Great video! You perfectly put into words how I feel about the original Yakuza, and why it still deserves a place at the table despite the existence of Kiwami. Thanks for the shout-out!
Kiryu's eyes being so expressive in the original PS2 version wasn't just an aesthetic choice, either. That's an important part of his characterization. The intensity of his stare is pointed out at least once per game.
I think most people would be willing to try those original games if they just made a good port. Finding a 20 year old console and a copy of those games or getting into emulation just isn't something that many people are willing or able to do. I hope the devs do right by it eventually.
@@MariusBoss11458 Popularity. Considering how Y1 was the only English dubbed game for awhile is telling on how popular the games were. So many people wanted Kiwami 3 instead of a remaster shows why an Ishin localisation was more demanded than Kenzan or 1+2 HD ports. Not to mention RGG's release schedule and the game has child prostitution as a plot point. But perhaps Ishin's remake could lead to more ports.
personally speaking, the new founded success for the yakuza series has been a double edge sword, since most people can't wrap around their heads on attempting to try the PS2 games despite having plenty of great qualities thank you very much for making this video and exposing more people to the restoration patch, such effort may change a lot of people's minds
It really is a situation where people just went, "why play old game, when new game right here?" if that makes any sense. To be kind of fair, overseas Yakuza fans weren't exactly Average Joe's. Asking a mainstream audience to play a once niche series in release order is a tall order. Especially considering at the time when the series boomed all we had on current gen was 0, K1, and 6.
@@therentpursuer9869 i believe it would be less frustrating if the Kiwami games weren't very poor remakes of the originals, because everything comes down on being simply available on modern storefront and not about the individual quality of the games, which again, i would respect if its just average joes admitting they cannot afford emulating the originals but usually, its always just dismissing them for being "janky" or some other excuse that doesn't sit well for me, but arguing it against them is an exercise in futility because their minds are made up
i feel that games are pandering way to much to 0 then trying to stand on their own. like a dragon is the most blatant about it with it's tone being way more lol random then in the past with out any balance.
Can't really fault the new fans on Sega not releasing the original titles. It not like they have any other way of playing them outside of importing the PS3 release from Japan. And I definitely don't think it is a lack of interest either as I've seen plenty of people practically beg Sega to rerelease something as obscure as Yakuza Dead Souls. And considering Fist of the Northstar and Judgement being morderate successes despite one being an incredibly niche IP from the 80's and the other being a Spin off, people are buying practically anything with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio slapped on it. So I have reason to have a benefit of the doubt that newer fans would be just as interested and open in rereleases of the orginal titles. It's just that Sega is just Sega and most likely think it's not worth the effort. Ffs they delisted all their Classic Sonic games from nearly all platforms because of Origins and that wasn't because there was a lack of interest of Sonic fans playing the orginal roms but simply because Sega doesn't think they're worth the effort to keep around... And greed.
I just recently binged through the rabbit hole, so I didn’t know it wasn’t popular before outside of Japan. How did it became popular in the first place? Was it the memes?
I think it’s the way the model is rigged. The the same issue that Halo Anniversary has where the new models never seem to look right when they use the old cutscene animation… the only difference being when they used the new animated cutscenes in Kiwami they were actually well animated unlike Halo’s.
Wow, didn't realize how much attention certain substories got in the original version. I'm extra surprised to see that Kiryu's face was better animated then than in Kiwami despite the remake using it as a template. You've certainly convinced me to give the modded version a look at.
Another thing I love about Yakuza 1 & 2 on PS2 (and the entire series in generally) is that it has that distinct SEGA vibe to it and really harkens back to the days of when SEGA was in their prime in the console industry from things like the Music to UI to the various minigames and side activities you do in between the story it feels like something that you would play on one of SEGA's consoles like the Dreamcast back in the 1990's. This is seriously one of the better things SEGA makes these days especially when you considered that the only other franchise, they have outside of Yakuza is Sonic which has done a lot more harm to SEGA than good.
Gatekeeping isn't a bad thing. Every time i see a fandom that welcomes a new sub set of fans it always followed by the Franchise getting ruined or the fanbase. The games turned way more wacky as the series went on which isn't bad but for God's sakes it feel like every game has a silly mini game attached to it like the kiryu clan or the taxi driving/racing which is completely silly and waste your time if you are there just for the story
Nice to hear you talking about Yakuza again after all this time. The original Yakuza got a lot of disrespect when the series started getting more popular in the west, and while I don't have any proof I always got the sense a lot of the people trashing it hadn't even played the game before deciding Kiwami was better. This game is dripping with atmosphere, and Kiwami feels so sterile in comparison. Both Kiwamis are really missing the little details that the numbered entries are filled with.
Ironic that you come out with this as I have been lamenting lately that these games aren't preserved well at all. I really want the HD collection, Kenzan and Ishin localized so badly. The remakes just don't give a wholly satisfying experience compared to the originals, especially with Kiwami 2.
It's honestly wild to see how the series truly expanded in popularity, with god knows how many RU-vid videos on these titles out now, after you made your videos. Like you decided to head to a theme park early before it got crowded. Part of me wants to believe you did help cause a bit of a spark to ignite that led to the mass popularity of the franchise, but that's putting a lot on one person that can't be proven. I guess it's true in my heart, whatever that counts. Honestly really grateful you made a new Yakuza vid, and really sell the importance of the original in an especially short time (relative to the many hours long Yakuza videos I see out in the wild). I'm curious to know what's your take on LAD at least, though I think I remember seeing that you're not all too into it if I'm remembering interactions in your discord server correctly. Also you should make a kofi.
Yeah, this man is responsible for my initial interest in the series. I started with the PS2-PS3 originals in like early 2017, even though Yakuza 0 was localized at that point. Going from Yakuza 2 to 3 felt like natural progression in terms of mechanics and made the third game one of my favorites, even after playing 4,5 and Zero. Playing through Kiwami 1 felt a bit like a slog (especially if you want all Dragon Style moves) and Kiwami 2 feels so much different from the original, that going into Y3 Remastered afterwards felt off and slightly lowered my enjoyment of that game on the second playthrough. One thing I would love for the series is a proper re-release of Dead Souls. It doesn't even need to be a Kiwami-esque remake, just porting the game to newer hardware would remedy the performance issues (I think the man himself mentioned this in his 1h Yakuza vid back in like 2015/16). I really hope game preservation will be taken more seriously at Sega, the 20th anniversary of the series is in about three years time. It would be a golden opportunity to re-release the PS3 HD versions on modern platforms outside of Japan.
"Your Next Favorite: Yakuza" was my introduction to the series, unfortunately at the time I only had a PS4, I ended up playing Kiwami all the way to the end and had a mostly good time, but I wasn't really in the mood to play the sequels (specially considering I would have to go through Kiwami 2 and then 3, three games with very different gameplay). I built my first PC last year and now I've finally got to play through these games the way I always wanted to, properly, with the release order instead of Sega's weird chronological order.
Gotta appreciate that fan who actually gave the game a proper localization. That’s going above and beyond. Anyway, good video. I always appreciate when a series can keep its original titles around, so it is disheartening to hear how Kiwami and the remasters don’t really meet the mark while not having an official rerelease of the PS2 games (doubly with how the first game has the weird translation and dub). Definitely cool to see you talk so much about this one though and the merits of why it’s important to play the original as it was first released.
The BASED Yakuza master has returned. I genuinely wished fans would respect the ps2 games as much as MGS fans do for MGS1. Legacy is so important to this series. I've played the OG Yakuza many times but this new patch is such a blessing! It will be great to return to the game with that installed when December rolls around. :)
Just wait until the MGS remake comes out for Ps5 and everyone spontaneously starts throwing the original game under the bus. Gamers are so fickle, it's such a shame.
@@HOTD108_ because "gamers" aren't a person any more, they are a market niche. Everyone plays some form of video game. It makes me realize why hipsters are hipsters - it protects the media they enjoy, even at the cost of new people appreciating it.
You and TGB are the reasons I love this franchise to begin with. While I started with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami, I would’ve easily gone with the PS2 titles first if it were an option at the time lol.
I liked that you touched on the music, one of the things that made me drop Kiwami and I have not picked it up since. I can understand trying to modernize the music, except for the fact that the game still takes place in 2005...
I'm somebody who prefer starting any series based in order of release but that doesn't mean that is the definitive way to experience it. I was lucky enough to have followed RGG since seeing the Gamespot review of Yakuza in 2006. But I don't quite understand why not starting with the original will ruin the experience. My experience of the series is entirely my own, I can't expect someone to have the same experience as I do even if we both start at the same place. Somebody starting at Yakuza 3, 0, or 7 doesn't diminish their curiosity to indulge further into the series if they enjoyed their first game. I never got into the Metal Gear series until I rented MGS3 when it came out. I wasn't even aware of the series at the time. Then I rented MGS2, after that I read the remaining lore online because I didn't have MGS and let's plays/walkthroughs didn't exist. I did eventually play MGS along with Metal Gears 1 and 2. Despite not having any nostalgia for MGS I appreciated it for what it did. Though I did favor MG2 over MGS. My appreciation for the Metal Gear series wasn't spoiled by how I experienced it, I got hooked. I replayed the games, I sought out the lore, I watched videos like this to help me better understand the world of MG. My experience with MG or the Yakuza series isn't any lesser or better than someone who went about it differently. To a new comer, I am interested in finding out the character they liked, did they connect with the themes and message, did they dig the presentation of a fictional Kabukicho, how did they find the music, etc. Overall, did they find value in it worthy enough to talk or type and share it with others? I'm not arguing to dismiss the original Yakuza but I'm also not expecting someone to not "get" Yakuza because they didn't play in it's truest form.
So, I’ve never argued that you’ll “ruin” any kind of experience. Your experience is what you make of it, but I’m only arguing for the positive aspects of priming new fans with playing in release order. You can enjoy any of the games for any reason, but this is one aspect you’ll miss out on if you don’t, and I think it’s valuable. You’re not a bad person for playing them how you did if you had no option. I’d rather someone enjoy the games rather than thinking they can’t play any unless they do it in a specific way. MGS isn’t the best comparison because Yakuza is a very direct ongoing narrative while every MGS game really redefines the events of each previous game with various retcons. There’s also an element of evolving complexity from its origins. Y1 to Y7 is not a huge jump in story presentation like MG1 to MGS4, for example. It would be hard to suggest people start with the original MSX games back when MGS2 came out, but you can’t deny that you’re missing a lot in the stories of MGS1 and 2 by not playing them. Even the ending of MGS3 is based around you knowing what is meant to follow in MG1. Again, it’s not that you can’t still enjoy or love them, but there is some aspects missing from the experience of going straight to MGS3 or 4, and if I’m trying to prime newly interested fans, I may suggest starting with MG1 and 2 on the HD collection, depending on if they’re a person who is willing to do that.
If people can say why you should start with 0, why not consider other options and discuss those? I don't regret starting with 1 at all. Of course there are probably people who did that who might disagree but so many of those people argue that without having played the original versions.
Thank you for making this video. I remember watching the “Your Next Favorite” video on the series you did and being convinced to start the series with the first game 7 years ago. Even now, with all the games having their new additions or refinements to gameplay, 1 is still my personal favorite for many reasons, many of which you covered.
The OG yakuza game is really archaic but also so charming. Love the cheesy dub too. You really were an OG yakuza fan, kinda crazy how you were vouching for these games all the way back in the mid 2010s, which saying it now is absolutely crazy. Time flies huh
The original Yakuza video was supposed to come out on Christmas 2014 but it took so long to edit that I removed a line about it related to Santa Saejima.
I did a playthrough of the PS2 original about a week or so after the undub patch was released, and I don't regret it one bit. It's currently one of my favorite games I've played this year and a damn great first impression of the series to me. Great video, as always!
It would be nice if the guy does the same thing for Yakuza 2 too. Now. That game got Translated to English. And it has Japanese Dub but the Translation isn't really the best. Let's say you play Undub and then you play Y2. Yeah it'll be weird with the names and all. Kiryu being called Kazuma and shit even though the Audio says "Kiryu"
@@MariusBoss11458 yeahhh... i was thinking about that. What makes it worse is I'm on PC so I'd be hopping from Y2 to the remastered PS3 games which updated the localizations from the old ones. Oh well it is what it is
Man, the originals were really gritty. That's what I kinda miss from the PS2 games. They felt more raw. Wish I could explain more but hopefully some will understand.
Man, I REALLY agree hard on the whole "playing in release order" argument. I rediscovered Yakuza thanks to your videos back then, and decided to play the ps2 versions both because I didn't have a ps3, and because I remembered playing a demo where there was "a guy with a suit beating up fat dudes by spinning around a bike" which I GREATLY enjoyed when I was a kid. Ended up liking quite a bit 1, and absolutely loving 2. Unfortunately the ps4 remaster of yakuza 3,4 and 5 weren't out when I played 1 and 2, and didn't happen for a loooong time after my playthroughs, so I eventually bit the bullet and played yakuza 0 which I also loved. Problem is, when I finally got to play the older titles, the dip in quality was apparent. To this day yakuza 3 is my least favorite, and tbf it really does have weaker combat and weaker characters than even 1 (and ESPECIALLY 2), but damn did I almost drop the series thanks to that. Fortunately I stuck with it and by getting used to 3, 4 and 5 felt considerably better. It was also very neat to see how the quality was getting closer and closer to 0, but I am SURE I would have enjoyed the series more if I was able to play in release order. Haven't played the Kiwami ones, but I don't think I ever will really, the only cool thing about Kiwami 1 seems to be the cutscenes flashing out Nishiki, and well, those are readily available on youtube.
3 is also my least favourite but I never would have got that "wow" feeling from being able to freely move the camera around kamurocho, if I didn't play 1 and 2 first
I played Yakuza 1 on PS2 a couple years ago but I ended up dropping it shortly after meeting Haruka (I was using a terrible third party controller which made playing almost anything really unpleasant). A couple of years later I got a PS4 and Sony gave out Yakuza Kiwami on PS+, which I ended up playing to completion but then I didn't play Kiwami 2 or 0 (even though I own them). I'm play Yakuza 1 with the patch now and honestly none of my experience with Kiwami transferred, I'm not feeling bothered at all with the "downgraded" gameplay.
To me the Nishiki cutscenes outweigh any advantage the original had. I mean yeah, you could find them on RU-vid, but who wants to do extra homework to understand the game you're playing?
I was pretty against the idea of a clunky fixed camera, especially after playing all the modern games, but after being forced to use one in Kurohyou (really great spinoff that ended up being my second favourite RGG game), I realised that it wasn’t that bad as people make it out to be. Not sure if I’m just biased by the nostalgic feeling of older games in general, but the grittier style and overarching vibe of Kurohyou, much like Yakuza 1 and 2, really sold the fact that these people are criminals in a world of criminals, even if they can be considered good people. Small details like the stuff he was talking about regarding the city feeling alive really makes you feel like you’re a part of the world just like every NPC you see is. While Kiryu is pretty ‘special’ to say the least, I love games that make you feel more like you’re part of the world as opposed to the only person and thing that matters.
playing in the release order is absolutely the way to go for this series. getting to 0 and fighting through the tojo hq, getting in the car chase shootout and even hearing "unrest" again after playing the original games gives you so much appreciation for how much of a loving homage that whole game is. it just isn't the same playing 0 first great video, looking forward to more as always!
If I had to start from the PS2 games, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to play through the rest of the series. I understand the importance of playing the OGs, but for somebody like me who isn’t accustomed to pre-PS4 games, Y0 was the perfect starting point for me.
By never owning a console and only ever getting used to co-op oriented games on the 360 I lack the nostalgia factor about Yakuza. I started with 0 and went all the way to Kiwami 2 in about 5 days.
Debatable. Never had a PS2 growing up but was always interested in the Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise, and I vowed one day that I'll get through to playing them. Fast Forward to 2019, Y0 releases on PC and it was glorious - I totally respect the OGs and will come around to playing them through emulation eventually, but Y0 really got me hooked and I played up until Kiwami 2 in the span of around 220 hrs (100 for 0, 70 for Kiwami 1, and 50 for Kiwami 2). The quality of life improvements are just too good to let go, I know tons of game series that I haven't gone through simply because their earlier games didn't age well when compared to others in the series (JRPGs like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy for example). Tldr: Play how you wanna play it, just consume Ryu Ga Gotoku.
The absolute disregard for game preservation is sickening. The Yakuza series especially is insanely poor in this aspect, not only in how the original versions of 1 and 2 got left behind for fans to have to come in and save, but also with a lot of the cutscene alternations made in Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 for their HD collection. Not to mention how one of the main characters for Yakuza 4 literally got recast and remodeled completely nearly a decade after the original version's release.
The remastered versions also have weirdly glitched animation speeds for certain actions in combat. The lock on walk speed is doubled in my PS4 version and I also noticed double speed on walking while holding an enemy.
tbf there was nothing they could do with the whole Tanimura situation, his actor completely left the entertainment business so it was not like they could just call him up to redid the contrack for his likeness and all
As a first timer of 3, 4 and 5, I never noticed these changes. They never bothered me and it wasn't really game breaking or a complete insult. But I completely understand. It would be a double standard if I said you're nitpicking and biased. Cause I am one of those people who say the original ps2 games are way better than the kiwami remakes. But not playing the ps3 versions of 3, 4 and 5, can you list all of the changes? I'm curious how much they changed
What's blisteringly mind-hurting to me is that 3, 4 and 5 had ALREADY received a remaster release in Japan before we saw the English remasters. It's almost unknowable unless you know Japanese as to what was changed, and you'd have to play through both the English and Japanese remasters.
@@HyperBitHero A lot of the problems are because of the manner in which it was ported. Anything that QLOC was contracted to do for the Yakuza series has this issue. Even Kiwami2 has some features of its performance tied to the framerate, which is a little disappointing from SEGA.
I just love how this game feels very Y2K, from the music to the gleamy atmosphere of Kamurocho. Also I have you to thank for introducing me to this series from the "your next favorite" video about the first game
I thank the random guy who sold me a broken copy of RGG2 back in 2008, being in Argentina where things sure take some time to arrive, and are so random to find! I've been a RGG "fan" since then!
@@PeronJames oh I’m not saying it was good I’m saying I think the idea was good the execution was annoying as hell Should’ve been more like Mr. Shakedown from 0
I remember playing this as a kid and felt in love with kamurocho, the atmosphere full of npcs, the lights in all the buildings, and everything in a ps2 game, was amazing.
It was honestly thanks to you that I got into this series in the first place, so it's great to see you continue to make some good ass vids about it and in general to this day.
I never noticed the cinematic differences between Kiwami and the original, and I had no idea that they even took out such an important side mission either. Gives me a bit of a sour taste in my mouth for Kiwami even though I love it.
Its funny how I finished watching some other youtuber mention how important the preservation of retro games is while discussing the comparisons and contrasts of Yakuza 2 and now this video is in my feed. This is good stuff!
I've watched rewatched your Yakuza videos so many times and it's made me a lifelong fan of the series. I completely agree that release order is the best way to go but for some baffling reason people keep suggesting 0 even tho it makes the rest of the series feel so weird going back. The PS2 games had so much class and charm, especially 2, that gets a little lost in the remake. I love them still but I really don't consider them replacements for the originals, but sadly SEGA does. Anyway, great vid as usual Hero, I'll definitely be using to help get people to pick the OGs over 0 and the Kiwamis
my favourite youtuber is back, the only other person i know that puts this much effort into their scripts is probably Sseth, but he doesnt dive into details as hard as you do. No one does serious game commentary as well as you do on this platform. Every single video is a treat. It's worth to wait months for it every single time. Some of the videos on the channel convinced me to try out games and animes that I would've never touched on my own and Yakuza series are the example. I hope you'll continue making "devious intent" and "your next favourite" videos. Stay healthy and I hope you wont ever get bored making these haha.
I’m actually playing the HD version on PS3 right now. It’s beautiful. There are so many things that you forget exist when you move onto later games (been playing since the ps2 days btw). When I finally hit one of those grapple heat attacks at the end of a combo, I remembered why I loved the combat. Also, that 3 hit grapple combo with square? Amazing. That finishing headbut will always be legendary. I would not be opposed to you making a video like this for Yakuza 2? Bless you.
Makes me so happy to see you still trying to give this series the recognition it deserves. Definitely thinking of emulating this with the patch, it looks awesome. Great video!
Yakuza incredible animation, attention to detail and vision on PS2 because it was one of the most expensive video game ever made at the time. Costed SEGA $21m back when they were still reeling from dreamcast failure.
I'm one of those nuts who found the English dub to be, well, a bit charming. Like a 13 year old was in charge of localization. Granted, I do know their first attempt really did try and market the game as "Japanese GTA" which, eh, sure? That didn't really sell it for me because I was never big on open world games but eventually I relented because it was just $20. Really, it was just a fun action-RPG in a contemporary setting. Super glad I picked for the PS2. I love how dense with detail everything is. Sure, the map you can explore is small in comparison to other open world games but there's just so much there you can do. What good is a big map if most of it is just empty area with nothing to do? Sure, putting how much square footage you can traverse looks nice on the cover but so what if it's 100x100 miles of boredom. Yakuza went in the opposite direction. Instead making smaller map and allowed you to enter even the smallest of establishments, just like you would be able to do in real life. That was definitely fantastically refreshing in 2006.
It was due to your videos that I even got into the Yakuza series. I was having issues on where to start, either with OG 1 and Kiwami 1 since I don't like emulating games, so I was edging towards starting with K1. But after watching your videos, I emulated OG 1 and I so glad I did. Seeing the combat system evolve from 1 to 2 was so great. So, I want to thank you for introducing me to this amazing series and for convincing me to start with the PS2 games.
I really appreciate it when a game has in-engine cutscenes, they just look better than prerendered scenes. Plus I hate it when I'm wearing a special costume/custom gear and they disappear for scenes. I wish every game used in-engine scenes.
in-engine cutscenes were introduced as a way to create cinematic cutscenes on a lower budget. They work OK for this purpose, but when a prerendered cutscene is REPLACED with in-engine cutscenes I agree it's absolutely bastardizing.
Lovely video, i remember checking out the series because of your next fav video, and now i have beaten 1, 2, 3, 4 and Dead Souls. Noticing the gradual change in combat felt super satisfying. Haven't played 0 yet but the og PS2 games have a certain vibe too that is super lost nowadays. I'm still mad we never got a localization for the HD collection...
i entered the yakuza games in 2018 not knowing that kiwami existed, so i started with the ps2 games and absolutely adored them, years later i'd try the kiwamis and yeah, they just don't hit the same spot, they're good, but not especially good
@@Wierie_ I recommend playing in release order, you get to feel the series evolve and see how these characters change over time. I haven't played kiwami 2 but from what I've seen the combat seems like a huge step down from the original, and they've chopped some things from the original. I feel a part of 0s charm is seeing how different these characters were in the past, and seeing what inspired them to grow into what we know them as, if you play it first I feel that feeling is lost.
@@RobertEdwinHouse9 if you had access to the original 1 and 2, would you play those after 0 instead of the Kiwami games? or would you just skip them entirely?
About the cut substory, my guess is that RGG Studio trying to make Kiryu feel more heroic, rather than the anti-hero he is in the original. The Kiryu we see in Yakuza Kiwami is the version that has been somewhat flanderization into a full on hero (which happened from Yakuza 3 onward), instead of a hardened yakuza member of the original
I wouldn't call OG Kiryu an anti-hero. More like he's just a regular guy. But maybe you're right that they are trying to push heroic Kiryu. Then again Kiwami also has that sub-story about a con-artist dressing up as a cop and Kiryu still decides to leave his fate to the Yakuza who he scammed. So that element is still present, just in a different sub-story.
The thing about fake mizuki in the original is that you can go to pares anytime you want (before she's killed) and she will be there as fake mizuki. I can't remember if that is a thing in kiwami.
Talking about the soundtrack... the main menu theme of the original game? It's so raw... I mean, there's nothing wrong with the Kiwami one (or the other entries for that matter, specially Yakuza 3 and its two themes) but it really goes to show that we're not likely to see something like that in newer games and that's totally fine. It makes you appreciate the starting point of the series more and anyone can relate, not just the nostalgic group
You nailed it all. The combat is so punchy and the heat actions are so simple and fast. PS2 Kiryu's design is so badass. His hair is still slicked back but it has less volume and almost looks flat and shorter. His features are sharp and his jacket flowing in the wind as he fights looks so cool. The charm of PS2 kamurocho is something special. The fight in the nightclub against the Akai brothers with all the lights moving around in a dark room looked so cool and it looks much less interesting in Kiwami. The music was so grungy and badass. The rap-rock with super distorted guitar and english vocal samples make it something special. The fight in the "The Yakuza Wife" substory is also a visual spectacle. The room is darker and the lightning is brighter. The thunderclaps are actually audible and the atmosphere is just way better. The part where Kiryu looks at his fist after beating the fight and the lightning flashes as you hear thunder is much more powerful here than in Kiwami.
Not many series started with quite as strong a foundation as Yakuza, its attention to detailed world building and set dressing still helps it stand out today, even compared to the rest of the series. No majima cockwatching also helped (really happy you actually used that line lmaooo)
I'm really glad to watch your video essays about the Yakuza series, it's been a long time since the last one you've made. Your comments are always spot on and I can't wait to hear your opinion about Yakuza 6 someday
I've always been a fan of visiting the origins of the franchises I like, and as a more recent fan of the series, this absolutely encouraged me to play the PS2 version of this game. The presentation looks incredible, and I love that even the sidequests have the same level of treatment that the main story has in that aspect. I'll absolutely have to look into playing it when I get the chance.
I've long wished that Sega had just localised Yakuza 1 + 2 HD, instead of opting for two half-assed remakes which muddy the experience of playing these games for the first time. Its had the knock-on effect of everyone unnecessarily shitting on Yakuza 3 as it lacks the admittedly tight gameplay of Kiwami, and the nice graphics of Kiwami 2 (although the poor porting job doesn't help matters) If Sega had just re-released the original versions of these games (and I earnestly believe Yakuza 2 plays better than Kiwami 2) I think people would have a much greater appreciation for each game in the series and the ways in which its changed over the years. This is of course ignoring that most people now seem to (I believe incorrectly) recommend playing Zero first - which just makes the whole situation even worse. From a preservation standpoint it's almost as if the PS2 titles are being erased due to their age, which seems to be an increasingly common and unfortunate practice in the industry as of late. All that said, I'm just glad the series has finally found the audience it deserves - and I think you deserve a lot of credit for that. Your video was the reason I gave these games a try after all, so thanks a ton.
This is great and and I agree. Yakuza Kiwami felt very stiff in its presentation which bummed me out given how I got into the series with the first 2 games on ps2. Thanks for putting spotlight on the original game which still holds up really well.
kino video from the title alone. i always tell people to start from the ps2 game cause the series is that much worth it to experience how it evolves in each entry and i am glad you mentioned the amazing patch for yakuza 1 its a shame that not many people respect the ps2 titles and always tend to ignore them when theyre amazing in their own right
I dont think its ignoring. Its just that they are difficult to get. Not everyone has a ps2, or a pc that can emulate ps2 games. If it was on the ps4 store im sure more people would play them
Dam! I seem to have a newfound respect for the original. After playing Kiwami, I felt like it was really missing something and you have perfectly pinned down what those things are and also somehow made the video into fucking awesome review of sorts. Bravo mate! Really good job!
@HispasatBot I wouldn't say that, but it definitely hurts the solid continuity of 1-5. They botched Majima's Mad Dog persona big time, in my opinion. Still love the game, though. Replaying it at the moment.
@@bruh-fq9lj I know that. Then RGG should have made Majima having tattoo in one side of chest in Yakuza 0 too, but they didn't, which makes no sense. Like he has tattoo in both chest, then the tattoo changed to be only side of chest, and then back to both side.
Good to see you make another yakuza video after so many years After all this time I'll never get the idea of Old = Bad but hey here we are. Good to see people keeping that stuff alive
Thank you for making this video. As someone who started with the ps2 original, one of my favorite things about the series was seeing how almost every aspect of it evolved slowly over time in a consistent matter, fans who start with 0 really miss out in that regard. I hope some people will see this video and decide to try out the original
Always, always glad to see you covering Yakuza stuff. It's because of you that I've been awakened to the sheer amazement of this series. I'm inclined to agree that the passion and soul of the earlier games are what really grabbed my full attention and while the games that have come out recently are certainly not bad by any measurable means (Kiwami 1 notwithstanding), I can admit that I enjoyed them because I already enjoy the franchise. Had something like 'Yakuza: Like a Dragon' been my first entry into the series, I probably wouldn't want to play any more of the other titles. Thankfully, I started with the original ps2 game and fully immersed myself in it. Honestly, I wouldn't mind going back to it with this new undub version, it sounds like a blast! Thanks for bringing attention to it.
It‘s kind of frustrating seeing people always recommend Zero as the best entry point just because the game is set chronologically at the start. Especially when they never played the original two titles and don‘t know how Zero feels from the perspective of someone who did play 1-5. Even going so far and claiming Zero was made for newcomers, when the game clearly plays with your prior knowledge of earlier titles and even spoiling the twist of 4. It‘s completely fair to just play Zero first and then the Kiwami remakes. Just don‘t try and argue it‘s the better way when you haven‘t even played the PS2 games. This mindset also killed any chance of an official HD remaster localization since only fans who already played it want an English version.
I think that one of the bigger reasons why people say that you should play Zero first is that it expands on Nishiki's story much more and makes Kiwami a lot more emotional. Not to mention the added Cutscenes in Kiwami are pretty good too. But I feel like that's mostly it.
To this day..I will ALWAYS say that the ps2 was the highest point in video games Yes,games now will look better no matter what you say But the ps2 has some of the best looking in terms of art of any generation ever..They knew what the limits they had,and they pushed beyond what they had,to give us some of,it not the best games ever created
I had no idea some mad lad made an ideal version of the PS2 title. That's nuts. While it is somewhat shameless, I think I'll be waiting some more though in hopes that someone will do the same for the PS3 ports of 1 and 2 since PS3 emulation seems to be doing quite well. Feel like a choosing beggar here though.
Thank you for introducing me to the Yakuza series. If it wasn't for your videos, I feel my experience would have been spoiled somewhat. Come to think of it... Nearly every 'your next fav' video you made ended up becoming my favourite games. You have great taste
I love videos like this. I don't know if I'll ever get around to dipping my toes into the Yakuza series but I really appreciate hearing about what makes the series great and what the differences of the different versions are. The PS2 versions certainly do have their charm.
My friend blew through the entire series available on Steam during lockdown starting with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami and constantly gets on me for not wanting to start a series with a PREQUEL
Well 0 makes 1's story much better. For story and better combat alone I recommend Kiwami 1, then play OG1 for everything else. 2 I can't say anything since I'm yet to play it. K2's combat isn't all that great, and apparently 2 is better though.
my man really apreciates games on a whole another level i have always respected bit for his insight on game desing, he just really loves games thank you bit
Excellent video all around you made a great point about the sound effect that plays at the end of each quest killing the atmosphere This is also true in Kiwami 2 when The game was supposed to make you feel all emotional during the fight with Ryuji but the the sound kiryu makes when taking a health item kills the mood instantly
I wholeheartedly agree with your criticisms regarding the Kiwami remakes, but I can't agree to the notion, that it's best to experience these games in order of release. The gaming market is extremely saturated, people have lots and lots and lots of games to play. So if I am going to try to get them into a relatively niche series like Yakuza, I will try to show them the best that the series has to offer, which also caters to their sensibilities, and I think Yakuza 0 fits that description. Maybe I am wrong here, but I just fear that people might be put off by the camera angles and the other particularities of the first 2 games and end up with the conclusion that the game is "outdated and clunky". But if they played Y0 first, I believe that there is a larger chance that they become invested, and will be more willing to tolerate the flaws of the older games (flaws that are mainly caused by technological and budget limitations at the time). I will also admit that I might be speaking from personal experience. But the thing is, I would never have played Yakuza 3, if that was the first game in the series that was shown to me. I hated the combat in that game. But because I became invested in the universe through Y0, older titles became much more appealing, regardless of their limitations. But, to end on friendly note, I do agree that if Sega actually took care of the original 2 titles, I would probably not make this argument.
I was referring to the gameplay limitations of Yakuza 3 compared to Yakuza 0. The point being that it's combat is in many ways worse, and that would have put me off the game and the series, had I not been invested in the series already. It was merely to strengthen my argument, that playing the games in release order might not be the best way to go for many people. I am also aware that the remaster did negatively impact Yakuza 3 due to the framerate.
It’s awesome to see you post videos on Yakuza again. Your love letter video to the series is still the best out there. I really did enjoy Yakuza 6, flaws very much included, but Kiwami 2 and some of the poor porting of 3-5 really soured my hope on the future of the series. 7 despite being different is still pretty good imo, but man I’d love for you to do a kind of follow up on this with Kiwami 2. 2 (and 5) is still the top for me, and Kiwami 2 just didn’t even feel like the same game or even story. Your critique of Kiwami 1 back when it first came out is still one of the best. Anyway dude amazing video and it’s great to see you back, it’s like you never stopped covering the series.
Great vid dude your video on the series is what got me to pick up 5 and zero when they came out English even though I was aware of the series through reading Electronic gaming monthly and seeing game trailers reviews and being curious about them but jumped in later. It's been a blast marathoning the series up untill like a dragon. I wish the hd collection was localized alongside the samurai games and I want the judgement games to come to PC so I can play at 60 fps and not 30 fps on Ps4 lol. Keep doing what your doing king.
14:14 geez it makes you wonder what the presentation of a game like yakuza 7 could have been like with this better philosophy. Like, people may think its good as it is now but it could objectively be better
Aw man I’m so disappointed about what got cut for kiwami. And I didn’t even know about the extra side missions!! But I’m glad it’s been brought to my attention. Thanks dude!
My first was Kiwami and the first mission was the drunken man, and that gave me the sub-par feeling straightaway. I am surprised that the original did this better.
I really do miss some of the bigger side missions having properly directed cutscenes as opposed to models standing next to text boxes. Would absolutely be fine on them cutting down on the amount of sub stories if it meant some of them could get that higher production value.
@@YouWantIt1Way Yakuza 6 has voice acted substories sure but they don't have cutscenes so the presentation is nowhere near as good as the Yakuza 1 substories
This video single-handledly got me back into the series. I kinda gave up a couple of years ago, because I had no time for gaming on my hands. Now things have relaxed a little and Hiro inspired me to go back to the first game. I actually find the awful localization quite funny. I hope I‘ll revisit the main series (1-5, 0, 6-7) and be done with it by the time Like a Dragon 8 releases. (Btw how cool is it that they finally changed the series‘ Name in the West?). I‘ll keep the Kiwamis and Judgement in the back of my head, but of all the spin-offs I‘m really interested in Ishin! I actually imported the original way back but never played it. Now I‘m looking forward to the remake. It’s the spin-off that always interested me most. Playing this series kinda feels really comfortable and just puts a smile on my face.
To experience the full game for new players, I recommend having a game guide for reference especially because some side missions can be strict for requirements for continuation and completion. I can still remember my sheer amazement on how many side missions I missed during the first few chapters. Luckily, I discovered it early and I was able to finish them before it's too late.
I started with the original game several years ago, in great part due to yours and the Brit's videos. Really great stuff, completely agree. The atmosphere and the cinematic flair that the fixed camera brings, despite the somewhat clunky nature of the game compared to the later ones, is really something special and unmatched. I'd say even Yakuza 2 is not quite the same in this regard, although it's great as well. I haven't tried Kiwami 1, but I've played a bit of Kiwami 2, and although I enjoyed the combat and the QOL improvements, it does feel much less unique and atmospheric, and much more derivative since I've played 6 first. Same thing when I look at Kiwami 1 footage after playing through Zero. Wish they'd actually re-release the originals as well. I always found the English VA hilarious though, for me it was part of the charm, something like the original English VA of Symphony of the Night.
I guess my only gripe with the original Yakuza is how Nishiki is handled. The game presents him as Kiryu's best friend, practically a brother to him, but doesn't do much in the way of actually showing it to us due to the fact the prologue is very brief and it immediately jumps to 2005, after his heel turn, and as a result, at least in my opinion, it doesn't have the same weight as it could have had. Kiwami (and by extension, what we saw of Nishiki in 0) explores this, giving us several windows into the early days of the Nishikiyama Family and how his emotional nature and feeling of inadequacy brought Nishiki down a dark path, from the good-natured, tough kid with a lighthearted attitude he was (something we got to see in 0, alongside just how deep the bond with Kiryu is) to the scheming villain, which is ultimately manipulated by outside forces and redeems himself with the ultimate sacrifice.
So awesome to see a new Yakuza video from you! I honestly wish they brought the PS3 version to PS4/PS5 with the english translations for fans to enjoy. I personally prefer the OG versions of 1 & 2 in the HD remaster, but sadly it's in Japanese only. The PS2 is a little dated but I still play them and love them to this day. That being said, we are all waiting for a future video of Yakuza 6, Remasters and Like a Dragon!
