While I don't think that the Yakuza franchise absolutely nailed its first attempt at a more traditional JRPG experience, I do think this was an impressive attempt at that style of game considering the series' roots. The real strength of this entry is the cast of characters that accompany Ichiban on his adventure. Compared to past games in the series where Kiryu had to carry most of the game on his back, the addition of a party that's able to chime in on the current state of the story, or just some weird shit they saw on the street, is a game changer. I can overlook a lot of problems I have with the game mechanically because I love all these goofballs, and they represent types of characters I rarely see in games of this genre.