Yakuza 6: Song of Life for Xbox review — An epic conclusion to a wonderful series

Yakuza 6 Hero Source: Windows Central

The Xbox Game Pass is hands down the best value in gaming, and it continues to get bigger and better thanks to excellent beginning-party games, which now include many of Bethesda's greatest hits. With that kind of quality at your fingertips, it'southward easy to miss some of the outstanding smaller games available on the service. The Yakuza series is one such case. They are some of the best activeness games available on Xbox and while they are pop, they often get overlooked.

Yakuza 6: Song of Life is an incessantly entertaining crime drama that closes the volume on long-fourth dimension protagonist Kazuma Kiryu'due south ballsy story while offering some of the best gameplay in the series. Now that it'due south finally on Xbox, was it worth the expect? The reply to that is a thunderous yes.

Yakuza 6 Song Of Life Cover Large

Yakuza six: Song of Life

Bottom line: Yakuza 6: Song of Life is an excellent conclusion to Kazuma Kiryu's story while besides improving and streamling the gameplay and exploration.

The Adept

Emotionally satisfying story
Entertaining and streamlined combat
Lots of content to explore

The Bad

Story suffers if you don't know prior entries in the serial
Cutscene heavy — prepare to read a lot of subtitles
Language barrier may turn off some players

Yakuza six: Song of Life for Xbox: Pity a life of criminal offense

Yakuza 6 Kamurocho Source: Windows Central

Category	GameNameXXX
Title	Yakuza 6: Vocal of Life
Programmer	Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher	Sega
Genre	Action Adventure
Xbox Version	Xbox 1 and Xbox Series X\|S
Game Size	36.three GB
Play Time	20-25 hours
Players	Single player
Xbox Game Pass	Yep

Yakuza 6: Song of Life follows Kazuma Kiryu, the crumbling quondam yakuza trying desperately to get out the life of law-breaking. It picks up almost immediately subsequently the end of the Yakuza v with Kiryu recovering from his injuries sustained in the final battle of the previous game. He's arrested for his past crimes and elects to serve his time in prison so that he tin can finally wash his hands of the crime family and live a normal life with the Forenoon Glory orphans. Of form, similar every Yakuza game, it's never that piece of cake. Kiryu leaves prison house to find that his adopted daughter, Haruka, has been sent to the hospital after a hit and run, and she's left backside a kid. Kiryu sets out on a journeying to notice the baby'due south father and finds himself once once more entrenched in the world of Japanese organized crime.

Unlike the previous games, Yakuza 6 focuses solely on Kiryu and its narrative is stronger for it. Kiryu'southward gruff demeanor masks the endearing and sympathetic man who wants only to live the rest of his life in peace. Yakuza 6 tackles themes of family, legacy, the price of freedom, the lasting effects of crime, and becomes one of the most emotionally satisfying Yakuza games as a result. Information technology's a mature and grounded drama that'south impeccably voice acted and translated. Yakuza vi even taps some star talent by mode of Japanese star Beat Takeshi and other entertainers from Japanese wrestling and adult entertainment (yes, you read that right).

Yakuza 6 tackles themes of family unit, legacy, the price of freedom, and the lasting furnishings of crime.

If you've played other Yakuza games, you lot'll be in familiar territory here. You can explore the fictional city of Kamurocho, Tokyo as well as Onomichi playing minigames, eating food, and fighting the low-level thugs that patrol the expanse. While the gameplay is similar to a beat 'em upwardly game, there are RPG elements found throughout. Fighting gains feel, which tin be used to level up your skills in diverse categories.

Yakuza 6 besides marks the starting time employ of the Dragon Engine, the game engine employed past Yakuza Kiwami ii and Yakuza: Similar a Dragon. The engine improves the graphics greatly, shaking out the stiffness in the NPCs and environments, and calculation a robust physics engine that makes for a more realistic setting. It also improves the fighting system greatly, condensing and simplifying the fighting and making encounters grander in scale. It all comes together to form one of the best Yakuza games on the Xbox.

Information technology's similar one of my Japanese animes!

Yakuza 6 Karoake Source: Windows Central

While the Yakuza series was never actually considered a true RPG until Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it's soaked in traditional RPG trappings. In improver to earning experience points to improve your stats and larn skills, there are many side stories you lot run across that oftentimes find Kiryu in bizarre situations. Whether it's offering relationship advice to an Idol, posing equally a mascot, or browsing internet chat rooms, the game'southward side stories are where the real insanity of Yakuza lies.

In addition to the side stories, there'due south plenty of minigames to enjoy. While there are fewer than were in other games, they're still vital to what makes Yakuza "Yakuza". Stop at Order Sega and play Virtua Fighter five, sing a few songs at the Karaoke bar, hit the gym, and manage clan wars in a pinnacle-down strategy game that's good plenty to be a stand alone title on its ain. Yakuza 6 is never afraid to go as well far, and you're certain to cleft a grinning at just how cool some of these minigames are.

Yakuza half dozen: Song of Life for Xbox: Non for the weak of heart

Yakuza 6 The Gang Source: Windows Central

I mentioned this in my review of Yakuza: Similar a Dragon as well equally Yakuza Remastered, but these games are steeped in Japanese culture and community. The game is fully voiced in Japanese, and though the translations are absolutely amazing, I know some people would prefer an English bandage vocalism-over. I have no problem with this, but there have been many times that I've looked away from the screen just to miss some big reveal because, you know, I don't speak Japanese.

The ongoing story might seem like nonsense if this is your first Yakuza.

And you'd improve pay attending because Yakuza is a cutscene-heavy game. While Yakuza half dozen gets into the activeness a little faster than other Yakuza's, it's still one of those games where you'll put your controller down for long periods. Information technology's a ho-hum burn down, and the ongoing story might seem like nonsense if this is your outset Yakuza.

Yakuza six: Song of Life is ane of the more accessible Yakuza games and can exist enjoyed on its ain, but its best appreciated when yous've consumed the previous Yakuzas to fully understand the intricate web of drama that'due south been brewing since the 1980s every bit well as appreciate the growth of the series as a whole.

That existence said, there'due south nothing wrong with information technology existing equally information technology is, fully of Japanese civilization and with its long history. Information technology just might brand it inaccessible to a few players, specially those who might want to endeavour information technology now that information technology's on Xbox Game Pass.

Yakuza 6: Song of Life for Xbox: Is it worth the download?

Yakuza 6 Bathhouse Source: Windows Primal

I love the Yakuza games, and I remember Song of Life is one of the all-time Yakuza games, up there with Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Combat, one of my only bug with older Yakuza games, has been streamlined and information technology's incredibly fun to wail on two dozen guys in the eye of a busy Japanese street or complete one of the many absurd side stories. Now that's Kiryu'southward journey is consummate and available on Xbox Game Pass, there'southward no excuse not to attempt the series. They make up some of the best games available on the Xbox.

Thank you to Xbox Game Laissez passer, players tin experience one of the best games they've probably never heard of. Yakuza 6: Song of Life is one of the all-time games in a series of certified hits.

Yakuza 6 Song Of Life Cover Large

Yakuza 6: Vocal of Life

Bottom line: The quondam PlayStation exclusive is improve than ever on the Xbox, and is another gem in Xbox Game Pass'due south jewel encrusted crown. At present get play Yakuza vi — y'all won't regret information technology.

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