Yakuza 5

Editor's Notes

Digital PS3 version reviewed. The review has very little in the way of spoilers.

Introduction

Sega's storied 'Yakuza' franchise has had quite a time getting into the hands of Western fans going all the way back to the later PS2 era, yet somehow, even if it sometimes takes years after the initial Japanese release, just about every mainline entry has eventually become playable in English. Now that 'Yakuza 0' has been announced for PS4, however, 'Yakuza 5's release on the PS3 brings with it even more excitement than usual.

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

Getting 'Yakuza 5' almost feels like a triumphant moment, as it's not only the most diverse game in the series to date, it might just be the best.

'Yakuza' might just be the best series Sega has ever created, or, at the very least, certainly one of the most unique. The developer's name might not hold the prestige it once did outside of Japan, but if any game serves as a reminder of just how great Sega can be when firing on all cylinders, it's 'Yakuza 5'. Commonly perceived to be Japan's answer to 'Grand Theft Auto', the games couldn't be more different, and nothing exemplifies this quite like the narrative structure of it all. Yes, both franchises typically deal with protagonists who aren't on wonderful terms with the law, but whereas 'GTA' often feels like a celebration of chaos, 'Yakuza' holds itself back in some surprising ways. Some of the very first things you'll do involve apologizing to a taxi company for breaking protocol at lead protagonist Kiryu's driving job, then you'll send money to an orphanage he runs and go out drinking with your boss to celebrate payday.

As over the top as the series often gets, it never shies away from celebrating the mundane, and if any game makes ordinary life seem shockingly compelling, it's this one. Kiryu's work as a taxi driver, for example, isn't just a plot device, but a fully fleshed out game in its own right, and one that actively punishes you for disobeying road laws. A subgame where all you do is drive carefully and converse with customers sounds dreadully boring, but in Sega's capable hands, it becomes a really compelling diversion that could easily last you hours.

At its core, this is an open world action game/JRPG hybrid, one backed up with a wonderful, arcadey combat system that brings to mind the kinds of brawlers you don't see all that often these days. It's not the most complicated combat system, and if you've played a previous game in the series, you'll have a perfect idea of what to expect, but for those new to the series, it's not terribly complicated. It's somewhat simple action game fare, but where it mixes things up is in the game's weapon system. You can carry around weapons and use them at will, but the game also encourages you to use anything in your environment, such as bikes, road signs, traffic cones, etc. as a weapon. As you attack enemies, you'll build up a Heat gauge, which lets you use incredibly strong finishing moves, and by fighting and completing quests, you'll level up which lets you unlock new attacks and techniques and raise your stats. While you can easily play the game ignoring the extra moves and whatnot, levelling definitely helps keep combat feeling fresh where it could've easily become extremely repetitive.

Each character does have a slightly different move set from one another, which is definitely a nice touch. Possibly the biggest improvement to be found in 'Yakuza 5' lies in the load times. In previous games, loading combat would take far too long considering just how frequent it is, but here, loading is much faster, which goes an incredibly long way to making the encounters feel less stilted than they once did. While the majority of the game may only be an incremental improvement over previous entries, it's things like this that can make a world of difference.

I do, however, wish the game had handled boss fights a little better than it does. There are some great set pieces that I won't spoil, but ultimately, the majority of boss encounters boil down to either fighting one enemy with a ton of health, or plenty of much weaker enemies. The context surrounding each fight helps keep them memorable, but I do wish they differed a little more than they do.

But it's in all the little things, the near endless amounts of side quests and minigames you can partake in, that 'Yakuza 5' really forms its own identity. The side quests are wonderfully handled, and can range from surprisingly engaging character drama to goofy, but ultimately really funny joke plotlines. 'Yakuza 5' doesn't ever force exploration on you, but it absolutely rewards it. If combat ever begins to feel stale, there are more than enough diversions to keep you occupied. Go bowling, visit the batting cages, hit the arcades, or just check out the local restaurants. Put the time into these activities, and the game will absolutely reward you for it. It's a franchise that realizes the importance of keeping everything feeling fresh.

It's a fun, extremely polished game that's clearly been made with a lot of love on the developer's part, and if it's one of the last massive PS3 games to be released, it serves as an amazing swansong.