Yakuza (PS2)

...way you looked at it, Yakuza faced some pretty weighty comparisons in the run up to its release. One common knee-jerk reaction was that the Tokyo-esque cityscape and open-world gameplay heralded Japan’s answer to Grand Theft Auto, though in a time when sandbox games were in high demand, this was hardly a surprise. Of greater interest to SEGA fans was that it bore more than a passing resemblance to revered Dreamcast epic Shenmue, renewing hope that ...
...than those of Shenmue, but Yakuza offers a faster-paced, more streamlined gameplay experience with less clutter and more user-friendly controls.

You play as Kazuma Kiriyu, a one-time yakuza touted for big things within his clan, until he takes the fall for a murder committed by his younger brother. After ten years behind bars, he is abruptly released and here the player’s journey begins in earnest. As Kazuma trims down his underworld ... more

Whatever way you looked at it, Yakuza faced some pretty weighty comparisons in the run up to its release. One common knee-jerk reaction was that the Tokyo-esque cityscape and open-world gameplay heralded Japan’s answer to Grand Theft Auto, though in a time when sandbox games were in high demand, this was hardly a surprise. Of greater interest to SEGA fans was that it bore more than a passing resemblance to revered Dreamcast epic Shenmue, renewing hope that the long wait for a spiritual sequel or spin-off might have come to an end.

Living up to such billing was a tough ask – the first Shenmue was reportedly the world’s most expensive game when it landed in 2000, costing SEGA around $70 million to make and several years to develop, while the three main PS2 instalments of the GTA series were a commercial colossus, shifting more than 40 million units between them. Going toe-to-toe with such franchises could easily have sunk Yakuza, but instead, by taking some light inspiration from both and mixing in a few distinctive features of its own, it really flourishes.

There are no gun-fights and no cars to hi-jack, as these more common facets of open-world adventuring are set aside in favour of complete on-foot exploration and large scale brawls with fists and melee weapons. Whilst many may feel the experience is less comprehensive for this, there’s more than enough to keep players engrossed in the goings-on of the city. It inherits Shenmue’s dynamic visual style as well as a strong, mature storyline that is told with considerable cinematic nous. It borrows other elements, but stops short of full scale mimicry, an encouraging sign of SEGA learning from the past. The end result is a game with inner-workings that may seem less complex than those of Shenmue, but Yakuza offers a faster-paced, more streamlined gameplay experience with less clutter and more user-friendly controls.

You play as Kazuma Kiriyu, a one-time yakuza touted for big things within his clan, until he takes the fall for a murder committed by his younger brother. After ten years behind bars, he is abruptly released and here the player’s journey begins in earnest. As Kazuma trims down his underworld associations and looks for new lines of help, his primary concern is to find his missing friend Shinji and childhood sweetheart Yumi, who disappeared in mysterious circumstances shortly after Kazuma was jailed. Of greater threat to him personally is the rise of his increasingly troubled brother Nishiki, who has designs on becoming Chairman of the Tojo Clan at seemingly any cost, and at the centre of everything is a seemingly unremarkable orphan girl called Haruka, whose capture is valued in the underworld at ¥10 billion.

The engaging script is accorded an appropriately fine set of performances from the likes of Michael Madsen, Eliza Dushku and Rachael Leigh Cook. It’s really refreshing to find such a strong story being dubbed to a proper standard, without any of the gaping pauses (well, many), bizarre annunciations or farcically high-pitched tones that so often ruin such games. It offers an interesting and genuine commentary on the topics of gang-violence, prostitution and racketeering, which are usually glossed over or treated with a degree of crassness in a lot of modern video games. You’ll even be willing to overlook the odd lazy bit of translation, such as when Haruka informs you of your next destination only to repeatedly start asking “where are we going?”

At its most stripped down, Yakuza essentially consists of moving about the city from point A to point B, fighting and watching cut-scenes. Whilst the simplicity of this structure is easy to be critical of on paper, in practice it works very effectively, perhaps because the battles and the storyline have been crafted so well, as have the many nice little distractions you’ll find along the way.

The city is a lively and colourful place. Though the animation of its many inhabitants seems a touch minimal, you nevertheless get the feeling that you are moving within a living, bustling environment. Day turns to night, where you’ll witness the full array of sparkling neons; rain is greeted by a sea of umbrellas and in one of Yakuza’s cleverest touches, you can gauge the mood, musings, rumours and dilemmas of the people who line the streets, as speech boxes play out above them as you pass.

Exploration is smooth enough, though Yakuza’s excellence is tempered by its poor camera. Chiefly the city is dominated by long, uncontrollable tracking shots, and as in the early Resident Evil games, there are some lengthy pauses between angle changes, as well as the odd disorientating switch that sees Kazuma appear from a completely different part of the screen. It’s not ideal, but it won’t affect your enjoyment overmuch. It becomes more of a nuisance however during the fights, where the camera seems to meander around aimlessly of its own will. You’re frequently faced with trying to fight blind into the screen, leaving you unsure of exactly what your enemy’s position is.

During the night-time sections it’s quite common to be accosted by gangs, thieves, thugs and even irate citizens – they all seem to want a piece of Kazuma. After a fight is instigated, you are transported to a more concentrated version of the area you were in, more suited to battle. The result is a game that feels very different to other open-world titles though works surprisingly well; the only problem it creates is a rather stop-start nature to exploring the city, though fortunately the fights prove to be a lot of fun.

Kazuma has a number of simple hand-to-hand moves that are very easy to pick up, but you can also play clever by throwing a goon into his accomplices or, should you find yourself cornered, turn defence into attack by slamming an opponent into a wall – a move that ends with a predictably satisfying crunch. As you progress, you are able to make use of an increasing variety of melee weapons; one of the best bits is the obligatory bar-fight where you can make like Jackie Chan and battered everyone with pool cues, whilst also kicking heavy objects such as chairs across the room to further hamper your assailants. If I’m really picky, Kazuma leaves himself open to attacks rather too easily when his enemies dodge a punch, as he continues to extravagantly punch the air, usually leaving him with his back to the enemy and easy pickings for a beating.

The fights are given greater significance thanks to the RPG-style experience points (and money) they yield, allowing you at your leisure to tune up Kazuma’s moves, health and strength. Such a points system could have seemed quite alien in a game of this sort, but it’s an excellent, intelligent feature that encourages the player to sample the full range of activities the city has to offer. Helping out people and businesses intimidated by yakuza is one way if getting points, as are the numerous side-quests and good-will missions that range from buying the amusing artwork of a struggling painter to talking a suicidal man down from a rooftop.

Other locations show flashes of Shenmue’s extra levels of interaction and attention-to-detail. You’ll have to work hard for the big bucks, but should get some cash, there’s a myriad of cool ways to spend it. You can play some baseball in the Batting Cage, tackle a credible version of SEGA’s toy-grabbing UFO Catcher in an arcade and even try your hand at roulette and blackjack in the casinos. Yakuza wins novelty points for being among a very select number of games to reward you with health and experience points for the consumption of alcohol; everything from Carlsberg to Beefeater to Jack Daniels is available from the bars, each having their own bottles rendered and talked up by the endlessly knowledgeable barmen. The older the booze, the pricier it is and the more points you’ll get for sampling it. In a somewhat amusing observation, Kazuma’s level of intoxication dictates how much attention he draws to himself on the street, meaning he’s more of a target for gangs and thugs if he’s been a bit heavy on the Courvoisier.

All told it will take you less than fifteen hours to complete, but because there’s so much to see and do, Yakuza presents plenty of entertainment value. There are a fair few extras that become available when you complete the game, though none are likely to coax you back for long, and once-through the main adventure will likely prove sufficient to most gamers. It’s the gaming equivalent of a good action movie – dynamic, easy on eye and loaded with enjoyable action scenes; Yakuza also distinguishes itself from so many of its contemporaries by offering up a heavyweight story, and as such, comes highly recommended.
 

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