Review of Yakuza 0
The Start of Something Truly Special
Disclaimer: This is part 2 of my review of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, based on the order in which I played them. You can find the first part in the link right here: https://cplisken.medium.com/review-of-yakuza-like-a-dragon-2020-56d108b1a309
The story now follows….
Reader,
What do you think of when you hear the 1980s?
For many people you’d conjure up many different and nostalgic memories of synthesised pop music, bombastic action films and the slow decline of the cold war.
Ask a Yakuza aka Like a Dragon fan what they think of however, and they’ll most likely think of one particular game that helped catapult a franchise to international acclaim.
That game is the subject of today’s essay.
When Yakuza 0 was officially released in western markets in January of 2017, the world of internet culture was never the same again.
A convoluted, richly detailed crime drama that occasionally acted like a “Best of Monty Python” DVD, this game effectively saved the franchise from peptuilar doom and only being reserved for only the dedicated fans of the series.
But why is that?
What were the reasons for this game’s particular success? And is it still worth playing through with 7 more games in the future?
Before we look into that however, let’s focus on the pre-production aspect of the game.
Preproduction: Lacing up those Disco Shoes
So it’s 2014 and in the leadup for the 10th anniversary of the Yakuza franchise the following year, SEGA and the Yakuza developers, RGG Studios, come up with a unique premise to take the series.
After the then latest game in the series, Yakuza 5, saw the action drama set in the year 2012, their followup game was designed to be a prequel, set in the distant past of 1988, 17 years before the beginning of the very first Yakuza title.
This new time period was designed to give a fresh new perspective on two of the series most important characters, Kazama Kiryu and Goro Majima, both fan favourites, who still had questions about what incidents led them down the road to becoming legends in the criminal underworld of Japan.
Therefore, the goal was to explore the complicated relationship both characters served, while also using the hindsight and setting of more than 2 decades of history to show a new angle to these characters, before they matured into the characters most followers would see them as.
And though it didn’t come to Western markets when the title first released in Japan in 2015, the title would soon cross the seas in 2017, thanks to a lengthy localisation process headed by Atlas, the developers of the Persona series.
Which is pretty much all I can say on the developmental side sadly.
Much like my Yakuza: Like a Dragon review, I seem to think most of my lack of info is down to few developer insights outside of the English. We are talking about games mostly made by Japanese developers after all but I’m still slightly disappointed there was no specifics as to what developers planned to include gameplay wise.
Well it makes my job easier at the very least so maybe I shouldn’t be complaining.
With that said, let’s dive into the narrative that the developers were so focused on. And see just why this game took off as well as it did.
Story: Judgement at Hand
Quick side note before I start, as mentioned, 0 contains two different playable characters, whom the player is wrapped between every two chapters. For the sake of ease, I’ll only be focusing on one of the characters and their journey to begin with, then swap to the second protagonist and their perspective.
With all that said, let’s set the scene a little.
The year is 1987. The place, Kamurcho in Tokyo, Japan.
Property acquisition is going off the charts, everyone in the city has 1000 yen burning holes in their pockets and in the country’s famous/infamous red light district, the Japanese government are planning to invest millions into the city as part of the prophetic “Kamurocho Revitalisation Plan”
In the middle of all this, a young 20 year old named Kazuma Kiryu is roaming the neon lit streets, cigarette in hand and enough girt to throw his weight around.
Kiryu is a Yakuza. Despite only being a few years into his stay as part of the famed Kazuma Crime Family, he’s already become a favourite to his adoptive father Shintaro Kazuma alongside his oath brother Akira Nishikyama (aka Nishiki).
One night, Kiryu is ordered to collect debt money for a loan shark, his shakedown being a crummy alleyway blocked off from the city’s perfectly lit streets. He collects the money and leaves him in his own blood.
The next morning however, Kiryu and Nishiki awake to find a news report. Kiryu’s victim was found dead near the alleyway and his superiors want a word with him.
Enter the Dojima family, the crime family that outranks the Kazuma family as part of the massive Tojo Clan of Yakuza. Specifically the captains of the group, Daisaku Kuze, Hiroki Awano and Keji Shibusasa, acting as the muscle, the charm and the brains of the family respectively.
As it turns out, the spot Kiryu’s shakedown victim was killed at was a small patch of land called “The Empty Lot”, a small plot of real estate that’s at the centre of the Revitalisation Project. The deed of which has yet to be acquired, and if the Dojima’s are connected with a murder case, that contract will slip through their fingers.
The captains are obviously not happy with Kiryu’s performance. And as such want to have him excommunicated for his struggles, seeing him as a loose cannon that only gets by because of his guardian and the one man fighting against them to secure the deed, Kazama. And since Kazama is in prison, that resistance is weakening by the day.
At his adoptive father’s office, Kiryu announces to Nishiki and the captain of the Kazama’s, Osamu Kashiwagi that he wants to take the blame, hoping he can spare his leader the embarrassment.
Despite the advice of his family and facing heavy resistance by Kuze and his forces, Kiryu is finally able to get the attention of Sohei Dojima, announcing his desire to be expelled from the Yakuza life. A matter that Dojima is all too keen for.
With Kiryu being the one person keeping Kazuma’s “Yume” alive, Dojima happily banishes the stubborn 20 year old, leaving the man heartbroken and forced to roam the streets in the middle of rainfall. Until Tetsu Tachibana greets him.
Yes, we’re introducing more characters, just roll with it.
With a fresh change of clothes, Kiryu is invited to Tachibana’s private apartment and introduced to the slick back real estate owner, who has a close connection with Kazuma.
Tetsu was contacted by the older Yakuza to have him work together specifically to acquire the deed to the Lot by any means.
And though Kiryu is hesitant to trust him, especially after running into Tetus’ bodyguard Jun Oda, some encouragement from Nishiki tells Kiryu to join the company as a new employee.
Once he picks out a disgustingly bright white and orange jacket and shirt combo that’s a complete eyesore by today’s standards as his new uniform.
While Kiryu is getting adjusted to the job with the help of Oda, he’s repeatedly hounded by an enraged Kuze (whose ring finger was cut off as punishment for embarrassing himself) and Awano trying to smooth talk the young ex-yakuza to hand over Testu, with every active Yakuza including a devastated Nishiki ordered to kill Kiryu on sight.
Finally however, with some help from Tetsu, the team is able to track down the owner of the lot. Makoto Makimura, Tetsu’s distant sister.
Oda and Kiryu travel together heading for the river bridged town of Sotenbori in Osaka, where Makoto is being looked after by a friend of Kazuma, Massaru Sera.
Despite being blind, Makoto is weirdly scared of Oda, despite neither her or Kiryu understanding why. The pair take Makoto with Sera’s blessing, with Kiryu leaving a business card just in case.
Not soon after however, Subawasa with his family catches up to the mini party and the three are forced to hide out in an abandoned construction yard. Just as Oda pulls a knife out and holds Makoto hostage.
And this is where the story gets even more expository.
As later confirmed by Tachibana, both he and Makoto are immigrants from China, born of mixed Chinese and Japanese heritage. Their upbringing making them welcome on neither side of the pond.
Tachibana, being the oldest, fled to Japan the first chance he could where he met a young and ambitious Oda, whom he bested in single combat. Oda was so impressed that he begged the new man in town to be their gang leader.
Oda himself was pretty hands on in terms of his crime dealings. Such as smuggling illegal immigrants from China into Japan, including a young girl that he sold to the Korean mafia for a quick buck. No guesses on who that person was.
Feeling disgraced and terrified of what would happen should Tachibana find out, Oda intended to kill Makoto to plead his innocence. Not counting on Makoto owning a walking stick with a dagger in it, that she got as a gift from Sera.
Defeated and running out of time, Oda decides to hang back just as Subawasa and his men surround the building.
The pair narrowly escape and while Kiryu hides Makoto away in Kamurocho, he goes to meet Tachibana. Only for the pair to be stopped by an expert gunman. A hired mercenary under Dojima’s payroll, the feared Lao Gui.
Gui shoots Kiryu in the shoulder and leg while Tachibana in desperation turns himself into Gui who obliges. When he’s healed again by some of the people in the Chinese corner, Kiryu heads out again to save Tachibana. Stopped only by Nishki, now determined to help his oath brother no matter what.
Brother in hand, they track down Tachibana to an underground warehouse. Have’n been interrogated on the whereabouts of Makoto by Kuza and his minions. Enraged Kiryu, defeats Kuza again but it’s far too late. Tachibana dies in his arms. Kiryu vows to demolish Dojima and his empire, even the Tojo if it comes to it.
When he eventually breaks the news to a distraught Makoto runs off by herself, getting herself shot by Gui when she confronts Dojima. A returning Sera now with a walking cane for support is able to narrowly rescue her by hiding her on a private ship but it won’t remain hidden for long.
Soon after, Shibusawa and his men attempt to make an invasion of Makoto’s hiding spot. Kiryu rushes to the boatyard and encounters Kuze one final time, which Kiryu wins. He hurries to the dock with Nishiki just as the remaining Kazama family join up with them.
It’s a tough and panic-inducing fight as Kiryu eventually fights his way to the top of the deck, with Shibusawa waiting for him next to a comatosed Makoto. He takes on Kiryu personally hoping that in doing so he can become the new face of the Dojima family. The Dragon of the Dojima’s if you will.
The pair fight shirtless on the boat with Kiryu finally coming out on top. He continues beating on his superior in rage for the deaths of Tachibana and the harm he’s done on others until he’s stopped by Nishki. The pair wait quietly as Shibusawa is dragged away, defeated.
A few weeks later, Kiryu checks in on Kazama Sr. in prison. Partly annoyed at the level of secrecy that Kazama hid from his young pupil. But Kazama fully supports the whatever decision Kiryu plans on making.
Next thing you know, Kiryu meets up with Nishiki now in a much more pleasing white jacket and red short combo telling him he’s joining the Dojima’s. With their reputation at an all time low since the Empty Lot, Kiryu feels obligated to step in. Thus ending his side of the story.
Now let’s change course to the other perspective of the story. Jumping right back to a location I already mentioned briefly, Sotenbori in Osaka.
Just like Kamurocho, the party life in the bridged town has done very well for itself during the bubble economy, and none more so than The Grand cabaret club. Run by its esteemed and well respected manager, Goro Majima.
With extravagant girls, a full jazz orchestra and boasting a humble, customer first attitude, Majima has turned the Grand into the ultimate Cabrete joint in town. Earning him the nickname “The Lord of the Night”.
Under the surface however, Majima, much like Kiryu, is a Yakuza. A member of the feared Shimano crime family that operate under the same tojo clan as the Dojima’s and Kazama’s.
This is a bit hardily explained but about three years before the start of 0, Majima and his oath brother Taiga Sajeima (the creators must have had a day off when they came up with that name), attempted to assassinate a rival yakuza family.
On the day of the hit, Majima was held back and told that the attack was called off. Knowing that Sajeima had already gone ahead to do the killing. Majima tried to rush to meet him, got caught by another Tojo clan family, beaten, chained up to a wall and had his right eye stabbed out.
Following a harsh stay in a torture chamber called “The Pit”, Majima is finally let go but on one condition. If he wants to rejoin the Shimano family again, he’ll need to gather a great sum of money from work as the Grand’s manager (the Tojo operate the Grand for money laundering).
The amount of money he needs tends to fluctuate very regularly, mostly thanks to Majima’s superior and Shimano’s sworn brother, Sagawa. Keeping the failed hitman around his ring finger and reminding Majima that if he dared leaving Osaka, the Tojo would personally hunt him down.
One day during one of his routine meetups, Majima, sick of the constant change in the deal, decides to do Sagawa a favour. Take up a assassination hit on a person named Makoto Makimura, who Sagwa believes is responsible for extreme human trafficking. If Majima can kill Makoto, Sagawa will talk to Shimano to let Majima come home.
Goal in mind and a blade given by Sagawa, Majima eventually tracks down Makoto to a small massage palor in Sotenbori, run by a timid blind girl and a muscular Chinese man that Majima thinks is Makoto.
The unnamed man and Majima fight just as a rival Yakuza family comes in demanding for Makoto, the blind girl that serves as the big man’s helper. The family take the confused blind girl away just as the unnamed man begs Majima to save Makoto, before he’s shot by the Yakuza. A reluctant Majima agrees.
When he eventually rescues Makoto, he hides her in an old storage room owned by the Grand, at least until Majima can figure out why the Yakuza, and by extension, Sagawa wants this poor girl.
Reunited with the big man from the massage parlour named Wen Hei Lee, the pair discuss plans. Lee, a former hitman, thinks about getting a body double for Makoto but Majima is heavily against the idea and leaves. Only to find that someone else took down the body double.
That man is Homare Nishitani, a batshit crazy member of the Tojo and close assistant to Shibusawa. He’s very curious about Majima’s abilities, to the point that he starts a fight in the middle of the Grand while calling the cops on himself. Majima wins just as Shibusawa is carried away.
Needing to act, Majima with the help of Lee, attempts to smuggle Makoto out of the town, but Lee is tragically killed by a car bomb set by Sagawa. But before the upper head can kill Majima, Sagawa is wounded from behind by Sera. He takes Makoto and leaves Majima and Sagawa behind.
An enraged Sagawa threatens Majima into finding the girl, with Nishitani being a good source on who Sera is and where to find him. Nishitani is then gunned down by a corrupt cop, telling Majima to run off.
With Sagawa in tow, he and Majima storm the HQ of Sera only to find that Makoto has already left for the town of Kamurcho. Sagawa shoots Sera in the back and picks up a business card dropped by the man. Tachibana Real Estate, Kazama Kiryu.
The pair immediately head to Kamurocho where they also stop by Shimano’s office to update him on the hunt for Makoto. And this is the point where Majima utterly breaks as a human being.
It turns out Makoto wasn’t actually wanted dead by Shimano. Knowing that Majima would never have the guts to kill an innocent girl, he instead relayed the assassination to the failed Yakuza, knowing that once he finally met her, he’d do everything he could to protect the blind girl.
Shimano never wanted to kill Makoto, just ensure her protection so she could sign the deed away to the Empty Lot. And Majima, knowing that the amount of trouble he’s done sticking his neck out for her is devastated beyond comprehension.
He can’t dwell too long because Makoto is still missing, with our deuteragonist finding her in the Empty Lot. Still mourning the loss of her brother. Despite his protests, Makoto insists on finding the heads of the Dojima hierarchy by turning herself in and using her deed as bait.
When she doesn’t tell Majima of her plan, he rushes to her meeting only for Lao Gui to shoot her right in front of his eyes. A decision made by Dojima, figuring that deed will become right for the picking if she’s dead. The up and coming Tojo chairman leaves just as a wounded and limping Sera arrives and with Majima, escort Makoto to a hospital.
Majima, now blind with rage, takes up Makoto’s mission and personally storms the Dojima Family office, even fighting and winning against Awano. The older Yakuza respects his opponent, even taking a few bullets meant for Majima when Gui interrupts the match. He dies soon after.
At the threshold of his struggle, Majima charges headfirst towards Lao and savagely beats him to a crying, bleeding mess. A panicking Dojima tries to shoot Majima until Sera arrives once again. Taking the deed for the Empty Lot and as such, securing his place as the third Tojo Clan chairman.
Majima then heads to Shimano’s office and after choosing not to spill the beans on his boss’ own plans for the Empty Lot, is finally welcomed back into the family. Not just as a Yakuza, but as Shimano’s personal enforcer.
The next day, with a new shirtless jacket that makes him look like a cheetah, Majima bids farewell to Sagawa, sharing one final smoke before he leaves. Sagawa is then approached by men in black suits and the camera cuts just as a gunshot is heard.
Sometime later, Majima encounters a new fully healed Makoto but says nothing. He instead asks her caretaker to look after her in his stay and leaves.
All by himself, Majima walks solitarily down the streets of Kamurcho, not looking back at the love he left behind. Just as someone familiar finds him. Kazama Kiryu, in the flesh. They stare at each other grinning. And so ends Yakuza 0.
Godddd damn.
Now to be honest, I’m not too surprised at this point that Yakuza has such a complicated plot.
Maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised at this point but I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the most comprehensive but also natural feeling plots imaginable. Regardless of just how long it took me to finish.
As mentioned, the story is split up into two different chapters per character before switching to the other soon after. And though it’s not there near the start, by the halfway point, the two originally separated stories are slowly linked together.
Threads that were left up in the air during Kiryu’s side like who the owner of the empty lot is met by Makoto in Majima’s story. And Majima learning of Kiryu through a business card is addressed later when Kiryu leaves Sera that same card.
But, as outlined, I think there’s an overwhelming problem when it comes to putting the game into a simple plot synopsis. The creators of the story basically using every possible character idea they have and zeroing in on those stories the way someone like Hideo Kojima would focus on his characters.
That makes it more interesting from a crime drama perspective, but when breaking it down into a basic start, middle and end, it all becomes very convoluted very easily. Each reviewer practically gives entirely different perspectives on the same text.
For example, I didn’t even have time to mention some other elements of the story, stuff like Lao Gui, Dojima’s hired assassin, being the man who framed Kiryu for murder in the Empty Lot. Or an entire side narrative involving Lee’s connection with Makoto, recounting the day he found her crying and scared for her life.
But overall I think the adventure is still great. And being a prequel game, it helps that we get to see a good chunk of the series main players just before they reach their peak.
Kiryu for example has always been depicted as a stoic but gentle man. And despite his career as a Yakuza will help anyone in harm’s way, especially if it relates to his family like Kazama or innocent women like Makoto.
That said, unlike other versions seen later in the series, Kiryu is noticeably more brash than his much older self’s. Repeatedly declining Nishki’s help throughout the adventure and nearly ruining his chance of saving his father figure by asking to be expelled from the clan.
He’s still clearly a morally good character, just that he is yet to realise at his age that being in the right doesn’t make you stronger by default. As soon later in other smaller scenes like Tachibana personally paying the Tojo to back off from hunting Kiryu or when meeting a close bartender friend of Nishiki, Rena, who encourages Kiryu to allow his better half to help.
It’s actually a pretty smart characterization of someone who’s obviously developing. The pieces to Kiryu’s personality in later games are definitely there, they just haven’t been put together yet.
There are some parts of the story that don’t make sense by itself or come across as too fan service-ey, stuff like Nishki’s whole monologue about how killing is wrong and what path that sets you down. But the next time we see Nishiki, you’ll see why that tidbit is important.
However, none of that matters because of the utter heartache that Goro Majima’s story has on offer.
Since he’s been one of the most well liked characters in the series, ever since his debut right alongside Kiryu in Yakuza 1, I’m sure more fans would have liked to learn more about the living embodiment of a popcorn maker lit on top of a firework. And that is delivered in spades with his scenes.
Compared to Kiryu, in the grand scheme of things, Majima’s narrative is more personal. As he wrestles with his loyalty to the Yakuza while also trying to keep a poor, scared woman safe.
Coming from a failed hitman with determination for retribution, to a reluctant caretaker of Makoto, he eventually becomes the ultimate pawn turned knight by his many two-faced owners. And he loses more than what he eventually gains in the long term.
He does eventually get back into the Shimano family but at the cost of someone he truly cared about. Knowing he can’t ever see her ever again.
There are some parts of his and Makoto’s relationship that does fly directly in the face of the series lore, specifically in Yakuza 5 but by itself, her and Majima share a doomed romance or at least platonic connection that stings all the more when he makes the choice to end it.
And while stuff like the Empty Lot and the wider conspiracy within the Tojo does affect him directly, none of it matters if either Makoto or his chances of getting back into the Shimano Family are damaged beyond repair.
My only gripe with his story that I have is the fact that we don’t get to see much of his time as the celebrated “Lord of the Night” in Sotenbori.
After his amazing introduction scene dealing with a rowdy, greedy customer with elegance and grace, we never see that duelling aspect of his character on display. On one half, the charming, respected owner of the Grand, the other, an impatient but sometimes kind Yakuza trying to return to the world he belongs in.
Maybe that would have been too much to ask given the structure of the adventure, especially when he leaves for Kamurcho, but given the many moments in the story where Makoto is hidden away, it would have been fun to see his more showboaty style on full display. Maybe taking orders and being a gentleman to customers while also hunting down any information on who Makoto is.
I know that there’s technically a whole dedicated side mode where you can do that but we’ll get into it later.
As it stands, Yakuza 0 is a great standalone narrative and also entry point game for those who want to get into the series and it’s 13 or so long list of mainline entries. And after my extensive summary above, it’s easy to see why.
But now, let’s move onto our next showcase for this review. The presentation. Sit yourself tight readers, we’ll be here for a little while longer.
Presentation: Neon Lights, Even Longer Fights
So naturally with a game that serves as a prequel to the rest of the series, roughly seven years before the prologue of Yakuza 1, you’d expect a different vibe that the late 80s version of Kamurocho and Sotenbori have compared to their more modern versions. And you’d be correct.
If the last game I had a look at, Yakuza: Like a Dragon was used to show the gradual fall and rebirth of its main cast, going from the dingy and blocked streets of Ijincho, then 0 is more about life at the height of success.
Remember, Japan at this point in the timeline is at the height of a massive economic boom with no foresight given into when or how the decline will settle in. And that’s viewable in just how vibrant the game itself is.
Maybe it has to do with the amount of key story missions that happen at night or more likely the fact that both main cities are basically pleasure hubs but there is a certain feeling of excitement in 0 that’s unmatched compared to other games.
From the vibrant sounds and lights of pachinko slots in Tokyo (basically glorified gambling machines) to the dense crowds located near the centres and bridges of Osaka, there’s a certain energy that’s featured. In places where pretty much every night is Christmas and everyone knows your name.
It does make it slightly eerie when viewing it from today’s perspective. Like looking at album photos of your parents as children or old relatives that you never got a chance to know. A fragment in time that can be replicated through old tech and music but never fully brought back.
Graphically, I still think it holds up very well today, particularly in the facial models. This was also developed for the PlayStation 3 only in Japan so the fact that the characters’ faces are on par with PS4 expressions says a lot about the team’s understanding of the hardware at the time.
Obviously with some of the side characters or enemies the illusion is slightly broken given the lack of attention given to certain opponents but really, if every character was as fresh as an oil painting of a bowl of fruit, the game would never release at all.
Thankfully though, the music is something that is constant joy with less of the pimples that the graphics have.
Maybe this might be considered hyperbole with how often I praise Sonic music on my Belfield FM show but whoever is running SEGA’s music team is clearly just overdoing themselves to get a promotion. And I’d fully support them in their efforts.
With a mixture of electronic rock with some tecno elements thrown in as well, much like the graphics, there’s a certain atmosphere captured with the way the music is recorded.
It’s not quite stereotypical 80s pop that makes it sound like it’s barely scraping past a lawsuit for copyright but instead, uses the setting to enhance the amount of songs and moods captured.
Without going into gameplay specifics just yet , a couple of my favourites were the music during Kiryu and Majima’s dedicated side jobs (Trouble Shooting Star and Interplanetary Spark), both of Kuze’s themes (Pledge of Demon and Oath of Enma) and of course, the dedicated music tracks for some of the side modes which I’ll also get into later.
I can’t go into detail without wanting to talk about every song in the game after that, but pretty much every track has a certain allegro feel to it. An energy like a tiger strapped to an uncontrollable treadmill, you just feel the speed, strength and skill on display in all of them. Plus it’s rock so it’s an easy win for me.
Voice acting I thought was also pretty great as well. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of an English dub, because the series wasn’t really popular outside its home territories but this also allowed me to enjoy the ““““proper”””” Yakuza experience that most of the diehards advocate.
I thought Kiryu and Majima’s voice actors, Takaya Kuroda and Hidenari Ugaki were pretty spot on. They had been playing the same characters for nearly a decade so it would make sense that they had nailed down the way their projections act.
Obviously there’s a few more catches to their roles given how their characters haven’t fully evolved into the versions most fans would know but you can still identify the skeleton of themselves if you know what I mean.
If we’re talking about new characters introduced in this game however, I think I should give a special mention to the three Dojima captains, Kuze, Awano and Shibuisawa.
They are all played by prominent Japanese film actors that are associated with crime dramas and got their start in the 80s, making it feel like a roundabout narrative with them as the key players in a story set in the 80s.
Kuze in particular, played wonderfully by Hitoshi Ozawa carries a certain weight with how he treats his role in the story. A former heavyweight boxer that entered the Yakuza world for bigger game and by the grace of our saviour and lord Jun Senoue he does exactly that.
When I first heard his voice, sounding like he smokes 10 cigars a day, I got his personality. Tough. Rougher than the rest of them. Unlike Sonic he don’t-. Wait, wrong franchise.
The only other character I got a really strong impression of when I encountered them was Shimano, a man who’ll play a larger role in Yakuza 1.
Mostly because when I saw him watching Majima’s interrogation with a speckless bald head, grining with no eyebrows, I burst out laughing. Whereupon I said “that is one evil looking motherf***er! [yes I actually said it out loud]” He couldn’t be more diabolical if he tried honestly.
Other than that, I think the rest of the cast are pretty good. None of them exceed the standards left by the characters but they also aren’t any worse then them either.
Overall though, if I was to look at Yakuza 0 as just a Japanese crime drama film, which it basically is, it gets high marks from me. But what about its gameplay?
Gameplay: Receive You and serve you a masterpiece
Now if you were to randomly meet me in a local neighbourhood, maybe at a cafe or one of those annoying family meet and greets I’m obligated to attend, if you came up to me and asked which of the Yakuza games you should start playing, I’d have a few opinions.
For new fans who want to play all games in the series, I’d easily recommend Like a Dragon aka Yakuza 7, given its fresh perspective on the world and the JRPG mechanics that are now expected of the series.
If you were to ask me which Yakuza is the most fun to play by itself however, then I’d say Yakuza 0. Easily. Why? Because it’s that good.
Now compared to Like A Dragon in 2020, the rest of the series up until this point had one major game style throughout.
Put simply, Yakuza 0 is an open world game that’s unfairly compared to the expectations of something like Grand Theft Auto. When in between major story missions, the player as either Kiryu or Majima (depending on the chapter) can freely walk around their respective maps, Kamurcho and Sotenbori.
While roaming there’s a couple of things that can happen, most notably, encounters with thugs on the streets. If you don’t outrun them or just allow them to chase you down, you’ll enter into a battle with different foes, ranging from small-time Yakuza and thugs to drunks and angry businessmen.
In combat, Kiryu or Majima take position and assume one of four possible fighting stances. Either a quick but low hitting form, a slow but devastatingly strong pose, a decent stance that covers all three and a hidden fourth stance that’s acquirable through each character’s side mode. You can switch between either stance via the d-pad on the PS4 version while in combat.
When I initially heard of this, a part of me wanted to compare this system to something like Devil May Cry 3’s own style swap system. Where the player can pick a style that gives them one constant buff as well as a dedicated move should you press a button, but that’s not the case here.
Instead, each style practically changes every aspect of your character’s playstyle. From the amount of combo potential you have with a standard attack on square, finishing a combo with triangle or using circle to perform a grab except in the quick style, which gives you a short kick as a replacement.
And despite both characters having distinct aura’s to separate the different styles, blue for standard, pink for quick, yellow for strong and white for the secret style, each version of those four poses have unique combos and animations to fit their character.
Kiryu for example starts with the basic “Brawler” style which has him throw his entire body around with a mixture of elbows and lunges. But through story progression, he can also obtain the boxing inspired “Rush” style, the devastatingly wide “Beast” style and as mentioned the unlockable “Legend” style through his side mode.
But really, out of the four, Beast style is the way to go. Not only does it have super armour on certain attacks but if you start a basic combo near grabble items, Kiryu will immediately pick them up off the ground and swing them at enemies. Anything from a bar sign to a freaking motorcycle or bike parked at the side of a road.
These have durability metres which prevents you from spamming the same attacks constantly but especially during some of the open world encounters, all it takes to win some fights is a conveniently placed park bench, Kiryu turning his brain off for 5 seconds and then proceeding to slam said bench into a bad guys rib cage.
His Brawler and Rush styles are also pretty good as well in boss battles, such as Rush’s weaving mechanic to dodge attacks or again, Brawler with Kiryu just throwing himself at foes but you can still make it by just using Beast style in most cases.
Majima on the other hand also has four unlockable styles that he can pick from. His default aggressive and dirty fighting “Thug” style, his baseball bat wielding juggernaut inspired “Slugger” style, his breakdancing inspired and heavy combo based “Breaker” style and his own unlockable “Legend” style from his own side mode.
For me, I think Breaker is his most efficient, specifically with how you can mash triangle during the end of one of your combos to do a series of helicopter spins on your back. Making it especially good against foes that have been knocked to the ground.
Thug much like Brawler is also good in most situations, specially from certain moves like Majima being able to poke his opponents in the eyes as one of his combo enders and Slugger having a very lengthy combo end that sees him swirl his bat around him like nunchuks. But again, Breaker beats them both in my opinion.
We’ll talk more about both characters’ fourth stances a bit later but in terms of aspects that both characters share, if the player does very well in combat, they will build up a small energy gauge under their health bar called the “heat gauge”.
When pressing triangle while the opponent is near a certain piece of the environment, Kiryu or Majima will spend a small amount of their heat gauge to perform a devastating attack, knocking a great chunk of their enemies health bar if done. Kneeing their target’s head if they’re lying on the ground, disarming an enemy of a knife if they have one, etc.
The main thing you should know when spending heat moves is that if you use the same one constantly in the same fight, that heat move becomes less and less efficient with each use.
Not to mention, you’ll only get heat if you attack opponents. If you get hit too many times or refuse to attack a target, your heat bar will plummet, so you should remain on the offensive whenever you can.
This mechanic had been a staple for the series up until 2020’s Like a Dragon and it’s one of the few things I think that game should have reinterpreted for its JRPG combat system. Because it’s very good.
Similar to something like the focus gauge from 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, the heat gauge in the Yakuza series is primarily based on good gameplay. The better you do, the more heat you’ll build up allowing for more ways to end fights early. The worse you do, the fewer chances you’ll have.
It’s a very simple mechanic in theory but one that encourages learning the mechanics with each fight. Something that’s a bit harder to do when you can simply pull a spell out to solve X problem in Like a Dragon.
That’s not me complaining about 7’s combat for the record, as I think both the traditional 3D action game and turn based JRPG style have their own strengths and are good in their own ways. I’d just like a bit more urgency in the JRPG combat, like more specific MP moves similar to Heat actions that require objects or conditions to perform.
Getting back on topic however, the other main thing you can do while in combat is using an assortment of weapons. Found either by buying them in shops between missions, rewards for mission completion or craftable via a weapon shop that I’ll talk more about later.
I did find it a bit tricky finding out how to equip weapons at first. As you need to go into an inventory menu on the pause screen and equip a weapon you want to use, then double tap the down button on the d-pad to pull them out.
Once you do however, these weapons essentially act as limited buffs during combat. Usually a range of knives and swords, a bunch of guns like pistols and shotguns that you need to hold R1 to aim and then square to shoot, it’s quite a lot to take in.
Thankfully, you don’t have to use guns if you don’t want to as they only serve to help with difficult encounters or speed regular ones up if you need. Especially since most boss’ will more often than not, shrug off your attacks with their massive health bars or faster speed.
Speaking of boss’, most chapters usually feature or end via a large enemy gauntlet wave. Usually in a tight corridor like the abandoned construction yard in Kiryu’s story or the hideout for Sera in Majima’s adventure.
These fights usually serve to test the players skills and provided you’ve invested in your skills or have enough health items before charging in, you should be alright in most cases. They won’t be easy mind you but they’ll still be doable with time.
With regards to skills, when not in combat, Kiryu or Majima can use the money they’ve gained through fights or side activities and invest in new upgrades. Such as amplifying their health, improving some of their old moves or unlocking entirely new ones to perform.
Not all abilities can be bought from the word good as many will require you to work closely with the person who gave you the combat style they are associated with.
This feature I’m not too big of a fan of in all honesty but I see the reason why you use in-game Yen instead of a simple EXP system.
Money is practically everywhere in both Sotenbori and Kamurcho, with even the character who tells you about the upgrade system saying it’s a personal investment.
However the main reason why I don’t like this is down to two things. Needing to buy health items or food for various fights. And the only real threat you can encounter in standard gameplay. Mr. Shakedown.
Though they come in many varieties, Mr. Shakedown in Yakuza 0 only exists for one purpose. To steal your money. By beating you to the curb like there’s no tomorrow.
They aren’t very hard to spot once you’ve seen them, thanks to the fact that they easily tower over both player characters when roaming the world but if your foolish enough to encounter them or run into one, there’s almost a guarantee you’ll lose.
It is possible to win against Shakedown and receive a massive cash bonus by stealing all of their wealth instead, but in most encounters, it only takes one hit to knock you to the ground and sometimes a second one to completely knock you out. They’re that tough.
And because of the skill system needing boatloads of money to upgrade, combined with the health regen management I mentioned, you need to be cost efficient if you’re playing the game normally with only doing a few side content here or there.
And now just mentioning side content, that feels like a perfect segway to talk about everything outside of combat.
When not actively pursuing main story missions, Kiryu or Majima can take part in a variety of smaller activities, ranging from hilarious to somewhat tedious.
I can’t talk about every piece of side content in this post without rambling for over twenty pages, so allow me to focus on the more important optional stuff instead.
The most common side activity however are the returning substories. Bite sized mini adventures that have our protagonists thrown into a variety of different encounters. From helping a scared gang member crossing one of the Sotenbori bridges from people who take offence with his jacket to helping a timid dominatrix getting better at her job.
Yeah, these substories are weird and in the best possible way.
Some of these also have specific friend metres and are fairly easy to work out. You greet a person during their everyday activities, like a child that really wants a stuffed plushie and then do their specific side content to help raise their spirits and learn more about them.
These missions essentially act as extended substories thanks to their larger investment and their own mini place in the substory counter.
Your mileage may depend on how much you enjoy these stories individually but I’m more than willing to bet you can enjoy them just based on how weird they can get.
Lastly however, there’s the big content. Side Jobs. An entire subgame within a game based on each of their professions. Kiryu managing a small-time business empire and Majima rebuilding a collapsing cabaret club.
Both of these features are introduced organically over the course of their respective stories and though they share similarities and encompass some level of business management, they both have their own characteristics to play.
Kiryu for example in “Real Estate Royale” runs a prosperity simulator as an employee of Tachibana Real Estate, with the goal of essentially owning a monopoly of Kamurcho’s electronic, pleasure, gambling, finance and entertainment districts, each run by greedy entrepreneurs.
As Kiryu, your objective is to buy out the competition in each district using the money you gained from other activities, defeating the muscle each dictator sends trying to slow down your business before eventually taking the fight to each business manager and knocking them down.
Out of the pair, I invested into Kiryu’s sidejob the most, especially since I could earn money from my businesses in the background. Though there’s a lot at stake as you often need to hire new staff and managers (like returning friends you can recruit from substories) to defend your gradual takeovers.
Meanwhile Majima in “Cabaret Club Czar” runs a cabaret club that requires more observant play.
Opening shop, playing a “on the fly” strategy game with your available staff and meeting the request and expectations of your staff while buying sponsorships from local businesses. All in the attempt at besting the five top cabaret clubs in Sotenbori.
By comparison to Kiryu I felt that Majima’s side job simply required too much effort. Especially since you often need to hire new staff (again through substories) and brush them up by changing their makeup and adjusting them to fit the needs of your customers before opening the shop.
I am aware that Club Czar is pretty popular in the Yakuza fan community though, so maybe it’s just a matter of taste. And because I spend wayyyyyy too much time on Kiryu’s business management as is.
Both of these side jobs however are a great source of income for both characters which you can invest into yourself through upgrades, personal items for your next fight or back into your businesses for more money.
Even if you’re not a big fan of either job, I’d suggest spending a little bit of time into both as they can help you out more in the long run. And also help show more of the time period’s money boom into it’s optional content.
And if you do get through either one, you’ll unlock the “Legend” style for that character in normal play. Basically a fighting style based on Kiryu and Majima’s more developed personality and fighting styles in future games.
I do think these styles should have been included as unlockables in the main story but I also understand leaving them as rewards for dedicated players. Rewarding you with the best abilities for your time commitment and revelling in your explosion of cash.
But much like an economic boom, all things must end eventually. Which means it’s now time to wrap up my analysis of this game.
Conclusion: The bomb before the storm
To finish my summary of Yakuza 0, I still stand by my thoughts.
This game by itself and as a title in the larger series is amazing.
Be it through its engaging prequel story that shows the franchise cast in their early stages to its plethora of rewarding side content for those invested in its time period and world.
Though I think 0 misses the angle a few times with some of it’s story beats and a well explained but difficult to track income system, those dirt marks can’t dull a otherwise fantastically made video game.
If you’ve ever wanted to dip your feet into the series, 0 is undoubtedly a fantastic way to start.
All I can say is, give it a shot and you might be surprised. At watching one of the greatest (and most exhaustive) video game crime sagas to exist.
First drafted July 22 2023
Last edited 15 January 2023
