Preconceptions are the worst enemy of entertainment: we live it continuously with the films that arrive in the hall, with the TV series we see at home and, nevertheless, with the video games we play. Indeed, we often find ourselves playing games that reflect our hobbies, our passions, leaving out those video games that, for one reason or another, do not return to our creative vein. Probably, for most Westerners, Yakuza 0 will fit into this great whole, made of pearls to discover and titles to play. For those who do not know what we are talking about, Yakuza is a saga that dates back to 2006, with the appearance of its first chapter on PlayStation 2: Kazuma Kiryu, a member of the Yakuza (the Japanese mafia) and protagonist of the game, will have to face a plot full of plots and subterfuges to be able, in a world full of snakes, to survive and revive the fortunes of Clan Tojo.
Advancing with the times, Yakuza has reached the sixth chapter in Japan (but we are still stuck in the fifth), improving from time to time the gameplay, game structure and enriching the offer with fun and functional minigames. The real pillars of the saga, however, have always been the frenetic and fun combat gameplay, and a plot worthy of the best investigative: Yakuza in fact, although it does not appear that way, has always improved its storyline, creating that hint of tension worthy of the best thrillers. Yakuza 0, as you can understand from the title, tries a new path (different from the various spinoffs with zombies - Yakuza Dead Souls - and set in distant times - Yakuza Ishin -): it takes on the task of narrating the origins of our hero, the dragon of Dojima, and of Goro Majima, a character who in future will become a rival, friend, foe and much more, tying closely with Kazuma Kiryu. Could he have managed to keep his honor high, just like a real yakuza? Let's find out
LOYALTY AND BETRAYAL
Our Kiryu, with a much shorter haircut than the one we met him with, is together with his friend Nishikiyama, after having recently joined the family where their stepfather Kazama Shintaro already resided for some time. They will find themselves having to deal with people thirsty for blood and money, able to create plots and to frame a kind and good soul like that of our hero. This is the premise of Yakuza 0, this is the incipit that opens the dances to a colorful, lively and fun world, but with a small difference: actually, here we are in the 80s, and the feeling is perfectly given to the player who, pad in hand, will find a retro Kamurocho (fictional city inspired by Kabukicho) waiting for him. Although the city is old-fashioned, the gameplay in reverse takes a big leap forward.
Given that in the Yakuza series from the fourth chapter onwards the game has started to create a gameplay component based on four / five playable characters, in Yakuza 0 there is a sort of step backwards, making only the two characters Kiryu and Goro playable, like two sides of the same coin. However, don't expect to find only fights and storylines: this title is teeming with minigames that, as you continue in the game, will make the experience fun, although from time to time they could slow down the continuation of the title a lot. In the game, in fact, we will find ourselves having to continue on our way to the sound of punches, as the good old Double Dragon taught us, using 3 different fighting styles per character: these will also be improved through the money that, continuing in the game (and at a certain time of the title, managing business within the city), you can acquire.
A LIVING CITY
Kamurocho, unlike the first titles, finally it reaches the potential it has always shown: random encounters of enemies that will chase you, random events that you can find around the city and NPCs that will seek your help when you least expect it will be scattered everywhere, while making your gaming experience fun and tiring. While on the one hand it will be pleasant to find unexpected events along the way, on the other hand, seeing a very important mission stop to recover a video game for a child could make you nervous. Fortunately though, there will be minigames to lift your spirits: bowling, karaoke and many other pastimes will be there waiting for you, ready to make you laugh and at the same time concentrate to reach the highest score.
If there is one thing that the game shows it knows how to share well, it is the unpredictability itself: just when in your head you think you have seen it all, a secondary mission will force you to teach a girl how to be dominatrix towards men. , or you will have to impersonate an art director while recording a restaurant advertisement. We could talk endlessly about the gameplay of Yakuza 0, but in fact we would not be able to show you how well the game itself does: it is still relaxing to lead your hands towards all those ugly thugs who, like bees towards honey, will fling themselves on our protagonists, thinking they can overwhelm them (nothing that a good bicycle thrown in the face cannot solve).
THE FACE OF A YAKUZA
It would be stupid not to say that SEGA, in this Yakuza 0, he put his face on it: however, we are not just talking about the simple risk of bringing a title completely dedicated to something oriental in the West, but also of applying much more accurate graphics to the game than in the previous chapters. In fact, it is clear how the expressions of the (main) characters are so accurate as to be very realistic, even more so when compared to those of the PlayStation 3 titles: the anger, joy and pain of Kiryu and all the other characters will be palpable, accompanied by a soundtrack that will show its rock side in battles as much as the softer one in emotional moments.
As you could read in these lines above, the title was brought, like its predecessors, about 1 year after its release in Japan: the motivation goes back to a necessary use for the localization of the product, mixed with the available budget (limited due to the success it could have in the West). Although the first chapter was accompanied by a stellar dubbing in English, with Spanish subtitles, after the poor results every subsequent game in the series has always had the original dubbing in Japanese, with English subtitles: the latter, given the need to adapt words and phrases spoken by Japanese mobsters, sometimes they may have small problems in constructing the sentences, creating a bit of confusion for anyone who does not know Japanese. However, if you know this language, then, you may also find fun in hearing the various citizens of Kamurocho talk about their things, from simple quarrels to more complex speeches, thus showing a living, dynamic and built city not for the protagonist, but where Kiryu lives. , circulates and fights for its life.
Maybe Yakuza this time could get the right treatment for what it shows: with the probable arrival, soon, of Yakuza Kiwami (remastered of the first episode on PlayStation 4), and with the fact that this Yakuza 0 tells precisely the origins of the two protagonists, the only obstacle that remains to be overcome is the preconception that a Japanese title, dedicated to the Japanese mafia, full of references to Japan, is not suitable for a Western audience. Maybe this time, the named game wrongly how the "Japanese GTA" could be successful. Deserved.
If you are interested, you can find a retrospective on the Yakuza saga by following this link: Yakuza: a clear example of superfine Westernization.
Modus Operandi: the review you have just read has been written based on the only version available, PS4, after completing the main storyline, several side missions and playing various mini-games.
