Screenshot and cover image for Yakuza 6. For game review in TimeOut.
Screenshot and cover image for Yakuza 6. For game review in TimeOut.
An extraordinary chapter in gaming history comes to an end with Yakuza 6. The series started over a decade ago on the trusty ol' PlayStation 2 and has been telling the tangled, twisted tale of the yakuza Kazuma Kiryu and his Tojo clan ever since.
So there's a welcome familiaritywhen you find yourself back in the mean streets of the red light district Kamurocho. Yakuza's always been a good-looking game but Sega's new engine is eye-wateringly good. The word's overused but, in this instance, it's appropriate; Kamurocho and the seaside port town of Onomichi look simply amazing.
This gritty detail has come at a cost. When I first started playing, Kamurocho felt smaller than I remembered, with sections closed off "for construction". I wrongly assumed these areas would gradually open up but they didn't.
To make up for the shrinkage, the bustling district is packed with things to do that all conspire to keep you from rushing through the main story. There's plenty of side quests (humorous, wacky and serious), diverting as well as R-rated mini-games and even arcade ports of Sega classics, to keep you busy.
The smaller area also means you're more likely to hoof it rather than catching cabs. Fights are never far when you're on foot and you won't get far before getting jumped by mobs, thugs or rival yakuza.
The street brawling remains a big part of the experience and is as bone-crunching pleasing as it ever was thanks to the game's Virtua Fighter-like fighting style. Visceral and violent, it's instantly accessible but deepens to allow true mastery as you unlock new moves and combos. Even better, the transition from running to fighting is now seamless, loading screens a thing of the past.
The action-adventure, crime thriller is a lot of fun, but it is extremely unwoke and deserving of its R rating.
Its seedier aspects aside, Sega has concentrated on making a heartfelt and sentimental farewell to its long-serving protagonist. It's a little corny and overblown at times but they have largely succeeded. Even if you haven't played any other entries there's a lot to like and get lost in here.
