or Shogi lol, I'm not even that great with American gambling games and their rules except for Black Jack.

Shogi can be cheesed super easily.

Mahjong, on the other hand, has to be done legit, but i've learned enough of it to beat the requirements within 3-4 evenings, with some help from Yakuza GAF. Now i can't wait to play more of it in Kiwami. :)
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Shogi can be cheesed super easily.

Mahjong, on the other hand, has to be done legit, but i've learned enough of it to beat the requirements within 3-4 evenings, with some help from Yakuza GAF. Now i can't wait to play more of it in Kiwami. :)

Yeah that's the thing lol, that isn't something I really want to spend one night, let alone several to play. I may come back to the game to platinum it but yeah that kind of stuff is just tedious filler to me.
 

Shaneus

Member
So I'm at the point where I'm told to find Makoto. NPC says she should be in the empty lot. I go there and nothing. Is there something I'm missing?
From memory, something definitely triggered there, but can't recall for sure. If there aren't any pink waypoints to head towards, maybe just walk around until something does trigger?

Sorry I can't be of more help :(
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I generally love the writing in the game but there are several moments where I wonder if they could have translated things a little more... I don't authentic? Majima saying "Holy Shitballs!" really stood out as something incredibly western but maybe that's something the Japanese like dropping a lot.
 

Shaneus

Member
I generally love the writing in the game but there are several moments where I wonder if they could have translated things a little more... I don't authentic? Majima saying "Holy Shitballs!" really stood out as something incredibly western but maybe that's something the Japanese like dropping a lot.
Yeah, there were a few moments like that where he used terminology that I didn't think entered vernacular until at least the mid-90s, but it was far from jarring. I only wish Japanese games could get this level of quality translation.

Apparently the same people did the other Yakuza games, which is another reason I'm so keen to get my teeth stuck into them.
 

Jimrpg

Member
So I'm at the point where I'm told to find Makoto. NPC says she should be in the empty lot. I go there and nothing. Is there something I'm missing?

I also got stuck here too.

You need to go back to the Empty Lot and trigger something inside there. It's pretty straight forward once you do it, you must be just missing the trigger point somehow.

Yeah, there were a few moments like that where he used terminology that I didn't think entered vernacular until at least the mid-90s, but it was far from jarring. I only wish Japanese games could get this level of quality translation.

Apparently the same people did the other Yakuza games, which is another reason I'm so keen to get my teeth stuck into them.

I don't think the game is that 'authentic' generally, at least in terms of being within the 80s. Alot of the game feels like its using the assets from older games. NPCs walking down the street don't dress all that differently to characters from Yakuza 5 for example.

Anything in the cut scenes definitely is designed with the 80s in mind, but in game elements aren't always the case. All the hostesses are obviously modern era softcore actresses rather than ones from the 80s. And all the shops, bowling alleys, arcades all have the same fit out as they did in the older Yakuza games set in the 00s/10s.

Yeah felt they were nasty conditions, not a fan of luck based achievements at all really.
The batting mini game made me rage after that, but eventually got it when I learnt to watch the bat movements instead.

Up to Darts now, which I've not given a try so much, so we'll see how that goes. I read there's card games to do afterwards too...hope they're not so bad either.

Yeah mahjong is obviously not great if you're after achievements and want to get it as quick as possible.

Mahjong in real life is a good way to pass the time - you sit with a bunch of friends, gossip, drink, play mahjong for a few hours.
 

kaiiri

Member
From memory, something definitely triggered there, but can't recall for sure. If there aren't any pink waypoints to head towards, maybe just walk around until something does trigger?

Sorry I can't be of more help :(

I also got stuck here too.

You need to go back to the Empty Lot and trigger something inside there. It's pretty straight forward once you do it, you must be just missing the trigger point somehow.

Sooo.... apparently what I thought was the empty lot wasn't it. Bleh. I went to the empty lot area place in the Champion's District thinking that was it. Ran around for.... quite awhile thinking my game glitched or something. Finally watched a walk through to verify.. funny the walk through I watched the guy went to the same lot first too. Lol.

Thanks all for the help!
 
I don't think the game is that 'authentic' generally, at least in terms of being within the 80s. Alot of the game feels like its using the assets from older games. NPCs walking down the street don't dress all that differently to characters from Yakuza 5 for example.

Anything in the cut scenes definitely is designed with the 80s in mind, but in game elements aren't always the case. All the hostesses are obviously modern era softcore actresses rather than ones from the 80s. And all the shops, bowling alleys, arcades all have the same fit out as they did in the older Yakuza games set in the 00s/10s.
.

The biggest disappointment to me is the soundtrack...I mean, it's great and my favorite of the Yakuza OSTs, but only very few tracks in the game sound at least somewhat 80s, the rest, especially the regular battle themes, are very modern sounding.

And all the hostesses and other sidestory characters are various degrees of hardcore performers, not at all softcore.
 
Any idea how to get 10 mil Yen in pool? What's the best mode?

edit: Tried Golden Ball vs. Erika and she won in two rounds lmao. Puzzle Pool seems to work though.
 
Any idea how to get 10 mil Yen in pool? What's the best mode?

edit: Tried Golden Ball vs. Erika and she won in two rounds lmao. Puzzle Pool seems to work though.

Puzzle Pool is what I used, I didn't do any Vs AI matches in Pool in Yakuza 0, after 5 (and later Kiwami) it was a wonderful change of pace!
 
Got the 10 mil. Need another 2 carom shots though zzzz.... any tips?

Can you play matches against yourself in 0? (i.e. not play against the AI?) If so, pick that option and just keep playing as you try to get a canon shot (which takes a healthy dose of luck). That's how I did it in previous games, hopefully it can be done this way in 0.
 

Zanzura

Member
Can you play matches against yourself in 0? (i.e. not play against the AI?) If so, pick that option and just keep playing as you try to get a canon shot (which takes a healthy dose of luck). That's how I did it in previous games, hopefully it can be done this way in 0.

Yep, you can play solo to get those shots without worry.
 
Top Bottom