GET YOUR KICKS WITH A YAKUZA FIX
YAKUZA 6: THE SONG OF LIFE PS4
OUTSIDE Japan, Yakuza, just like the crime syndicates themselves, is somewhat of a mystery. The tense, slightly melodramatic crime drama series has always boasted a quirkily written script, combined with classic brawling gameplay, but has never quite managed to land with gamers in the West.
It’s sad then, that the title which acts as the swansong for series’ protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, should prove to be the breakthrough game.
Built on the brand new Dragon engine, Yakuza 6 (actually 7, if you count Yakuza Zero – the prequel game which started to turn the series’ fortunes in the US and Europe) has finally made its debut on the PS4.
While Sega’s decision to release the game to go head-to-head with God of War is a perplexing one, it’s great to see the game getting some exciting reviews.
Having spent three years in prison, Kiryu is released to discover his surrogate daughter, Haruka, is missing.
Picking up her trail, he ends up in his old stomping grounds of Kamurocho, where he is devastated to discover she has been involved in a hit-and-run, and lies in a coma.
To add to his distress, Kiryu discovers Haruka has a son, and he is now the child’s sole carer.
Baby in toe, Kiryu travels to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima, to find those responsible for hurting Haruka, trace her son’s father, and face down the Hiroshima yakuza.
There are many dizzying twists and turns in the plot which I found surprisingly gripping and emotional.
The town of Onomichi is stunningly realised, as is Kamurocho, the biggest red-light district in Tokyo, where the story begins its climactic finale.
Gameplay is frenetic, built around fast combos, swift blocking and even swifter dodging.
The only downside is the new streamlined combat system, the fighting seems superficial, I never felt like I needed to adapt my approach to an enemy, the same basic strategy was always successful.
What I did enjoy was being able to interact with the environment more.
Chairs, tables, even bikes could be used as weapons to throw or swing at somebody.
The new engine means load times are a thing of the past – Kiryu enters and exits buildings seamlessly – and that includes during fights.
While that may not sound like much, for the Yakuza series, which faces the conflicting pressures of tight release times in Japan and delayed schedules in the West, that’s a big deal.
The side quests are the game’s real gem – random encounters which see Kiryu caught up in increasingly bizarre situations.
Alerted to nearby trouble with the ‘Troublr’ app on Kiru’s phone, in one game you find yourself attempting to take down a drone which has been buzzing people on the streets, while in another you have to rescue a fearless YouTuber, who is attempting increasingly dangerous stunts in order to get the best views with his selfie stick.
That being said, with all the strides Sega has made with this release, it had a real opportunity to do something amazing with it.
Instead, its brave and bold beginning peters out, with repetitive fights, story inconsistencies, and a brilliant antihero who goes out with more of a whimper than a bang.