Yakuza review

I’ve been looking forward to this for quite some time. I had it in my head that it would be some sort of Shenmue-a-like but it turns out I couldn’t really be more wrong. There are some similarities though but only in regards to how the story has been crafted.

Whereas Shenmue was mostly about solving puzzles with a bit of forklift driving and sailor hunting thrown in, Yakuza is all about the fighting. No one seems to know very much about the Yakuza, being shrouded in mystery and all that but the game allows us to have a peek inside this murky Japanese underground.

You play the role of Kazumi Kiryu, banged up for a murder he didn’t commit. Kazuma is actually quite an honourable chap despite his penchant for smashing heads into walls or swinging bicycles viciously at his foes.

After being released from prison you find yourself back on the streets and involved in finding out about the death of a Yakuza family chairman, not to mention a huge amount of missing money from the Yakuza bank accounts. You are able to roam around the streets of the city visiting the various stores and buildings though the play area is deceptively small in real terms. It’s certainly not a sandbox adventure. Puzzles are a rarity and the story is driven almost wholly by connecting various fights that can happen with alarming frequency.

Revenge is a dish best served cold

The fighting is where the game really excels and it brings along a nice levelling up system whereby you can earn new death dealing moves. There’s nothing complicated about it in any way and a short tutorial will give you the basic skills you need to take out onto the streets. It’s easy to do the odd combo or grab a nearby weapon and start crushing skulls. Cause enough damage and you are able to do what are known as Heat moves.

These allow you to do things like smash the heads of your enemies into nearby walls or even tables. The variety of moves on offer is extensive and there will always be something useful for you to use against a certain enemy. I know it all sounds fairly generic but once you get started the violence has a visceral appeal that only becomes apparent in the playing. Moves connect with force and the sound effects really hammer home to you the damage that you are causing. You have an inventory that allows you to carry the odd item so you can heal if things are becoming a little too hot to handle.

She must suffer to her last breath

Complimenting the fights is the great story, full of excellent characters. Each is introduced in a still frame with their name, family and rank displayed for you to see. It’s a great way of helping you remember who’s who though there are quite a few folk to keep track of in your head.

The voice acting is mostly of a high standard and shouldn’t cause anyone to break down grimacing in pain as we used to in the past at certain awful dubs. The game isn’t perfect though as sometimes the camera can be a little unwieldy and there are far too many loading times to keep everything seamless. The odd time you will start a combo and as you are facing slightly the wrong way you end up punching and kicking the air. The faults aren’t enough to spoil what is a great game though and it’s testament to Sega’s storytelling skills that it feels fresh and new.

You and I have unfinished business

Fights come at you thick and fast and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Kazumi has the words ‘kick me’ stamped on his forehead as seemingly every lowlife around wants to take a pop at him. It keeps things moving a fair old pace though. Saving the game can be done at any of the telephones you find scattered around the game. Yakuza is a game that many of you will really enjoy as it gets so many things right in relation to how this type of game should be done.

It’s involving and carries enough impetus to keep you fighting right to the very end while enjoying how the story progresses. The graphics are on the whole excellent with the neon lights and gritty feel going some way to immersing you into the game. If you hanker after some great fights with an equally good story to carry things along then you really can’t pick a better game and it’s one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played on the Playstation 2 this year.