Yakuza Critic Reviews

A long and riveting story, plenty of freedom and a fantastic battle system have earned it a spot on my all-time Playstation 2 top 10 list.

Unlike 99% of games, in Ryu Ga Gotoku you play as a guy who is pretty much the coolest, most badass, most likeable character in the world. He's the ultra strong guy with a heart of gold; the suave guy whom everyone wants to be friends with. So following Kazuma through his adventure tends to be extremely satisfying since he's such a great character.

Despite a few flaws, Yakuza is the most enjoyable game I’ve played all year. It’s got a deep plot that keeps you guessing and features a deeper cast of fleshed-out characters than any other game I can recall.

Yakuza presents a pretty large storyline, and quite a few lengthy cut scenes. The story is generally straight forward, and most of the “twists” are predictable, but it’s still very enjoyable to work your way thru.

The gameplay may be a little convulsive but Yakuza more than makes up for that through engrossing story and attention to details.

Yakuza isn’t the cleanest title I’ve ever seen, but it is well executed and fun. I’d call this game an unqualified success.

I still enjoyed this game, for the character development and good storyline kept things interesting. I enjoyed the battles too, though they could have used some variety. It's almost too linear in its presentation, which makes it feel like 95 percent of the game falls under the "beat the hell out of thugs and go from point A to point B" scenario.

With its compelling characters and story, Yakuza is still a remarkable game.

It should have been slicker, but there's no denying the entertainment value on offer.

Yakuza is a wonderful foundation for a new fan-favorite series. And as an entry into the ever-growing criminal underground genre, Yakuza is a wholly unique, high-quality package that, while possessing as many flaws as it does triumphs, is a crime drama worth mentioning in the same breath as "The Godfather" (the movie, not the game).

I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys an incredible story, a good brawler, and isn't upset by load times here and there. The story here is topnotch, the direction and presentation of the story is executed superbly.

Diving into the Japanese criminal underground in Yakuza makes for an interesting, violent and stylish adventure that blends fighting and exploring a living world a complete joy.

Gamers may become frustrated at the time it takes to travel throughout the city, framerates are jittery at times, and save areas are sometimes too far and too few. In spite of these shortcomings, the tremendous work on the plot of the game is where this title shines.

A story-driven action game with an extremely dark atmosphere. The storyline is interesting, cutscenes are well made and the city is full of temptations. However, the battles are a bit too repetitive and the camera behaves strangely at times.

The action comes fast, the plot is exciting, and you couldn’t ask for a better brawler near the end of the PlayStation 2's life cycle.

Yakuza tells a good story. Not only that, it backs it up with a satisfying combat system and one of the most atmospheric gameworlds so far this year.

It’s not a must-play gem due to too many easily noticeable flaws, but Yakuza’s positives greatly outstrip any negatives. And if you’re a fan of a good story, look no further.

It's a violent, cinematic and mature experience that will keep you hooked, even if the characters do use the word 'f..k' like they’re in a Tarantino film.

For some, Yakuza will feel dangerously dumb, due to its unrefined and relentless combat, but it's just as dangerous to risk overlooking its capacity to be fiercely capable and loveably playful in plenty of other ways, always aiming to provide captivating entertainment.

A very glib way to describe Yakuza in terms of other games would be to say that it's "Shenmue" done right.