Yakuza series

[Timothy]

Finished it. Loved this game, probably my favorite Yakuza game of all time.

Now trying to get the Platinum.

Is the DLC worth it?

[Mister Six]

Wake up, babe, new Yakuza merch just dropped. More pics in link.

Finished it. Loved this game, probably my favorite Yakuza game of all time.

Now trying to get the Platinum.

Is the DLC worth it?

You mean Infinite Wealth? From what I gather, the Master Vacation pack is the only semi-worthwhile one, as it unlocks New Game+ (which is necessary for 100% completion on Xbox and PC, so I hear, dunno if it's the case for PS) and has a new dungeon, The Big Swell, with some funny but unvoiced post-game story content. Haven't played it and won't even reach the endgame by April, most likely, but I'll pick it up whenever it goes on sale, probably for Black Friday.

[Thursday]

Think I said earlier that I feel like considering how much you're paying the master vacation bundle it is a bit much for what it is. But considering the value proposition of the rest of the game I felt okay with it, even though it is a bit scummy. And after finishing the story, a low stakes, light hearted adventure with the whole gang together felt like a nice way to put a bow on the experience.

[Timothy]

As it unlocks New Game+ (which is necessary for 100% completion on Xbox and PC.

Oh wow. I am on Xbox (I said Platinum but I meant all achievements) and did not know that. Apparently you have to complete new game plus on legend for 100%.

I just did all substories and think thats enough for now. Might buy the DLC on sale.

Thanks for the replies all!

[Goldentony]

had to wear an eyepatch at the opticians yesterday

[Mister Six]

At 55 hours in, I've finished Dondoko Island (I think - notes in spoilers below) and am halfway through Sujimon training. Time to get on with finishing Chapter 6 of 14, I guess!

Dondoko Island "ending" spoilers

So I got rid of the Washbucklers - I like that there was no redemptive arc there; unusual in a Yakuza side story, especially one with a foe that has a "tragic" backstory - and got the island to five stars. Then I completed a couple of cute little substories involving a lake (really more of a pond, surely?) monster and a hermit by the waterfall and... that's it, I guess? Both of those stories followed the same structure - go to place, discover the thing is really more innocent than it seems, then see that there's actually something odd happening - so I thought there'd be a third one with a twist to fulfil the rule of threes and cap it off. But no, apparently not?

[close]

[Thursday]

Yeah I remember thinking that was a bit odd. Felt like it was missing a final bit.

[Goldentony]

Loved playing Kiwami, was a nice surprise the map being the same and was sort of worried at how much of the place I remembered, moved immediately onto Kiwami 2 and after my initial disappointment over Bob being contained within the phone the fighting is so much more fun, it's great being able to lob dickheads into windows and shops and twat stuff at them from across the road

[Mister Six]

I love seeing Kamurocho and Sotenbori develop over the years (even if small parts disappear and reappear as the series changes to and from the Dragon Engine).

Apparently a controversial claim, but I think Kiwami 2 has by far the best Kiryu combat. It's the only game where I was playing the coliseum just for fun and not to grind out a side quest or special item.

[letsgobrian]

It's definitely better than 6, I found that a bit floppy. But I think Gaiden is the best on the technicality that it's not really Kiryu in Ishin.

[Mister Six]

6 was the first Dragon Engine game, and they polished it up for Kiwami 2, which has a much better "flow", especially for the charged moves.

Gaiden was fun, but the Yakuza moveset felt a little undercooked and Agent felt gimmicky, with the special powers either OP (rocket shoes, wire) or useless (cigarette, drones). It's one of those things where if they bring it back I fully expect it to be a thousand times better. Underwhelming on a first pass but perfecting it on the second seems to be their thing (see also, Saejima, Yagami, Kiryu changing from 3 to 4, the JRPG combat... Akiyama might be the only time they got it right on the first go; I can't remember him changing much from 4 to 5).

But Kiwami 2 - man, the speed, the power, the flow, the variety... I remember pissing myself laughing the first time I parried Komaki into the coliseum's electric fence, only for him to do the exact same thing to me immediately after.

[Goldentony]

good being able to swing people through restaurant windows and waltz through the empty space slowly to ask for dinner only to be told FUCK OFF YOU JUST WRECKED THE PLACE

[oggyraiding]

I think Kiwami 2 is the closest thing to a "perfect" Yakuza game. Best antagonist, very good combat.

Lost Judgment is maybe better in terms of combat and side stuff, but the main antagonist and his schemes and motivations were kind of dumb.

[Pink Gregory]

I think Kiwami 2 is the closest thing to a "perfect" Yakuza game. Best antagonist, very good combat.

I genuinely think Mine from Y3 is up there next to the bad lads from Y0, and Shimano of course.

Kiwami 2 stands out to me purely because of getting into fights along the Soten on the boardwalk and the glorious shortcut of throwing lads in the river without even using heat.

[letsgobrian]

They've really been teasing Goda coming back in the past two games (and having him back by proxy in Ishin). While I assume the next Gaiden will be Akiyama's post-Yakuza 6 adventures, discovering Goda's been sunning himself in Hawaii for the past 19 years would be grand.

[Mister Six]

Finally got to the end of Chapter 7, about 75 hours into the game, and have finished hoovering up the straggling substories. The resolution to the out-of-control pram had me hooting with laughter, and the way it tied into another, more melancholy story was a perfect example of Yakuza's blending of the serious and the ridiculous.

There are too many stories with sad little boys, though. At least one of them had the decency to wear a ridiculous lemon-themed shirt to help me remember him.

[Mister Six]

Nearing the end of Chapter 8, aka

Spoiler alert

the chapter where Kiryu becomes the playable character. Him getting Ichiban-vision makes me worry that the cancer has reached his brain, but let's put it down to exhaustion for now.

I love all the references - even stuff like the Yakuza 1 fight music being used in Kamurocho - and there's a nice sense of immersion, in that I've barely seen Kamurocho in these games since Judgment, so it is like rediscovering it again (and, like Kiryu, I know all the little alleys like the back of my hand so finding the safes is pretty satisfying).

BUT I can totally understand why newcomers would find it quite tedious, hoovering up the reminiscences of things they've never seen and little side quests that mostly just consist of Kiryu bumping into an old friend then getting into a scrap.

I was worried that Infinite Wealth might actually hurt newcomers' involvement with the series because of all the backwards-looking aspects of bringing Kiryu so prominently into the story, and that seems to be happening to some degree.

But FUCK 'EM.

[close]

[Mister Six]

Yokoyama says they're working on the new Yakuza and will be doing auditions soon, but it won't be Yakuza Kiwami 3 - although he thinks he'll do that some day: https://gamestalk.net/post-191769/#google_vignette

[bgmnts]

Buckled and got Infinite Wealth despite not getting round to the other ones, because fuck it.

£17 extra for a New Game+ is impressively greedy.

[Mister Six]

@bgmnts - honestly, play Yakuza: Like A Dragon first at the bare minimum. Throw in The Man Who Erased His Name for a scantily clad minimum.

Otherwise it'd be a bit like watching The Godfather 3 without watching the other two, if The Godfather 3 was actually fantastic (and much sillier).

[letsgobrian]

The Godfather 3 would be a lot better if they had to go into dungeons full of weirdos.

[Timothy]

Yeah, don't play Infinite Wealth if you haven't played 7.

[Mister Six]

The Godfather 3 would be a lot better if they had to go into dungeons full of weirdos.

"Just when I thought I was out, a madman covered in oil knocks me onto his lilo and rubs his Speedos in my face."

[Goldentony]

onto Yakuza 3 after finishing Kiwami 2 a few weeks ago, got over the shock of going back to it looking and operating a bit like Shenmue but I cannot one bit be fucked running an orphanage and settling drama between kids

[Mister Six]

Awww, I loved those bits. Probably the ballsiest move the games ever made until they went turn-based.

"Oh, you liked having a fistfight on an elevator next to a bomb with an alpha male tough guy, did you? Well in this game you're going to help a little boy dress up for his first date. Buckle up!"

Skip the shitty cabaret club minigame though.