this might just be the best mainline kiryu game in the RGG franchise. it’s writing is some of the best in the series, managing to create such a dense and enjoyable plot while taking place alongside yakuza 7: like a dragon, and it never lets go of your attention for a second, unraveling twists and plot beats that you could never see coming. that’s all without mentioning how emotional this game can be, RGG have always been about writing human characters that you can emphasise with, and this might be their best work at that yet. these characters feel real in almost every way and if I’m going to be completely honest, some scenes had me sobbing like a fucking baby.
the gameplay is a huge improvement on kiryu’s past combat in the dragon engine.i’m sure you know what i’m referring to if you’ve played yakuza 6 or kiwami 2. in the most basic way i can say this, they made dragon engine kiryu fun. the yakuza fighting style, literally the DoD style from 6 and K2, is back. only this time your attacks feel smooth and impactful and there’s hardly ever any interruptions to the natural flow of combat. plus, the new agent fighting style is like the crane to yakuza’s tiger. perfect for taking out large groups of enemies effortlessly and quickly with unique gadgets and abilities, or for whenever you want a break from the usual brawler combat the series is known for. on top of that, we have a bunch of returning fighting styles, or just fighters in general, making a comeback through the coliseum, where you can recruit fighters from previous games or brand new characters exclusive to gaiden to either fight on your side against hordes of enemies, or play as them with their own unique fighting style (personal favourite is sugiura, his style is broken lol).
overall, this might genuinely be RGG’s best work yet, even despite the game’s relatively small size. i can only hope that like a dragon: infinite wealth is anything like this, because if it is then that shit is getting an instant 10/10. anyways go play this game. but play 2 before it. and 5. and maybe 7. forgot to mention there’s a whole lotta callbacks in this one lol
the gameplay is a huge improvement on kiryu’s past combat in the dragon engine.i’m sure you know what i’m referring to if you’ve played yakuza 6 or kiwami 2. in the most basic way i can say this, they made dragon engine kiryu fun. the yakuza fighting style, literally the DoD style from 6 and K2, is back. only this time your attacks feel smooth and impactful and there’s hardly ever any interruptions to the natural flow of combat. plus, the new agent fighting style is like the crane to yakuza’s tiger. perfect for taking out large groups of enemies effortlessly and quickly with unique gadgets and abilities, or for whenever you want a break from the usual brawler combat the series is known for. on top of that, we have a bunch of returning fighting styles, or just fighters in general, making a comeback through the coliseum, where you can recruit fighters from previous games or brand new characters exclusive to gaiden to either fight on your side against hordes of enemies, or play as them with their own unique fighting style (personal favourite is sugiura, his style is broken lol).
overall, this might genuinely be RGG’s best work yet, even despite the game’s relatively small size. i can only hope that like a dragon: infinite wealth is anything like this, because if it is then that shit is getting an instant 10/10. anyways go play this game. but play 2 before it. and 5. and maybe 7. forgot to mention there’s a whole lotta callbacks in this one lol