It's peak
It brought a tear to my eye
It's time to mix drinks and change lives

Will be going back for the rest of the achivements

A cold damp wind flows across town, invading the pores of your skin. To walk the streets of Kamurocho is being subjected to a freeze frame every 10 seconds as you move across streets, you will listen to the same whispers on the streets looping in the span of a blink or two. Which is why it speaks volumes that Yakuza is still able to envelop you inside itself; the combination of the thick atmosphere and the blaring soundtrack makes every fight feel like a battle for survival. It’s something that I feel has been lost from this franchise, with only 2018’s Judgement being able to replicate that feeling to some capacity. No doubt a million praises have been sung for this game’s atmosphere but every single positive comment is earned.

This is exactly the reason why every gesture of worship I offer the original Yakuza becomes nothing more than another point in a long list of reasons why I don’t like Yakuza: Kiwami. It’s easy for new fans of the series to look at the remake and make a false assumption that it must be better due to the fact it shares 0’s shiny combat as if the combat of the original game is something broken, something “outdated”. People will throw out the statement that the original’s combat “aged badly” as if it was something that needed to be fixed but actually playing the game it’s laughable at how this couldn’t be further from the truth. Every punch every kick has an oomph to it, and each heavy attack has this satisfying sound when your hits connect; although it’s more a question of if your hits connect because despite crafting up a combat system that’s still very enjoyable, there are inevitably a few shortcomings which hold it back from reaching the heights that it can, although maybe I’m just spoiled by later entries as even Yakuza 2 was a step up in this regard, with every entry after it slowly perfecting the combat, and subsequently elevating the legend of the Dragon of Dojima itself, and that is exactly why Yakuza is a game that shouldn’t be overlooked.

It’s easy to look at the bombastic stories of later entries like 0 and think the first game is tame by comparison but what Yakuza lacks in its set pieces, it more than makes up for with a narrative that’s just as enthralling as today as it was in 2005. It’s this game’s very simplicity that raises this entry by a significant margin, it’s a tale about two men who are done running from their problems. This is their destiny, any regrets they carry is baggage that will always weigh them down yet they keep moving onward, they keep moving towards each other. The Koi will shed everything to become the Dragon, even if it means hurting what it once held close. There’s no going back. They can only go forward.

𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗥𝗨𝗡 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬.

Worse than alone / Exiled.

The second game in the Persona series sets out to build and improve upon everything found in the first game. Admittedly the game was very hyped up as being the best the franchise offers, and I can certainly see why. The game is dripping with symbolism trenched deep into a plot involving some of the craziest scenarios in the series, but one that ultimately has a heart at the center of it all.

For starters, I think the gameplay is an improvement of Persona 1's in every aspect....but that still doesn't mean it's the best either. Dungeons are the worst example; they're largely monotonous and too long for their own good at later points in the game. Combat is certainly unique and challenging, but I can't help but feel like it's not all that engaging. A new mechanic that I actually really like is the Rumor System; it has more depth than I was expecting, and I love how it's an extension of the main narrative itself. While you're going around town, spreading rumors, or buying items, the game's excellent soundtrack is also there to keep you company, and I love the instrumental variety featured in the OST.

Worse than exiled / Dead.

Ultimately, I think the strongest part of Innocent Sin lies in its narrative. The storytelling method is quite different from the first game, and I think it works for the story they're going for here. An ever-longing pain emanates from each of the main cast from your first encounter with them, and their struggles were very explored very well. I do think there are some hiccups though, as I can't help but feel the last party member that joins is never given enough interaction with the rest of the cast for me to get a proper handle on what kind of person he is. His struggles were laid out well, but I think the game could've benefited from having a few more scenes with him.

Besides that, I think almost everyone is well-written, and I love the moments where we get to know each character. Whether it be Maya's messy room, Eikichi's dreams of becoming a rock star, or Lisa's habit of blurting out Cantonese phrases, I loved getting to know these characters and exploring the town of Sumaru City. This game reminded me why I fell in love with Persona and Megami Tensei years ago.

Worse than dead / Forgotten.

"I now realise what I search for is not revenge, but the truth."

A unique title that echoes the heights of the franchise. A Yakuza game to it's core and the first title to be shipped to the West under the Like A Dragon rebrand, Ishin Kiwami (I call it Ishinwami for short) has a lot to live up to., and it does for the most part.

On the gameplay side? I like it, boss fights are slower than the rest of the series but it goes great along with it's swordplay. It's your average day to day enemies you encounter that pose any real issue, enemies with the spear will give you a hard time getting back up and during long fights you're suddenly forced to fight these giant armoured enemies who you can't use heat actions against. While the combat isn't anything amazing, it works extremely well for it's setting.

One thing I do not like Ishinwami's character changes, they sell completely different images of the characters and during my playthrough there was always an itch in the back of my mind about how it doesn't feel right. Replacing fan favorites with other fan favorites was not the way to go, however, it's mostly ignorable and the average person will not mind. I'm just care for details like this. I just hope if they ever decide to release Kenzan here, the changes made aren't as major.

But story is what's always mattered in Yakuza to me, and for the most part it delivers very well. The game uses the Meiji Restoration era as a metaphor for our dual selves. Japan, much like us, projects an image of themselves which is how they want to be seen as. But just like us, it's plagued with infighting and conflict.

The story starts out slow and takes a while to get going but when it does it reminds me of why I love this franchise. The final fight especially is a great set piece about two men fighting over a legacy, their legacy. I just wish the rest of the game could've been like this too, because the cracks start to show very soon.
The ending especially veers so hard into Japanese nationalism out of no where that all it does is leave a bad taste in your mouth. It doesn't break the game but it certainly could've been handled a lot better.

Ishin reminds me of a lot of what I love about the franchise, but I can't deny that it occasionally falls into the same pits as some of the other games. Jarring reveals and awkward pacing, I still love Yakuza, or as it's now called, "Like a Dragon". I'm very optimistic for the future.