After beating all of the Kiryu saga and going back to its roots playing Yakuza (thanks to the restoration patch) I can say it's quite an experience. It's no surprise that the Kiwami remakes are not just poor reimaginations of the PS2 era but barebone games on themselves, only interesting as proofs of concept for certain gameplay gimmicks that in some cases are nice and harmless (leveling on Kiwami 2) and in others can be fatal blows to pace and overall consistency (Majima Everywhere).

It is while playing Yakuza this time that I made peace with how bad I received what I thought was a poor beginning with certain good ideas and moments; this first game is flawed and poorly written at times but it echoes in a way that Kiwami cannot even begin to grasp. What here is moody there is bland, the tries and failures of an innovative and risky endeavour such as Nagoshi and his team did with this monstrous project is lack of consistency and polish on the 7th mainline game of an established franchise. I'm not gonna keep comparing even if I thought before playing this that I would. Yakuza is so much more.

Kamurocho has character, a character I didn't see fully formed until Yakuza 4 is its own beast here, a city brimmed with danger and threats to Kiryu that manages to be absolutely ridiculous while keeping a tone. In fact this is much of what happens with this game on every single level. The idea of the two sides of Yakuza is somehow a modern construct that has been developing, that's clear, and in this first approach without added "funny bits" Yakuza presents itself as a much more gruesome and sad game without going to the places the franchise has risked to go in the latest games. The plot doesn't break grounds and makes mistakes on the most stupid places (why the fuck Haruka goes to Shangri La?), having too much for its own good, closing arcs that haven't been developed enough, killing characters that could make much more alive in future games... But in the end, although flawed, it all comes together. The bullshit is minor, the mysoginy is a load of crap but it got a tiny bit better in future games (hope it gets inexistent at some point, please, Yokoyama), and the poorly built scenes make sense for the arcs. The plot is flimsy but Kiryu manages to make it not crush, as he always does.

See the beginning of what I consider the best main character in this medium as it was meant to be makes even clearer to me why he has been a totem for this franchise every single time.

Kiryu makes everything work.

His personality is as firm as the game needs to be, never breaks enough, and his idealism is always the point of conjunction for characters and plot itself to connect making the themes resonate above the mistakes, the sides coalesce; Kiryu is Yakuza at its core. Kiryu is so much Yakuza that it has permeated to the point the franchise can continue without him because his way of connecting with reality is embodied on every single aspect of this franchise. Every game tells a tale about him because Kiryu is the embodiment of the core ideals of what Ryu Ga Gotoku stands and believes.

Yakuza is colder, faulty, feels rushed and risky, unfocused but heartful, it is a first try right in its core. This game talks about a particular Kamurocho, one full of bands and people, one that Kiryu doesn't feel his own. Weird and new, closed, in need of help. Kamurocho is always a reflection of the spirit of times, of the game itself and his aspirations.

This tries so much it fails at times, but it tries its best. It's always better to fight and lose on your own terms than to not even try. Nagoshi succeeded even with failures, and this game can be a masterpiece and a disaster on spans of 10 minutes. And even if the plot trembles and the combat pales I just needed a walk through the city. To hear the music, to see the beauty and have the realization that this, right here, is everything I love; this is the Kamurocho I know from memory, the one I've visited through the years. It's a faithful companion I've seen shackled, alive most times and dead a few, but a city I, as Kiryu, can't stop coming back even with its share of problems.

I love Kiryu and Haruka to death, I love the vibes, and the final boss fight makes me chill every single time. I look at the screen and sometimes just smile thinking about the journeys, the incredible moments I have gone through looking at the back of the most iconic jacket in gaming, and looking to the sky, to the Millennium Tower, and glancing at the sheer brilliance of everything on display here. A building that turns always the main character without pretending to, a tall and threatening presence that every single time means death and loss, but doesn't want any of that. I look at the tower that wasn't here 10 years ago and now stands at the center, always the center, and think about this city that made me cry and laugh so many times I managed to discover more about myself and try my best to keep fighting. And that's exactly what Yakuza is about. What Kiryu stands for. What Kamurocho has always meant to me.

Kiwami's was dead, this is alive. Not much more to say.

the dark and melodramatic streets of kamurocho, contextualized by punctual camera angles, neon signs that dampen dark alleyways, and wacky inhabitants. kamurocho is alive. for every fun filled casino or arcade, an oppressive gang infested street lies just around the corner.
in the week or so since i've finished this game, i haven't stopped thinking about it. the dynamic cast of characters, the aforementioned bustling streets of kamurocho, the hard hitting sample induced rock soundtrack, and the clunky yet earnestly goofy combat; it's extremely honest and heartfelt in pursuit of a crime drama, and it certainly delivers. i think the themes of family bonds really tie everything together. the moments with the florist and his son, or date with his daughter were a bit of a deviation from the main narrative but they were ultimately for the sake of driving a point home, which i respect. yakuza 1 isn't afraid of itself unlike kiwami, it'll confidently present you its themes and gameplay without hesitation. while i do see the combat as inherently flawed it never got on my nerves or hindered my enjoyment of the game. it's clunky for sure but every attack, daft in approach, feels impactful when it connects. and with the backing of rough hardass rock beats mixed with the hip hop sample here and there, i couldn't help but be pumped up for every battle that ensued.
despite its flaws, i still appreciate yakuza 1 for what it sets out to do. the atmosphere is almost unparalleled in the ps2 library. between every freeze frame loading the next street, a sense of curiosity and infatuation follows. i don't care if kiwami is objectively better or whatever, this is the real yakuza experience to me. kiwami WISHES it could be this genuine.
BRING that shit, Kazuma.

ROLLING EYES FALL
The original Yakuza is a neat little game with themes about family and not running away from your destiny. It's an often disregarded game by the fanbase, due to many "aged" aspects such as the combat and English dub. Many fans recommended I start with Yakuza 0, but I defied expectations and went with the original, as suggested by my bestie Josh_The_Fourth. That, alongside the recent undub mod that released, gave me the drive to give this series a shot, and I don't regret it one bit.
Yakuza has a pretty cool story that makes the game feel like an interactive crime drama. It's not necessarily a deep plot, but it doesn't need to be. The story still supplies plenty of plot twists along the way, and has a great message about family, one of the best examples being Date's character arc. Being paced rather well, I was constantly on my toes wanting to see what happened next, even a few scenes towards the end really pulled my heartstrings. It also helps that the voice acting I picked is really good, I don't know a lick of Japanese but every emotion is conveyed in such a great way. I especially have to give props to Kiryu's voice actor, who is a character you'd think is the generic tough guy protagonist, but he really has a soft side, and his deliveries are fantastic. Once again, while not entirely deep, I love Yakuza's plot and characters.
The combat is always the biggest complaint against Yakuza 1, and I won't defend it entirely to be honest. There's alot of clunk, the lock on sucks, and at times it can be repetitive. However... damnit this combat is just so goofy and kinetic! I love just wiping the floor with petty yakuzas who are just out for my wallet, especially when seeing the pretty hard hitting heat attacks. Enemies with guns are honestly the worst, and in my opinion the lowest point for enemy variety in this game. The bosses aren't necessarily fantastic, but the Majima fights and the final boss are actually kinda great!
Man, this game's atmosphere and presentation though. Kamurocho is a very small hub world overall, but the amount of detail and, dare I say SOUL, is amazing. The fixed cameras of the city help accentuate the scale and detail the city contains, becoming one of the most visually striking games I've seen from the PS2. The cutscenes are well directed with good quality models and animations to accompany the important moments you'll be viewing. Lastly, the soundtrack for this game I adore. It's a rather small ost overall, but damn when music IS playing it absolutely goes hard, especially the battle themes. The emphasis on hard rock and electronica(?) just evokes such a cool feeling that sends me straight back to the 2000's (in a good way.)
Yakuza is definitely a flawed experience, but I had a blast playing this. I've known about the series for nearly 2 years now, but I just never bothered playing them. And now here we are, and I am in love. Can I recommend the original Yakuza? That is a hard question. If you play exclusively modern games, I probably can't, but if you can step out of that comfort zone maybe you'll have something to like! Luckily Yakuza isn't a terribly long game (I finished it with 12 hours of play time), nor is it very difficult with a few exceptions.
Overall, I give this game a nine out of TEN YEARS IN THE JOINT MADE YOU A F-

Verbs in my speech when I flow
I rap like a devil, that searches for the dough or the drugs
So eager to drive in the Benz, I keep the low pro making ends with my friends
Free skills, oh shit I'm a brother with mad styles
Don't even try to step boy my lyrics are mad foul
Crazy hardcore with a touch of jazz, microphone chemistry to bust your ass