User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1510 Ratings

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  1. Apr 17, 2020
    8
    The gameplay is very fun is many different styles for both characters. The story is interesting and long.
  2. Apr 18, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game has a very interesting story,mixed with some craziness at some points.Story wise,the game is perfect,but the fights get repetitive at some points.I'll give it an 8 Expand
  3. Apr 22, 2020
    9
    The story can be a bit hiccupy at times, the big map with tones of sidestories and two protagonists give this game tones of replay values. Even if you aren’t familiar with the series you can still totally enjoy this game.
  4. May 6, 2020
    9
    Gran juego , lastima que no esté en español. Su historia atrapa, te puede agotar si eres ansioso, hay que jugarlo con mucha calma
  5. Dec 23, 2021
    3
    выбесила боевка, после бладборна это просто унижение... а еще концовка бесконечная
  6. May 3, 2020
    9
    This is basically ‘side quests: the game’ but in the best way possible. If your gonna make your game mostly side quests and mini games, at least make them funny and enjoyable like this. That said, I do really wish the main story was longer and stronger.
  7. Apr 21, 2021
    10
    Being familiar to the Yakuza games I knew what I was getting in to. But as always this franchise is as great as it comes. Compelling story with leads you can only grow to love. Yakuza 0 gives you an origin story that's everything you'd want it to be. Kiru is truly a man that we all should model us after. Of course the game has it flaws, to name 2, It isn't the most visual pleasingBeing familiar to the Yakuza games I knew what I was getting in to. But as always this franchise is as great as it comes. Compelling story with leads you can only grow to love. Yakuza 0 gives you an origin story that's everything you'd want it to be. Kiru is truly a man that we all should model us after. Of course the game has it flaws, to name 2, It isn't the most visual pleasing game, the combat isn't all too deep with enemies being very one pattern. But when it comes to enjoyment and immersion there are few games that comes close to it for me. So that 10 I give it, is fully deserved.

    Let alone that like with every Yakuza game, it can keep you busy to no end with some funny, enjoyable substories, mini-games that can keep you endlessly busy to the point that mastering some of them can be damn frustrating. In short, definitely worth its every cent, especially for the bargain prices you can pick it up these days.
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  8. Dec 1, 2020
    8
    It’s a game that pairs an excellent story with fun, arcade-y gameplay. That’s a good mix!

    Probably the best thing about the game is how very Japanese it is. It’s a legitimate cultural experience, one that preserves its identity even despite linguistic translation. In addition, although I don’t like fighters, this game’s fighting system was fun all the way through—but I will say that I
    It’s a game that pairs an excellent story with fun, arcade-y gameplay. That’s a good mix!

    Probably the best thing about the game is how very Japanese it is. It’s a legitimate cultural experience, one that preserves its identity even despite linguistic translation. In addition, although I don’t like fighters, this game’s fighting system was fun all the way through—but I will say that I lost interest in it by the end because it just isn’t my genre. At that point, I put the game on easy just to enjoy the story, and what a story it was! Very well done.

    Now, I took off two points, and one was for the graphics. I suppose they were going for an old style? But honestly, it didn’t appeal to me—it was just janky enough to get in the way. They would have pulled off a more modern style better, I think.

    This problem is doubled when paired with the music, which was the most negative part of the game for me. They tried to make the music older, in a way, to imitate a game from early 2000’s, and it just sorta came off sounding low budget. This is most apparent during the most climactic fight scenes, where the heavy distortion of the guitars should be making my speakers fall out of their casings, but instead, they are very quiet and sound far away. In addition, side quests are introduced by the same simple guitar riff (and if I never hear that riff again, it’ll be too soon). Now, having said all this, I didn’t take a point off for the music because if I want great music I’ll go listen to Spotify, not play a game.

    The other point I took off is because the side quests often dealt with topics that were a bit oversexualized. I actually stopped doing the side quests after the fifth or sixth one that dealt with a dominatrix, or catfighting, or what have you. I felt that fewer, longer side quests that had more depth would have done more for the game than the many side quests they had that were shorter and often went in racy directions without really needing to.

    But, again, the story is fantastic, and it’s a lot of fun to step inside a totally Japanese world after a long day at work. Thank you developers! Really well done game, and one I recommend.
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  9. Oct 16, 2022
    10
    My first introduction to this series. The story is simple yet emotional & engaging, and the combat is bonkers fun that does not get stale. I absolutely can not wait to dive into the rest of this series' entries.
  10. Jul 24, 2020
    9
    If you like the yakuza series then you will like this installment. This is basically an origin story to the yakuza series. And Goro Majima is an awesome character. So much feel in this game.
  11. Jun 23, 2020
    9
    Pretty fun game tbf it's one of the most enjoyable games I have play in a long
    I got it for Xbox , you can try it with gamepass
  12. Jun 21, 2021
    8
    Definitely not for everyone, if you don’t enjoy long cutscenes then it’s not for you. Nevertheless, the game is fun and the story is thrilling, but most importantly, the huge amount of side missions and mini games really defines this game as a great game
  13. Aug 2, 2020
    9
    Amazing game with great action cutscenes and also nice fighting mechanics. Well done activities in town and large variety of them. Main plot is really good and side quests are hilarious. The only minus is that games budget isn’t big, so graphic aren’t great, a lot of dialogs are without voices audio and a bit of technical issues but all in all the game is awesome.
  14. Sep 15, 2020
    8
    1이 최고의 게임이냐 0가 최고의 게임이냐는 사람에 따라 갈릴 거 같지만, 역시 마지마가 플레이어블이라는 건 무시할 수 없는 메리트이다. 다만, 키류 파트는 솔직히 악역 야쿠자들 빼면 그냥 그랬어... 젊을 때부터 키류가 호구였다는 걸 게임 절반을 써서 표현할 필요가 있었나?
  15. Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I love the characters int the story.

    See how close and nice between Kiryu and Nishiki
  16. Nov 19, 2020
    9
    A flawed masterpeice.

    Yakuza 0's gameplay feels very smooth, fluid, varied, satisfying, polished and extremely fun, its the most satisfying combat in a game ever along with yakuza Kiwami, the combat is honestly perfect, it's not complicated like a fighting game, it doesn't need to be and shouldn't be, it's simple but very satisfying and skill based. The game doesn't have a high skill
    A flawed masterpeice.

    Yakuza 0's gameplay feels very smooth, fluid, varied, satisfying, polished and extremely fun, its the most satisfying combat in a game ever along with yakuza Kiwami, the combat is honestly perfect, it's not complicated like a fighting game, it doesn't need to be and shouldn't be, it's simple but very satisfying and skill based. The game doesn't have a high skill ceiling or anything (as it shouldnt since its a singleplayer game) but u can easily identify an experienced player from a beginner, furthermore the fact it has 3 playstyles (4 if you find the hidden one) that can be switched to at any time adds a lot of depth and stratagy to the combat which wasnt in the series before this game. Grabbing thing from the environment to beat the **** out of people with is really fun and so are heat actions. The combat is so well design that if done right combat encounters can look like well choregraphed fight scenes. This game also has the most memorable and most fun bosses in the series along with Kiwami, atleast for me. Even though I personally like kiryus playstyles more than those of Majima, majimas playstyles are still great but they take more getting used to than those of kiryu and therefore, at first feel less satisfying as a result. As expected in a yakuza game the side stuff here is well made and entertaining. I love the aesthetic and the setting. The story here is great but its a pain to skip on repeat playthroughs due to the fact there is a lot of dialogue, this results in a game that isn't as replayable as kiwami and kiwami 2, which have stories that are easier to skip, but its still very replayable. along with this skipping the story results in bad pacing unlike some other games in the series where it still retains good pacing if the story is skipped. There are also a couple of tedious escort missions that are just not fun and the game is lacking when it comes to beat em up stages when you consider how long it is, it has roughly the same amount as kiwami but kiwami is a much shorter game so u would expect 0 to have more. There are also a lot of parts where you're stuck trying to find where you need to go next, these parts are really unfun for me. I rate games based on enjoyment and this one gets a solid 9/10, it has its flaws yes, but they didn't stop me from enjoying the game during 90% of the time.
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  17. Nov 18, 2021
    10
    It's a phenomenal game with a lot of fun activities to do, and even if you see it as "a bunch of minigames", I assure you that it feels much more than that. The story is phenomenal, and even though it suffers from a poor choice of narrative (every two chapters you switch between two characters obligatorily), it keeps you hooked right until the end.

    There are no downsides to this game as
    It's a phenomenal game with a lot of fun activities to do, and even if you see it as "a bunch of minigames", I assure you that it feels much more than that. The story is phenomenal, and even though it suffers from a poor choice of narrative (every two chapters you switch between two characters obligatorily), it keeps you hooked right until the end.

    There are no downsides to this game as a Yakuza game, and if you haven't tried any of them out, this is the perfect one. Though be warned, none of them will be as good as Yakuza 0.
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  18. Jul 18, 2020
    10
    One of the greatest game series ever created! Highly recommend this game! Gameplay, story, quests, characters are amazing!
  19. Jan 13, 2021
    10
    one of the masterpiece in japanese games. facial expressions, characters, actions, music and story are absolutely satisfying. even more there's super good sub contents.
  20. Sep 13, 2022
    10
    Best Yakuza game of all time, imo, and I don't think there's a single bad game in the bunch. They're all good to great, but this one takes the cake. Everything great about the series is fully on display here and it's great to play.
  21. Sep 18, 2020
    10
    AMAZING must buy BADASS SLAP CERTIFIED
    Story: 10
    Gameplay: 10
    ost: 10
    Characters: 10
  22. Sep 25, 2020
    10
    The perfect game! A lot of storytelling, less fighting, but when you do, you literally punch the koney out of people. This game will make you feel excited, happy, then it will make you cry. Everything in this game is so satisfying.
    Even though, after playing this, kiwami feels a lot worse... :(
  23. Oct 3, 2020
    9
    The storyline is good and touching. Best among the whole series. Graphics is good
  24. Sep 30, 2021
    9
    sooo much side content, such a great fighting system and gripping story. Cabaret club management itself, a small side content, could be a 70 dollar full game by itself. only downside are unnecessary long cutscenes and "walking sections", where you go from place a to b only to go back from b to a to to meet the same character c again. additionally, the game is too easy on "hard" if yousooo much side content, such a great fighting system and gripping story. Cabaret club management itself, a small side content, could be a 70 dollar full game by itself. only downside are unnecessary long cutscenes and "walking sections", where you go from place a to b only to go back from b to a to to meet the same character c again. additionally, the game is too easy on "hard" if you really upgrade everything, buy weapons and healing drinks. However, the game does have a legendary difficulty that gets unlocked once you finish the game that is supposed to be way harder. you can also make it harder by simply not buying healing drinks before each mission. to sum it up, even little side missions in this game are so beautifully written that they bring the tears to your eyes and the combat is always fun. my personal highlight is the cabaret club which feels like your small dysfunctional family full of beautiful girls Expand
  25. Oct 11, 2020
    10
    One of the best series in gaming, honestly. Each game has a charm like no others, and you get to watch reoccuring characters grow and change over time. The district of Kamurocho, which is the main city district featured in all the games, is like a character, living, breathing, getting older and also changing with the times. I cant say enough to describe how much i fell in love with YakuzaOne of the best series in gaming, honestly. Each game has a charm like no others, and you get to watch reoccuring characters grow and change over time. The district of Kamurocho, which is the main city district featured in all the games, is like a character, living, breathing, getting older and also changing with the times. I cant say enough to describe how much i fell in love with Yakuza 0 and both Yakuza Kiwami's ... this series has a charm that i cant describe... no wonder why its Sega's best selling masterpiece. From funny side stories to Dramatic ones and the Main plot of each game are all masterpieces. Sadly until now there are only 3 Yakuza games on PC Yakuza 0, Kiwami and Kiwami 2 which i finished them all and im really waiting now for the rest of the series to be released on PC ... i really find it difficult to find any games as charming as the Yakuza series they are really incomparable. Expand
  26. Apr 9, 2023
    9
    This game surprised me. Did not like much at the beginning, mas after a few hours I was in love by the game. Awesome history. Very good and fun gameplay, list of minigames.
  27. Oct 28, 2020
    10
    Yakuza 0 is one of the best games in the series. It is also a prequel to meeting both of the characters: Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. While the main plot is serious, all the fun and jokes were filled inside substories and mini-games. Every minigame is entertaining and every substory is great. Overall I really loved the game
  28. Jul 6, 2021
    10
    easily the best yakuza game ever , the way the story is told by using both characters its just amazinggggg
  29. Nov 21, 2020
    8
    Yakuza series offers everything that I miss in GTA. Personally I love it's abstract humor mixed with serious topics and charismatic characters. It's visually perfect, colorful and the city is really well designed. I spend many hours exploring every side activity in the city and learning karaoke songs ;) Fantastic Japaneese experience. The only thing I didn't like much is combat, that afterYakuza series offers everything that I miss in GTA. Personally I love it's abstract humor mixed with serious topics and charismatic characters. It's visually perfect, colorful and the city is really well designed. I spend many hours exploring every side activity in the city and learning karaoke songs ;) Fantastic Japaneese experience. The only thing I didn't like much is combat, that after some time becomes repetitive and not satisfying. Opponents standing on every corner make it difficult to move around the city while exploring as you have to fight them every time. Expand
  30. Nov 21, 2020
    10
    Just a great game. everything in this game, Characters , Soundtracks, storyline.
  31. Nov 23, 2020
    9
    Honestly this game is incredible and more people should play it, I am in love with this game and it's franchise. 9/10
  32. rvp
    Nov 30, 2020
    9
    I just love the Yakuza series, I can recommend all of the games! Also this entry of the series is just great. The story is great, the side quests are amazing. The open world is a lot of fun! It's nice to play in a smaller open world where you know the whole world after a while and it's a lot of fun to do stuff in it. The characters are as always loveable. The plot twists are great! A greatI just love the Yakuza series, I can recommend all of the games! Also this entry of the series is just great. The story is great, the side quests are amazing. The open world is a lot of fun! It's nice to play in a smaller open world where you know the whole world after a while and it's a lot of fun to do stuff in it. The characters are as always loveable. The plot twists are great! A great great Yakuza game! Imo the best game of the series, it's just soooo much fun! Expand
  33. Dec 3, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A game with a very good narration, the hilarious substories are cool and the boss fight are insane mostly the final boss Expand
  34. Dec 8, 2020
    10
    Simply the most complete game in the Yakuza series and one of the best in the industry, hours and hours of fun guaranteed!
  35. Sep 16, 2021
    10
    This is the best game that I played in my life. The strictness of the main story and unbelievable substories made this game the best. Especially Majima's introduction was AMAZING that I will never forget about. I played KIWAMI as well but it wasn't that good enough to be a better game than Yakuza 0.
  36. Dec 12, 2020
    10
    An essential pick for anyone interested in beatem' ups, Japanese culture or just having a generally good time, yakuza 0 is quite possibly a perfect example of a narrative driven game that doesn't take itself too seriously.
    The gameplay is solid, if not a little on the easy side for the most part. You have an insane amount of special moves and fighting styles between both characters (six
    An essential pick for anyone interested in beatem' ups, Japanese culture or just having a generally good time, yakuza 0 is quite possibly a perfect example of a narrative driven game that doesn't take itself too seriously.
    The gameplay is solid, if not a little on the easy side for the most part. You have an insane amount of special moves and fighting styles between both characters (six normal styles and two secret styles) leading to a variety of gameplay that never gets old. The "Heat Move" system is quite possibly the best addition to the combat, allowing you to perform one of many over the top special moves on people. Highlights include:
    Salting someone's eyes.
    Bowling!
    Bonking people with a baseball bat.
    Straight up launching people off of the bridge in sotenbouri.
    Orange you glad you got hit with this?
    And many, many more.
    If fighting isn't in your nature, or you just want a break from the action, yakuza 0 can provide. It's side content is ridiculous, from karaoke (insert obligatory baka mitai joke here, because its so funny) to disco or bowling (again). You are never short of things to do in this game, and that can actually be seen as detrimental if you want to go for 100% (fair warning, you gotta learn majhong).
    The plot to this game is pretty good, having everything tie up in a pretty satisfying way if not having a few leaps in logic. The plot doesn't really matter too much, when you are smashing, crashing and dashing through entire buildings worth of Asian people who don't seem too happy to see you.
    This games art style is realistic, but the graphical fidelity is somewhat lacking. Its good enough, but isn't going to knock socks off or anything, like the sequel "yakuza kiwami 2". The graphics aren't bad however, just somewhat lacking.
    This games sound design is flawless. It's satisfying to hear people get smacked, its satisfying to listen to the music whilst causing chaos. Speaking of, this games soundtrack is one of my favourites, highlights include the entire karaoke line up, FRIDAY NIGHT, all of Goro Majima's fighting music, Interplanetary Spark and Pledge Of Demon being some of my personal highlights. The music fits the mood of upbeat hyperviolence well.

    Fun little factoid, you canonically don't kill anyone in this game. Crazy, because you slam peoples faces into hotplates and ****

    TL:DR
    Yakuza 0 is amazing, buy that ****
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  37. Dec 15, 2020
    10
    Incredibly well-written, captivating storyline with lots of twists and not a single wasted character.
    Superb voice acting, decent combat mechanics, and lots of hilarious and memorable sub stories.
    A masterpiece.
  38. Jul 4, 2023
    10
    Una obra de arte el mejor Juego de la saga Yakuza, historia impactante, sobre todo una gran historia entre Majima y Makoto
  39. Dec 18, 2020
    10
    My favorite game of all time until I played Ghost of Tsushima. Still my 2nd favorite of all time. I really enjoyed this game. Very fun to play, story is excellent full of twists and serious mature stuff. Side missions and content are funny and rewarding. Just the way of story telling was a masterpiece. It was like watching a good Yakuza movie. Prolly better than any Yakuza movie out there.My favorite game of all time until I played Ghost of Tsushima. Still my 2nd favorite of all time. I really enjoyed this game. Very fun to play, story is excellent full of twists and serious mature stuff. Side missions and content are funny and rewarding. Just the way of story telling was a masterpiece. It was like watching a good Yakuza movie. Prolly better than any Yakuza movie out there. American games should learn story telling from this game. Typical american game stories are just MEH... its like a childish story most of the time with side quests being so boring. Expand
  40. Jan 17, 2021
    10
    This is my introduction to the Yakuza series and its absolutely blown me away! I cant believe how invested i got in such a corny over the top YET still heartfelt and engrossing story. ALL the insane mini-games i sucked at, but was able to improve gradually and take on at my level as i advanced. Nothing was backbreaking and things that got tedious i simply didnt need to do. Finally finishedThis is my introduction to the Yakuza series and its absolutely blown me away! I cant believe how invested i got in such a corny over the top YET still heartfelt and engrossing story. ALL the insane mini-games i sucked at, but was able to improve gradually and take on at my level as i advanced. Nothing was backbreaking and things that got tedious i simply didnt need to do. Finally finished my first playthrough in 55hrs and had a whooping 52% completion overall.... its only real blemish is not having a redesign for the shogi and mahjong games. as an american im helpless when it comes to remembering what the kanji mean. i got the rules but cant tell whats a 6 or a dragon... Can only hope the Kiwami games and new Like a Dragon (with revamped dragonquest-esque fighting) continue this excellence. Expand
  41. Aug 4, 2021
    9
    Probably the best in the series and you can start with it.

    Great prequel with great combat and a deep engaging story.
  42. Apr 22, 2021
    10
    Never played a yakuza game before and this is an amazing game in all aspects, from fighting, to the story. One of my all time favorites
  43. Aug 1, 2021
    10
    Even though I always liked Yakuza's setting, I was never interested in getting into the games.
    After hearing nothing but praise for Yakuza 0, especially for it's story, I was eager to give it a try.
    Unfortunately, my expectations for the story were very high, but fortunately, the story surpassed my expectations; it starts off really strong, it never drops the ball and it's filled with plot
    Even though I always liked Yakuza's setting, I was never interested in getting into the games.
    After hearing nothing but praise for Yakuza 0, especially for it's story, I was eager to give it a try.
    Unfortunately, my expectations for the story were very high, but fortunately, the story surpassed my expectations; it starts off really strong, it never drops the ball and it's filled with plot twists! I was expecting a really good story and I got a narrative masterpiece; I'd go as far as to say that it's one of the most engaging and well-written stories in a videogame, keeping me on the edge of my seat every few... minutes. Overall, it's one of the best stories I ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
    The characters are awesome, especially Kiryu and Majima; Kiryu is a certified badass while Majima is one of my favorite characters in a videogame, period.
    Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the gameplay; it's enjoyable but the combat system is not deep enough.
    The highlight of the game are the minigames and the substories; there are so many of them and they're very amusing for the most part! I spent hours singing in the Karaoke bar, playing billiards and going for bowling... and I barely scratched the surface.
    Also, I really love the music in this game.
    Now, aside from the combat system not being complex, another thing that bothered me a little bit is that the graphics look outdated at times.

    Pros:
    + Consistent and compelling narrative filled with twists and turns
    + Amazing characters
    + Fun gameplay
    + Tons of different minigames
    + Fantastic music

    Cons:
    - Combat system lacks enough depth
    - Dated visuals in some instances

    Narrative: 10/10
    Gameplay: 7/10
    Content: 10/10
    Characters: 9/10
    Music: 9/10
    Graphics/Audio: 7/10

    Final Rating: 9.5/10
    - Outstanding -
    It's been a while since I couldn't stop playing a videogame because of its somehow addictive storyline, and the minigames are just the cherry on top of an already delicious cake.
    All in all, Yakuza 0 is one of my favorite story-driven games on the PS4.

    Do I recommend it?:
    Yakuza 0 is the perfect Yakuza game for both fans and newcomers.
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  44. Apr 12, 2021
    8
    Prequel for fans. It is difficult to be impressed by being immersed unless you are a fan. But it's fun enough for fans. The increased convenience compared to the previous series is also a strength.
  45. Sep 29, 2022
    2
    Lame game. Graphics are very dated. Super slow load times on PS5 (Why? How?). Really clunky UI.

    There is very little voice acting or animations. Lots of subtitle text reading. Side quests require you to memorize words and phrases. You need pen and paper to play this game, and write down answers. I gave up when I was asked to TYPE a 20-character password phrase (in Japanese of course).
    Lame game. Graphics are very dated. Super slow load times on PS5 (Why? How?). Really clunky UI.

    There is very little voice acting or animations. Lots of subtitle text reading. Side quests require you to memorize words and phrases. You need pen and paper to play this game, and write down answers. I gave up when I was asked to TYPE a 20-character password phrase (in Japanese of course).

    Main story was OK for as far as I got... it didn't grab me in any way. It was all very cliche, and not very believable.

    It's also a lonely game. You run around by yourself and do solo things, like playing video games within the video game, and there are few meaningful interactions with NPCs.
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  46. May 31, 2021
    10
    I love this game,I don't know why I didn't hear anything about this game in the internet !
    This game has a dark story if you play this game you newer gonna forget this dark story in your life.
    and it has a lot of funny side quests you can play this game over than 60 hour.
  47. May 15, 2021
    10
    This my first game of the yakuza series and it still amazed me how much there is to do and generally had the most fun while playing... big fan
  48. Jun 5, 2021
    9
    This is the best start to get in series, the combat is fun, substories too, only thing I hate that they added this Game Clear data, I was super confused, so I clicked no. Worst mistake of my life. Press Yes after completing the game
  49. Jul 23, 2021
    8
    Yakuza 0 is the best part of the Yakuza series. Interesting plot, excellent graphics. It's one of the most enjoyable games to play on the console. Many interesting side tasks perfectly complement the story of the two main characters of the game-Kiryu and Majima.
  50. Sep 9, 2023
    9
    Yakuza 0 takes you to the late 80s of the Tokyo night life in such a charming and unexpected way.
    Kamurocho and Sotenbori (based on the real Kabuchiko and Dotenbori) aren't ashamed of showing their best and worst aspects, and are fully recreated in order to feel like real places with real people living in them: the way NPCs, shops, substories and minigames animate the game's world is one
    Yakuza 0 takes you to the late 80s of the Tokyo night life in such a charming and unexpected way.
    Kamurocho and Sotenbori (based on the real Kabuchiko and Dotenbori) aren't ashamed of showing their best and worst aspects, and are fully recreated in order to feel like real places with real people living in them: the way NPCs, shops, substories and minigames animate the game's world is one of the most charming aspect of Yakuza 0.
    All the stories, despite being exaggerated for the purpose of comedy and action, are grounded in reality to the point where the game itself treats the narrative as if it was like a film narrating real events, just re-elaborated in order to give the player more suspense and adrenaline.
    The gameplay isn't really deep, but its simplicity isn't necessarily bad: I would call the game a "modern" beat 'em up with RPG elements. It never feels boring and it has the right pace. Also, making the player switch between the two protagonists, Kiryu and Majima (which honestly stole the spotlight, at least for me), really helps.
    The only thing that anyone with at least a bit of gaming experience can immediately notice is that, yes, this is a PS3 game indeed, so you'll notice very square-y hitboxes in the city, limited animations, some low quality textures hidden in the least interesting points and the pop-in effect.
    The side content is fun and really vast but, dare I say, really redundant, making this game the worst nightmare of a completionist (I abandoned the idea of getting the Platinum Trophy after 90 hours). As for me, I immediately dropped the idea of getting the Platinum, but I spent a lot of time grinding to get to the Secret Boss and unlocking the fourth battle style for both the protagonists: those operations made me easily get to 100+ hour of playthrough, but I don't regret doing it and the game gave some good memories.

    Overall one of my favorite games ever. I never did like the 80s (which, in Japan, feels more like the 70s in Europe), but this game made me appreciate them in a way I never expected to. Interesting how the developers thought about making the Economic Bubble event into a game trait (basically you'll get a tons of money, while in other Yakuza games they are much less. And you use that money to learn skills).
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  51. Nov 22, 2021
    10
    Completely surpass my expectation.

    Gameplay is quite boring for the 1st quarter but the rest is "Legendary". Combat becoming more solid and full of fun as you keep progressing. Story is going very strong from the beginning until the end. Side-Gameplay is the star of it. I've spent more than half of my time on this section (total time in my 1st play-through is 72 hours) The whole
    Completely surpass my expectation.

    Gameplay is quite boring for the 1st quarter but the rest is "Legendary".

    Combat becoming more solid and full of fun as you keep progressing.
    Story is going very strong from the beginning until the end.
    Side-Gameplay is the star of it. I've spent more than half of my time on this section (total time in my 1st play-through is 72 hours)

    The whole point of the game is to pull you in the yakuza series which make me curious how's the story progressing. In this regard, I believe all game studios out there need to learn from Ryu Ga Gotoku how to develop an amazing story driven game (series). I'm on Yakuza 3 now because of this game. Hard to believe if you're not continuing to play another yakuza game if you ever dive in any Yakuza game.

    Conclusion: 100% worth the money and of course, worth your time. This game is not for you who keep skipping cutscenes and completely only focus on gameplay. Because the unique selling point of Yakuza is its story and of course the quirk side-story or gameplay
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  52. Jan 9, 2023
    9
    So far this is the best yakuza game I played after Yakuza 5. The story was amazing and heartbreaking. Majima was amazing this time around, he really felt alive.
  53. Sep 8, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this game,the combat is great,the beat up system is great .exploring japan is fun and great.the open world allow you to do mission anytime you want and a lot of sidemisson.both characters kazuma kiryu and goro majima's stories are great .my favorite one of two,majima's fighting style is better kiryu's. He is more fun to play .he has more fun and tragedy story.spoiler that ends drive him crazy into the characters we will see in yakuza kiwami.i love this game so many things to do and fun stuff.loke play classic sega games in the arcade.or dating one of the girls.10 out of 10 Expand
  54. Oct 15, 2021
    10
    This game has loads of content. I can't even count how many minigames there are. And the substories? They are very interesting. Gameplay is really good and story is just so **** wonderful. Graphics and music is such a masterpiece. 10/10 (completed the game 3 times now it's so fun)
  55. Apr 5, 2022
    10
    Yakuza one of the games that helped me advance my life as a PS4 player, Kiryu will always be the best character and the best one who fights and lets enemies bleed.
  56. Nov 12, 2021
    10
    This was my first Yakuza game. I bought it from PS Store in a sale not knowing what to expect but hey it's nice to try new things from time to time. The thing is I never thought it could be that good and by the time I’ve beaten the first boss I was totally hooked and I've been a fan of Yakuza series ever since.
    First of all, I really like story driven games and Yakuza 0 (just like other
    This was my first Yakuza game. I bought it from PS Store in a sale not knowing what to expect but hey it's nice to try new things from time to time. The thing is I never thought it could be that good and by the time I’ve beaten the first boss I was totally hooked and I've been a fan of Yakuza series ever since.
    First of all, I really like story driven games and Yakuza 0 (just like other games in this series) has quite a complex and gripping story. But the beauty of Yakuza is that it can balance its very serious main story with absolutely insane side stories and fun minigames. On the paper this shouldn't even work but contrary to that when you put these two things together, they don't cancel each other out but somehow make each other better.
    I was never bored while playing because there was always so much to do, yet it was never overwhelming. The game doesn't have a huge open world but rather small two city districts. One in Tokyo and other one in Osaka. These two districts however are full of content and activities so in the end they feel much larger than they really are. This is a huge contrast to games with huge open worlds that feels impressive at first, that is until you find out they are actually quite empty.
    Combat is also great. Streets and rooms are filled with items you can pick up and beat your enemies with, that ranges from a simple vase to a bicycle. You also have 8 different combat styles in total 4 for each of the characters. Every style has its own attacks, combos, finishers and benefits. For example, beast style deals heavy damage and protects you from stagger if upgraded but your movement is slow. Rush style is the opposite of that, it deals small damage but you are extremely fast and can do some powerful counterattacks.
    Soundtrack is also worth mentioning especially the original songs you can sing at the karaoke minigame.
    All in all, I simply love this game.
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  57. Dec 6, 2021
    10
    this game is truly a masterpiece.
    i haven't finished all the sub-stories.
    i really liked the end part and that's why i give it a 10
  58. Jan 9, 2022
    10
    Amazing Story with Basic Gameplay

    This game is a completely Japanese version of GTA but with a smaller scale of course. Probably you know this game from meme of other joke stuff but believe me Yakuza is a very serious game with a great narrative which makes me continue playing the other Yakuza series to date. Gameplay-wise is not appealing but fun when you've unlocked all the combat
    Amazing Story with Basic Gameplay

    This game is a completely Japanese version of GTA but with a smaller scale of course. Probably you know this game from meme of other joke stuff but believe me Yakuza is a very serious game with a great narrative which makes me continue playing the other Yakuza series to date.

    Gameplay-wise is not appealing but fun when you've unlocked all the combat skill which makes you no longer smashing button but you combined different move-set to beat your enemy. I really like Kiryu Brawl combat and Majima Slugger combat.

    Story, no debate the greatest one besides Naughty Dog game, Uncharted (Sorry, not a fan of TLOU).

    Conclusion, play it and you will be invested in Yakuza 0 and the other Yakuza series. Rest assured that you will play this game at least more than 50 hours to enjoy the whole content of Yakuza 0 so it's not a simple or short game at all.
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  59. Jun 24, 2022
    7
    Yakuza 0 on PS5
    Game completed : June 5, 2022
    Playtime : 102 hrs I”ve completed games with more than 100 hrs before but this is by far the longest and most tedious i have ever felt completing a game and probably because its a very outdated game and i am playing it on a ps5 today. Because of the fact, nothing more to enjoy in this game and its only saving grace is its story. To be
    Yakuza 0 on PS5
    Game completed : June 5, 2022
    Playtime : 102 hrs

    I”ve completed games with more than 100 hrs before but this is by far the longest and most tedious i have ever felt completing a game and probably because its a very outdated game and i am playing it on a ps5 today. Because of the fact, nothing more to enjoy in this game and its only saving grace is its story. To be clear, i think if you play this game 10 yrs from now there is a lot of positive to say but obviously it is not the case now. Its story and plot is very unique and compelling that it is one of the most unforgettable plot and twist i have ever experience in a video game. considering its a very old game, i never felt the cliche you would expect in a mafia game and ive completed a lot from the past. I cant wait to see what happened to the 2 main characters in its sequel. in summary, its a familiar and simple outdated experience with an excellent plot and story.
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  60. Dec 20, 2021
    9
    This is hands down one of the best videogames ever made. There's just so much to do: a ton of neat mini-games, insanely fun fighting and random encounters, plus a really, really cool main story. The fight into scenes are some of the coolest I've seen in any game, and the intro for the game is wild... watching it for the first time was really something else. It got me more hyped to play theThis is hands down one of the best videogames ever made. There's just so much to do: a ton of neat mini-games, insanely fun fighting and random encounters, plus a really, really cool main story. The fight into scenes are some of the coolest I've seen in any game, and the intro for the game is wild... watching it for the first time was really something else. It got me more hyped to play the game than anything I could have imagined. Plus, the setting is unreal: it really feels like a movie at times. The whole this is super, super cool. I'd buy it as soon as you can, even if (like me) you don't normally like fighting games. This one is different.

    The only hitch is that sometimes the main story is a little drawn out. But that's offset by some really off-the-wall twists and turns that truly come out of left field. All in all, the story is one of the best in all of gaming.
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  61. Jun 1, 2023
    10
    Truly a masterclass in story telling. These games are incredible and if you're new to the Yakuza series or just haven't gotten around to playing this one then please, for the love of god, pick it up and dive in.
  62. Jan 21, 2022
    10
    I had a **** blast playing this game. My god. Everything was good. The story, side stories, games, fighting, the characters… I am very late to the party with the Yakuza series but I can’t wait to play the other games.
  63. Nov 1, 2022
    10
    Ahhhh Majima and Kiryu. Lovely gameplay and minigames. The Cabaret Club part could be published as a different game and still would be great. It is incredible how it is inside this game. One of the best experiences ever had in my life.
  64. Jun 9, 2022
    10
    The game is superb. This is the first Yakuza game for me, and did not know what to expect at first. But i’m absolutely hooked, the combat is very fun, almost like a Tekken style beat em’ up. All characters speak japanese, so you will have to read a lot of subtitles, but the story is really interesting if you are into mafia and the underworld. There is lots of side stuff you can do, theThe game is superb. This is the first Yakuza game for me, and did not know what to expect at first. But i’m absolutely hooked, the combat is very fun, almost like a Tekken style beat em’ up. All characters speak japanese, so you will have to read a lot of subtitles, but the story is really interesting if you are into mafia and the underworld. There is lots of side stuff you can do, the game is really good at surprising you with unexpected moments. This is quality fun stuff right here. Love the 80s vibe too! Easy 10/10 all day! Expand
  65. Feb 21, 2022
    9
    this is my fav yakuza game of all time. best storyline plus the side quest are very enjoyable. nice job ryu ga!
  66. Dec 27, 2022
    10
    i have never played yakuza though i was interested in the series. i saw that the game series has been added to my playstation plus membershib so i started from the very first of the series that means yakuza zero
    right now as im typing ive finished yakuza 0 and yakuza kiwami 1 and playing kiwami 2
    i just wan to say if you enjoy a good asian story . dont hesitate play the game.
  67. Nov 18, 2022
    7
    I find Yakuza games to be quite slow for my tastes, but the great moments are truly great.
  68. Mar 18, 2022
    10
    Yakuza 0 is a very good game with a great story and good soundtrack and got a lot of content.
  69. Mar 19, 2022
    9
    This was my first ever Yakuza game and i'd say its worth it. Beginning may be slow but you will not get easily bored if you endure it.
  70. Apr 24, 2022
    10
    Beautiful game, the writing and the action and everything is just amazing!!
  71. Apr 28, 2022
    10
    so good so good so gooood so gooood so gooood so good so good so good so good so good
  72. May 6, 2022
    9
    Yakuza 0 is a flawed masterpiece. The side content is some of the most engaging and fun stuff ever made in a video game. Combat is flashy and exciting. Music is also fantastic. The main story is excellent however the pacing is the main issue as it takes a while for the game to build up to the huge moments. But when the story hits IT HITS.
  73. May 18, 2022
    10
    Yakuza 0 does everything it has to do in a perfect way.
    Not only as the perfect Yakuza game, but also as the perfect game to jump into the series.
  74. May 23, 2022
    9
    Game is great, imo the first few chapters is kinda slow? but i still enjoyed it, specially the minigames.
  75. Jun 10, 2022
    1
    Bad gameplay, poorly written story, awful production values, terrible leveling system, shallow combat and bad world design.
    Incredibly Overrated game.
  76. Dec 14, 2022
    6
    Es un juego totalmente insufrible lo único bueno son los combates contra JEFES y un par med misiones principales el resto todo aburrido.
  77. Sep 19, 2022
    8
    This was my first Yakuza game. Before I bought this game, I thought I would only play this one, and watch the others in YouTube. But as I continue playing this game, I noticed what a masterpiece this game was. I like story and characters. I won't forget the villians of this game. With the extras we have 4 style which are keep the tempo of this game. Best thing Yakuza 0 did great is theThis was my first Yakuza game. Before I bought this game, I thought I would only play this one, and watch the others in YouTube. But as I continue playing this game, I noticed what a masterpiece this game was. I like story and characters. I won't forget the villians of this game. With the extras we have 4 style which are keep the tempo of this game. Best thing Yakuza 0 did great is the rhythm and level design. If we give an example, it will be the first chapter. At the beginning we saw our important characters of the game. Learning combat and heat actions, singing at the karaoke (one of the most popular minigames of the franchise),, some details from the story, learning the second style, a little story fight, and after some more cinematics, and learning how they got into the yakuza, and a long battle (these are the fights that we go into our objectives while fighting the enemies and one of the most entertaining parts of the game) and a boss fight with 2 health bars. The first chapter nearly shows the design of the franchise. Combat is entertaining, we have a thrilling story, 1vs1 boss fights (which is great for me), long battles, and amazing substories. Substories are the side quests. To unlock these you need to find them (because game doesn't show you the beginning points of these) in correct chapters and daytime. But substories are great Like the game they have the best level design of any other Yakuza game substories. In my first substory I try to choose the correct things to do in an advertisement, after that the substory closed with a mini boss fight. For my luck this substory showed me how the others substories will contain. In open world we can fight with thugs, play minigames like telphone club, disco, car race, karaoke, arcade, and some gambiling games. They are good. 2 characters have their own businesses. Business are like big substories. You need lots of time to finish them, bu I like it (they have unique boss fights). Main element of the gameplay is about money. Everything you will do requires money (abilities to purchasing). You can encounter with Mr Shakedowns. These are the boses that wandering in the towns. First they look hard (they canddefeat you in 2 attacks and if you lose, they take your money), but when you learn you can defeat them with shotguns, they turn to your easy money adress. And this game has the best HUD's of any Yakuza game. Jo Amon and climax battles are good (if you are not insane don't try to do that.) I praise this game a lot, but of course this game isn't perfect. 1st and 3rd chapters have a lot of cutscenes that they can take your enthusiasm about this game. Street battles are waste of time. For some substories you need to do some minigames that you might find boring. Some cutscenes are unskippable (problem if you want to play this game one more time). Some levels are not good (stealth missions and secene from chapter 13). If you don't know how to play Japan board games don't try to %100 complation and don't try to platinium. As the result this game is the best game of the Yakuza series and has the peak level designs of the gaming industry. Expand
  78. Mar 10, 2023
    10
    A joy all the way through, Perfect introduction to the Yakuza Series, and also a welcome back for already fans of the series, this game has a great story that does not become boring what so ever, however an issue with the game is the opening scene features a cutscene format different to the rest of the game which is odd and inconsistent but still, that doesn’t stop what is the great storyA joy all the way through, Perfect introduction to the Yakuza Series, and also a welcome back for already fans of the series, this game has a great story that does not become boring what so ever, however an issue with the game is the opening scene features a cutscene format different to the rest of the game which is odd and inconsistent but still, that doesn’t stop what is the great story form this cutscene, also gameplay is fantastic a literal 3D open space version of virtua fighter or Tekken, absolutely amazing side quests all throughout the game I won’t spoil any here as they are amazing, this was the game that got me into yakuza and I have to respect it for that very reason Overall 10/10 game issues not enough to drop review Expand
  79. Jun 28, 2022
    5
    How can a game that's so wacky also contain some of the most dry, overlong cutscenes I've ever sat through?

    A masterful balance of fun and mind-numbingly boring that I have not seen before or since.
  80. Sep 24, 2022
    10
    Сюжет необычный, не безразлично наблюдать за персонажами и химией между ними , они не кажутся простыми ботами, разнообразность боёвки порадовала, так ещё и различные темы для разных стилей боя. Порадовало и то что можно взаимодействовать с разными объектами во время боя , но огорчило , что нельзя взаимодействовать с ними в то время когда гг просто ходит по району. Интерфейс немногоСюжет необычный, не безразлично наблюдать за персонажами и химией между ними , они не кажутся простыми ботами, разнообразность боёвки порадовала, так ещё и различные темы для разных стилей боя. Порадовало и то что можно взаимодействовать с разными объектами во время боя , но огорчило , что нельзя взаимодействовать с ними в то время когда гг просто ходит по району. Интерфейс немного необычным показался, сайдквесты порадовали в меру абсурдные в меру грустные. , но прокачка это ЖеСть и мистеры вымогатели + некоторые тех.аспекты ставили в недоумение , но на это можно закрыть глаза ,
    Так же в районах кроме сайдквестов можно спеть в кароке , пофлексить на тацполе , поговорить с девушкой по телефону и встретится с ней и.т.д
    Но кроме сюжета есть ещё и другая ветка сюжета у всех гг, но придётся попотеть чтобы пройти их, за прохождение дают тому и тому пресу новые стили боя, гораздо мощнее обычных и прокачка их влияет и на этот стиль и на все другие
    12/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  81. Jun 18, 2023
    8
    desde que makoto salió en la historia el nivel de este juego fue subiendo, increíble
  82. May 27, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best Game ever, it has a bunch of fun minigames and if your looking for the plot this is recommended as 2 characters(Kiryu and Majima) are the best protagonist ever, it also holds the best memes such as the baka mitai song and "KUZE" memes were the best for me and the character development is the best where kiryu and majima met each other before Kiwami. Solid 10/10 Expand
  83. Feb 19, 2023
    10
    the best way to make a prequel and show us why kiryu and majima r yakuza legends
    everything abt y0 is dramatic tragic explosive sad, very sad sometimes, and i love it
    love you kiryu and majima
  84. Aug 25, 2022
    9
    One of my most favorite games ever played. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is because I've played video games for 20+ years and it's hard for me to give a game a perfect 10. But otherwise amazing and worth reading the subtitles.
  85. Sep 12, 2022
    9
    This game is not for the impatient gamer, but give it your pinky finger, and the reward'll be something else! It's not just a video game, it's an unforgettable journey.
  86. Sep 15, 2022
    10
    la mejor saga anime que exiten en los videojuegos es super divertido y sus peleas entre bandillas
  87. Apr 8, 2023
    10
    A very fun game that have only one desire that make you get a great and fun time the side quest are masterpiece every one have unique experience and story some of them are funny and crazy and others are serious and sad, in the world besides the amazing side quest you will find a very very fun mini games and business to done and lets not forget mr shakedown a huge man whith massive damageA very fun game that have only one desire that make you get a great and fun time the side quest are masterpiece every one have unique experience and story some of them are funny and crazy and others are serious and sad, in the world besides the amazing side quest you will find a very very fun mini games and business to done and lets not forget mr shakedown a huge man whith massive damage he will try to take your money and if you lose to him he will take all your money and to return them you need to take him down, the main story are amazing and have a lot of amazing characters whith amazing moments, it's one of the best open worlds games you will find Expand
  88. Oct 28, 2022
    10
    Yakuza 0 in 2022 is still an absolute gem which stands the tests of time. One of best stories paired with fun gameplay, anyone should try this out.
  89. Nov 14, 2022
    10
    The Yakuza aka Like a Dragon series is incredibly good and I recommend these games go literally anybody.
  90. Dec 25, 2022
    9
    Yakuza 0 consists of great combat (Especially with Majima) and a grabbing story. As well as amazing minigames. Yakuza 0 is just an ultimate experience
  91. Dec 27, 2022
    8
    Pretty enjoyable game. Nice gameplay, nice story, and nice contents. Some things are a little awkward.
  92. Dec 31, 2022
    0
    Can't say I was a fan. Played and found it too easy and quite boring. I really don't see the fuss about these games.
  93. Jan 15, 2023
    10
    Wow just wow this is my favorite yakuza game ever but the one that came before this game (yakuza 5) is my least favorite but people compare it to yakuza 5 I compare it to itself for it’s unique gameplay and graphics and after 6 years it still holds up as the greatest yakuza game ever
  94. Feb 1, 2023
    9
    I give this and Kiwami the same score because the combat is similar, though Kiwami is better. But I say this story is better. Playing as Majima was such a great idea and seeing how he became the character he is later on is great. Great story, probably the best in the series (at least from the ones I have played).
  95. Feb 21, 2023
    10
    Honestly my favorite game of all time.A gripping story with twists at every turn,brutal but satisfying combat and a lot of great mini-open world minigames and substories, i can't sing it enough praise for how much i love the game and the series it introduced to me
  96. Mar 13, 2023
    7
    Fun as hell, the tonal shifts work way better than they honestly should. It´s not great at anything, but it´s goofy in the most fun way possible. Didn´t expect to get addicted to the bowling minigame lol. The gameplay isn´t good honestly, it´s kind of clunky too, not to mention the absurdly long cutscnes and drawn out dialogue, but I don´t care, I like this game.
  97. Mar 19, 2023
    7
    The combat and encounter designs are decently fun. The story is quite fun and has many satisfying twists and turns. The open world structure is interesting and has some very well fleshed out mini games and subsystems. This game makes for a very great entry point to this bizarre series. It's a variety show with lots of personality and quirks. If I had a major complaint it would be with theThe combat and encounter designs are decently fun. The story is quite fun and has many satisfying twists and turns. The open world structure is interesting and has some very well fleshed out mini games and subsystems. This game makes for a very great entry point to this bizarre series. It's a variety show with lots of personality and quirks. If I had a major complaint it would be with the overly repetitive JRPG esc random encounters that dot the environment just to slow you down and make sure you've seen every combat animation so many times that it becomes drilled into your memory Expand
  98. Mar 31, 2023
    10
    My first Yakuza game and introduction to the series. After playing most Yakuza games, I can tell that this one is the best one not only because of all the incredible acting and compelling characters you encounter, but also because of the very satisfying fighting sequences where you beat the **** out of hundreds of yakuza just so you can beat the **** out of their lieutenant, with a badassMy first Yakuza game and introduction to the series. After playing most Yakuza games, I can tell that this one is the best one not only because of all the incredible acting and compelling characters you encounter, but also because of the very satisfying fighting sequences where you beat the **** out of hundreds of yakuza just so you can beat the **** out of their lieutenant, with a badass background music. The seriousness and complexity of the main story is perfectly balanced out with the side stories filled with comedy which truly represent the spirit of Yakuza, a game that does not take itself seriously. You also spend a good deal of time in mini-games which help you take a break from the never ending beating you are giving to your enemies. Expand
  99. Apr 4, 2023
    10
    the game that made me get into the series. flawless story , emotional story which i think should be played by every one, it changed my life in a way
  100. May 4, 2023
    9
    The battles are never boring and the story is interesting. The most important reason for playing Yakuza 0 is its gameplay for me..
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 77 out of 87
  2. Negative: 0 out of 87
  1. Aug 8, 2018
    85
    Yakuza 0 is a lot of Yakuza, showing a great deal of excess, brilliance and occasional frustration in equal fashion. There's lots and lots to do, a great story to breathe in, and wonderful characters who play well off each other. At the same time, 0 lacks some of the innovations and gameplay conceits that came with later titles, and it's also just as frustrating in places as some of the franchise's more egregious offenders.
  2. Oct 12, 2017
    90
    Yakuza Zero is a fantastic game. Spectacular main story combined with great diversity of sub-stories and solid gameplay create a rather unique game.
  3. Games Master UK
    Apr 2, 2017
    90
    A fantastically bonkers open-world gem that finally opens up the magic of the series to everyone. [March 2017, p.64]