Gangster stories are popular templates for movies, series, and of course games. The Yakuza genre is also very popular. The great Yakuza 0 is currently on sale on Steam, and MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes can only recommend it, at least if you have time for karaoke or blind dating alongside hardcore gangster stuff.
What kind of game is Yakuza 0? Yakuza 0 is a rather unusual mix of beat ’em up and action RPG. In the Japanese city of Kamurocho, you are navigating the 80s with Kiryu and Majima and must engage in a criminal Yakuza story in the main narrative.
The great highlight for me in the Yakuza games is the wonderful mix of a serious main story and silly side activities. That’s why I love Yakuza 0, which I’ve spent way too much time on – especially with karaoke and dancing.
Great open world with countless side activities
Let’s start with the open world: The two districts you can explore are wonderfully compact, full of life, and packed to the brim with side quests and mini-games. This ensures that there are no empty spots. As a big fan of Japanese games and movies, I love the 80s aesthetic full of neon lights and loud street gangsters.
You can fight them to earn money. With money, you can not only buy items but also skills and new abilities in the skill tree. The 3 different fighting styles can be expanded, and that pays off, as it deepens the combat.
Especially cool are the various interactions during fights. You can throw bicycles or toss enemies onto other enemies. This is well staged and creates a nice flow. The set pieces in the main story are also action-packed. Fans of good and tougher fight choreography will be pleased.
Enough with the hard story, bring on the silly side activities
The real star of Yakuza 0 is the wonderfully silly side activities in the form of quests and mini-games. This is not only the perfect contrast to the very serious story but also a good way to earn money and strengthen Kiryu and Majima. It can get so silly that you might think you’re playing a different game. Let me list my favorite stories and activities:
- Singing karaoke
- Telephone blind dates that obviously went horribly wrong
- Kiryu starts a real estate company and hires a chicken named Nugget that he won in bowling
- Majima being harassed by a guy in underwear who dances and is called
Mr. Libido
- Filming a zombie music video with a parody of Steven Spielberg and Michael Jackson
- Kiryu sneaking around to get a dirty magazine for a kid
- Kiryu teaching a dominatrix to insult her clients
And these are not even close to all the absurd things you can experience outside the story. You can spend a lot of time, especially with Kiryu’s real estate business and Majima’s hostess club. These are larger side quest chains that allow you to earn a good amount of money.
I have spent over 100 hours on the main story and a lot of side activities. Those who immerse themselves in many mini-games like Mahjong or Poker might even spend more time in the game.
And even if you just want to experience a dark gangster story, Yakuza 0 is worth it. The main story is exciting, has memorable characters, and great action sequences.
Yakuza 0 is the perfect entry point for newcomers as it is designed as a prequel. Currently, the game is available for just under 11 € on Steam. The offer is valid until December 4. If you want to get more parts of the series, you can do so as the entire franchise is currently on sale. A much more relaxing recommendation can be found here: A game on Steam with 91% positive ratings is currently the price of a pack of noodles
