Yakuza 0 (2015 / 2017)

Yakuza 0 (JP: 2015 / WW: 2017)

Genre: Action/Adventure | Players: 1 | Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (SEGA)

A prequel set in December, 1988, seventeen years before the events of the first game in the long-running Yakuza (Ryū ga Gotoku) series.

It begins with main protagonist Kazuma Kiryu (box art, front right, white suit) on the streets of Kamurocho, Tokyo, having just kicked seven shades of shit out of some guy. But it's not just violence for the sake of it; the act itself is central to the story and to Kiryu's development and decision making, here and in the aforementioned first entry. How a man responds to violence is a measure of his character, and for Kiryu that measure is a large part of what defines him.

The earlier era means Kiryu is younger (and a little more arrogant), but it influences gameplay in other ways, too, such as the technology on offer (e.g. a pager instead of a mobile phone) and the layout of the map. Anyone familiar with the layout of the streets and alleyways of Kamurocho will find it slightly different to how it will look seventeen years hence, with one omission being particularly notable.

Much of the game revolves around money, which, as anyone alive in the 80s will probably know, was of great importance to many people back then. The acquisition and display of assets and cash was a kind of social cock-waving; I suppose it still is today, but the 80s did it in a big, garish manner. Erm, yes, money in the game is important if you want to improve your character's stats. Every fight you have will earn you some in a stupid but comical way: as you fight, wads of the stuff fly out of victims' pockets, so not only do you leave them bruised and battered, they're financially broken, too. Naturally, tougher opponents will earn you larger sums of money.

In addition to money there are things called CP (Completion Points). When enough of either is available you can use it to upgrade your abilities and/or give access to bonus perks.

- Kiryu's back! Er... literally. -

There's a second playable character (box art, front left, dark suit); he has his own story in a separate location, but like in previous Yakuza games the individual stories of each person are also inextricably linked to the whole. It's a credit to the writers that they manage to make him both sympathetic and likeable without compromising his notorious and dangerous nature.

- Things sometimes get weird in Sotenbori. - 

Both men now have access to different fighting styles, which can be switched around at any time, even during combat, although each one has its own skill-tree and must be levelled-up separately. In Kiryu's case, he has the Brawler style (a balanced style that's similar to how he fought in previous games); Beast style (heavy but slow); and Rush style (fast and punchy).

I've avoided talking too much about the story because I feel it's best experienced firsthand, but I will say that alongside the usual Yakuza politics and clan infighting is a wonderful Catch 22 scenario and that, as always, the voice work throughout is typically excellent.