Lead writer Hase Seishū’s experience with hardboiled fiction pays large dividends here, weaving a plush tapestry of honor, ambition, and the intermittent filament of betrayal, extending a satisfying re-contextualization of samurai lore. While challengers habitually respect him for his street-brawling prowess, he also earns esteem for the heart of gold concealed underneath the flashy mob attire. As such, it’s easy to emphasize with the man who’s nicknamed the Dragon of Dojima. Whereas Yakuza 0’s starring role was shared between the stoic Kazuma Kiryu and the eccentric but likable Majima Goro, Kiwami’s narrative is solely from Kiryu’s point-of-view. With Kiwami’s release on the PlayStation 4, that omission has been remedied, with patient players receiving not only a visual overhaul, but additional exposition that polishes the plotline and helps to link plot points to the events exhibited in Yakuza 0. While Japanese gamers enjoyed high-definition remasters of the first two titles when Ryu Ga Gotoku 1&2 HD Edition was released in 2012, Western players never received a localization. Naturally, the prequel piqued interest in the series, prompting the release of Yakuza Kiwami (meaning “Yakuza Extreme”). Although the title was simultaneously released on the PlayStation 3 and 4, the developers of SEGA were able to harness the power of the hardware, extending renditions of Tokyo’s Kabukicho and Shinjuku districts as well as Osaka’s Dotonbori neighborhood in fanatical detail. The absence of censorship and a flourishing familiarity with Japanese culture meant that Yakuza 0 averted the traditional fate of previous franchise releases, garnering commercial success that matched the game’s glowing critical reception. For otaku, localization damaged the series’ delicate sense of authenticity, with the first game requiring players to sit through an English dub, and Yakuza 3 earning notoriety when the Stateside release removed hostess clubs.
YAKUZA KIWAMI MAJIMA STRIPPER SERIES
While a knowledge of Japanese culture wasn’t a requirement for play, awareness could highlight some of the series subtleties. For curious players, the games proved hard to pigeonhole, with approachability undermined by the occasional long-winded conversation and a storyline that could instantly shift from earnestness to comic whimsy.
But in the States, the series has only earned a modest following for most of its existence. In Japan, the Yakuza franchise has enjoyed success since the original 2005 release.
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