BACK WITH A VENGEANCE
In its most ambitious entry to date, the Yakuza franchise finally reclaims a place in the big leagues. With a strong story, a memorable cast, a staggering amount of side content, and multiple fully realized cities, Yakuza 5 demonstrates confidence. Its success is a result of years of experimentation and refinement.
The game is divided into five major story parts, four of which initially stand on their own, each with a different protagonist. These arcs are largely self-contained and engaging. Only when they converge in the final act does the overarching plot become somewhat muddled. Until then, Yakuza 5 continuously reinvents itself, recycling fun mechanics while introducing new ideas.
Each chapter feels distinctly shaped by its lead character’s personality and combat style.
The opening act stars Kazuma Kiryu, the series’ long-standing main character. His section is the most approachable, befitting his status as a legendary Tojo Clan enforcer. Having left his criminal past behind, Kiryu now lives under an alias as a taxi driver in the city of Nagasugai.
This fragile peace does not last. Kiryu soon learns that Daigo Dojima, head of the Tojo Clan and one of his closest allies, has vanished. Kiryu happened to be the last person to have seen him. His investigation into the disappearance gradually draws him into a larger conflict that ultimately intertwines with the other protagonists’ stories.
Haruka’s storyline is the most inventive of the five, exploring the darker underbelly of the idol industry. She is followed by a compelling new character, Tatsuo Shinada, a disgraced former professional baseball player. While his weapon-focused combat style feels less refined, his story—told from the perspective of a struggling working-class man—is deeply affecting.
Despite being the longest entry in the series, Yakuza 5 is well paced. Every protagonist features a substantial side story complete with its own progression system, alongside numerous substories and a wealth of shared mini-games. All of it is optional, yet irresistibly engaging. As always, the distractions feel like the true heart of the Yakuza experience.
Not all side content is great. Saejima’s extended hunting storyline overstays its welcome, and the VR training missions—repetitive side-scrolling brawls—are outright dreadful. Thankfully, the highlights far outweigh the missteps. Kiryu’s taxi missions are fun, timed driving challenges, Shinada’s baseball storyline offers poignant insight into his past, and Haruka’s idol arc might be the game’s brightest achievement.
Unlike the others, Haruka does not fight (duh). Instead, she participates in rhythm-based dance battles and singing competitions, accompanied by fully animated performances. Outside the stage, she meets reporters, attends fan events, and appears on television—all gamified, all in service of growing her popularity. Her songs are truly catchy.
The remaining characters follow the traditional Yakuza formula of story missions and street brawls. Combat is largely unchanged from previous entries, so I won't dwell on it too long. Each character has a distinct fighting style: Akiyama’s fast, acrobatic kicks are the most enjoyable, Kiryu’s versatile moveset makes him a master of all trades, while Saejima’s brute-force approach feels slow and cumbersome.
Shinada’s weapon-centric style is new to the series and benefits from a dedicated progression system that rewards frequent weapon use. It encourages improvisation—grabbing bikes, trash cans, or traffic cones mid-fight. Since he is mechanically the weakest fighter, his encounters are often the most challenging. In a nice character touch, Shinada refuses to wield a baseball bat out of respect for the sport that once defined him.
Of the four combat-focused protagonists, Shinada’s narrative is also the most compelling. One scene in particular stands out: a moment of betrayal met not with anger, but with a silent, devastated stare—shown from the betrayer’s perspective. In a series often prone to excessive dialogue, the restraint of that scene is a home run.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has always excelled at crafting charismatic characters, but here they begin to flesh them out with depth. At its best, Yakuza storytelling thrives in individual moments rather than grand narrative arcs.
The game’s central theme revolves around dreams. Haruka embodies the hope of realizing aspirations long abandoned by others. The remaining protagonists rally around her, investing their own unfulfilled desires in her success. Placing her storyline at the center of the game provides a thoughtful pause from the violence, reinforcing the emotional core.
Though the remastered version shows technical inconsistencies—dated visuals, invisible walls—it compensates with extraordinary environmental detail. Aside from Yakuza Kiwami 2, this may be the most immersive entry in the series. Streets feel alive, storefronts bustle, and overheard conversations subtly reflect your story progress. Even screenshots tell stories of their own.
Unfortunately, Yakuza 5 arrives near the end of Kazuma Kiryu’s long-running saga. Many players will never reach it, deterred by the hundreds of hours required to get there. Not every step along the way is this rewarding. But if you find yourself slogging through the weaker middle chapters of the series, remember this: somewhere near the end of the rainbow lies a game capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Yakuza 0, the masterpiece that likely began your journey
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