Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 504 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 424 out of 504
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 504
  3. Negative: 46 out of 504
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Kenmei
    May 10, 2018
    7
    Yakuza 6 enters the west at a very weird time. The series is finally picking up steam here in NA but this is the final game in the storyline for Kazuma Kiryu, the main character since the first one. For people, like myself, who only got into the series recently with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami, you will be lost for a vast majority of the game. I was very disappointed that a brand new cast joinedYakuza 6 enters the west at a very weird time. The series is finally picking up steam here in NA but this is the final game in the storyline for Kazuma Kiryu, the main character since the first one. For people, like myself, who only got into the series recently with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami, you will be lost for a vast majority of the game. I was very disappointed that a brand new cast joined Kiryu in his final game in the series. There's hardly mention of series favorites like Majima or other characters of the like. The story also ends on a very meh note. While it certainly picks up towards the end, the story as a whole wasn't as good previous games. Not even Beat Takeshi himself could keep this story from just being average at best.
    That's all a shame as this is the first game in the series to update the main overworld and the stuff in it. From that aspect, it's great. Kamurocho has never been prettier and it's actually fun to walk around town and find new stuff to get into. However, the substories here are prob the worst of the series from the games I've played. There's not as much of the craziness that these games are known for here in this one as compared to the past. The side stuff you can do ranges from a very well done baseball sim to a clan fighting creator that kinda missed the mark. I just wished that the game that took the Yakuza series into the new generation of consoles, (because this game techincally came out in '16) would have done more with Kiryu's final story then what ended up happening. Especially since it was just starting to gain popularity in the west. While Kiwami 2 will keep Kiryu in the spot light, it almost would have been better for the series to have started from scratch with Yakuza 7, especially in the west. As it stands, the Yakuza series should be very well off going forward into the future. This is just a bad game for people who are only familiar with the 0 and Kiwami games to play. Because there's a ton that people are missing by not playing the 4 games from Kiwami to this one. For those who have been with the series since the original dubbed version on PS2, congrats. To the other 95% of westerns playing this game, it's a big realization that we missed out on a great series for years because it was mainly intended for Japanese audiences.    … Expand
  2. Zeydlitz
    Apr 25, 2018
    7
    This game is not so bad, but! Authors still could not pass a chance to add a piece a garbage at the game. This time it is batting minigame and substories 19 and 20, wich are increadible hard and unpassble for average player.
  3. shiftyman
    Jun 12, 2018
    7
    Easily the worst of the 6, but still an ok story, with plenty of the typical crazy side quests and games but totally ruined by a truly weak ending, fans of the series deserved better.
  4. misterhyd3
    Jun 11, 2018
    6
    The gameplay in Yakuza 6 is just as much of a blast as it was in Yakuza 0 and Kiwami, the only two other games in the series I've had the pleasure of playing. The combat is wildly satisfying, and the abundance of side-activities include quite a few fun and engaging options -- clan wars and the baseball stuff were a good time, especially. However, the writing in this game... the writing isThe gameplay in Yakuza 6 is just as much of a blast as it was in Yakuza 0 and Kiwami, the only two other games in the series I've had the pleasure of playing. The combat is wildly satisfying, and the abundance of side-activities include quite a few fun and engaging options -- clan wars and the baseball stuff were a good time, especially. However, the writing in this game... the writing is *awful.*

    I'm not interested in spoiling the story for anyone, but there are an *embarrassing* number of absurdly stupid decisions made by essentially every major character in the game that move the narrative along to places it *never* would've gone with smart decision-making. The ending is *fatally marred* by bad decisions by *literally six* of the story's protagonists, in which they allow someone who should be living in a retirement home to do something he shouldn't have *ever* had the chance to do. I understand that the writers were going to dial up the drama for Kazuma Kiryu's last go-around in the Yakuza universe, but he deserved *far better* than what he got in the end, from a writing perspective.

    If the story of Kazuma Kiryu is important to you, or if storytelling is important to you in general, this game *will* disappoint you. If entertaining gameplay is your focus, however, and the story doesn't matter as much to you, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will be a good time that you won't regret buying. For anyone to whom both gameplay and story are important, I'd recommend that you wait until this game is on sale. Knowing what I know now, I'd buy it at the $29.99 range and feel good about my purchase. At $60, however, I feel more frustrated than anything, which is a real shame, as both Yakuza 0 and Kiwami left me feeling like I'd just enjoyed some of the best gameplay and absurdly outrageous but *fun* and meaningful storytelling in gaming.    … Expand
  5. Empyrea
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    I played Yakuza 0 a few years ago and I got fed up of the long scenes and the japanese dialogues. I still think that these games shold be dubbed to English or at least has subtitles in other languages a part from the English one but lets talk about the game: the story is interesting, graphics are good and gameplay ends up being repetitive. This game it also has its funny moments and crazyI played Yakuza 0 a few years ago and I got fed up of the long scenes and the japanese dialogues. I still think that these games shold be dubbed to English or at least has subtitles in other languages a part from the English one but lets talk about the game: the story is interesting, graphics are good and gameplay ends up being repetitive. This game it also has its funny moments and crazy sidequests. It took me more than 27 hours having done most of sidequests and some extra things, so if you stick only to the main story it would probably take you about 20 hours. Is it a good game? Taking in consideration all that I've said, yes. Is it a must have game? In my opinion no, it's not, but it's worthy when you are running out of good games.… Expand
  6. galifreeman
    May 9, 2018
    7
    Según los estándares de calidad a los que nos tiene acostumbrados esta saga, este juego es normalillo tirando a bueno. Técnicamente el juego luce espectacular, que no haya pantallas de carga cuando entras a algún establecimiento o te metes en una pelea es glorioso, pero el tema de las físicas es un cachondeo, cuando te golpea un enemigo y te derriba aparece el momento "muñeco de trapo" tanSegún los estándares de calidad a los que nos tiene acostumbrados esta saga, este juego es normalillo tirando a bueno. Técnicamente el juego luce espectacular, que no haya pantallas de carga cuando entras a algún establecimiento o te metes en una pelea es glorioso, pero el tema de las físicas es un cachondeo, cuando te golpea un enemigo y te derriba aparece el momento "muñeco de trapo" tan típico de los cadáveres de la saga souls, te vas tropezando con todo mientras das tumbos en el suelo, cosa que se soluciona cuando compras cierta habilidad para recuperarte rápido, pero muy molesta igualmente. Las misiones secundarias son las más aburridas que yo recuerde en la saga, salvo algunas excepciones, que nos traen personajes carismáticos de nuestro pasado, las demás son muy ramplonas. La historia principal está muy bien, aunque con momentos, que a mi modo de ver son ridículos (momento Haruto siendo pasado como una pelota de Rugby)... aunque con un final genial, muy emotivo y satisfactorio para todos los que tenemos en estima a Kazuma Kiryu.… Expand
  7. DrummBumm
    Jun 15, 2018
    6
    I Gameflyed this one and thought it was decent overall. It had amazing presentation, graphics, button mashing gameplay (or you can parry/block like in Dark Souls), and funny, yet sometimes annoying mini games. They should've made a mode without any of cutscenes, because not even a quarter through the game and I was skipping almost every cutscene. The story was OK, but nothing to write homeI Gameflyed this one and thought it was decent overall. It had amazing presentation, graphics, button mashing gameplay (or you can parry/block like in Dark Souls), and funny, yet sometimes annoying mini games. They should've made a mode without any of cutscenes, because not even a quarter through the game and I was skipping almost every cutscene. The story was OK, but nothing to write home about. I do admit I've never played a Yakuza game before, so the story wasn't exactly clear to me as it would be to an avid fan. Fun, yet tedious, I think 6 is a good score for Yakuza 6.… Expand
  8. chlxowns68
    Oct 1, 2021
    7
    Yakuza 6 is not a good story.
    However, the game was still fun and the ending of the story was good.
  9. Dmacy
    Aug 21, 2019
    6
    Well, I'm really sad, because I'm a big fan of Yakuza games, and this one just disappoint me. The story is too slow, and boring. There were a lot fetch quests, and literally nothing happened after, just got some more fetch quests. After Yakuza zero and Kiwami 2 this was a really big step back.
  10. Wondux
    Jan 3, 2022
    7
    This was a nice ending to the series. Similar to other Yakuza games, I loved the side content. I loved roaming around the city and going to karaoke bars to sing. The story and presentation were well-made as well.

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best PS4 Game of 2018
36
#36 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018
23
#23 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 91 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 91
  3. Negative: 0 out of 91
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Sep 13, 2018
    80
    The sixth Yakuza does not bring a huge open world. It brings a great hall full of amazing toys that you will not want to leave. [Issue#284]
  2. CD-Action
    Jun 5, 2018
    80
    There are a lot of seemingly dissonant notes in The Song of Life, but from this chaos arises one of the best written open world games of this generation, a great technological foundation for upcoming Yakuzas and a beautiful farewell to Kazuma Kiryu. [05/2018, p.38]
  3. Jeuxvideo.com
    Jun 2, 2018
    90
    Yakuza 6's intimate story, combined with a cinematic presentation, pays tribute to Japanese gangster movies while the overhaul of the combat and RPG systems leads to the hero's organic development.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »