The Yakuza/Like a Dragon Franchise

[Captain Kirk]

What is your favourite Yakuza game and why is it Yakuza 0?

[Chris2K]

I love 0, but Like A Dragon is probably my favourite, I think I just prefer the turn-based combat in general. I'm enjoying Infinite Wealth as well, but I'm taking my time with it because I want to keep it going as long as possible.

It's quite a gulf between my feelings for the games using the Dragon engine and the middle games that don't. 3 in particular I found very jarring after playing Kiwami 2, and 5 just goes on, and on, and on without really achieving much story-wise. Then back to 6 with the Dragon engine and I'm in love again.

 

[stokeriño]

1 hour ago, Captain Kirk said:

 and why is it Yakuza 0?

Because I've played maybe 10% of Yakuza 0 and none of any of the others. 😬 I love what I've seen of the turn-based combat in the latest game(s) though.

I will continue to crawl through 0 but given that it only comes out when I'm between new games and I am compelled to focus on side activities anyway, it'll probably take another year to get through.

[Ruki]

0 is fantastic, but Like A Dragon was probably my favorite gameplay wise. I never would have expected it, but turn based works so well in the series. I can't wait to start on Infinite Wealth. But if we're focused on Kiryu centric games, I think 0 is JUST behind 6. I really dug the heck out of 6's story and everything around it. Really, none of these games are bad and all of them are amazing and deserving of praise and play!

[Chris2K]

What puts 0 ahead of 6 for me, other than Majima, is the villains. The 0 villains are so recognisable and borderline iconic, whereas 6's villains are an old man who can't move, a businessman, a coward, and the biggest villain of all, 2 hours of cutscenes about a boat.

[Captain Kirk]

Yeah for me it’s the villains of Yakuza 0 that absolutely put the game a little higher. I love Like a Dragon but I felt like the villains outside of the main one just weren’t up to par with what was on offer in 0. 

Well that and Goro Majima.

[Chris2K]

I'm up to Chapter 4 in Infinite Wealth, plenty of spoilers ahead.

Spoiler

1. It's great, obviously.
2. I knew about the Kiryu revelation already because the internet can't hide spoilers, but it's strange they went for "radioactive waste" instead of "smoked 40 cigarettes a day for over 50 years".
3. Just like Namba, I really don't like Tomizawa. Kasuga forgives people far too easily for my liking.
4. Hawaii looks incredible, to the point that it's made me really want to go there. It's nice that there's a decent mix of body sizes in the NPC models, even if every woman seems to have perfect measurements.
5. The Sujimon stuff is great, naturally all the references to the games and anime are perfect for me.
6. It's really, really strange how so many people Kasuga or Kiryu have got to know previously just happen to be in the same place as them at the exact same time of the events of this game...

 

[Krabby]

Which ones of these are all turn based?

The ones that aren't are they like hack and slash ARPGs?

[Captain Kirk]

1 minute ago, Krabby said:

Which ones of these are all turn based?

The ones that aren't are they like hack and slash ARPGs?

Both of the Like a Dragon ones are turn based, the rest are basically beat-em-ups like a modern Final Fight/Streets of Rage(inside battles).

[Krabby]

57 minutes ago, Captain Kirk said:

Both of the Like a Dragon ones are turn based, the rest are basically beat-em-ups like a modern Final Fight/Streets of Rage(inside battles).

Inside battles, so like open world until you get into a fight?

[Captain Kirk]

3 minutes ago, Krabby said:

Inside battles, so like open world until you get into a fight?

Yeah you run about doing all sorts of weird and wonderful side quests/activities with a good and serious main story. It's all open world in the city and when you get in to a fight it's confined to a small area almost like how it would be if you got in to a fight in a JRPG but it's action.

[stokeriño]

I have to say, an unfortunate problem I have with these games (or at least 0, being still the only one I've played) is that I'm never going to platinum them on the basis that a) it will take months and months to do, and b) I'm just not any good at half the mini-games that it would necessitate.

"But surely you can just enjoy a game and go about your life without feeling compelled to platinum it" - I have no time to listen to such reasonableness, away with you.

[Ruki]

https://www.gematsu.com/2024/04/like-a-dragon-new-title-cast-auditions-announced

 

They are starting casting for the next game already! And it sounds like they will do a Kiwami game for 3, which honestly needs it so bad. 

[Chris2K]

For those interested, Judgement is on sale on XBox for just £10/$12, I've swooped in to pick it up.

In Infinite Wealth news:

Spoiler

I wasn't expecting Kiryu to become a fully playable character, it's a little weird that he "suffers" from the same affliction as Kasuga for seeing enemies as RPG monsters, particularly as it's subtly hinting that it's being caused by the cancer, but it is a Like A Dragon game after all. 

I've just unlocked the "Reminisce" side missions for Kiryu where you go around to various spots and press a button to have Kiryu reminisce about a specific moment or person from the the series, which also gives an opportunity to go to Kamurocho. I think I know what I'll be completing this evening...

 

[Ruki]

Judgement is a steal at that price.