Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)

My first and last update for Yakuza 6 but a bit of history and rambling!

I spent most 2023 and 2024 working my way slowly through the Yakuza series and on the last day of 2024 I have been able to finally finish Yakuza 6, finishing (as far as I know aside from Man Who Erased His Name) the Kiryu saga.

I was started the game earlier in the summer and put it down while I dealt with life and other things, only to pick it up last week again. All the Yakuza games have been such a treat but this one has battled with a lot of great themes while also having more interesting mini games (to me).

A quick aside to make a point, with the recent experience of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, your character in that game has become a super weapon and is very strong. The most recent expansion has your character more in the background while supporting a new character or set of characters along their path, using the experience you had gotten along the way to try and teach them how to lead, listen, and if need be, fight through your problems. As much as I did love Dawntrail, I too admit our character took a huge backseat in that story, and it felt like things we were onlookers more than involved.

Yakuza 6 being a single player game makes it a bit easier to navigate this kind of storytelling, having Kiryu, a larger than life character who has his own legend and strength, stays center stage here with a new cast of characters around him. It tells the story of Fatherhood, Sins of our Fathers, and what it means to be a family. Kiryu has learned throughout his experiences growing up, and being a father figure to Haruka and the other children of the orphanage he runs. The way the story is told and Kiryu being able to impart his knowledge and wisdom to a new cast of people is done very well here, him being a senior figure to Nagumo and Yuta and the rest of the younger Hirose family. They look up to him and he makes sure they are well taken care of, and they become his brothers and an extended family to him as time goes on.

Story aside, the mini games here have been fun too. I finished in totality the Clan Creator, the Cat Cafe, and only recently unlocked Spearfishing/Bar Chat/Baseball Manager. I plan on beating the game and going back to finish these three mini games as well as I have enjoyed them greatly.

I am starting the finale right now and while I don't know how I will enjoy the ending, I can say all of this Yakuza journey has so far been worth it, and I am excited to see what the new cast holds in Like a Dragon.

I almost just bought this on sale from Steam, knowing full-well that I still have to play through Yakuza 1-5 and the second half of 0 before I'd even touch it. About 1 million hours of gameplay.

The chances of getting this game for free at some point (or me dying of old age) between now and then are probably about 400%.

Don't say I never learn (...as I continue to ponder buying Elden Ring).