SEGA's Yakuza series has been around since the days of the PlayStation 2, but it's only been in recent years that it's really started to seep into the consciousness of a wider Western audience. This is largely thanks to Yakuza 0 2017, which sparked a whole new wave of interest on PlayStation 4. This of course helped Yakuza 0 become one of the franchise's best games to date.
Now, you might be sitting there wondering what Yakuza is and if you want to give the series a try. More importantly, you wonder where to start.
To date, there are nine main Yakuza games, including two remakes. From the outside, a series made up of nine different entries can seem incredibly daunting, so we've put together this guide in hopes that our knowledge of the series can point you in the right direction.
But before you start...
What is Yakuza, exactly?
Yakuza is sometimes referred to as "Grand Theft Auto set in Japan", but that's not the case at all. The Yakuza games aren't open-world, and the only thing they really have in common with Rockstar's hit franchise is that they have a central theme of crime.
Yakuza games are very story-driven, with lots of cutscenes and dialogue. Every game in the main series (so far) features Kazuma Kiryu – a beast of a man who always manages to get wrapped up in the latest drama from the Japanese criminal underworld. In some games, however, Kiryu is not the only playable character.
The series is primarily set in a fictional red-light district known as Kamurocho, although other settings appear in a number of games. Kamurocho and other environments are generally pretty open, but again, they're not open world. You can freely explore the streets of Kamurocho, but you cannot jump in the nearest car and take a ride into the distance.
Kamurocho and other series settings are certainly not as large as the maps you'll find in open-world titles like Grand Theft Auto or Assassin's Creed, but they are densely populated. There are karaoke bars, batting cages, shops, apartment buildings, restaurants – everything you would expect of city life in Japan. And the main thing to note is that you are free to enjoy each attraction.
Indeed, mini-games play an important role in the Yakuza series. When you're not following the story, you can head to the arcade and play some old-school SEGA games. Or, if you're feeling a bit more social, you can hang out at the local hostess club and chat with the ladies. The minigames tend to be shockingly deep, with high scores and other details keeping you coming back for more.
It can be hard to pinpoint which genre Yakuza games actually belong to, but for our money, they're basically action role-playing games. RPG elements like leveling up and constantly unlocking perks are part of the package, while side quests offer optional storylines to pursue – many of which are wonderfully comical.
And then there is the fight. Yakuza is absolutely packed with fights. Whether it's teaching street punks a lesson or going toe-to-toe with a murderous crime boss, Kiryu usually finds himself having to fight his way through trouble.
Yakuza's combat system is pretty standard, at least on the surface. He has freedom of movement, light attacks, heavy attacks, combos, blocks and dodges. Where it stands out is the “thermal” system. As Kiryu brawls, you fill up a special meter which can then be spent in order to unleash powerful cinematic moves. These attacks are often brutal and turn the otherwise solid but unsurprising combat into something quite spectacular.
Oh, and it's worth mentioning that Yakuza can be quite mature at times. He's known for tackling dark subject matter, and needless to say, there are plenty of bloody violent moments. Just a warning for the delicate.
The chronology of Yakuza
As mentioned, there are a total of nine main Yakuza games, but two of them are remakes. That means there are seven Yakuza titles you need to consider if you're looking to play through the whole story.
And yes, all of the main Yakuza games have a chronological order. In Yakuza 0, Kiryu is 20 years old. By the time Yakuza 6 rolls around, Kiryu is approaching 50.
Below we have listed all the games in chronological order.
- Yakuza 0 (takes place in 1988)
- Yakuza: Kiwami (remake of the first Yakuza, takes place in 2005)
- Yakuza: Kiwami 2 (remake of Yakuza 2, takes place in 2006)
- Yakuza 3 (takes place in 2009)
- Yakuza 4 (takes place in 2010)
- Yakuza 5 (takes place in 2012)
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (takes place in 2016)
Does the main story continue across multiple Yakuza games?
Now, this is the most common question we see floating around when newcomers ask about Yakuza.
There is no "main story" in Yakuza. Games may feature returning characters and may even reference plot points from previous games, but there is no single story that runs through them all. None of the Yakuza games are direct sequels, and none end in cliffhangers or anything like that.
Each Yakuza game has its own storyline that starts and ends in that game. You can jump into the Yakuza series anytime you want and enjoy the game for what it is, even if you don't have any prior knowledge.
However, as mentioned, there are returning characters, and the events of previous games often influence the events of others. For example, there are characters who start off as Kiryu's enemies in one game, but events in that game eventually lead to them being good guys in later titles.
If you want to experience everything each character goes through, you have no choice but to play every Yakuza game.
Again, though, it's perfectly possible to jump in anytime and have fun. The games usually explain very well who certain characters are, and most of them have a mode where you can read the events of the previous games.
So which Yakuza game should you start with?
As with most entertainment, it's probably best to start with Yakuza at the start.
Launched in 2017 for PlayStation 4 (and PlayStation 3 in Japan), Yakuza 0 is technically a prequel, but we think it's still the best place to start. The game traces the early days of Kiryu's career in the yakuza, as he collects debt money from Kamurocho's biggest losers.
Yakuza 0 also features Goro Majima as a second playable character. Majima is a recurring and prominent character in the Yakuza series, so you get deep insight into how he rose through the ranks of crime.
As you might expect from a prequel, Yakuza 0 sets things up pretty well. Its story introduces you to a wide array of characters – many of whom are at least referenced in the other games. Plus, its narrative does a great job of selling the overall tone of the series, with plenty of brilliantly comedic side quests contrasting with the serious nature of the main plot.
And, as mentioned earlier, Yakuza 0 is, in our opinion, one of the best games in the series. It's always a good idea to start on the right note.
An alternative starting point
Another option is to start with another PS4 game called Judgment. Judgment is by the same team behind the Yakuza series, and while it doesn't carry the Yakuza name, it's essentially a spin-off. A lot of the gameplay mechanics and systems in Judgment come from Yakuza, so if you want to see if the series' gameplay is for you, it might be worth checking out Judgment before diving into Yakuza proper.
You see, Judgment has its own story, almost completely separate from the Yakuza series (barring a few very minor references). It also has a totally different cast of characters. But above all, it's a fantastic game. For our money, Judgment is actually one of the best Yakuza titles money can buy, even though it's not part of the main series.
You can read our full review of the judgment by clicking here
Which Yakuza games are must-play games?
If we had to recommend one Yakuza game to newcomers, it would always be Yakuza 0 for the reasons outlined above. Not only is it a fantastic game, but it's also the best entry point to the entire series.
Beyond Yakuza 0, the recommendations get a bit more complicated - but at least now in 2020, all of the mainline Yakuza games are available on PS4.
Yakuza games currently available on PS4 in English:
- Yakuza 0 (released in 2017)
- Yakuza: Kiwami (released in 2017, a remake of the original Yakuza)
- Yakuza: Kiwami 2 (released in 2018, a remake of the original Yakuza 2)
- Yakuza 3 remastered (sorti in 2019, a remaster of Yakuza 3)
- Yakuza 4 Remastered (sorti in 2019, a remaster of Yakuza 4)
- Yakuza 5 (sorti in 2020, a remaster of Yakuza 5)
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (released in 2018)
So yes, you can play through the main Yakuza series from start to finish on PS4. However, you have to consider how long each Yakuza game takes to complete. On average, the main story of a Yakuza game lasts around 20-30 hours. Add in side quests and other optional activities, and it's probably closer to 50 hours. Unlike your typical RPG, Yakuza can require a significant time investment.
If you don't have the time or can't afford to play every game, we recommend sticking to the best, simple, and straightforward ones. As far as we're concerned, Yakuza 0, Yakuza: Kiwami 2, and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life are the staples of the series. That's not to say the other games are bad - far from it - but if you only want the chance to play a few titles, these are the Yakuza games to go for.
As you may have read above, we also recommend playing Judgment, although as we've already explained, it's technically not part of the main Yakuza series.
You can read our review of Yakuza 0 by clicking here
You can read our review of Yakuza: Kiwami 2 by clicking here
You can read our review of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life by clicking here
But before we let you explore this masterful series of games, there's one last thing to consider: the game engines. Now, we're not going to get too technical here, but the simple truth is that some Yakuza games have the air and play much better than others. Specifically, Yakuza: Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life both run on a much more advanced game engine called Dragon Engine. Again, they look way better than the rest, with better lighting, textures, animations, character models – the lot. As such, it can be difficult to transition from the amazing-looking Kiwami 2 to the rough-looking Yakuza 3 if you're playing through the series in chronological order. Obviously, there's not much you can do about it, but it's worth keeping in mind.
Are you new to Yakuza? Let us know if you plan on hanging out with Kaz in the comments section below.
