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Yakuza Kiwami or Yakuza 0?`

Kopite

Kopite

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,031
Hey guys, with the PS4 TGS sale I was thinking of buying a Yakuza game. The last time I played the series was the original back when it came out. Unfortunately I had to return the game before I could finish it and despite loving it I didn't get it again. From the vibe I get on here Yakuza 0 seems to be highly regarded whereas Kiwami isn't really treated as a full game, more like DLC. Why is this? Isn't it a full remake of Yakuza 1? Total playtime seems to be at least 15 hours, but the game costs a third what 0 does? Why is that the case?

Which one should I get i thought of going Kiwami for the nostalgia and cheaper price, but am I wrong?
 

Deleted member 1067

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Oct 25, 2017
4,860
Yes

Play 0 first. K is cheaper because it's a third as long and is effectively an expansion pack to 0 in execution. It's also a shot for shot remake of the first game, for better or worse.
 
TheInfinityGauntlet

TheInfinityGauntlet

Member
Nov 3, 2017
4,393
0 is the better game and the correct choice to play first

it's a full remake of 1 but there wasn't much there (compared to most other Yakuza games) and what is there just feels like a worse version of 0 all around
 
Suikodan

Suikodan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
861
I started 0 on PC and I'm loving it. Hopefully the rest of the series will release on PC because I'm definitely hooked.
 
Mupod

Mupod

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,882
0 is way better and Kiwami 1 was literally made to be played after it.

I mean I liked both Kiwami games a lot but 0 is just amazing.
 

Deleted member 1067

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Oct 25, 2017
4,860
At this point I really hope they charge $21 for Kiwami on PC so people will by default look to zero when making a buying choice.
 
Lunar15

Lunar15

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,647
0. Not only is it the better game, but Kiwami was made with the idea that you've played 0 first.
 
Al3x1s

Al3x1s

Banned
Nov 13, 2017
2,824
Greece
Oh, kinda sucks Kiwami isn't gonna be nearly as good when we get it, maybe they should have bundled 1 and 2 together as one longer game if they just wanted to get the whole series up to the same date as the rest of the newer games... Oh well, I still liked the original on PS2 so playing it shot for shot as you say with nicer graphics shouldn't be so bad.
 
Zalman

Zalman

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,896
Add me to the "play 0 first" crowd. Don't make the mistake of playing Kiwami first.
 
Shawcroft

Shawcroft

Member
Oct 29, 2017
361
As others have said, 0 is just better (and a lot bigger) in every way. It's fantastic all around and a perfect entry point into the series.

Kiwami is a good remake of the very first game but the age of the original does shine through I felt like.

The Kiwamis also both have actual throwbacks to 0 in them so starting at 0 is just the way to go at this point in my opinion.
 

Deleted member 1067

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Al3x1s said:
Oh, kinda sucks Kiwami isn't gonna be nearly as good when we get it, maybe they should have bundled 1 and 2 together as one longer game if they just wanted to get the whole series up to the same date as the rest of the newer games... Oh well, I still liked the original on PS2 so playing it shot for shot as you say with nicer graphics shouldn't be so bad.
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There's no way to effectively do that because 2 has basically nothing to do with 1 other than sharing some of the characters.

An argument can be made about 0 and K, but that's effectively exactly what they did and turned 1 into an expansion pack/extended epilogue for 0.

Yakuza canon doesn't work like most series. You need stop thinking about it like MGS and start thinking about it more like a string of serial novels that share a core cast. Plot wise the games don't really connect together at all.
 
chrisPjelly

chrisPjelly

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
10,497
0. Not even a shadow of a doubt needs to be put into that thought. Better story, better characters, more varied combat, etc.
 
awake4ages

awake4ages

Neo•Geo Saver
Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,070
0 is the prequel to all Yakuza games and best place to start storywise. It's a 40+ hour game (bare minimum) in comparison to Kiwami's 15-20.

I've not played any others besides the two (gonna start Kiwami 2 soon) but I will say 0 is an absolute joy to play. Easily the game I was most surprised by last year. Kiwami is good too, but I definitely appreciated the connections I had to some of the characters going into Kiwami from playing 0.
 
DriftingSpirit

DriftingSpirit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,907
They already said but I'll add one more.

Play 0 first.

I'm playing through it right now (on hold though) and I have been enjoying my time with it.
 
Crumpo

Crumpo

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,131
Bournemouth, UK
On a side note, I've just completed 0, which was great! I would be keen for more Yakuza at some point but my worry is fatigue...it sounds like YK is more of the same-what is Yakuza 6 like? Is it the same again, with better graphics? Or are all Yakuza games very similar?
 

Deleted member 1067

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Oct 25, 2017
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perpetuallyawake said:
0 is the prequel to all Yakuza games and best place to start storywise. It's a 40+ hour game (bare minimum) in comparison to Kiwami's 15-20.

I've not played any others besides the two (gonna start Kiwami 2 soon) but I will say 0 is an absolute joy to play. Easily the game I was most surprised by last year. Kiwami is good too, but I definitely appreciated the connections I had to some of the characters going into Kiwami from playing 0.
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0 isn't really a prequel as much as it is a soft reboot of sorts. The series canon reset with Zero as the first game in the series, followed by K, then by K2. This is established as series canon by them reworking bridging scenes from 0 into Kiwami directly into the plot that solidifies 0 as not a prequel to K, but K as a sequel to 0. Then K2 continues from there.
 
JCHandsom

JCHandsom

Avenger
Nov 3, 2017
4,218
0, absolutely. Even though it is technically a prequel to 1/Kiwami, the later ends up feeling like a sequel instead, that's how good 0 is.
 
Viale

Viale

â–˛ Legend â–˛
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,620
Al3x1s said:
Oh, kinda sucks Kiwami isn't gonna be nearly as good when we get it, maybe they should have bundled 1 and 2 together as one longer game if they just wanted to get the whole series up to the same date as the rest of the newer games... Oh well, I still liked the original on PS2 so playing it shot for shot as you say with nicer graphics shouldn't be so bad.
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It's not like 1 and 2 are short games though. you can easily sink over 30 hours into each if you want( I think I ended around 40s for each). Their stories are also entirely separate, and they already cost less than full releases anyway.

OT: It should be obvious from everyone else's post, but you play 0 first. Kiwami assumes you have already played 0, and some of the story beats only have impact if you know the character from 0.
 
Haze

Haze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,786
Detroit, MI
Play 0 first. Also while i enjoyed Kiwami, it's easily the weakest of the titles on PS4 and feels more like an expansion to 0 than a full game.
 
Haze

Haze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,786
Detroit, MI
Crumpo said:
On a side note, I've just completed 0, which was great! I would be keen for more Yakuza at some point but my worry is fatigue...it sounds like YK is more of the same-what is Yakuza 6 like? Is it the same again, with better graphics? Or are all Yakuza games very similar?
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I've played 3 Yakuza games this year and I'm not burned out. I finished Kiwami 2 last week and honestly I'd fire up 3 right now if the remaster was available.

They're all different enough narratively since they each have an isolated story arc and the gameplay changes, especially to the combat, made 6 and Kiwami 2 feel different (a lot better) than previous iterations.

No loading screens in the open world is a big fucking game changer.

pa22word said:
Yakuza Kiwami PC |OT| Buy Zero First
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Excellent
 
FallenGrace

FallenGrace

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,036
Literally everyone has said this but play Zero first. It's the better game and leads straight into Kiwami. Kiwami isn't a bad game, it just feels like a Zero expansion rather than a full title because it was a cheap remake using the zero assets they made near the same time, it's also nowhere near as big and I think Sega released it cheaper to keep the momentum going from the surprise success of Zero in the west.

Honestly you should buy both, just play Zero first XD
 
KiNolin

KiNolin

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,296
Crumpo said:
On a side note, I've just completed 0, which was great! I would be keen for more Yakuza at some point but my worry is fatigue...it sounds like YK is more of the same-what is Yakuza 6 like? Is it the same again, with better graphics? Or are all Yakuza games very similar?
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Very similar except for story. Each game improves in one way or the other and many of the minigames/sidequests change up, but you'll always get Kamurocho, Florist's underground, linear stage with fat sofa dudes, etc
 
wBENDERw

wBENDERw

Member
Oct 27, 2017
457
I did not expect to like 0 as much as 1

but so far its my favorite!

almost done Yakuza 2 Kiwami
 
rpm

rpm

Into the Woods
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
12,357
Parts Unknown
I have no idea what OP is talking about in regards to price. They're both in the Playstation Hits program, they should both be $20 new at retail.

Also, play 0 first
 

Holundrian

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,168
Zero. Kiwami becomes a better experience playing 0 first although the trade off is kinda downgrading gameplay feature wise as Kiwami does not have all the stuff 0 contains.
 
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