It's a great end to a saga.
Gameplay-wise it really is a massive step-up from the previous Yakuza 3-engine titles. While they cut many of unique Heat Actions, the overall combat is now much more balanced and less choppy--in the previous games, players had very limited way to dealing with enemies who are knocked to the ground, often forcing them to use Heat Action or do a stomp that is not necessarily all that useful. Instead, the combat now flows much more naturally, and the ragdoll makes kicking people around immensely fun. The Extrem Heat Mode also is one of the better improvements to the flow of the battle, and allows more intense and continuous action than the similar skill in the previous titles
The animation quality really helps combat as well. The fluidity of Kiryu's movement definitely a generational leap, and any kind of guard blocks now flow much faster into the action than it did in the previous engine. Outside of combat, the walking animation is so well done that I played 28 hours without running (except for when it was narratively appropriate or I was under a time limit). I literally walked around Onomichi and Kamurocho without running, because the animation and the atmosphere of the game makes walking itself badass. And I didn't feel bored, because Kiryu walking in this engine is just that satisfying to look at. Absolutely fantastically designed environments that looks lived-in more than any other open world game also helps this immersion as well.
Story-wise, it has homage to several previous entries especially Yakuza 1 and 3. The two entries has a rather divisive, if not downright infamous, reputation when it comes to their narrative, and I believe 6 in a way was a way for them to revisit them and show how they could've done better. It is not without its faults, but it is overall paced well with a cast of likable characters. There is a conroversy especially in Asia concerning Haruka's actions in this game, but to me, her most selfish and boneheaded action came in Yakuza 5 anyway so it didn't really bother me at all.
What I do find puzzling is lack of few characters that should've been more prominent: while Akiyama gets the well-deserved spotlight throughout the story, the fellow Yakuza 4 alumni Tanimura is nowhere to be found, despite the fact that the incident that kicks off the story is heavily connected to the place he cherishes. Kage is also missing, along with his underground paradise, without any explanation--despite the fact that he would've been a great help in the central mystery of the game.
But at the very least, Yakuza series finally has a game that has a good ending other than 0.
Gameplay-wise it really is a massive step-up from the previous Yakuza 3-engine titles. While they cut many of unique Heat Actions, the overall combat is now much more balanced and less choppy--in the previous games, players had very limited way to dealing with enemies who are knocked to the ground, often forcing them to use Heat Action or do a stomp that is not necessarily all that useful. Instead, the combat now flows much more naturally, and the ragdoll makes kicking people around immensely fun. The Extrem Heat Mode also is one of the better improvements to the flow of the battle, and allows more intense and continuous action than the similar skill in the previous titles
The animation quality really helps combat as well. The fluidity of Kiryu's movement definitely a generational leap, and any kind of guard blocks now flow much faster into the action than it did in the previous engine. Outside of combat, the walking animation is so well done that I played 28 hours without running (except for when it was narratively appropriate or I was under a time limit). I literally walked around Onomichi and Kamurocho without running, because the animation and the atmosphere of the game makes walking itself badass. And I didn't feel bored, because Kiryu walking in this engine is just that satisfying to look at. Absolutely fantastically designed environments that looks lived-in more than any other open world game also helps this immersion as well.
Story-wise, it has homage to several previous entries especially Yakuza 1 and 3. The two entries has a rather divisive, if not downright infamous, reputation when it comes to their narrative, and I believe 6 in a way was a way for them to revisit them and show how they could've done better. It is not without its faults, but it is overall paced well with a cast of likable characters. There is a conroversy especially in Asia concerning Haruka's actions in this game, but to me, her most selfish and boneheaded action came in Yakuza 5 anyway so it didn't really bother me at all.
What I do find puzzling is lack of few characters that should've been more prominent: while Akiyama gets the well-deserved spotlight throughout the story, the fellow Yakuza 4 alumni Tanimura is nowhere to be found, despite the fact that the incident that kicks off the story is heavily connected to the place he cherishes. Kage is also missing, along with his underground paradise, without any explanation--despite the fact that he would've been a great help in the central mystery of the game.
But at the very least, Yakuza series finally has a game that has a good ending other than 0.