Recent reviews by Jake R

I've played all main Yakuza / LAD games so far, and some spin-offs. If you've played any of them, you know what kind of game you can expect. Except for the fighting sections, which are (unlike most of the series, but like the previous game Yakuza: LAD / 7) turn-based.

This game is just... more of all of that, and more polished. And in Hawaii! If you want something truly unique, probably you won't find it in this game. But if you just want a world where there is something to do on every corner, little things hidden all over the place, absolutely loaded with mini-games, and a story that takes you on a wild ride between over the top dramatics one moment, and slapstick silliness the next, this is the game for you.

Oh, and you can go dumpster diving. What more could you want?

The factory must grow.

Things dirty. You make clean. Very good. 10/10.

Numbers go up.

This is, by a very large margin, my favorite game of the year. Possibly longer.

It's a mix of puzzles, platforming, action and a bit of rpg, combined with fantastic graphics, music and storytelling. If that sounds interesting to you, please check this game out. It is more than worth the price at its current state, even if some of the end-game stuff is not yet available (but will be added through free updates later).

I recommend playing with a controller for platforming reasons, although I found some of the action sequences were easier with keyboard and mouse (for aiming purposes). Both are perfectly viable to use throughout the game, or you can do what I did and hot-swap (no going through menus needed!) based on the situation.

You're locked up in a school. Everyone there is amazing at something, except you. Kids are dying in gruesome ways all around you.

What's not to love?


Most of the puzzle bits were not very complex or hard to figure out, but the story was interesting and the characters were fun. This game took quite a few hours of sleep from me.

50+ hours in, I am just starting my second year.

... do I need to say more?

[edit:] I'm now only at 74 hours. FYI: that's not because I stopped playing, but because I've been playing it on my Switch instead. [/edit]