I have continued working through the Yakuza, video game series. I have completed the following games:
- Yakuza 0 – Finished.
- Yakuza Kiwami 1 – Finished.
- Yakuza Kiwami 2 – Finished.
- Yakuza 3 remastered – Finished.
- Yakuza 4 remastered – Finished.
- Yakuza 5 remastered – Currently playing.
- Yakuza 6 Song of Life – Pending.
- Yakuza Like a dragon – Pending.
- Judgement – Pending
- Lost Judgement – Pending
There are a few “Gaiden” games that are coming out in the same world. I haven’t researched those yet, but I’ll be adding them to the list and playing them too.
There will be major spoilers in this blog post, just warning you in advance.
Below is a quick run-down of each game in the Yakuza, video game series.
Yakuza 0 is the game that started it all. This prequel to the Yakuza series follows the story of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they clash with Japan’s underground criminal underworld. Players explore an open world, meeting a variety of colorful characters while engaging in battles and mini-games. The game features fast-paced combat with an array of weapons and special moves players can use to defeat their enemies.
Yakuza Kiwami 1 is a remake of the original Yakuza game, featuring improved graphics, new content, and expanded storylines. Players have access to side missions and mini-games, as well as a deep fighting system that allows them to take on street thugs and rival gangs. This remake also includes some exclusive content not seen in the original version.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2 with enhanced visuals, additional side missions, and more intense combat sequences than ever before. Players will take control of Kiryu Kazuma as he battles his way through Tokyo and Osaka to get revenge against the man who killed his adopted family. The game features multiple styles of combat and a deep storyline that will keep players hooked.
Yakuza 3 Remastered is a remaster of the original Yakuza 3, featuring improved graphics, additional content, and an expanded story. Players will explore open-world environments in Japan and Okinawa while engaging in intense battles with street thugs and rival gangs. This remake also includes exclusive missions not seen in the original version.
Yakuza 4 Remastered is a remaster of Yakuza 4, which features improved visuals, additional content, and an even deeper story than before. Players take control of four different characters as they uncover secrets about their pasts while battling their way through Tokyo’s criminal underworld. With faster action sequences and more intense fights, this is a must-play for fans of the series.
Yakuza 5 Remastered is a remaster of Yakuza 5, which features improved visuals and additional content. Players take control of five different characters as they uncover secrets from their pasts while engaging in intense battles with street thugs and rival gangs. This remake also includes exclusive missions.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is the latest installment in the series, which follows Kiryu’s journey to find out what happened to his adopted daughter Haruka after she vanishes from Okinawa. With an even deeper story than before and over twenty-five unique locations to explore, this entry offers hours of entertainment for fans of the series.
Yakuza Like a Dragon is another game set in the Yakuza world that will feature turn-based RPG combat instead of the traditional real-time brawling system seen in previous games. Players can play as protagonist Ichiban Kasuga or one of seven other party members as they battle their way through a new adventure set within the Yakuza universe.
Judgement is a spin-off to the Yakuza series that follows Takayuki Yagami, a former lawyer-turned-private detective as he investigates a serial killer in Kamurocho. With an intense story and thrilling investigative sequences, this game offers a unique experience for players.
Lost Judgement is the sequel to Judgment and follows Takayuki Yagami as he continues to investigate crimes in the city of Yokohama. With new gameplay elements such as parkour, multiple characters to choose from, and an intense story, this game promises more excitement than ever before.
Overall I haven’t played anything past 5 (which I just started on) and I love the series but there are a few things that are frustrating me. I don’t like hte direction they are going in with Kiryu and Haruka. They had an amazing father and daughter connection. here are the things annoying me about the character development transitions so far).
- I am annoyed that he distanced himself from Haruka just because she is famous, and he started driving a taxi.
- I am annoyed that they butchered her character and made her seem like someone she isn’t. She had a specific personality and upbringing and they completely changed who she was for the later games, which is a shame since it’s also the same writer for each one.
- I was also not happy about them just ignoring that the orphanage Kiryu owned ever even existed. They never really commented on what happened in the gap. At least as far as I’ve been in the game so far (and looking ahead, which I regret doing).
It seems like at the end of the 4th one he was happy; he owned the orphanage and he got to spend a lot of time with Haruka and his other kids. Then all of a sudden, he is a taxi driver in the 5th one, Haruka is famous out of nowhere, and now all the kids are nowhere described. I wanted to know what happened with them after he stayed in the orphanage awhile, how did she become famous, what happened to each one of the kids that he raised in the orphanage, and where are they now. What happened to the orphanage?
This overall Yakuza, video game series and the storyline is so close to my heart it is so frustrating seeing the overall direction everything has taken. Let’s take a look at the overall “Yakuza timeline” on when each game took place.
Yakuza 0 – 1988-1989
Yakuza Kiwami – 2005
Yakuza Kiwami 2 – 2006
Yakuza 3 Remastered – 2009
Yakuza 4 Remastered – 2010
Yakuza 5 Remastered – 2012
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – 2016
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – 2019
Judgment – 2018
Lost Judgment – 2021
So overall the timeline is simple. I loved the storyline from 0 all the way to the end of 4th. In my opinion THAT should be where they ended Kiryu’s story. I love playing as him and I love him being in the game but as a fan that should be where his story ended. He should have continued running the orphanage, raised the kids until they got old enough to move out (or find homes) and continued to own it with Haruka or something along the lines of him being in her life on a deep level.
My issue starts during the 2-year transition from 4-5. I am still at the beginning of the game, and I looked up spoilers that summarized the story throughout the rest of hist storyline (because I was wondering what they did with the character).
So far I have a lot of questions (mentioned above). I may learn more about the game as I finish up the rest of the series. If I learn anything else relevant to what I’m writing about in this blog, I’ll probably do another post about it when I’m done with playing through all the games with him in it (even the most recent one has him in it).
Overall, I love every game. I love all the characters; I’m just frustrated about the direction they took it in. I loved the dynamic Haruka and Kiryu had and it was upsetting how they just turned it into what it is. I know it can’t be helped, it was the writer’s choice, I just wish they’d had a much better overall ending with him and they’d let his story rest. I had to say that because I love playing as him as a character and seeing him progress. But after 4 everything seems to have gone downhill for both him and Haruka. Even the whole “faking his death” thing which I haven’t even gotten to that point in the games yet.
I will continue working through the series. Depending on the outcome of my thoughts I’ll either come back and update this blog post with new information or I’ll do a follow-up post.
I wish they developed differently, but it’s still an amazing game and I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out with the story. Even the newer “Gaiden” ones that are coming out. I haven’t researched those yet or seen what play order to put them in.
I am updating this post with some new details, and may expand upon it again. So far as I have gotten in the story, he was also wiring money from the ATM back to the orphanage he owns. So perhaps the details will be explained after all. Still hoping he gets the happy ending he deserves to have.
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