Kurohyō
Okay, just beat kurohyō, and I did not expect to love this game as much as I did.
Firstly, Ukyo, such an original character, they nailed this depiction of a punk aggressive teenager but also mixing it with other interesting traits, introvert, explosive, distrustful, ignorant, no purpose but completely raw emotion.
I can see him as a real eighteen-year-old kid whose life has been tough, Tatsuya just feels so natural and human.
I think I resonate with the character a lot since his arc delves the same topics as my favorite manga of all time (Vagabond).
This usage of violence as a resource to survive, the only thing he knows and how the fucked situation he finds himself into helps him mold his fists into something meaningful, what Yuki calls "fists with emotion." and how it can transmit something more than rage.
To give a philosophy to your fists and the reason you fight is what the game primary delves into, and even if it's not VAGABOND's level, I loved it. You can see how with every fight he surpasses, he changes.
Understanding that surviving isn't the only approach to life.
Understanding strength can carry a message, emotions, knowledge and that it can be transmitted.
Understanding that fighting with a purpose changes the way you see yourself and everything around you.
Understanding how the person in front of you feels, how they struggle.
The moment in which Tenma tells Ukyo how he really cared about him... Ukyo's face.... really well drawn, and the voice acting was super fitting, you could tell how something sparked inside him, a purpose, something genuine to live for.
I really love how from that moment forward you can tell Ukyo's behavior subtly changes, starts thinking about others (Tenma, Saki, Taizan, Takenaka, Hyūga) in a caring way, abandoning this mistrust of him.
Starts saying thank you, sorry, expressing his ideas to other, you can REALLY note the differences, the Saeko scene at the bar ends remarking this fact beautifully.
Taizan...or Nogi.... I think more dialogue/cinematic between them would have done them good to make that bond stronger, making that final revelation much more emotional, but it's great regardless.
You can judge Nogi, and you would be on your right, he did bad, and the game doesn't want to excuse him, Ukyo obviously resents him, and the game doesn't want to force a father/son relationship, it feels natural.
The fact that the time Ukyo spends on dragon heat serves as that father/son time Nogi never gave to him, looking back, the old man trying to talk and teach him in every scene makes it more emotional.
I also like how Kuki is firstly presented as an antagonist but little by little he seems more morally grey, learning how he refused to commit arson and that he actually had a meaningful dream, desire, motive
(whatever you wanna call it) about dragon heat and Tatsuya.
His final scene... seeing how Ukyo accepts carrying his will of winning, like some type of impossible bond gets forged right there.... powerful!!!!!!!!!1
The antagonist ...... well ...... with Nagoshi it's usually a hit or miss, and this time is mostly a miss ....
I don't really care for him and his cliché villainous personality nor his pupil (zero screen time also.)
I think it makes a good parallelism between them and Ukyo/Nogi since both poured their knowledge on their respective "youth vessel", one carrying authentic violence, the other carrying authentic strength.
The plot itself was really thrilling tbh, gave me this yakuza 0 - yakuza 2 vibe that I love, lot of mystery, detective/noir thingy, gritty and grounded events (yes Osaka castle is not real) that unfolds naturally throughout the story.
Music was incredible, really transmits this underground street fight vibe, with that angry teen essence, it reminds me of how SH3 OST a lot of times sounds like what a teenager like Heather would listen to, probably was the idea here too.
I enjoyed the combat more than any yakuza game until now, if u play the game hard mode you can really feel the tension and rush of a real street fight.
Okay, just beat kurohyō, and I did not expect to love this game as much as I did.
Firstly, Ukyo, such an original character, they nailed this depiction of a punk aggressive teenager but also mixing it with other interesting traits, introvert, explosive, distrustful, ignorant, no purpose but completely raw emotion.
I can see him as a real eighteen-year-old kid whose life has been tough, Tatsuya just feels so natural and human.
I think I resonate with the character a lot since his arc delves the same topics as my favorite manga of all time (Vagabond).
This usage of violence as a resource to survive, the only thing he knows and how the fucked situation he finds himself into helps him mold his fists into something meaningful, what Yuki calls "fists with emotion." and how it can transmit something more than rage.
To give a philosophy to your fists and the reason you fight is what the game primary delves into, and even if it's not VAGABOND's level, I loved it. You can see how with every fight he surpasses, he changes.
Understanding that surviving isn't the only approach to life.
Understanding strength can carry a message, emotions, knowledge and that it can be transmitted.
Understanding that fighting with a purpose changes the way you see yourself and everything around you.
Understanding how the person in front of you feels, how they struggle.
The moment in which Tenma tells Ukyo how he really cared about him... Ukyo's face.... really well drawn, and the voice acting was super fitting, you could tell how something sparked inside him, a purpose, something genuine to live for.
I really love how from that moment forward you can tell Ukyo's behavior subtly changes, starts thinking about others (Tenma, Saki, Taizan, Takenaka, Hyūga) in a caring way, abandoning this mistrust of him.
Starts saying thank you, sorry, expressing his ideas to other, you can REALLY note the differences, the Saeko scene at the bar ends remarking this fact beautifully.
Taizan...or Nogi.... I think more dialogue/cinematic between them would have done them good to make that bond stronger, making that final revelation much more emotional, but it's great regardless.
You can judge Nogi, and you would be on your right, he did bad, and the game doesn't want to excuse him, Ukyo obviously resents him, and the game doesn't want to force a father/son relationship, it feels natural.
The fact that the time Ukyo spends on dragon heat serves as that father/son time Nogi never gave to him, looking back, the old man trying to talk and teach him in every scene makes it more emotional.
I also like how Kuki is firstly presented as an antagonist but little by little he seems more morally grey, learning how he refused to commit arson and that he actually had a meaningful dream, desire, motive
(whatever you wanna call it) about dragon heat and Tatsuya.
His final scene... seeing how Ukyo accepts carrying his will of winning, like some type of impossible bond gets forged right there.... powerful!!!!!!!!!1
The antagonist ...... well ...... with Nagoshi it's usually a hit or miss, and this time is mostly a miss ....
I don't really care for him and his cliché villainous personality nor his pupil (zero screen time also.)
I think it makes a good parallelism between them and Ukyo/Nogi since both poured their knowledge on their respective "youth vessel", one carrying authentic violence, the other carrying authentic strength.
The plot itself was really thrilling tbh, gave me this yakuza 0 - yakuza 2 vibe that I love, lot of mystery, detective/noir thingy, gritty and grounded events (yes Osaka castle is not real) that unfolds naturally throughout the story.
Music was incredible, really transmits this underground street fight vibe, with that angry teen essence, it reminds me of how SH3 OST a lot of times sounds like what a teenager like Heather would listen to, probably was the idea here too.
I enjoyed the combat more than any yakuza game until now, if u play the game hard mode you can really feel the tension and rush of a real street fight.