Ryo Ga Gotoku did a great job implementing an entirely new, turn based rpg combat system in a game series known for being a brawler action rpg. It is well worth the money at full price, although I would wait for a sale if you can since the game has been out for almost a year now and it is bound to keep dropping in price on the sales.


Disclaimer: As of writing this review, I'd like to say I'm about almost halfway to halfway through what this game has to offer. I have not completed the story or the rest of the content yet, but I don't think that's going to change my review of the game, although I do plan to add more to this review as I play the game.

Edit: I've completed the story and I've found the completetion list to be way too grindy. I may come back and complete it one day but for now, I'm finished with the game.

It's funny to think how an April Fools joke by the Ryo Ga Gotoku development team turned into a full fledged turn based rpg for a series known for it's brawler, action rpg gameplay. They made it work, and I'm very happy to say I have enjoyed my time with thus far. I did buy the Legendary Hero edition on sale on Humble Bundle for around $50, plus I bought the other costume set on steam, making the amount I spent on this game around $55, so take that into consideration.


If you've played the other Yakuza games, it's your pretty standard affair with over-the-top characters and plot twists to keep you guessing. I've enjoyed the story so far as with the other games in the series. It definitely is a really ambitious story with a new protagonist. All the characters are likable and throughout the game, you get to deepen your bond with your party members to learn more about their backgrounds.


This is where the series takes a dramatically different term in the gameplay. Instead of the brawler, action rpg of 0-6, it's now become a full on turn based rpg. If anything, it's a welcome change to the series that really needed it. One thing I did find a bit overwhelming, is that all characters each have their own unique jobs (which in this case are different classes in this game) that come with their own skills, but the male and female character have classes they all share based on their gender. Each of the jobs have their own skills, but some carry across character-wide no matter what class you set that party member to. I've found that I usually get the early character-wide skills first for each character, then I intend to max out their unique class first.

Besides the core fighting mechanics, this is a Yakuza game through and through, with all the content you expect like substories, the different minigames like karaoke, the completion list, and unique subgames catered to each separate Yakuza game. I do plan on 100%ing this game for the achievements and the completion list since I've pretty much paid almost full price for a relatively new game. It's been fun trying to do it, but there's always a kind of grindy aspect to these games once your set on doing the completionist route. Some of the completionist stuff does get kind of annoying and requires you to learn games such as majhong and shogi, to which I have no knowledge of at this point. All the completionist lists are there if you want it, it's not at all required.


For a pc port, it is really well optimized. I'm running it on a GTX 970, and I've been able to run it at a constant 60 fps on medium settings. I hardly get any slow downs, and if I do, it's usually because there's a lot going on screen. In a game like this, the slow downs have very little to no impact on the experience. The game looks as good as 6 and the 1 and 2 kiwami games, it's just that the hair physics have been improved and the lighting is a bit better.

Edit: Recently got a gtx 3060 and playing it on max settings, I've been getting 90+ fps.


I'm not a music critic in the slightest, but I have enjoyed listening to all the battle themes and playing all the karaoke tracks. Ryo Ga Gotoku does a good job with the music in general with their games.


I have thoroughly enjoyed the game so far, and I gladly plan to put in at least 100-150+ hours for doing a completionist run of it. Ryo Ga Gotoku really took a risk changing the combat system from the regular formula, but I'm glad to say it worked out for them with all the praise they have received for it. I'm excited to see where they take Yakuza 8 in the future since the new combat formula has received so much praise.