The Yakuza games and their spin-offs thread

[strumpusplunket]

Like A Dragon: Ishin! is my favourite by far - the combat, the setting, the characters, the story, the atmosphere. ALthough, I played the PS3 version on the emulator, and it has better combat than the Steam remake (many more combos are possible as enemies cannot block mid combo like they do in PC version. Also, PS3 bosses do not have magic superpowers/fireballs of PC version).

Yakuza:0 is close second, but, after Sifu set the benchmark for hand-to-hand, combat it is hard to like Yakuza's relatively primitive fisticuffs. With LAD:Y! katana, I've only used swordsman style throughout, avoiding the gimmicky revlover almost altogether, and it's pretty great even after Sekiro, Nioh and Ninja Gaiden. PC version combat is a bit worse though.

Apparently LAD is pretty bad grind wise, but I avoided the issue by completeting the game with almost stock sword on PS3 and used mods on the PC.

That's good to know. As these are all on GP now, I am currently planning to go 4 -> Gaiden -> Ishin, and then maybe 5 if I still have any appetite for the series by then.

Will get Infinite Wealth either when it's dropped in price of when it also appears on GP, I think.

 

[Borsch]

That's good to know. As these are all on GP now, I am currently planning to go 4 -> Gaiden -> Ishin, and then maybe 5 if I still have any appetite for the series by then.

Will get Infinite Wealth either when it's dropped in price of when it also appears on GP, I think.

I would put Ishin top/near top of that list as all Yakuza games after the Lost Judgment have the most stupid animations for juggling combos- not in a mad yet funny way, but just cringe:

 

[strumpusplunket]

I would put Ishin top of that list as all the Yakuza games after the Lost Judgment have the most stupid animations for juggling combos- not in a mad yet funny way, but just cringe:

Haha, that looks ridiculous!

I guess given the setting, Ishin doesn't fit in any order either, so it makes no difference playing it before 4 or 5?

 

[Borsch]

I guess given the setting, Ishin doesn't fit in any order either, so it makes no difference playing it before 4 or 5?

No difference as Ishin's story and casting are completely independent from the modern stuff.

The only downside to Ishin is that it's a poorer version of the original Ps3/Ps4 version. Combat is worse. Bosses are worse. Card system is worse. The cast is worse. Grind is worse (but this is actually the least of all evils as this can be solved with mods). But combat is not and cannot be addressed by mods - enemies block mid combos(this somwhat wrecks the fun of the game), guard break no longer breaks bosses guard, standard attacks connect with enemies on the floor, swordsman style (the coolest "katana only" style of the game) is slower, bosses have magic fireballs which they don't on PS4/Ps3 and so on.

I played a google translated PS3 version on an emulator first, and Steam remake second, so my overall high regard for LAD:Ishin! is because I have these confused memories Steam remake is still good, but the OG Ishin was great.

 

[strumpusplunket]

No difference as Ishin's story and casting are completely independent from the modern stuff.

The only downside to Ishin is that it's a poorer version of the original Ps3/Ps4 version. Combat is worse. Bosses are worse. Card system is worse. The cast is worse. Grind is worse (but this is actually the least of all evils as this can be solved with mods). But combat is not and cannot be addressed by mods - enemies block mid combos(this somwhat wrecks the fun of the game), guard break no longer breaks bosses guard, standard attacks connect with enemies on the floor, swordsman style (the coolest "katana only" style of the game) is slower, bosses have magic fireballs which they don't on PS4/Ps3 and so on.

I played a google translated PS3 version on an emulator first, and Steam remake second, so my overall high regard for LAD:Ishin! is because I have these confused memories Steam remake is still good, but the OG Ishin was great.

That sounds less promising. Just started Y4 now, but will get to Ishin later on. Hopefully coming from the older games will make it seem better just by virtue of being more polished. The QoL features are conspicuosly missing in Y3 & 4...

 

[Borsch]

I've never played Y3 and 4 so can't comment. I played Y0 to about 75% way through before dropping it (combat became boring, especially Majima's combat; jaw droppingly good casting, script and acting also leveled off by then), about a third of Kiwami1, and first 3 levels or so of Kiwami2. Last Judgment and the sequel were dropped very quickly for the combat physics issues above, and also they just did not have the bite of classic Yakuza cast and script. Also, SIFU came out at some point and set the benchmark on how awesome hand-to-hand combat can be done nowadays, and Yakuza just couldn't compete.

Like a dragon:Ishin was the only one that I've completed - twice, emulator and on Steam (swordman/brawler styles only, hate the gimmicky gun and sword+gun). So to me it's the best Yakuza, especially the PS3/PS4 version with its cast (some actors were changed for the Steam ver) and combat

 

[Personality+]

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

is probably my favourite from the 5 I played also, maybe it's just the setting that appeals to me more than the other games, I also enjoyed most of the story more than the other titles I ended up playing. I bought Infinite Wealth and finished that earlier in the year and found it far more tedious to play through.

 

[strumpusplunket]

I'm probably about a third of the way through 4 now, and I have to say that I think LAD (Y7) is my favourite so far. Y0 is a pretty close second for me. 2 and 6 I liked a lot, but 3 and 4 definitely feel lacking in a several respects in comparison IMO.

The bizarro physics in Gaiden above will doubtless be jarring, but I imagine I'll end up being able to overlook it if the setting, atmosphere and activities and substories are of a good standard.

 

[Amatsubu]

Gaiden is good, the agent combat style is ridiculous but fun and the chars are solid as usual, the story ties in nicely with 7 and even a bit with Judgment.

A must play for the fans as it's on Gamepass.

 

[Amatsubu]

Gaiden is good, the agent combat style is ridiculous but fun and the chars are solid as usual, the story ties in nicely with 7 and even a bit with Judgment.

A must play for the fans as it's on Gamepass.


I whole-heartedly recommend Judgment for the best combat, really good chars and one of the best stories in the franchise. Could use a bit less of those annoying trailing missions but I persevered.

I'm actually playing Sifu now and not that impressed with the combat for the amount of praise it got, Yakuza combat has its problems but the hear actions in Lost Judgment smoke it overall after you unlock the styles and learn to string them.

The animations are a bit wooden and it lacks impact but I'll stick with it, probably my expectations were too high. I expected a hand-to-hand Sekiro and while it is somewhat similar, it feels much worse to play.

 

[khevolution]

I am currently working my way through Infinite Wealth as I really enjoyed Y7 combat style (feel like i might be in a minority) while i agree there is a fair amount of grind needed, I have played worse. As for the standard series with Kiryu i have only played Kiwami, I have started judgement a couple of time but usually got distracted by another game.

 

[strumpusplunket]

So, I finished Gaiden last night and really enjoyed it. It was nice to see Kiryu's story tied up a bit more and linking his role in 6 and 7, and seeing some events from 7 from another perspective. The final scenes hit me in the feels.

Just fired up Ishin to make this six Yakuza games back-to-back for me. It's back to being more dated, which I didn't expect given it's a recent PC release, but I see looking into it that it's a remaster (rather than a Kiwami version) of a much older game in the same 3 and 4 were. I'm missing the QoL features from 6 and Gaiden, and it's a shame there's no native widescreen support, but interesting playing as not-Kiryu in a differnt era and playing around with the sword fighting style.

The skill trees look a bit daunting too, and I can't make head nor tail of what will actually enhance my combat at the moment.