In Yakuza 0, the time is the 1980's and the place is the seedy side of Tokyo. Specifically, a thinly veiled rendition of Kabukicho. If one was to visit the place today, they would find not just the streets eerily familiar, but many storefronts and unlikely landmarks still standing with sun faded awnings that the game remembers as bright and new.

The resulting scene is convincing. One can almost experience nostalgia for a place they've never set foot in - or maybe a time before they were born. A nice place to romp around and alternate between deadly serious story beats and downright goofy sidequests.

The gameplay is essentialy an old fashioned beat em up. Think of it as the grandson of Golden Axe with it's chunky 1-2-3-4 combos. There is massive quota of brawling to meet throughout the game, and frankly, it becomes repetitive. It's best enjoyed when managing your pace by stopping to enjoy the various minigames.

Less ambition and more fine craftsmanship, Yakuza 0 will draw in the nihon-curious as well as westerners who have never considered being born halfway around the world. Put your feet in the alligator shoes of a hardcore mobster, and don't forget to stop to smell the karaoke.