Multiplat Yakuza games

[RPCB]

The dashboard of somebody mid Yazuka start to finish run . Have finished 0 twice before so didn't bother going through it again entirely this time. Will also be skipping Judgement because it was only the last 18 months or so that I played it.

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My run is Y0-6 and then waiting for Gaiden to drop in November. LAD and then another wait for Infinity Wealth. I hope RGG make these games for years. Always such a fun time.

 

[dwwaino]

Years ago when I played Y4-5 on PS Plus I remember having a look at chapter lengths on YouTube and seeing several chapters over 3-4 hours. Now those videos look like they have all disappeared and the chapter length across those two games are only 30-70 minutes each chapter. Maybe the 3-4 hour videos I was seeing was going after absolutely everything in the chapter and only playing through the main story is much shorter. These games are a lot shorter than I thought if you just do the stories.

That's right. I have searched the same things before starting each game. Y3 I kept seeing ~12 hours but my dashboard says I only spent 9 hours. I think I saw Y4 was 15-17 and my dashboard says 13h and even that is padded because I remember leaving it on pause when watching some stuff on my loungeroom TV for an hour or two last night.

5 is supposed to be 35+ being the biggest and I do plan on investing more in it than 3 and 4 so I'm sure I'll be still playing it over the next couple weeks (going back to work tomorrow booooooo). K2 has been my favourite and my dashboard says 45hrs.

 

[RPCB]

I will say also that I suggested a video guide for Y3 as you can’t pause the cutscenes but playing it currently, it is actually the easiest to follow without a guide. The dialogue isn’t as “wordy” as the others in the series. I am not actually finding myself missing any dialogue in the game.

 

[dwwaino]

I am honestly bewildered at the rate you are finishing these games, even if it's just mainlining the story

Week off work and 3 and 4 being fairly old PS3 titles are pretty streamlined and less bloaty. This week I have had the cricket on my phone with the audio going to my PS5 headset which takes simultaneous Bluetooth and just playing while listening/watching cricket. Unfortunately these older releases you can't pause cut scenes so may have missed a few crucial lines here and there due to wickets and then needing to look up some stuff on Google straight after.

 

[RPCB]

Week off work and 3 and 4 being fairly old PS3 titles are pretty streamlined and less bloaty. This week I have had the cricket on my phone with the audio going to my PS5 headset which takes simultaneous Bluetooth and just playing while listening/watching cricket. Unfortunately these older releases you can't pause cut scenes so may have missed a few crucial lines here and there due to wickets and then needing to look up some stuff on Google straight after.

You’ll be pleased to know that has returned in Y5.

 

[dwwaino]

My run is Y0-6 and then waiting for Gaiden to drop in November. LAD and then another wait for Infinity Wealth. I hope RGG make these games for years. Always such a fun time.

The best thing about finally ticking off the entire series (because I had a few gaps), besides just the accomplishment, is now as each new game/remake releases I can spend as long as I want with it without thinking about trying to squeeze in an earlier game.

 

[RPCB]

The best thing about finally ticking off the entire series (because I had a few gaps), besides just the accomplishment, is now as each new game/remake releases I can spend as long as I want with it without thinking about trying to squeeze in an earlier game.

Very true. Eventually I will do the Judgment games as well. I want to eventually play LAD, Judgment and Lost Judgment in Japanese. I played all three games in English and I realise that is not the way to play a Yakuza game as your first play through.

 

[dwwaino]

Also worked out it was possible to pause cut scenes by going back to the dashboard as it completely suspends any game but I often forgot to do it. I pretty much just resorted to that for successive and lengthy cut scene sequences. 4 was quite verbose in that regard.

 

[dwwaino]

Me at the start of Y5: yeah, look, maybe I'll focus 75% story and 25% side stuff to get through this mammoth.

Also me after 4 or 5 hours: still on chapter 2 I think, driving my taxi around town and cooking noodles.

Safe to say I won't be reporting quite the same amount of progress here for at least the next few weeks .

 

[RPCB]

Me at the start of Y5: yeah, look, maybe I'll focus 75% story and 25% side stuff to get through this mammoth.

Also me after 4 or 5 hours: still on chapter 2 I think, driving my taxi around town and cooking noodles.

Safe to say I won't be reporting quite the same amount of progress here for at least the next few weeks .

Have you seen just how easier on the lower difficulties Y4 and Y5 both are to Y3? Y3 is not only a block fest but the bosses barely lose any health even when you’re landing a blow lol. I do wonder if the original Y1 and 2 were the same and they designed Y4 to be an easier experience. I would like Y3 to get the Kiwami treatment. Not so fussed about Y4 and 5 as they have aged better but I wouldn’t complain about Y3-5 all becoming Kiwami titles lol.

 

[dwwaino]

Have you seen just how easier on the lower difficulties Y4 and Y5 both are to Y3? Y3 is not only a block fest but the bosses barely lose any health even when you’re landing a blow lol. I do wonder if the original Y1 and 2 were the same and they designed Y4 to be an easier experience. I would like Y3 to get the Kiwami treatment. Not so fussed about Y4 and 5 as they have aged better but I wouldn’t complain about Y3-5 all becoming Kiwami titles lol.

The only thing that made a couple bosses on 4 a pain for me was just because I rushed the story. I leveled up quite a bit still but was missing some key abilities and gear. For example after I finished it I read about an armour set for Tanimura that makes you invulnerable to knock down by gunshot I think it was, making Munakata considerably easier. Where as for me that was like Jingu 2.0 lol. Y5 I'm playing properly so this shouldn't be an issue.

I know most people say we should accept that there will be no more Kiwami games but if they're remaking the Japanese only releases instead of just remastering I'm going to remain even a little hopeful. I think you can make a case for 5 never getting a Kiwami remake but 3 especially would be awesome. Imagine a Kiwami 3 version of Ryukyu. Besides 3 and 4 feeling especially dated that was also part of the reason I just rushed the story. If they ever remake them then I will not have burnt out on them. 5 is interesting because it's still a PS3 release but didn't have a western release until well into PS4 cycle (which is why I skipped it) but with the remaster it really stands up as an early PS4 game. Design wise it's way more in line with every later game too.

 

[Sixpence]

Up to the Finale in Judgement. Not sure if it's just the version I have or if these are in the original release, but those special ability balls are great! Ie. Angelfire, Instant Kill etc. When I really CBF'd grinding through a fight, they make it so much easier. Boss fight with 100 scrubs? Nope, instakill.

I've been procrastinating getting back into Y3 as it feels so dated in comparison to the others I've played, but I think I'll give it the dwwaino treatment and just power through the story.

Haven't seen Lost Judgement on PS collection yet, so may have to wait a bit to do that.

 

[dwwaino]

Up to the Finale in Judgement. Not sure if it's just the version I have or if these are in the original release, but those special ability balls are great! Ie. Angelfire, Instant Kill etc. When I really CBF'd grinding through a fight, they make it so much easier. Boss fight with 100 scrubs? Nope, instakill.

I've been procrastinating getting back into Y3 as it feels so dated in comparison to the others I've played, but I think I'll give it the dwwaino treatment and just power through the story.

Haven't seen Lost Judgement on PS collection yet, so may have to wait a bit to do that.

Lost Judgement is a big game and probably a little less serious tone than Judgement so it wouldn't hurt to have a breather in between.

And yeah just powering through the stories of at 3 and 4 is worth while if you really just want to complete the series. 3 especially I think is more important anyway. Some characters from 4 appear in later games but I'm going to go out and say 4 isn't critical. The main story parts can be easily looked up on YouTube or something. I just found it waaaayy too convoluted in the end and big parts that were heavily curated and on rails to be a bit of a chore to get through. And since I didn't invest in improving each character very much the end was a bit of a pain.

3 starts vveeerrrryyyy slow. Like even slow by typical Yakuza and JRPG standards but the story is a pretty important one in Kiryu's life even if the ending was a bit cheesy.

 

[RPCB]

Lost Judgement is a big game and probably a little less serious tone than Judgement so it wouldn't hurt to have a breather in between.

And yeah just powering through the stories of at 3 and 4 is worth while if you really just want to complete the series. 3 especially I think is more important anyway. Some characters from 4 appear in later games but I'm going to go out and say 4 isn't critical. The main story parts can be easily looked up on YouTube or something. I just found it waaaayy too convoluted in the end and big parts that were heavily curated and on rails to be a bit of a chore to get through. And since I didn't invest in improving each character very much the end was a bit of a pain.

3 starts vveeerrrryyyy slow. Like even slow by typical Yakuza and JRPG standards but the story is a pretty important one in Kiryu's life even if the ending was a bit cheesy.

Spoiler

Richardson screaming in terror for 3 minutes, while in a bear hug from Mine, when he could clearly overpowered Mine who had been shot 19 times by that stage?

 

[dwwaino]

Spoiler

Richardson screaming in terror for 3 minutes, while in a bear hug from Mine, when he could clearly overpowered Mine who had been shot 19 times by that stage?

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And just as an aside, how many games is it going to take Kiryu to not turn his back to an enemy he just beat but has a gun in reach?!

 

[RPCB]

And just as an aside, how many games is it going to take Kiryu to not turn his back to an enemy he just beat but has a gun in reach?!

Hopefully many, many more games. Because that would mean we are getting a lot more games with Kiryu involved.

Go to be one of the greatest video game characters.

 

[RPCB]

Up to the Finale in Judgement. Not sure if it's just the version I have or if these are in the original release, but those special ability balls are great! Ie. Angelfire, Instant Kill etc. When I really CBF'd grinding through a fight, they make it so much easier. Boss fight with 100 scrubs? Nope, instakill.

I've been procrastinating getting back into Y3 as it feels so dated in comparison to the others I've played, but I think I'll give it the dwwaino treatment and just power through the story.

Haven't seen Lost Judgement on PS collection yet, so may have to wait a bit to do that.

Lost Judgment is the one game from RGG that isn’t on PS Plus. There is a sale on the PS Store for the next few days for the digital deluxe edition for $40 so that’s not bad.

 

[dwwaino]

Spoiler

Richardson screaming in terror for 3 minutes, while in a bear hug from Mine, when he could clearly overpowered Mine who had been shot 19 times by that stage?

View attachment 1728246

The first one is when I was certain it was an old text-to-type synth lol

Spoiler

 

[Sixpence]

Finished Judgement. Another great story. Was going to do all the side cases (have about 13 left), but I think I'll shelve it and push on.

Jumped back into Y3 briefly just to check where I am. Up to chapter 4. Playing on normal but wanted to drop it to easy but can't see anywhere I can? Despite there being a stat for times changed difficulty. Chapter 3 boss was a bit tanky, so would be good to drop it and power through.

 

[dwwaino]

Finished Judgement. Another great story. Was going to do all the side cases (have about 13 left), but I think I'll shelve it and push on.

Jumped back into Y3 briefly just to check where I am. Up to chapter 4. Playing on normal but wanted to drop it to easy but can't see anywhere I can? Despite there being a stat for times changed difficulty. Chapter 3 boss was a bit tanky, so would be good to drop it and power through.

Is chapter 3 boss Kanda? Because that was tedious. I'm not sure if it was intentional but the final animation before the QTE was.... Suggestive lol.

Not sure about where you can drop the difficulty but I'm under the impression that on every game it's just through the menu? Some have trophies for not changing it at all.

 

[RPCB]

Finished Judgement. Another great story. Was going to do all the side cases (have about 13 left), but I think I'll shelve it and push on.

Jumped back into Y3 briefly just to check where I am. Up to chapter 4. Playing on normal but wanted to drop it to easy but can't see anywhere I can? Despite there being a stat for times changed difficulty. Chapter 3 boss was a bit tanky, so would be good to drop it and power through.

If you’re on NG+, you can only choose Normal and Hard from the menu. But if you die 3 times, you will get the option on the screen to drop the difficulty down to easy. I think that only lasts for the rest of whatever chapter you’re on and the following chapter you will go back to Normal difficulty. So that is what the “times changed difficulty” stat is. So yeah, die 3 times intentionally to be able to choose Easy difficulty.

Additional information: Only New Game gives the Easy, Normal, Hard difficulties as the default settings. Y4 is the same, as Y3, in that if you are playing on NG+, you are only given Normal and Hard. Not sure about Y5 though.

 

[Sixpence]

Googled it last night. Saw comments about the dying 3 times thing, but wasn't permanent. Others suggested to just restart, which I think I might do since I'm still early in the game and I can skip all the cut scenes.

dwwaino Chapter 3 boss was Tamashiro, dude in the red suit.

 

[RPCB]

I am proud that my boy Kiryu is a Twitter trending topic today.

 

[dwwaino]

I am proud that my boy Kiryu is a Twitter trending topic today.

Oh, what have I missed?

 

[RPCB]

Oh, what have I missed?

Nothing in particular really. Just some tweets about the English voice actor. Thought it might have been about the upcoming games but it isn’t.