LTTP: Yakuza 6: I'm disappointed by it and that saddens me. Possible spoilers

[amon37]

This is how I've played the series.

Yakuza 0
Kiwami 1
Kiwami 2
Yakuza 6

Yakuza 6 has less to do, less heat actions less fighting, conversations scenes that last over 20 minutes, sub stories not on the map (unless I missed that option) troublr was just bad, popping up in the middle of story sequences. Hiroshima was so sparse compared to sotenbori. You could only carry 5 of each item for some reason only have 2 equipment instead of 3 and no weapon equips.


Maybe this was more of a rant, but I had to get out all my gripes.

Yakuza 0 was probably the most fun I had with the series.

 

[ThatsMyTrunks]

If you skipped 3, 4, and 5, you missed the majority of the dramatic build up for many of the characters in the game. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

As far as the sub stories go, they were on the map after you ran across one for the first time.

 

[PedroRVD]

"Less to do"

You have just sold me the game.

O, k1 and k2 are 3 of my favorite games of all time. But I left 6 on the waiting list because I want a bit of rest... and I'm generally burnt of big games.

Of course I'm the minority; I loved the more streamlined and simple combat system of Kiwami 2 ... but everybody hated it and demanded the 3 styles and million upgrades back. I wish I had the time everybody has to play games :(

 

[amon37]

I did read all the cliff notes all though I know it's not the same as playing the actual games, but I still feel they really tried to cram too much story in one game.

 

[amon37]

"Less to do"

You have just sold me the game.

O, k1 and k2 are 3 of my favorite games of all time. But I left 6 on the waiting list because I want a bit of rest... and I'm generally burnt of big games.

Of course I'm the minority; I loved the more streamlined and simple combat system of Kiwami 2 ... but everybody hated it and demanded the 3 styles and million upgrades back. I wish I had the time everybody has to play games :(

Click to shrink...

I loved that kiwami 2 was more weapons focused and you could have 15 different weapons to swap from made the gameplay feel different.

 

[ZeroX]

Dunno what to tell you, I thought it was incredible. It's not as good as 0, and yeah there's gameplay limitations, but it all coalesces will in what is maybe the most focused game in the series. Incredible story too.

If you want an overload of content, 5 is for you. You probably should've got to at least 5 if not 3 and 4 before playing 6.

"Less to do"

You have just sold me the game.

O, k1 and k2 are 3 of my favorite games of all time. But I left 6 on the waiting list because I want a bit of rest... and I'm generally burnt of big games.

Of course I'm the minority; I loved the more streamlined and simple combat system of Kiwami 2 ... but everybody hated it and demanded the 3 styles and million upgrades back. I wish I had the time everybody has to play games :(

Click to shrink...

Yakuza 6 is a much leaner game. The combat is what Kiwami 2 is based on.

 

[SephLuis]

Yakuza 6 was the first using the new engine, so Kiwami 2 added a lot in terms of heat actions and the like.

If you played all of those back to back, you might be getting a series burn out. The game is good, the story is fun (even if you didn't played everything), but it also does have it's issues.

 

[amon37]

Yakuza 6 was the first using the new engine, so Kiwami 2 added a lot in terms of heat actions and the like.

If you played all of those back to back, you might be getting a series burn out. The game is good, the story is fun (even if you didn't played everything), but it also does have it's issues.

Click to shrink...

I played zero and then kiwami 1 when it came out and the kiwami 2 and 6 back to back

 

[SephLuis]

I played zero and then kiwami 1 when it came out and the kiwami 2 and 6 back to back

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I usually avoid playing Yakuza games back to back. Especially that you're going out of kiwami 2 (the second game using the Dragon Engine) to Yakuza 6 (the first using the Dragon Engine).

I would honestly come back at a later date. Especially if you didn't played that long.

 

[Lindsay]

Comparing it to two low quality games and one that came out after it ain't selling me on 6 not having been fantastic! 6 miraculously being a sub-40 hour game meant its pacing wasn't abysmal! An going back to just Kiryu also helped with that after 4 (and I guess 5) reset everything back to zero every few chapters. It was pretty tight an focused an had the best new town in the series and the gameplay updated an new engine were all pretty dang good!

edit! I did however miss d-pad weapons. Like c'mon, there was no lame "style" system in 6 so why not bring that back?? >.<

 

[RumbleHumble]

But it gave us Live Chat, Baby Swingin, Baby Rugby, and Cheers the Video Game. It may as well be the greatest game of all time.

 

[MykonosFan]

I loved the hell out of 6. Following 0's footsteps, it definitely felt like a step back, but I also loved its focus having played 5 just before it to catch up. I do wish there was more to do, and I am one of those types who prefers the multiple stances in combat, but 6 still charmed me. Also, the rowdy Onomichi boys are some of my favorite characters in the series, full stop.

But it gave us Live Chat, Baby Swingin, Baby Rugby, and Cheers the Video Game. It may as well be the greatest game of all time.

Click to shrink...

 

[lemonade]

6 has the most emotional and imo best story of all the mainline Yakuza games.

 

[CannonFodder52]

Just want to confirm that you're aware Kiwami 2 was building off the engine that debuted with Yakuza 6.

Anyway, I respect your opinion and agree that Yakuza 0 was a better game. But personally I loved Yakuza 6.
I loved the emotional narrative. I found myself more invested in Kiryu's final act than any game in recent history. I loved all the callbacks to substory characters from past games. I thought the sub-stories in general were pretty great and full of character even in their limited quantity.

I also found Onomichi to be not just one of my favourite Yakuza towns, but one of my favourite towns in gaming. It had excellent atmosphere and sense of space. Loved riding the chairlift up to the hill tops and looking down on the harbour, or examining the poem stones on the winding road back down into town. The town and its inhabitants felt super well realised too. The town not just added to the story, but felt as though it was part of the adventure you were on.

Little details made it so wonderful too, like going underwater fishing out from the harbour, or playing baseball with the local teams. All these activities fed into each other alongside the sub-stories.
The snack bar was also really cool. You befriended and hung out with these characters who had a physical place and existed within Onomichi. When I went to the town's pawnshop I was greeted with a actual realised character who I'd been having drinks with the night before. It felt interesting and grounded in a way that surpassed Yakuza 0's friendships for me.

The game is also impressive for debuting the new Yakuza engine. They manged to get two towns out for their first game with this engine. Even if Onomichi is rather small, I'm glad they decided to include it at the cost of a slightly incomplete Kamurocho.

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If you're interested, check out this article on a journalist's trip to the actual Onomichi. I think it's really neat how well they managed to capture it.
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-11-25-a-day-trip-to-yakuza-6s-onomichi

 

[amon37]

The story was emotional and great. Maybe to me that was jarring going from early days straight to end. Yes I know kiwami 2 was technically after 6 so they could build on the experience with the new engine.


Also maybe I just missed majima.

 

[jacks81x]

With Y6, I was so invested in the story and characters that I've followed for so many years that I could forgive some of the shortcomings of the game design. It was a very emotional sendoff and culmination of Kiryu's story arc and that's what I'll remember most about Y6.

 

[Jakenbakin]

Maybe in a way it's fortunate this was my first game in the series lol. I freaking loved it and am excited to eventually move onto Kiwami.

 

[Richter1887]

I felt it was perfect as a final game for Kiryu. It did have less content than 5 and 0 but I feel like that's not a bad thing. Every single activity in this one was fun and the fact everything is voiced was great. It made things much more emotional and final compared to the other games.

0 is still my favourite of them all but 6 isn't that far behind.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

6 has the most emotional and imo best story of all the mainline Yakuza games.

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I like 0 better for its dramatic angle, but yeah, 6 is definitely one of the best in the series. I love its more emotional, familial touch as compared to the straight crime drama of the others. Of course, the crime aspect is obviously still there, but the real theme of the story is family and responsibility towards that family, which makes it feel unique and charming underneath its criminal exterior.

 

[Kamikazekoala]

I usually avoid playing Yakuza games back to back. Especially that you're going out of kiwami 2 (the second game using the Dragon Engine) to Yakuza 6 (the first using the Dragon Engine).

I would honestly come back at a later date. Especially if you didn't played that long.

Click to shrink...

I played Yakuza 0, Kiwami and Kiwami 2 all back to back. All 100 percent completion too. No fatigue yet.

Now playing Fist of the North Star Lost Paradise, because I want to play the remasters of 3, 4 and 5 before I start 6 and those don't have western releases yet. I do have the PS3 games, but I want to play the 'definitive' versions.

 

[GymWolf86]

for me it was one of the best game of 2018.

 

[Betty]

I went from 0>1>6 and thought 6 was stunning as a finale to the series.

Hiroshima was so tranquil and gave me strong Shenmue vibes which only made it better.

Beat Takeshi is a favourite of mine so seeing him treated so well in a video game of all things was wonderful.

I'd put the story on the same emotionally resonant level as that years God of War & Red Dead 2.

 

[wombleac]

I thought 6 was the perfect amount of "Yakuza game" stuff to do and playing with just Kyryu throughout was so refreshing coming from 5., but I loved them all even 5. I really dont have a game in the series that I can give the black sheep label. I would play 10 more if they existed.

 

[CannonFodder52]

Hiroshima was so tranquil and gave me strong Shenmue vibes which only made it better.

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Agree with your other takes too, but yeah I gotta say the Shenmue vibes in this one and Yakuza 3 were delightful.

 

[danmaku]

Don't play these games back to back, especially if you want to do everything. I played 0 and Kiwami and then I had to take a long break because 6 was giving me metaphorical nausea.