Yakuza - Classic Game Review

Yakuza is one of those rare games which does more things wrong than it does right but the things it does right are really special.

Kazuma Kiryu is a member of the Tojo Clan. He takes the fall for his friend Nishki and is imprisoned for 10 years. When he is released from prison, he finds that things within the Yakuza have changed, His friend Yumi is missing and 10 billion yen was stolen from the clan. Nishki seems distant, power hungry and generally ungrateful. Kazuma is reluctantly forced back into the Yakuza's affairs.

Yakuza is not GTA: Japan. It is an open world crime game but you cannot drive cars and the world is a lot smaller with less freedom. It's a 3D, action, brawler game with some RPG elements. 

Kazuma gains experience which allows various stats to be increased. Combat consists of small skirmishes between Kazuma and a handful of enemies. This is where Yakuza shines. The combat system initially seems too simple, light attacks and heavy attacks are combined to create combos but as the game progresses and more moves are unlocked, it becomes deeper.

It's a realistic, rhythmic and satisfying system which takes a while to master. Kazuma has to combine attacking with blocking and evading to maximise damage dealt from openings. Simply button mashing will lead to the enemies countering. He can also grapple enemies and unleash brutal weapon and environmental attacks.

What makes the fighting even better is that the enemies you face are such scum. Sometimes you just want to pulverize them and it's like the game says, "You wanna beat the hell out of him? Sure go ahead!", and then you're allowed to indulge your rage. Supremely satisfying.

There are lots of little gripes that all add up to a frustrating experience. The load times are annoying and frequent, the interface is clunky, the visuals are occasionally ugly - cinematically the game is great but it is let down by the limitations of the PS2, the voice acting is inconsistent (some big name actors were used for the English dub and while some of it was good, the rest is not up to standard. Future Yakuza games dropped English voices completely). There are numerous sidequests to complete and many of these are very interesting and expand on the storyline and setting. Unfortunately, it's hard to keep track of all these missions and some are just plain annoying.

It takes a while for Yakuza to really hit its stride and by this point many gamers would of already lost interest. Persevere. It's worth it. Yakuza has one of the best stories in gaming. It could be straight from a movie and indeed a Japanese movie based on the game was later produced. There are lots of twists and turns and interesting characters which all lead to an amazing climax.

Kazuma Kiryu has to be one of the most bad-ass characters. Forget Niko Bellic and CJ. He's way cooler than that. Think Duke Nukem or Max Payne and you'll be closer. Essentially, he's a thug, but a thug with a conscience. He's one of those gangsters who has pride and honour. In the face of all the corruption and greed around him, Kazuma is a fist of justice. A reluctant and unlikely hero. It feels awesome to play as him.

Whenever I think of Yakuza, I can't help but remember how flawed it is. These feelings are quickly

replaced by how awesome it is. It's a real diamond in the rough. HD versions of Yakuza 1 and Yakuza 2 are due for release on PS3 and this should resolve several of the technical issues which plague these games but even as it is, Yakuza is a gem.

Rating: 86%