Coming exclusively to PS4 on April 17, 2018
SEGA has done a fantastic job popularizing the story-driven Yakuza fighting series across the West in recent years. Newer entries like Yakuza 0 and Kiwami have showcased the brilliance of which the franchise is capable. Now, the sixth instalment is on the horizon and finally brings seasoned hero Kazuma Kiryu into the next generation with an all-new gameplay engine and countless new additions. The end result is a brutal experience I’ve already fallen in love with.

Yakuza 6 once again has Kiryu return to the Red Light District of Kamurocho. Except, this time, he’s got a personal reason to occupy his old stomping ground. During his three years in prison following the events of Yakuza 5, our protagonist has returned to find his adoptive daughter Haruka missing. Her location is a mystery, and Kiryu will do absolutely anything to find and protect his family.


The opening hour or so of Yakuza 6 is heavy on plot, speeding through several cutscenes that do a wonderful job of establishing the stakes and investing the player in Kiryu’s motivations. As someone who has followed his story for almost a decade I was riveted immediately, but SEGA has made a great effort to make the plot accessible to newcomers, too.
Newcomers can now decide to relive the events of past games by reading through a series of easy to digest summaries that introduce you to characters, their backstory and major happenings of earlier titles. There’s a lot to digest, but Kazuma Kiryu’s chronicle is most certainly worth delving into.

The crux of Yakuza 6 lies in its combat, exploration and storytelling, all of which combine to create a fantastic whole to spend hours with. The first few chapters pull you into the Japanese underworld through short, snappy tutorials and dramatic fight sequences.


Everything has an impressive depth to it, too. The battle mechanics are supported by a robust upgrade system that is constantly rewarding through points to spend regardless of what you do in the world. Minigames that were once little more than fun distractions now help you grow as a character. In-game achievements document milestones that all go toward upgrade currency which I found myself spending with a satisfactory grin. Yakuza 6 fixes many small niggles its predecessors carried and is all the better for it.
Speaking of improvements, combat in Yakuza 6 is bloody brilliant. It carries all the weight of its older siblings alongside a greater feeling of finesse. Kiryu is one slippery bugger, capable of escaping the enemy’s grasp and sprinting across the night-lit streets in search of a bin to deck someone with. Every punch and kick hits with a noticeable whack, sending enemies flying across the screen while splashes of crimson splatter the pavement. Kazuma Kiryu is undoubtedly the John Wick of gaming, and the town of Kamurucho treats him with such reverence.
From what I’ve seen of Yakuza 6 thus far, it doesn’t possess the multiple combat styles of its predecessors. Kiryu is also the only playable character, which makes sense given how he is this story’s central focus. This initial lack of depth didn’t bother me at all, given how the scope of Yakuza 6 is catered to a single playable hero and the systems reflect that.
Upgrades apply not only to your attack, defense and other attributes. They also have a direct impact on how much money you obtain from enemies and how well you perform in certain minigames. It’s a cycle that kept me invested and excited to delve further into Yakuza 6’s world. It’s really something, and I hope this quality continues as Kiryu’s story progresses.

Yakuza 6 doesn’t possess a traditional open-world, it instead provides the player with a densely-packed sandbox that’s filled with a range of activities. Exploration has seen some neat improvements. Loading screens once separated stores, attractions and even certain battles. Now it’s all seamless. Approach a door and Kiryu will march right through it. Stumble into a fight and a quick button press means you’ll easily strike the first blow.
The town of Kamurocho features a similar layout to past titles but has been enhanced with an abundance of new interior spaces and noticeable visual polish. It’s oddly hilarious accidentally stumbling into a random office building and watching its inhabitants cower in fear at Kiryu’s sudden appearance. Moments like this are small on their own, but help make the world feel genuine.
Similar refinements have been made to Substories, Yakuza’s equivalent to side quests. All dialogue is now spoken instead of being crammed into little text boxes. This change makes each micro-narrative far more endearing to watch unfold, whether you’re helping a young girl find merchandise for her favourite idol or accidentally installing a hostile AI on your smartphone. Yakuza 6 is filled with surprises like this, and so far all are worth seeing.


 

First Impressions

Yakuza 6’s first few hours are a blast. The opening trio of chapters presents something that is utterly filled with things to discover. Whether it be the evocative crime-drama narrative or the slew of optional side content, SEGA has created an adventure that I could see myself losing dozens of hours to already.
The series finally transitioning into a new engine has allowed it to blossom both visually and mechanically, creating one of the best depictions of Japan we’ve ever seen in gaming.