Why You Should Definitely Play the Yakuza Series

The Yakuza series (known in Japan as Ryū ga Gotoku/龍が如 eng: Like A Dragon) has become one of my favorite video game series ever. I've been playing it a lot lately, notably the remake of the first game, Yakuza Kiwami, mostly because of the following reasons. It's cool, it's funny, and it never gets old for anyone. And to be honest, after playing Kiwami for a few days, I can tell you why this game is worth giving a try.

1. Amazing Storyline

The series' storyline places you in the shoes of Tojo Clan member (now 4th Chairman of the Tojo Clan) and former Lieutenant Advisor of the Dojima Family, Kazuma Kiryu, also known as the Dragon of Dojima. It has you facing the kindhearted yakuza hardships and struggles throughout the series, such as (SPOILERS) clearing your name after being framed for the death of a random person and recovering the Tojo Clan's stolen 10,000,000,000¥. Not only will the series' storyline keep you entertained, but it will also leave you in tears.

2. Easy-To-Understand and Awesome Combat System

The series' combat system is pretty simple. You lock onto enemies and initiate various rush combos on them. But there's more to it than just rush combos. You can pick up various objects around the environment to deal extra damage. You also have Heat Actions, which are special moves that deal a considerable amount of damage. Nail them at the right time and you'll get a satisfying cutscene that shows Kiryu brutally beating up the enemy with either an object, his own fists, or the environment around him.

And if you're playing Yakuza 0 or Yakuza Kiwami, you get the ability to switch fighting styles, depending on the situation. Kiryu's fighting styles would consist of Brawler, Rush, Beast, and the Legend style, Dragon of Dojima. Use those styles wisely and you might just defeat any foe in your way.

3. Wacky Side Quests

Bored of doing the main story or want to do some grinding? Then look no further! The Yakuza series also has a lot of side quests or substories to offer! The substories are usually funny and end in funny ways, so those should get a laugh out of you as you roam around the streets of Kamurocho.

4. Fun Minigames

Aside from substories, the Yakuza series also has tons minigames to keep you entertained for hours, such as karaoke, Pocket Circuit, and attending cabaret clubs. There are even some substories which involve these minigames!
Oh, and before I forget, I don't really know if this counts as a minigame, but in Yakuza Kiwami, there's an NPC system called Majima Everywhere, where you either fight Goro Majima (Mad Dog of Shimano, Patriarch of the Majima Family) in the streets, or play minigames with him. Sounds fun, right?

Well, that's all I have to say about Yakuza. If you wanna go and give this series a try, I suggest starting at Yakuza 0 so that you get to play the series in chronological order. If you enjoyed this series, please give me your thoughts on it. See you next entry, y'all! -JJ