"A cinematic brawler with plenty of reasons to play, despite the flaws."

Yakuza details the hectic exploits of Kazama Kiryu, a Japanese mobster (or Yakuza, hence the title). Once a big name in mob circles, Kazama has fallen from grace after the supposed murder of his boss and the subsequent ten years of imprisonment. During the course of the game, you'll follow Kazama as he falls headfirst back into the seedy underworld of Japan and learns just how much things have changed in the ten years he's been behind bars.

Graphics: 9/10.
I've got to hand it to the folks at Sega, they outdid themselves in how this game looks. The character models are gorgeously detailed, showing even slight alterations in facial expression that can really lend credence to the movie-like feel of the game. The backgrounds are also grade-A, from the flashing neon lights of the main streets to the seedy, garbage-laden back alleys and hobo hangouts. The cut scenes are breathtaking in their attention to the tiniest details. Heck, they even got a character to clamp his lips convincingly over a cigarette, something I'd never seen done satisfactorily in a game! My one (extremely tiny) gripe about the graphics is that some of the motions you see look a little jerky or forced, but it's extremely forgettable with how well done these graphics are. They couldn't help immerse you in the game more.

Sound: 8/10.
The soundtrack seems to be mostly Japanese hard-rock stuff, and for a musically uncultured bumpkin like myself, I found most of it to be pretty catchy. The heavy guitar stuff in fight scenes really helps you get fired up for the gritty, down-and-dirty combat that plagues poor Kazama. The ambient noises as you wander around town are also just great. The voice acting, as well, was very well done. As I'm sure most of you know, games tend to be plagued with icky voice acting, but the cast for Yakuza really came through splendidly. It would have been nice to have an option to change the voices to Japanese to complete the feel of the game, which I felt was a big oversight, but you can't get everything you want. Also, the language is very coarse, and you may get sick of hearing the F-word a lot. I suppose it does tie into the whole dog-eat-dog style of the Japanese underworld as depicted in the game, but at times it just seems gratuitous.

Storyline: 9/10.
As a beat-'em-up with a twist, I wasn't expecting too much from Yakuza, story-wise. Turns out, I was pleasantly surprised. There's plenty of backstabbing, twists, turns, and unexpected events. Some of the story stuff is just about impossible to see coming and can really throw you for a loop, and it helps to keep the game fresh and exciting. You can read little mini-bios of the characters in-game which updates as you progress through the story, which can be quite handy to help the player figure out who's up to what. Even with such a good story, it isn't intrusive, and there's always action right around the corner to keep you interested. I felt the characters backstories could have been fleshed out a little bit more, especially Kazama's childhood, but it isn't enough to negatively impact gameplay. Is there any wonder there's been buzz about creating a movie based on the game? The game itself plays a bit like a movie, so it isn't too big a stretch.

Gameplay: 7/10.
This is the one area of Yakuza that didn't give me quite what I expected, and sadly, it's the most important part. I would have sacrificed a little bit in the graphics or sound department if it had meant better gameplay. Combat is still a rip-roaring good time with Kazama's brutal style of fighting and the myriad weapons available to you (a whopping 97 total!), but unfortunately, combat can be awkward. Getting Kazama to do what you want him to do, especially in tight quarters, can be frustrating. He tends to not lock onto his foes properly, resulting in a lot of swinging at the air while your foe smacks you. Several of the bosses were not so much fun as they were a major pain to defeat, requiring less skill and more exploitation than anything to win. The controls can be a bit jerky too, so don't be surprised if Kazama doesn't always dodge properly or hits the air four feet to the right of your opponent. Practice can get rid of most of the control issues but it doesn't completely eliminate them. Even with the setbacks, the game offers an amusing style of combat. Oh, and lest I forget, Kazama is freaking MEAN when he fights. Hit your foe in the head with a baseball bat! Break a beer bottle on their noggin! Viciously stomp their skull when they're down! Kick 'em in the spine! Kazama can do all that and more, which makes for a somewhat visceral, yet fun, experience.

Replayability: 6/10.
By beating the game, you gain access to several bonus missions with specific requirements, boss battles, marathon battles, and new ways to play the main game (only important sidequests, game without the cut scene, etc). While some of the extra battles are a load of fun, they tend to lose their flavor fast, as many of them have goals that are very hard to achieve. And to get some of the other bonus stuff, you have to beat all the extra stuff and earn the best rank! While completionists and big fans of the game may take the challenge, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing a casual gamer would go for. I would have liked to see deleted storyboards or maybe some other stuff that didn't make the final cut of the game, given the movie feel. For the casual player, the extras are a short-term distraction at best.

Overall: 8/10.
While this game does have some flaws, the pluses shine much more brightly than the negatives. The wonderful attention to detail, ambience, fast-paced story and good ol' fashioned violence come together to make Yakuza a well-done game with some room for improvement. You could beat this game on a rental (I did it in four days), but to really get the most this game has to offer, buying it would be in your best interests. If you want a brawler with movie elements, look no further than Yakuza. If you're looking for something easier to pick up and just play with no muss or fuss, it might be better for you to pass on this one.

Pros:
-Excellent story keeps you wondering what comes next.
-Great graphics, both in regards to cut scenes and gameplay.
-Music and sound are all very fitting.
-Lots of hard-hitting action helps pace the story and keep you intrigued.
-Awesome voice acting prevents the game from sounding too B-movie-like.
-Kazama is a badass.

Cons:
-Quirky combat detracts from the key principle of gameplay and sets a high learning curve to get the best stuff.
-No option to set the voices to Japanese.
-Lots of swearing can make the game sound lowbrow.
-Little replayability for people who aren't interested at excelling at the game.

Thanks a lot for reading, and here's hoping this review was helpful to you!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/12/07