Welcome! I'm another new fan. Started with Kiwami when it was free on PSN in November. I've worked my way all the way up to 6 over the last few months. Boy, are you in for a ride!
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- Thread starter Son of Sparda
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Welcome! I'm another new fan. Started with Kiwami when it was free on PSN in November. I've worked my way all the way up to 6 over the last few months. Boy, are you in for a ride!
Ok, question:
After the events of Yakuza Kiwami 2, Kaoru and Kiryu are still in love, and it seems like she has to leave (for more training or job transfer IIRC), but it's implied they're gonna keep together long distance/being apart wont change their feelings for each other.
I'm playing Y6 right now and during the otherwise funny Ono Michio mascot sub story, if you select "I loved someone once..." Kiryu talks about how he messed things up with that person by doing (or not doing) the right thing at the time. Is he talking about her? I've been wondering what ever became of her after Y2, as I played through 3-5 I haven't seen any hint of her. This is the first.
If there's any info that y'all can give me without spoiling the overall story of Y6, I'd like to hear it. But I suspect this is like, the only reference to her at all.
It also just occurred to me that he was probably talking about Yumi, from Yakuza 1. Still, it's kinda sad IMO we never hear more from Kaoru.
After the events of Yakuza Kiwami 2, Kaoru and Kiryu are still in love, and it seems like she has to leave (for more training or job transfer IIRC), but it's implied they're gonna keep together long distance/being apart wont change their feelings for each other.
I'm playing Y6 right now and during the otherwise funny Ono Michio mascot sub story, if you select "I loved someone once..." Kiryu talks about how he messed things up with that person by doing (or not doing) the right thing at the time. Is he talking about her? I've been wondering what ever became of her after Y2, as I played through 3-5 I haven't seen any hint of her. This is the first.
If there's any info that y'all can give me without spoiling the overall story of Y6, I'd like to hear it. But I suspect this is like, the only reference to her at all.
It also just occurred to me that he was probably talking about Yumi, from Yakuza 1. Still, it's kinda sad IMO we never hear more from Kaoru.
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I'm pretty sure he was talking about Yumi. Kaoru might as well not exist aside from in Yakuza 2 and in the beginning of Y3. I remember in one of the panels held last year, Daisuke Sato said that her character wasn't popular in Japan.
It is sad that we never got to see more of Kaoru, yeah. But as Virtua King said, her character wasn't popular in Japan for whatever reason, so I guess they decided to not bring her back because of that. It's sad, because i would've loved to see more of her. I think she's awesome.
Kiryu's only true love was Yumi, so he's most definitely referring to her whenever he talks about that he was in love once.
I blame it on the PS2 graphic. My dream final game would be Kaoru and Makoto returns from US and meet Kiryu and Majima again.
Now I think about it, Kiryu and Majima's love life are very similar. Both lost their love interest and both had another love interest went to US.
A lack of character popularity is no excuse to write her out of the series in such a horribly unfitting way, in my estimation. They should've faded her out organically if they wanted to get rid of her. Yakuza series falters on storytelling at times, and the Kaoru situation was always a big low point, sadly.
Yakuza: Infinite where
Kiryu and Majima team up to take on the country of America and get the love of their lives back.
This should be the ultimate series climax for when they no longer want to make Yakuza games and need a good idea for a final game.
If they ever do another non cannon game again I just want a cabal of villains from past entries in the series to show up to fight Kiryu etc. As in, dudes from Yakuza 0, 1, 2, 3 and 6 (not really a fan of the big bads in 4 or 5, and the final boss of 6 would die within seconds, giving way to Ed and the rest of 6's cast that were actually great). Oh, and Judge Eyes, they got some amazing characters in there. And its up to Kiryu to recruit a rag tag bunch of fighters to help him tackle his greatest foes.
Either that or I want my SNK crossover, I'm serious - Geese Howard. He's a crime boss who loves fighting shirtless on top of buildings. The thing writes itself.
Either that or I want my SNK crossover, I'm serious - Geese Howard. He's a crime boss who loves fighting shirtless on top of buildings. The thing writes itself.
Thanks for all the thoughts on my question, y'all.
Thinking more about my Kiwami 2 playthrough it really is weird in a sense because I left that game thinking Kaoru was on the same level as Yumi in terms of Kiryu's affection.
Thinking more about my Kiwami 2 playthrough it really is weird in a sense because I left that game thinking Kaoru was on the same level as Yumi in terms of Kiryu's affection.
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Funny because either in Y3 or Y4 there's a substory where some of yakuza former members form a group to fight Kiryu.
EDIT: Found it, https://yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/The_Avengers, lol at the name
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Also, Yakuza 4's Kiryu side stories focus on characters he met previously in the series and tying up their plot lines. Yakuza is actually really good like this, so I'd love another big fanservicy game like Ishin where they bring loads of characters back for reasons.
Yep, thats one of the cool things they do, smaller past characters coming back in substories is always great. Date daughter and the Florist son also came back at some point to finish their plots.
Only pity on Takashi's plot was that he wasn't killed by a runaway Honey Badger that'd scurried into Kamurocho. I hate his character so damn much for the time of mine he wasted back in the original Yakuza/Kiwami through all the replays. Saya is cool though, as any Date character development is good (though he shines brightest in Yakuza 3 where his side story with New Serena's new owner is shown off, I loved that).
Speaking of returning plots the cult sub story from 0 coming back in 6 made me smile when I played it last night. Shooreh Pippi, friends!
The Haruka's biggest fan sub story is pretty touching.
This I, Hiji substory has been funny too
This I, Hiji substory has been funny too
Some cool translated interviews have popped up:
https://dojimasdragongirl.wordpress...akuza-karaoke-inventor-long-interview-part-1/
https://dojimasdragongirl.wordpress.com/2019/03/05/ryosuke-horii-interview-part-2/
This features the person responsible for cultivating and fleshing out Yakuza's side content - including Karaoke and the ever popular nightlife island mini games. Its well worth the read, some cool little notes on things like how Nightlife Island came about, how FOTNS had some content/development issues (it wasn't done by the core RGG staff, which kinda explains just why parts of it were so grindy for that 100%, though I wonder who worked on the combat system for the game, they deserved a raise for the job they did!), interview also has a section on Ichiban and Shin RGG - its not much info (as the interview was done before Judge Eyes was even released) but it does give another small glimpse into Ichiban's character.
Next part sounds interesting as well, as it'll cover the overseas interest in the series so I'll definitely be checking that out.
https://dojimasdragongirl.wordpress...akuza-karaoke-inventor-long-interview-part-1/
https://dojimasdragongirl.wordpress.com/2019/03/05/ryosuke-horii-interview-part-2/
This features the person responsible for cultivating and fleshing out Yakuza's side content - including Karaoke and the ever popular nightlife island mini games. Its well worth the read, some cool little notes on things like how Nightlife Island came about, how FOTNS had some content/development issues (it wasn't done by the core RGG staff, which kinda explains just why parts of it were so grindy for that 100%, though I wonder who worked on the combat system for the game, they deserved a raise for the job they did!), interview also has a section on Ichiban and Shin RGG - its not much info (as the interview was done before Judge Eyes was even released) but it does give another small glimpse into Ichiban's character.
Next part sounds interesting as well, as it'll cover the overseas interest in the series so I'll definitely be checking that out.
Cross-posting from another thread (let me know if it's too spoilery to cover up some things):
I beat Yakuza 6 two weeks ago. The ending was bittersweet as it made me tear up and a few sub stories were heart warming (the New Gaudi line of sub stories, the baseball team and Onomichio were some of my faves). I think the last boss was anti-climatic though as everything was told through cut scenes. I found the combat serviceable but not great since it was repetitive.
I still have a bunch of sub stories to mop (I'm not going for the in-game achievements because ain't nobody got the time for that) and 6 trophies or so to get. I might go for them but taking I'm taking a break otherwise. One thing I found jarring is that although Kiryu has a Batman style no-kill moral code, [final act spoilers]: he shoots down two helicopters, killing 2 pilots and 2 gunners in the process. I want to get Yakuza 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 over time but don't plan to play them back to back so as not to experience franchise fatigue.
Any way I've been a Yakuza fan since it was announced for PS2 way back when. I still have my PS2 copies of Yakuza 1 and Yakuza 2 sitting in a shelf. I'm hoping to get the former signed by Mark Hamill at Star Wars Celebration next month. I think the look on his face would be priceless.
I beat Yakuza 6 two weeks ago. The ending was bittersweet as it made me tear up and a few sub stories were heart warming (the New Gaudi line of sub stories, the baseball team and Onomichio were some of my faves). I think the last boss was anti-climatic though as everything was told through cut scenes. I found the combat serviceable but not great since it was repetitive.
I still have a bunch of sub stories to mop (I'm not going for the in-game achievements because ain't nobody got the time for that) and 6 trophies or so to get. I might go for them but taking I'm taking a break otherwise. One thing I found jarring is that although Kiryu has a Batman style no-kill moral code, [final act spoilers]: he shoots down two helicopters, killing 2 pilots and 2 gunners in the process. I want to get Yakuza 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 over time but don't plan to play them back to back so as not to experience franchise fatigue.
Any way I've been a Yakuza fan since it was announced for PS2 way back when. I still have my PS2 copies of Yakuza 1 and Yakuza 2 sitting in a shelf. I'm hoping to get the former signed by Mark Hamill at Star Wars Celebration next month. I think the look on his face would be priceless.
Its a tighter window in 6. Have you unlocked the upgrade for it yet? It increases the window quite a bit to perform the Tiger Drop, that helped me loads.
Nope just unlocked the base version. I'll try the upgrade next and see if it helps! I feel like a scrub right now
What a fantastic trio of games that 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 make. Playing them all within a year (with a bit of breathing room between entries) really helps to create a sense of cohesion between the stories and characters. You get a real sense of history from certain locales (Serena, for example) and important story beats are all the more impactful for it. It's just a shame that I've got to break up the continuity now as there's no western release for 3-5 in sight for the moment.
And on that note, I'm at a bit of a dilemma as I'm nearing the end of Kiwami 2. I know I'm going to take a "Yakuza break" and then play when Judgement gets the western release in June, but I've still got Yakuza 6 sitting on my shelf unopened (from that incredible After Hours Edition).
I'm wondering if I should just read/watch the story of Yakuza 5 that plugs directly into the beginning of 6 so I can play the final chapter or wait a long ass time for the English localization of 3, 4, and 5?
And on that note, I'm at a bit of a dilemma as I'm nearing the end of Kiwami 2. I know I'm going to take a "Yakuza break" and then play when Judgement gets the western release in June, but I've still got Yakuza 6 sitting on my shelf unopened (from that incredible After Hours Edition).
I'm wondering if I should just read/watch the story of Yakuza 5 that plugs directly into the beginning of 6 so I can play the final chapter or wait a long ass time for the English localization of 3, 4, and 5?
If you already appreciate the value in the cohesiveness and sense of seeing Kamurocho and the cast grow with each game with just the first three games in the timeline, then absolutely do wait for 3 and the rest. 6 might be a a direct sequel to 5 but that barely scratches the surface of its impact to the series as a whole.
6 is an amazing closing to Kiryu's story and skipping games to play it is doing yourself a disservice as a fan, tbh (also Kiwami 2 looks and plays better anyway so rushing to play it doesn't make sense from a technical perspective either).
In fact, Kiryu does the most changing as a character starting from 3 specifically, so you'd be skipping the most crucial games anyway.
This is some really good insight into why it's worth the wait. I appreciate that!
Looks like I'll be waiting for a while longer still. Judgement will be a nice way to fill the gap.
Okay, now the really shallow question is, what's your tier list?
Also hey, it's been fun reading your journey through the games. Feel like I'm vicariously experiencing them for the first time again.
Oh man, that's a tough question! Gotta sleep on it. But my initial gut reaction is 0 > Kiwami 2 > 6>5>Kiwami 1>3>4
Right now I'm just going back to Kiwami 2 because I'm not at all ready to leave this world behind and I wanna get the plat/100% completion on it.
What a series, all. Best thing that's happened to me in gaming in forever.
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lol, Natty's new avatar is brilliant, it needs the full Simpsons clip though:
(and hey, its got the Yakuza in it so its still topical to this thread).
Thankfully I'm nearly done with Kingdom Hearts 3, so I'll get round to replaying Yakuza 4 soon. One thing I can't critisize about Yakuza - it sure knows how to build up and execute an ending so damn well (and Judge Eyes, so very true for Judge Eyes) while other keyblade wielding games are kinda just dragging on and on instead.
(and hey, its got the Yakuza in it so its still topical to this thread).
Thankfully I'm nearly done with Kingdom Hearts 3, so I'll get round to replaying Yakuza 4 soon. One thing I can't critisize about Yakuza - it sure knows how to build up and execute an ending so damn well (and Judge Eyes, so very true for Judge Eyes) while other keyblade wielding games are kinda just dragging on and on instead.
:D had to freshen it up but keep it Simpsons.
While I'm here, are there and good Yakuza you tubers, communities etc I should be aware of for content and news? Now that I'm caught up and not worried about spoilers.
Also what do we know about Shin RGG(Yakuza 7?) so far? Does it even have a Japanese release date yet?
No concrete word on Shin RGG at all really. Its been mentioned loads in recent interviews but no solid details on it at all. TGS is usually when new RGGS games are announced (outside of ports) and that's in September, and the last couple of years game releases have been in December for Japan. So really that's when I'm expecting to see news, as they still have the remaster of 5 to release sometime, I expect that to be in the next couple of months hopefully (depends, it was supposed to be early 2019 but then RGG4 was delayed from late 2018).
As for other communities. No idea. Unless your not a member on the Era Yakuza discord, then there's that.
As for other communities. No idea. Unless your not a member on the Era Yakuza discord, then there's that.
Cool, thanks shadowman16 . Well I'm glad to now be a part of this awesome community, anyway. I wish we could get a NoClip documentary on the series
Cohhcarnage played through 0, K1, K2 last year and his full playthroughs are on his youtube page. He plays a decent amount of side stories but not all of them.
Nicob also played 0, K1 and K2. He can get a bit loud at times and some might find it annoying. However, he does do a lot of side content in these games. I think he got to Amon in all three games.
TheOddOne on twitch has playthroughs of 0, K1, K2, 4, 5, 6. He is more of a streamer that focuses on the hilarious side content of Yakuza. He picks a lot of funny dialogue choices just to mess around. My favorite one is the interview side story from K2.
What should I play first, Yakuza 6 or Yakuza Kiwami 2? Over the years I've played Yakuza 4 -> Yakuza 5 -> Yakuza 0 -> Yakuza Kiwami. Normally I would go by release order and play Yakuza 6 first, but with Kiwami 2 being a remake of an earlier game I've never played I was thinking that might be a better idea. Is there any reason why that could be a bad idea?
Kiwami 2 has more going on combat wise than 6, so in that instance it'll be a big step back going Kiwami 2 to 6. As 6 has less moves, less heat moves, no equippable weapons like swords, kali sticks etc. only what enemies carry (so knife, gun, hammer). So you might want to go 6 to Kiwami 2 if you don't want combat to feel like a step back. But otherwise aside from a few other basic technical issues stemming from the dragon engine being more unoptimised in 6, you'll probably be fine.
hexa said:
Having just recently gone through it myself, I'd do Kiwami 2 then 6. Yeah, 6 isn't as optimized as Kiwami 2 but it still plays great and you will have a decent feel for it after Kiwami 2. But that's just me, I like playing things in story order. Plus 6 has a lot of little fan service payoffs linking to all the previous games
Thanks! I also found a "making of" one that was a few years old but decent. Hard to believe there's not a bigger ongoing community for this series! Oh well
And yet the famdom is still way larger now after 0 than it was pre 0. Its amazing how that game managed to actually garner interest to many people who'd previously just straight up ignored the series, it was really cool to watch all the nugget memes pop up. I can't really remember who was even championing the series before then, bar the Youtuber Hyperbithero.
I know it was precisely because of 0 that I became a fan. That was the game that caused me to sit up and take notice, wondering what all the fuss was about.
Anything missible I should be aware of while I try to 100% Kiwami 2?. Doing it on NG+ legend mode
Same for me but didn't take the plunge until I got Kiwami 1 for free with PS+. I'm hopeful a lot of other folks at least gave the series a chance then. Imagine if Y0 ever goes free, people would be pouring in here lol. Although it's pretty regularly $10 or under on PC...
Nothing missable in Kiwami 2, trophies or completion list stuff. Its not the shortest game to hit the 100%, but its not that difficult either.
In terms of 100% or plat trophying, how would you rate the games in the series from hardest to easiest?
Also, hope it's okay to post here and sorry for double post, but what the hell, if anyone wants to join, I'm streaming my Kiwami 2 playthrough right now, from Chapter 4. Come hang out
https://www.twitch.tv/nattybo1985
https://www.twitch.tv/nattybo1985
Its on the lower end. Game is easy (heat moves deal insane damage even to bosses) and the challenges for the completion list are for the majority on the easy end of the scale. Only stuff I really see people having issues with is stuff like Haruka's Trust golf (bingo) etc.
We don't talk enough about how Nugget saved Yakuza in the west, he should get a statue at Sega US headquarter