This review contains spoilers
I'm blown away by this game and how much it pays forward the legacy of the series in terms of themes and ideas while finally moving it on to the next stage, especially after the shadow of Kiryu loomed large over the series to the point where we really thought there was no way we'd have a game without him in the series, and here we are, Kiryu might show up in future games but never to the same capacity but this is the final ending we finally deserved, not the terrible way he ended off in 6 which was completely antithetical to the themes of the game it came from, while also bringing together parts of how he grew as a person ever since 1, or 0 if we want to be chronological.
Gameplay stuff out of the way first, its 7 but better in every way, Honolulu is an excellent location, and while the gameplay systems aren't perfect, at the state they're in now it's basically better than most modern/new turn based JRPG systems except Shin Megami Tensei V.
The story on this game does what 5 does in that it focuses entirely on themes and characters, the plot being rather secondary, and while I think that'll lead to this game not being super popular in the eyes of it's fanbase, for me this is exactly what I wanted out of the game. It's writing oozes with earnestness and discussions about character and themes that permeate the entire series while interrogating them in new modern contexts and fresh perspectives and ideas to illuminate the outdatedness a lot of the previous game's conclusions became as the world kept moving forward. The villain for this game probably isn't going to go down as one of the all time greats, but what a perfect foil for Kiryu, whose decision making has only led to further and further conflicts within the world of the yakuza, and meaningfully addresses how Kiryu was what wrought those conflicts and also giving him a moment of vulnerability to finally understand how his series wide search of a meaningful death has only come to hurt those around him, even if it's a fake death.
Also, this game finally fixes the flow on effects from one of the worst writing decisions in 6 and for that alone I have nothing but love and respect for this game.
Gameplay stuff out of the way first, its 7 but better in every way, Honolulu is an excellent location, and while the gameplay systems aren't perfect, at the state they're in now it's basically better than most modern/new turn based JRPG systems except Shin Megami Tensei V.
The story on this game does what 5 does in that it focuses entirely on themes and characters, the plot being rather secondary, and while I think that'll lead to this game not being super popular in the eyes of it's fanbase, for me this is exactly what I wanted out of the game. It's writing oozes with earnestness and discussions about character and themes that permeate the entire series while interrogating them in new modern contexts and fresh perspectives and ideas to illuminate the outdatedness a lot of the previous game's conclusions became as the world kept moving forward. The villain for this game probably isn't going to go down as one of the all time greats, but what a perfect foil for Kiryu, whose decision making has only led to further and further conflicts within the world of the yakuza, and meaningfully addresses how Kiryu was what wrought those conflicts and also giving him a moment of vulnerability to finally understand how his series wide search of a meaningful death has only come to hurt those around him, even if it's a fake death.
Also, this game finally fixes the flow on effects from one of the worst writing decisions in 6 and for that alone I have nothing but love and respect for this game.