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TL;DR: S tier game with an amazing story, compelling characters and addictive gameplay. A great introduction to a surprisingly good, yet underrated franchise.
Yakuza 0 is a video game. In a market oversaturated with live-service garbage, broken/unfinished titles, bad writing, this is one of the highest compliments I can think of. Shoutout to my friends who brought the series to my attention. A part of the reason why I can easily recommend this to anyone is because I was used to different genres, I mainly played immersive sims, survival horror, first person shooters, etc and I still loved the Yakuza series and got hooked.
The game is set in 1980s Japan, and from the moment you step into the neon-lit streets of Kamurocho and Sotenbori, you are immersed in the intricate world of the yakuza. The streets are filled with life, every corner, every alleyway - brimming with details, and countless activities, exploration opportunities, and quests await as you navigate the intertwining stories of the two protagonists.
Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, this prequel to the acclaimed Yakuza series serves as both an origin story for its most iconic characters - Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, and a standalone masterpiece that delivers on every front.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to cover everything so I'll highlight my impressions in the sections below.
- Performance; Steam Deck: Well-optimized on PC, no complaints there. Solid performance on the Steam Deck. Runs out of the box, can run on 60 fps 95 % of the time and rarely dips to 50-55 fps. If on PC, I recommend that you play this with a controller as I found out that mouse & keyboard controls are….not great(Real yakuza use a gamepad).
- Gameplay:
Action-adventure third-person beat 'em up which consists of fast-paced combat, exploration and side activities. Besides the main story and combat, the game offers an overwhelming amount of content, such as minigames, substories, businesses and others. I found the combat very fun. Each character has 4 different fighting styles, including a decent amount of combos and finishing moves(heat actions). Between the story chapters, the game encourages you to explore or have fun, hence the many awesome activities, such as disco, karaoke, darts and many more.
- Visuals:
Stellar visuals, impressive character models, downright ARTISTIC cutscenes packed with action, beautiful choreography and a cinematic flair. The attention to detail in the city is also a highlight. The animations are great, overall an immersive experience.
- Audio:
Top-notch voice acting. I played with the JP audio, but I heard that the English one is also decent. The actors did a good job of bringing the characters to life and to create great, emotional and badass scenes.
Solid soundtrack that captures the atmosphere of the 80's Japan. It's also dynamic to match whatever you're currently doing. Koi No Disco Queen gang!
The disco and karaoke songs are so good that you start to wonder whether those are actual irl 80s hits. Trust me when I say that you're going to have a blast at the disco. I think this was the exact moment when I was hooked at the game and I honestly can't remember the last time that I felt this much hype from in-game songs. Overall, the soundtrack is an integral part of the game's identity, elevating the entire experience and cementing its status as a modern classic in gaming OST.
- Story:
I'm not spoiling anything. I'll simply say that the story is deep and complex, exploring themes, such as friendship, organized crime, honor and redemption. It tells the story of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima - low-level yakuza members as they navigate the complex and corrupt criminal world and experience twists and obstacles at every turn and are constantly faced with conflicting choices. It's great from start to finish.
The Good:
- Atmosphere and setting(who doesn't like the 80s vibes).
- Addicting and varied gameplay. So many things to do. From the fun combat to most of the minigames and side activities.
- Businesses. Kazuma Kiryu has the Real Estate Royale, Majima has the Cabaret Club Czar. Both are really fun to play and develop.
- Decent amount of substories which are surprisingly creative for side content and will get many laughs out of you.
- Visuals and audio.
- Majima cutscenes are pure kino. Great story featuring some of the best characters in gaming history.
- Did I mention how much content there is lol? Completionists are gonna have a blast
- I learned how to play Mahjong(I still suffer sometimes, since it's present in every Yakuza game)
- Thank god that the map size is not like the bloated Ubisoft titles. Navigating the city is fast and easy.
The Bad(alternatively - the boring):
- Some of the minigames are not particularly fun. For example the rng-heavy Catfights and fishing, the grindy Equipment Search, which requires way more money than it has the right to.
- Climax battles are just redundant. I didn't enjoy them and they don't contribute anything to the game.
- Legend mode: Firstly, the game forces you to use a new save file for this difficulty(this is NOT the case with other Yakuza games).
And lastly, from my point of view, this game mode is pointless, since all that changes is that you have to constantly stock up on HP items and the level with the shooting section becomes more annoying.
- Sometimes you have to "farm" money, since most of the game revolves around money. This isn't always fun and sometimes breaks the pace.
In conclusion, Yakuza 0 is a juggernaut of a game, offering many memorable experiences while easily blending gripping drama with addictive gameplay. Whether you're a fan of crime dramas, action games, or immersive open worlds, Yakuza 0 is a must-play title that showcases what video games are all about. I consider it to be one of the greatest games I've ever played.