Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is the seventh overall entry in the mainline Yakuza franchise, an open-world action series set in a fictional region of Japan. The game acts as the closing chapter for Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of the series since the very first game. After living a storied life of crime as a chief officer in the underworld of Japanese organized crime, Kiryu attempts to find peace and abandon his illegal lifestyle. Unfortunately, he is quickly pulled back into the seedy world of crime when a rival gang attacks his daughter and grandson. Packed with dozens of missions, mini-games, and an expansive character upgrade system, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a satisfying send-off for Kiryu.

Main Game Features

• Open-world beat 'em up action
• Over 50 side-missions and mini-games
• Expansive level up system

Story

The story of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a direct sequel to the previous game, Yakuza 5. Kazuma Kiryu, once the chairman of the prestigious Tojo Clan crime family, spends three years behind bars. After his release, Kiryu attempts to return to his simple life as the caretaker of Morning Glory Orphanage, but learns that his daughter Haruka has been placed in a coma following a disastrous car accident.

In an effort to discover the truth behind Haruka's accident and bring justice to those responsible, Kiryu travels between the red-light district of Kamurocho and the rural town of Onomichi. During his investigation, Kiryu finds himself intertwined in a massive conspiracy that could change the world as he knows it.

Gameplay

Like other games in the Yakuza franchise, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life focuses heavily on 3D beat 'em up gameplay, with missions spread out in an open-world map. While other Yakuza titles had varying fighting styles to switch between, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life offers a more streamlined system combat system. Kiryu can perform various attack combos, block, and throw enemies, as well as enter an enhanced state known as “Heat”. With “Heat” on, Kiryu can pick up huge pieces of the environment to use in combat, perform high-damage special moves, and more. Kiryu's stats can be raised through a progression system by spending points, which are earned by completing various challenges and mini-games throughout the world.

While there's plenty of button-mashing action to enjoy, storytelling is a big focus in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. In addition to the hours of cutscenes in the game, there are over 50 bonus side-missions, each with a self-contained story for Kiryu to complete. There are two individual maps explored in the main game, packed with shops and locations of interest, where you can buy new items or interact with various mini-games. For example, you can enter an arcade and play some classic games, or enjoy some home run practice at the batting cages. There are about a dozen mini-games to discover, and each one has a surprising amount of depth.

Conclusion

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life gives players a rewarding and lengthy conclusion for the beloved hero of Kiryu. Although the fighting system lacks the nuance found in some other Yakuza games, it's still tons of fun to beat up baddies around the streets of Kamurocho and Onomichi. The story is convoluted but endearing, with plenty of memorable characters and scenes.

Pros:

• Lots of replayability
• Combat is simple but satisfying
• Wacky characters and story

Cons:

• Cutscenes can drag on
• Story gets convoluted at times
• Only one fighting style