Sega’s Yakuza games are packed with brutal action and some of the best-storytelling in video games – here’s everything you need to know.
If you’ve been looking at the Yakuza games with growing interest but aren’t totally sure where to dive in, then we’re here to help. Really, there’s never been a better time to get into the series as it’s available to play on more platforms than ever before, including PS4, PS5, Steam and Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. In the Yakuza games, you’ll follow protagonist Kazuma Kiryu on an emotional journey through the heart of Japan’s seedy underworld. This means plenty of violent combat and money-making, of course, but the world of Yakuza has some fun to offer too, with a staggering amount of recreational activities that range from singing karaoke and eating at restaurants to playing Sega’s classics in the arcades. Yakuza is definitely a mature series at heart, then, but it can also be downright hilarious. It’s surprising how it manages to strike such a fine balance between being absolutely brutal and totally bonkers at the same time. That makes it hard to define, too. Yakuza is often called the «Japanese Grand Theft Auto» or a spiritual successor to Sega’s Shenmue series, but that doesn’t really do it justice. It’s a mish-mash of so many systems and different mechanics – from RPG progression to rhythm-based mini-games – and it’s also much more story-focused than Rockstar’s GTA.
