My journey through the Yakuza games continues with the remastered version of Yakuza 3. Unlike 0, Kiwami and Kiwami 2, this is the first game where I felt like the series is really starting to show its age.

I went in with the mindset of trying most of the side content, but quickly laid that idea to rest. The mini-games suffer from poor controls, the side quests were sometimes fun, but navigating the archaic menus got old real fast.

So I opted for mainlining the story, which turned out to be the correct choice at least for me. I don't doubt that all of this stuff was great when it was first released, but playing this game nearly 15 years after its release (the remaster updated the visuals, which was nice, but the systems and the content seem to be the same as before), I didn't really feel like it has held up all that well.

The story on the other hand is another matter entirely. While I was optimistically enthusiastic about the setting, the characters and the plot before going into Yakuza 3, at this point after seeing the story to its conclusion I'm all the way in.

There were a number of high profile indie games coming out this year, and while this wasn't one that I was particularly looking forward to, it ended up being one of my favorites. I enjoy a good beat 'em up as much as the next guy, and TMNT is a very solid game. The levels are fun and colorful, there are a plethora of characters with their own unique styles, and the game does a good job balancing the levels in difficulty and length. There are a few stumbles here and there (the online multiplayer is fun, but rather buggy), but overall an enjoyable experience where I wasn't really expecting one.