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[Charlouie Jonesman]

Having AV idols as hostesses in the game is something I believe started with Yakuza 3, maybe it was 4? But yeah, it's one of the series trademarks at this point.

Yakuza 2 already had Yuma Asami.

0 is going one step beyond though. There are about 30 porn actresses in the game and it's not just limited to the hostess clubs, they appear as regular sidequest characters, merchants, etc.

 

[Humdinger]

I don't often like beat-em-ups and brawlers, but the combat in Yakuza 0 is so much fun.

Appreciate you commenting on that. That is the concern I had. Don't like beat-em-ups generally, so I was afraid that would put me off. But it sounds like you're having fun with it.

I plan to pick up Yakuza Kiwami to start with, in August. I know people say you should start with Yakuza 0, but I want to start with the game that began the series. It's cheaper, too (I imagine because it's a remake and smaller in scope than 0).

 

[Charlouie Jonesman]

Appreciate you commenting on that. That is the concern I had. Don't like beat-em-ups generally, so I was afraid that would put me off. But it sounds like you're having fun with it.

I plan to pick up Yakuza Kiwami to start with, in August. I know people say you should start with Yakuza 0, but I want to start with the game that began the series. It's cheaper, too (I imagine because it's a remake and smaller in scope than 0).

There's nothing inherently wrong with that and the price is a good argument. The thing is, of course 0 doesn't exist in a vacuum, while it's a prequel, there are a lot of references for people who played the previous games. At the same time though, Kiwami is not the original Yakuza, it came after 0 and includes a bunch of new stuff that assumes that you've already played 0.

 

[Humdinger]

Kiwami is not the original Yakuza, it came after 0 and includes a bunch of new stuff that assumes that you've already played 0.

Wait, I thought Kiwami was the original Yakuza. I got that impression from this trailer, which refers to it as being "the original Yakuza" and "the game that made Kiryu a legend."

https://youtu.be/xRo-9eoWYhg

I know it has some new gameplay added (about 30 minutes' worth, iirc), but the core game was made many years ago, long before Yakuza 0. Yakuza 0 is a prequel to the series but only came out in the past few years.

Is that not right?

 

[ScientificPizza]

Wait, I thought Kiwami was the original Yakuza. I got that impression from this trailer, which refers to it as being "the original Yakuza" and "the game that made Kiryu a legend."

https://youtu.be/xRo-9eoWYhg

I thought Kiwami was the original Yakuza (from PS2), remade? I know it has some new gameplay added (about 30 minutes' worth, iirc), but the core game was made many years ago, long before Yakuza 0. Yakuza 0 is a prequel to the series but only came out in the past few years.

Is that not right?

It's the original story of Yakuza remade in the 0 engine with added content

 

[Shadowman16]

Wait, I thought Kiwami was the original Yakuza. I got that impression from this trailer, which refers to it as being "the original Yakuza" and "the game that made Kiryu a legend."

https://youtu.be/xRo-9eoWYhg

I know it has some new gameplay added (about 30 minutes' worth, iirc), but the core game was made many years ago, long before Yakuza 0. Yakuza 0 is a prequel to the series but only came out in the past few years.

Is that not right?

That's correct, but 0 ties into Kiwami so at this point if you've never played the series before then it makes more sense to start with 0. Keep in mind certain side stories tie into 0, and you've got certain characters who evolve from 0 as well.

 

[Danielsan]

All these Yakuza threads have gotten me to pick it up. I will dive in once I finish Hollow Knight.

 

[Iokis]

Yakuza 0 was also my first Yakuza and man, no game gripped me quite like it for a long time. Maybe not since the PS2/GameCube days.

Not long after starting the game I remember opening the completion list, seeing the 378 or whatever items to do and thinking "well, I'll never manage that, I'll just enjoy the story and move along."

That was before I fell in love with the game. The combat (simplistic but oh so satisfying), the soundtrack, the goofy sidequests, the serious main story, and as so many mention, the somehow effortless tightrope walk between crime thriller and doing things like swapping tips with a man named Mr. Libido and dropkicking zombies in the path of an advancing Michael Jackson stand-in.

And before I knew it, I wanted that completion list. I spent hours in that goddamn batting cage minigame. I solved pool puzzles. I played both Western and Eastern gambling games. I spent ten hours learning and playing freaking Riichi Mahjong (and that's just in-game, I played a browser version at work too!) and dagnabbit I did every single thing on that list. And I enjoyed every single minute of it

Spoiler

except that fucking batting cage horseshit

106 hours or so, in the end. Can't wait to do it all again in Kiwami.

 

[Shadowman16]

I did every single thing on that list. And I enjoyed every single minute of it

Spoiler

except that fucking batting cage horseshit

106 hours or so, in the end. Can't wait to do it all again in Kiwami.

Thankfully someone at Sega had the heart to change the requirements for Kiwami's 100% trophy. In the PS3 version of Yakuza you had to complete the Haruka's trust missions - which was basically playing mini games and completing a certain goal Haruka sets for you. In baseball you had to hit 20 home runs in a row (I think it was 20, it might have been 10, anyway, a lot!). Now its a much kinder goal (but the gambling missions she gives you can get somewhat frustrating as they are almost purely luck based).

 

[Booker.DeWitt]

I am in chapter 5, and I have already put 10 hours in, it's been a while since I have put that amount of time in one game.

Also, this game is HUGE, 17 chapters? I will end it with probably 30-40 hours, and I amnot doing any significant side quests

 

[eyeball_kid]

Yakuza 0 made me experience the pure joy I felt as a kid playing videogames. Something I really hadn't felt in a long time, not since maybe Katamari Damacy on the PS2. It is a love letter to videogames, a celebration of the art form in its over-the-top action, soundtrack, and humor. The sheer amount of side stories and minigames are overwhelming, yet the majority are surprisingly well-written and fun. Yet it also has a gripping story, memorable, nuanced characters, and acting that put most AAA titles to shame. It's probably more cinematic than most of them, too. Hell, it is even a more entertaining ride than most TV shows.

I would also note that the localization here is amazing, almost never taking me out of the moment and feeling understandable without losing the Japanese cultural feel of it. Sega's localization team should win an award for their work.

The game is not without its faults, of course, and most of them seem to lie in its PS2 heritage. It could definitely do with some QoL improvements. And the fighting system, while very refined for a brawler, also felt clumsy at times, especially when fighting groups. The art direction for the city is great, and the main characters look fantastic, but the other NPCs walking around the city often look like PS2 models. I hope Y6's new engine has addressed this. Finally, I'd also say it didn't feel quite as 1980's as I was expecting. The dialogue didn't really capture the period (at least from a western POV), and I wasn't seeing people wearing pastel colors, or colors at all aside from the occasional miniskirt, which was such a big component of the fashion then. A minor complaint though.

But the fact that I put over 100 hours into it, and am still looking forward to going back and finishing all the side content in Premium Adventure mode after I finish Persona 5 should say something. The world itself is just pleasant to walk around in. I would literally just walk around the streets sometimes, always seeing some new detail tucked into a corner.

Wait, I thought Kiwami was the original Yakuza. I got that impression from this trailer, which refers to it as being "the original Yakuza" and "the game that made Kiryu a legend."

Yes, Kiwami is 1, but they supposedly added content which continues narrative elements from 0. So you really should play 0 first if you've never played any of them before. I did, and it was a perfect introduction to the series.

 

[poodaddy]

I'm loving the following that this series is getting as it always deserved it. Every Yakuza is chock full of well made content; fun gameplay, great humor, interesting sidequests, gripping and ridiculous but still somehow serious narrative, rewarding progression systems, and likeable characters. It's like game design 101, and yet it never makes the splash here that it needs; happy to see that's changing.

 

[DC1]

All these Yakuza threads have gotten me to pick it up. I will dive in once I finish Hollow Knight.

-Enjoy that life,
-understand that pawn shop,
-learn how to appreciate Fishing with an easy button,
-Talk with the ladies on the sex line so that you get use to the real ladies at the hosting club,
-feel at ease with your manhood..in the company of other men,
-learn to cry and feel with deep passion,
-but most important, appreciate the hook from Kool Moe Dee

Spoiler

(wild wild west song
.....before LL course corrected everything)

 

[Palette Swap]

This kind of sums up my Yakuza experience:

This thread reminded me I had barely touched 0 yet because a lot of things got in the way, so I restarted it today. It's a complete blast.

The hardest mini game so far for me is Karaoke because I lose it every time Kiryu starts singing.

 

[IrishNinja]

welcome to GOTY

of course my man sparda has the avatar at the ready, haha

 

[Ferrio]

Everybody say Rouge of Love!!!

 

[LizardKing]

It certainly seems like a bunch of new people have jumped in with 0 but do we have any numbers or statements to back it up? Anything from SEGA about how this one sold compared to the others in the west? Really hoping it far surpassed expectations.

 

[Humdinger]

It certainly seems like a bunch of new people have jumped in with 0 but do we have any numbers or statements to back it up? Anything from SEGA about how this one sold compared to the others in the west? Really hoping it far surpassed expectations.

GAF is a world unto itself. Unfortunately, I don't think the game sold all that well. I don't remember seeing it even place in the top 20 its first month (NPD).

Someone who's been paying more attention can fill in the details.

 

[Charlouie Jonesman]

Shortly after it's western release, Nagoshi revealed that the game sold about 100,000 copies in the US and Europe, which is the best the series has ever done over here, and that's saying something. It's not that much.

 

[Humdinger]

That's correct, but 0 ties into Kiwami so at this point if you've never played the series before then it makes more sense to start with 0.

Yes, Kiwami is 1, but they supposedly added content which continues narrative elements from 0. So you really should play 0 first if you've never played any of them before. I did, and it was a perfect introduction to the series.

I hear what you're saying -- that it'll goof up some of the narrative content, if I start with Kiwami. I still want to start with Kiwami anyhow. I figure, "Where better to start than with the game that started it all?" I want to get a sense for the roots of the series, the basics of it. It's cheaper, too.

I don't mind if I miss out on some narrative nuances. I have a hunch I'm not going to be taking the story too seriously anyhow.

 

[Jimrpg]

It certainly seems like a bunch of new people have jumped in with 0 but do we have any numbers or statements to back it up? Anything from SEGA about how this one sold compared to the others in the west? Really hoping it far surpassed expectations.

Yakuza Zero has finally entered 'niche status' in the UK.

It didn't bomb like prior games. But it also didn't sell a notable amount.

https://twitter.com/ZhugeEX/status/826128664739844100

 

[Son Of Sparda]

@ Irish

Of course, man. Always ready

I hear what you're saying -- that it'll goof up some of the narrative content, if I start with Kiwami. I still want to start with Kiwami anyhow. I figure, "Where better to start than with the game that started it all?" I want to get a sense for the roots of the series, the basics of it. It's cheaper, too.

I don't mind if I miss out on some narrative nuances. I have a hunch I'm not going to be taking the story too seriously anyhow.

But you'll be missing out on a very very good game with a lot of good contents and characters. Even if you don't care about the story, Yakuza 0 has more contents than Kiwami, like Cabaret Club management which can literally sold as a digital stand alone game. That's how amazing it is.

I mean just follow the numbers, man. There is a reason why devs decided to call this game Zero. It's meant to be played before Kiwami.

 

[AmaterasuOkami076]

0 was my first foray too. Convinced some of my friends to make the plunge too after I saw just how good this game was. We're all absolute converts. Kiwami already preordered and hyped for 6. Bring them on!

 

[Jimrpg]

@ Irish

Of course, man. Always ready


But you'll be missing out on a very very good game with a lot of good contents and characters. Even if you don't care about the story, Yakuza 0 has more contents than Kiwami, like Cabaret Club management which can literally sold as a digital stand alone game. That's how amazing it is.

I mean just follow the numbers, man. There is a reason why devs decided to call this game Zero. It's meant to be played before Kiwami.

Well I think you can play in either order. Most of the fans here know the story in 1 before playing 0. And I think 0 is probably going to be the better game when it's all said and done. Knowing what I already know I don't think Kiwami will top 0. So if you go 0 then Kiwami, don't be disappointed if it's not as good. But going 0 to Kiwami is a very interesting progression too so it works both ways.

 

[Cess007]

sorry for the hijacking the thread...

But I just completed the Miracle Johnson substory, and Ohmaigad. I was laughing all the way with Mr. Spinner and the the dialog. How does these guys come up with those stories?

 

[Humdinger]

But you'll be missing out on a very very good game with a lot of good contents and characters. Even if you don't care about the story, Yakuza 0 has more contents than Kiwami, like Cabaret Club management which can literally sold as a digital stand alone game. That's how amazing it is.

I mean just follow the numbers, man. There is a reason why devs decided to call this game Zero. It's meant to be played before Kiwami.

I won't be missing out. I'll play 0 (assuming I like Kiwami enough).

And actually the "more content" thing is something that makes me lean toward Kiwami. I want something a little more bite-sized as a test-run, rather than getting into a massive game that I'll need to devote a hundred hours to. I'd rather test the waters with something smaller, first.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7gzFBnfRfo

 

[Aki-at]

And here I thought this was another one of the LTTP thread about Yakuza 0 but it's a brand new one.

A thousand more LTTP before the end of the year, A THOUSAND MORE!

 

[Charlouie Jonesman]

I won't be missing out. I'll play 0 (assuming I like Kiwami enough).

And actually the "more content" thing is something that makes me lean toward Kiwami. I want something a little more bite-sized as a test-run, rather than getting into a massive game that I'll need to devote a hundred hours to. I'd rather test the waters with something smaller, first.

If that's what you truly want, more power to you. But there's some risk involved, and it also speaks for a certain arrogance on your part. How could anyone be so sure that they'll survive the next two months? Even more if you count the time that it'll take you to finish Kiwami. A lot can go wrong in such a short time.

 

[More_Badass]

This game is like a damn matryoshka doll; new mechanics and complexities keep getting introduced

Between chapters 1 and 5, you get new fighting styles, a second protagonist, and now the real estate stuff

 

[jacobeid]

This game is like a damn matryoshka doll; new mechanics and complexities keep getting introduced

Between chapters 1 and 5, you get new fighting styles, a second protagonist, and now the real estate stuff

Don't tell me this. I'm 11 hours into the game and I'm still on Chapter 2 >.<

 

[lucebuce12]

Don't tell me this. I'm 11 hours into the game and I'm still on Chapter 2 >.<

This is one of those games where I legitimately feel ok with paying 60$ for, even if I only play it once. I know that the game is going to be filled to the brim with content that isn't just filler.

 

[jacobeid]

This is one of those games where I legitimately feel ok with paying 60$ for, even if I only play it once. I know that the game is going to be filled to the brim with content that isn't just filler.

I actually rented the game from Gamefly. After a few hours I decided to send it back and just buy the game. I also pre-ordered Kiwami.

It has much less to do with length than it does with quality and variety. What other game would I just randomly run into a side story about training an S&M dominatrix? Shit is honkers.

 

[TheBowen]

The hardest mini game so far for me is Karaoke because I lose it every time Kiryu starts singing.

WE'RE BREAKING THE LAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW


Seriously cannot wait for Kiwami, i need more of Yakuza in my life.

 

[Son Of Sparda]

Well I think you can play in either order. Most of the fans here know the story in 1 before playing 0. And I think 0 is probably going to be the better game when it's all said and done. Knowing what I already know I don't think Kiwami will top 0. So if you go 0 then Kiwami, don't be disappointed if it's not as good. But going 0 to Kiwami is a very interesting progression too so it works both ways.

Of course you can play any of them first, but as you know Kiwami has been made with the intention of acting as a sequel to Zero as much as a remake of the first game. The added backstory to certain characters in Zero makes Kiwami a better experience and they have actually added stuff to that game to account for what we've seen in Zero.

But yeah, if someone wants to start with Kiwami no matter what, then I guess that's okay.

 

[Nightbird]

Fine, I'm convinced GAF.

I'll get the game this Friday!

I keep my promises.

Played trough chapter 1 so far, I'm having a blast, this game is fun, and the story is far more interesting than I thought it would be!

 

[lucebuce12]

I keep my promises.

Played trough chapter 1 so far, I'm having a blast, this game is fun, and the story is far more interesting than I thought it would be!

Welcome. To.

 

[pa22word]

On chapter 9 with 36 hours played and like 28% completion Jesus Christ shit is this the game that keeps on giving or what?!

Also, cabaret club is about 1000x better than it has any right to be. I've put tons of hours into it, super fun little mini game. Disco has got me stumped though, I really am trash at it for whatever reason.

I really needed this weird ass game after horizon bored me to tears with how generic it was. I got to majima's first chapter and immediately went and pre-ordered kiwami and started calling stores in my area trying to track down older games in the series.

The one flaw I feel that kind of drives me nuts thus far is that I wish they would have done a better job with the localisation on shop names. I get that the texture work would probably have been a pain in the ass, and it probably hurts the aesthetics a bit, but at least having the option to have an English signpost somewhere on the shops would have helped a lot in navigation and shop hunting for the business mini games. That and the game not telling you what street you just crossed into when you disable the minimap is a weird choice that makes, when combined with the above, it really hard to go with turning the minimap off, especially I feel in kamurocho which is a lot less distinct in terms of local than sotenbori. After running around like duke nukem wall hunting secrets I finally just gave up and used a guide to find the shops. I mean at the point the game flat out gives you the names of them in game but you can't actually find them because they're all in Japanese in the world instead of English I can't really feel too bad about greasing the wheels a bit on it.

 

[stryke]

I keep my promises.

Played trough chapter 1 so far, I'm having a blast, this game is fun, and the story is far more interesting than I thought it would be!

Wow you got sealed physical copy just now? It was a struggle here in a Australia even after a week.

 

[More_Badass]

That and the game not telling you what street you just crossed into when you disable the minimap is a weird choice that makes, when combined with the above, it really hard to go with turning the minimap off, especially I feel in kamurocho which is a lot less distinct in terms of local than sotenbori. After running around like duke nukem wall hunting secrets I finally just gave up and used a guide to find the shops. I mean at the point the game flat out gives you the names of them in game but you can't actually find them because they're all in Japanese in the world instead of English I can't really feel too bad about greasing the wheels a bit on it.

I agree with this. I'm playing with the minimap off and I really wish that they had street names appear while walking around.

 

[Agent_ShortBus]

As a long time Yakuza fan, thank you guys for giving the series a shot. Thanks to all the first time buyers for showing Sega that there's enough interest to keep releasing these in the west. &#128077; Now we just need them to localize Yakuza Ishin.

 

[LizardKing]

Shortly after it's western release, Nagoshi revealed that the game sold about 100,000 copies in the US and Europe, which is the best the series has ever done over here, and that's saying something. It's not that much.

https://twitter.com/ZhugeEX/status/826128664739844100

Thanks. I don't know how to feel about that.

 

[Steiner]

Damn it I want to play this game so bad but I keep waiting on a sale, and I know that's the crappiest, most typical excuse to not play a game, but I can't help myself. Is this featured in the mid-year sale right now?

It was featured on the E3 sale a while ago. I don't think it's on the mid-year sale (for the US at least).

Try searching your local stores to see if you can find it cheaper. It's one that's definitely worth the full price.

I've no doubt that it's worth full price. My wife and I are in a pretty intense "pay back all debt" phase right now to finally get rid of our student loan debt. I'd feel too hypocritical spearheading that charge with all my rhetoric about every spare dime going to our debt and then dropping $55 on a new game that I'm not even reviewing for work... =[

 

[SephLuis]

Damn it I want to play this game so bad but I keep waiting on a sale, and I know that's the crappiest, most typical excuse to not play a game, but I can't help myself. Is this featured in the mid-year sale right now?

It was featured on the E3 sale a while ago. I don't think it's on the mid-year sale (for the US at least).

Try searching your local stores to see if you can find it cheaper. It's one that's definitely worth the full price.

 

[CannonFodder52]

Finishing up Yakuza 5, so hyped to get into this game.

 

[Shadowman16]

Thanks. I don't know how to feel about that.

I'm just happy that sales didn't crater after Dead Souls was released, its a miracle that we even got 5 translated so hopefully with more people turned onto 0 it can continue to be a very niche series.

 

[Charlouie Jonesman]

Thanks. I don't know how to feel about that.

I've already mentioned this in the OT, but it's a shame that the entire western release is english only. I've shown the game to a couple of friends and they're all really into it but with the amount of text and dialogue in the game, no german subtitles is pretty much a dealbreaker for them (Even if the translation was bad which it most likely would be.) and I'm assuming this is an issue across all of Europe.

 

[eyeball_kid]

The one flaw I feel that kind of drives me nuts thus far is that I wish they would have done a better job with the localisation on shop names. I get that the texture work would probably have been a pain in the ass, and it probably hurts the aesthetics a bit, but at least having the option to have an English signpost somewhere on the shops would have helped a lot in navigation and shop hunting for the business mini games.

Yeah, it is a shame there's no English popups when looking at signs, but I can't really fault them given their budget and the fact that the western sales have been paltry compared to what it does in Japan. It's kind of a miracle (thanks to Sony) we even got Zero.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

I too started with Yakuza 0 and it's my favorite game of 2017.

I only wish this would have been the soundtrack. I need more 80s J-POP in games.

 

[Palette Swap]

If you guys need help to write tax legislation, you know where to find me.