Yakuza

It would only be natural to compare Yakuza to GTA since it involves an anti-hero’s rise through the ranks of a crime family but for its own good, Yakuza is much different.First of all Yakuza is not as good as GTA in many respects and it would be financial suicide for it to even attempt to emulate it. The focus and structure of the gameplay has a unique style to it even though the storyline shares the basic GTA premise. There are many surprises in Yakuza because of the gameplay’s strong ties to the storyline which causes it to twist and turn with the plot. The foundation of the game is action adventure with brawling (hand-to-hand combat fighting) and RPG elements built on top.
Kiryu Kazuma is member of the Yakuza crime family, a Japanese syndicate not unlike the mafia. Kazuma is actually a nice guy that took the fall for one of his friends resulting in a 10-year prison sentence and his ultimate expulsion from the crime family. Upon his release he finds the new family involved in a power struggle, not only with rival organizations but from within. Kazuma winds up involved with the family once again and undertakes various tasks, alternating between good and evil deeds. He makes the distinction that business-related matters are not to be judged morally, it’s simply his job. Early in the game he has to take care of a young girl and protect her from all of the violence and lewdness that exists in his ‘hood. The story tries to tug at your heart strings at times and while it ultimately fails to stir any emotional response from the player, the point is made and we understand the main character better.
Kazuma is good at his job but the more tasks he performs, the better he gets as he accumulates experience points which he can use to enhance three major abilities: Strength; stamina, and skills. Exploring the map, you will find that you are somewhat forced to follow a certain structured path. It’s not so much that the game is linear but it has to walk a fine line since it’s very evident that some tasks have to be performed in sequence. It’s definitely not as free-roaming as GTA. There are plenty of fights, with many of them occurring randomly as you encounter some smart-talking, smartass that needs to be taught a lesson. When you enter into a fight up to half-a-dozen enemies may join the melee but fortunately you’re a great fighter with plenty of combos and special attacks up your sleeve. It’s in your best interest to take care of the perpetrator quickly before you find yourself surrounded. The combat is not particularly deep, as you only have a few basic moves, but it’s fun and very effective. Weapons such as knives, bats and sticks will be used from time to time but they are downplayed in favor of good, old, fisticuffs. Occasionally a gun will be used but for whatever reason even if you get shot at point blank range it will only temporarily stun you, although it will cost you some health points. The weapons typically break or wear out with use, so you will always have to rely on your fists. The continuous combat makes the gameplay feel a little like Samurai Warrior without the swords.
I would like to be able to tell you that the boss’s put up a good fight but if you’re good at pattern recognition, they won’t give you much of a problem. Another bone of contention is the environment. The area that the game takes place in is relatively small compared to epic games such as GTA and Onimusha. It takes place in a seedy neighborhood filled with porno shops, liquor stores, rundown nightclubs and other tacky businesses. Even though you can hop a cap and navigate your way around the map quickly, the entire area still ends up feeling claustrophobic. It’s like the game takes place in a mall and not outdoors in a real city. Overall the game fails to elicit much realism. There is too much fighting and the side quests feel as though they were tacked on to the game instead of being integral to the storyline. Mini-games that range from baseball batting to arcade gambling are included but they are used only as a source of revenue in terms of experience points for you to upgrade the character. Once again they don’t feel like part of the main game.
Control-wise the game is definitely in the button-mashing arena. It’s relatively simple to access the controls but yet, it’s still satisfying. There is enough variety in the gameplay to keep you interested longer than usual but it still is predictable in places which will probably keep you from playing it intensely for two straight days. Graphically Yakuza has style. The streets are extremely well detailed, rife with traffic, pedestrians and neon signs - and that may be why the map is so small. The characters also look great and animate naturally. The sounds are repetitive and the voiceovers are forced, not to mention they don’t synch with the lip movement which makes them stick out that much more.
Yakuza is a good game that never seems in danger of being great. It’s like exploring a slice of life in another culture; you’re not quite sure what you’re going to get but you keep trying to get something. Eventually you will find answers to all the questions raised in the storyline so that everything is all nicely wrapped up when it’s over – never to be played again.