Yakuza: Kiwami and Yakuza 6 Demo | Your Next Favorite 

I like to pretend that Yakuza 1 is what actually happened and Kiwami is Kiryu circa Yakuza 4 or 5 recounting the events of Y1 with added context he learned later on and Majima occasionally chiming in with bullshit that never happened bc he wants to look cool

Having been playing Kiwami right after Zero, which is my first Yakuza game, I think the developers specifically meant for this game to be played as a direct continuation of Zero as well as the new way to get involved in the story line.

If it weren't for the Your Next Favorite series, I would've never thought about playing Yakuza. I downloaded 4 and man, I'm hooked on the franchise! Fingers crossed Kiwami gets localized and that 6 is great!

Really glad I took your advice on the order this series should be played in, I think I would've liked the older games much less if I just jumped into 0 and then Kiwami as soon as they got localized, playing these games in the context they were meant to be played in really helped me appreciate this series as a whole

You're definitely really hard on kiwami. I understand your points, cause you started with the originals. But as someone who started with 0, kiwami was absolutely amazing. Especially the majima system. Def shoulda cut down majima but i became so attatched to him after 0 i didnt realize that system was something i really needed. I just beat kiwami after dumping like 70 hours into it and had an absolute blast. That second last boss tho...needed to be fixed what the fuck.

The best fans are the best critics. They set standards because they love.

These games are so hard to get that it's criminal considering the gems that they are. They just need to budget for PC releases and then their fanbase would skyrocket.

Hmmm, now I'm all curious how you feel about 6... and Judgement, Kiwami 2, and 7 for that matter. You're the RU-vidr who inspired me to check this series out and I am very thankful for your videos on the series, so I'm sort of curious what you think of the more recent games, whether it's about their stories, characters, and gameplay.

I gotta say right here 6 is an amazing game. I've been stalling on the last chapter by doing a lot of the side stuff and challenges for now. But I need to mention it's one of my favorite stories in the series.

12:35 -- haha, that was a great transition. This is why I love HyperBitHero, he doesn't let humour take over his channel (which is honestly a breath of fresh air among gaming channels) but he always takes the effort to keep things visually interesting in subtle ways.

im picking up an entire collection of this series. This is easily my jam thanks for convincing me to get this.

I love the amount of work you put into your videos. Awesome job man

Who else is rewatching because of the localisation announcement?

I want this game to get release in the U.S. so badly.

YES I have been wanting to hear someone recommend Yakuza 1 over Kiwami, as I opted to play Yakuza 1 first instead. Everyone else seems to be saying that you should just play Kiwami instead but I thought there'd be some value playing the original, and that I may as well play it first. I will play Kiwami at some point though.

Oh yeah! My next favorite! This series of yours recommending underrated games has always been interesting.

I don't mind having played Kiwami as my first Yakuza title. I was still impressed with it after having played nothing but the PS2 Demo before. Back then i loved the concept but forgot all about it by the time i was old enough to be able to buy the full releases. After that Yakuza 3 was the last game of the series i noticed at all. Now after having played Kiwami i feel insanely hyped for the newer installments in the series. I bought Yakuza 2 and 3 within one week, will play through them in the next few days and then purchase 4 and 5 in the PSN Store to bridge the gap until the release of Yakuza 6 in a couple of months.

Another day, another great Hyper video. Really looking forward to playing Yakuza 6 when it eventually reaches stateside!

When HyperBitHero delivers a Yakuza video... well... *IIIIII RECEIIIIIIIIVE IIIIIIIT*

"So I'm hoping to make this a briefer video than usual." *Annonation sayings I failed.*

Great video, as always! Really enjoyed it!

i just hope Saejima won't have to break out of prison AGAIN

Yakuza Kiwami? More like Yakuza Majima

Oh boy, that suggestion you made about a small campaign where you play as Nishiki is what they ended up doing with Majima in Kiwami 2 and it... wasn't great

"Yakzau 1 had some really frustrating bosses." *Shows the second to last boss.* *Starts to sweat*

I don't get why they don't just give us the HD versions of 1 & 2. Wouldn't they be the easiest thing to localize ever, considering the translations already exist? Plus it would help get new people in who don't want to start at 3, 4, or 5.

I've heard a lot of conflicting things about the sixth game, with the only general consensus that it isn't as good as Yakuza 0. Though considering they basically created the engine and combat for the game from scratch, I can see there being room for improvement in the following sequels, so I'm still optimistic for the series' future. And I am absolutely sure there's going to be future sequels. Let's be honest, the series is such a cash cow in Japan that it won't end just because Kiryu stepped out as the protagonist.

Thank you for your Yakuza videos. I always had my eyes on this series, but never actually made the jump, because I didn't know where to start. I've played 1 through 5 now (halfway through 5 currently), and this is one of my favorite series ever. My only regret being the fact that since I always wanted to play the next one to get more content and story, I've only fought Amon in 4, which is kind of disappointing, but I'll get back to them, eventually.

I REALLY hope Kiwami gets localized.

Is so good to know you are making more Yakuza videos :D I will just subscribe because of that. I like Yakuza games a lot

Just got Yakuza 0 based of the recommendation of you and TheGamingBritShow. So far I'm bloody loving it!

When is the samurai one being localised? (probably never, right?)

Just realized your background music transition is flawless

Yakuza is one of those games where when you just see a small gameplay clip, you want to play and experience the whole game all over again 💖

12:12 I think that point also works if you’ve played the games before Kiwami, and plus it’s just worse since the fights feel butchered because of it.

I like you, Mr. HyperBitHero. You make excellent videos!

How can one man have such based taste, HyperBit you are my gaming taste brother from another mother

7 years late but this video is great!!!

10:44 Yeah his moves are pretty similar but it’s his moveset from 3 which isn’t much different.

2016/17 will be some of the best years for yakuza fans

man.... you have to be really patient with this series ,waiting 1-2 extra years for the english version is killing me. i want kiwami and yakuza 6 so bad ,specially kiwami because i didnt get a chance to play the ps2 version or the remastered version ugh... i really wish there was more attention to this games

Idk why but I keep watching all your Yakuza vids. Normally I don't like watching people play, but your videos are a blast to watch and listen to. Keep up the good work! (can you do one for sleeping dogs?)

Kiwami is fascinating, I've never seen anything like it: a remake that straight-up re-uses the original's animations right down to facial movements, yet also incorporates elements and canon from a next-gen prequel. The next closest thing I can think of is the Halo 1 and 2 remakes.

Love 6's new combat. There is real momentum behind Kazuma and that feels awesome.

I am playing Kiwami and am enjoying it SO much. Loved the original too.

Man, these games are so great, sadly i've only been able to play 4 and that was like 2 years ago when i got a Plus subscription for christmas. Yakuza 5 is only 30 bucks now but with the current state of things in Venezuela it's pretty much impossible for me to get it so i guess i'll have to keep watching these videos and hope for better times, heh. Btw, love your videos, you deserve way more subs. Keep it up !

As a huge fan of this series I get your point on from the first PS2 game. I think that's all a matter if people would be willing to get the ps2 copy or emulate. I do wish the 1+2 HD ports would get localized but I guess that would end up throwing people off even more

Great video review.

I'm currently playing Yakuza 1 on a PS2 emulator and I almost spit out my coffee when I started watching this. I had no idea that Kiwami existed and it's the first time I've ever wanted a PS4.

I really appreciate your critical look at Kiwami. I feel Kiwami 1 and 2 both have some core flaws that just aren’t as well done as they were in the PS3 HD versions. However I guess I’m glad we still have both versions; I’d rather have a new “fresh” take on a classic that’s relatively faithful rather than a full on remake that changed too much.

I want this game so much, come on August just come already.

I never played a Yakuza game, until Zero. I loved it. Now I am awaiting to play Kiwami and 6.

The Majima system was really funny in the beginning, especially since I liked him from 0, but the sheer frequency you meet him starts to bother after a while. By the way, the Kiwami games were made in a year each apparently, with a full team behind it, probably simultaneously while they were doing newer ones. So I think it was not the perfect product just because at most it was like a side project and the devs really wanted to pump it out and move to the next one ASAP. It's not ideal, but I still want to praise the existing quality on these, even if most of those were under the hood since the original.

not sure if you haven't seen it yet, but there was a live action Yakuza prequel to the events of the first game. It showcases the relationship between Kazuma, nishiki and Yumi when they were all orphans. It was released with the EU version of Yakuza 1 back on the ps2 but you can find the video now on youtube.

HyperBitHero: u make good f****** videos bro keep them up

Kiwami was such a loyal remaster to an downside, because of what he said, some flaws of the PS2 stayed, regardless of what you wanted to improve But personally as someone who’s really new to the series it’s a great starting point AFTER a playing through 0

Great vid

I did played Yakuza 6 with Chinese Subtitles and finished it. Personally, I felt a bit let down with some of the mini games and some part of the city being off limited. The story is kinda of weird since it involved illegal child trafficking, a crazed triad ideology and a baby which started this mess. But the ending was pretty dramatic seeing what happened to Kiryu in the end and how it affect everyone around him. Overall, I felt that Yakuza 6 has a okay storyline but the mini games are the best in Yakuza Zero which I really personally enjoyed the Cabaret mini game a lot since the hostess are real live Japanese Adult Video actress..Thumbs up. But 6 has a funny live chat mini game which was really took adult entertaiment to another level...

It feels kinda like 6 will be another 3.

I think the cool thing about Kiwami is that the most of dialogues are voiced, when in Yakuza 2005 there was much more text based dialogues

Wondering if we're gonna get a review of Kiwami 2. I enjoy your opinion on these games.

Yakuza just keeps going from Strength to Strength!

I'm watching this Yakuza Kiwami, and 6 gameplay and I'm just fanboying uncontrollably.

I gotta wonder, what do you think of the newest Yakuza games? pretty sure it's been a while since your last upload, but I've barely watched your content as of yet, so I wouldn't know if that's just the style you rock

Hahaha, those Majima sections look hilarious. I really want this game to come to the west now.

Good vid. If Zero sells well enough, Kiwami shouldn't be too hard to localise, given how most of the work was already done in 2005.

I can't wait to get a job, so I can get a PS2, Yakuza 1 & 2, and the rest of the localized games, so I can start playing this series. Ever since your first "Your Next Favorite" on this series, I have wanted to play this series, starting with the first one. So hopefully, when I get a job, I'll finally be able to play this series, and have fun doing so!

Apparently Yakuza 0 comes out January 24th and will have a physical and digital version.

I missed yakuza 5 because I had got rid of my ps3 before it came out. How much did i miss with it, is to something I need to go back and catch up on before 6?

The negatives are definitelly there but I really enjoyed playing this one a lot. Majima Everywhere is 50/50 to me, I like it sometimes but other times I think it's just like you said it kind of changes the focus of Kazuma/Nishiki story to focus on Kazuma/Majima. Good thing I actually played the original first a decade ago.

I played Yakuza 2 on the PS2, I like the concept and the story, but the game was outdated (at the time) compared to the GTA games etc. So I never finished it, but it always lingered in my mind. Kiwami & Kiwami 2 has made want to play the series now. I started with Yakuza 0, which I’m nearly done with, and then I’ll move unto the remakes. I can see the remakes being annoying in minor details to long term fans who have been there since the start. But the remakes, allowing you to follow the story, in up to date gameplay could be a major plus for the series to really get the games out in the West,

12:11 that heat action Lau just did to you wasn't a heat action originally, it was a grab attack from Katsuya. Just a fun fact I wanted to put out there.

One little thing that bothers me about Kiwami is that they didn't add Akiyama in as a cameo. it would have been a nice call forward to Yakuza 4.

are you ever going to make a video on the PSP titles? and for that matter the similar kenko bancho which is basically yakusa for teens

please do fail more in making brief videos , I love it.

It is good to finally get your thoughts on Kiwami. With that being said I beat Yakuza 1 a few weeks ago and while I can appreciate it for what it is and what it brought to the table, I just don't see myself ever going back to it because of how stiff it is in places. After playing it I realized what you meant when you mentioned that the lock on felt too lose and how difficulty is not very easy to tell due to the fact that healing items can really help out. Also, fuck the asshole with the pistols, I had such a hard time with him that I can't wait to see just how the Rush style makes things easier in Kiwami. With that being said, I was able to get a used copy of 1 at a very cheap price but copies of 2 seem to be a bit too pricey for my liking. At this point, I am just thinking of watching a walkthrough of 2 at then jump to 3 since it is much more reasonably priced. I just want to end things off by saying that the story is a big part of what made me keep playing the original despite me not really liking it much. That and the fact that things would get better as the franchise moved on. You certainly made me a believer in this series and I am certainly curious on what the future holds for the future.

It's funny that I JUST beat Yakuza 2 last night, and this video pops up. I've only played the first 2 games, and I don't own a PS3, so I'm kinda bummed that I'll have to skip out on Yakuza 3, 4, 5, Kenzan, and Dead Souls, but I do have a PS4, so luckily I'll be able to pick up 0 when the English version comes out, and I plan on importing Ishin eventually. If push comes to shove, I'll import Kiwami as well if it doesn't get an English release.

ty for sharing

as someone who started with 0 as it was the first localised yakuza game i could actually get my hands on, i really wanna play kiwami. especially since sega is considering doing remaked for 2 3 4 and 5 for ps4 aswell. [i bet 3 4 and 5 will just be hd updates tho]

I want to play the games in order, but ps2 copies of Yakuza 2 seem a bit too expensive. Do you think there's any chance of a Kiwami version of 2?

You should now make a video about the Yakuza 2 remake. That would be awesome!

IMO the biggest problem Kiwami's combat has is that the Rush style is insanely OP compared to the other styles as it builds Heat much, much faster and it has a speed-boost powerup which drains Heat but still lets you build Heat while under the effects of the powerup so you can just chain that powerup forever if you're even slightly good at the game.

I was kind of upset that I didn't get anything on Yakuza 0 item wise at the start of the game cuz I've played every yakuza game since 2 though I guess it didn't have save data for those games on the ps4. So to the question: Does Yakuza Kiwami have any item rewards for playing Yakuza 0 and having a save file from it?

I'm looking forward to 6 feels like kiryu is fighting in real life.

It they ever localize Kiwami an option to use the English dub would be cool for nostalgia purposes

i think akiyama and saejima are in the game in yakuza 6 because they get involved in the game since yakuza 4

I would love to play the first game but it's so damn hard to find it, I try Kijiji Amazon and stuff like that and prices for the original 2 are crazy. I just regret not getting them when I was younger

I think Sega just trying to have a mini reboot to the continuity a bit start with Zero. Now we got Kiwami 2, I'm sure that 3-4-5 would be a cash cow for them.

Thanks for the video. So to clarify. Would you recommend playing 0 over Kiwami first? Huge fan of the serious, but don't have a way to play all the games as I only have a PS3 and PS4. Thanks

What a coincidence, I just beat Yakuza 5 yesterday. I really enjoyed it, but on balance I think I prefer 4. 5 goes it a bit too far meandering away from the core of what the series is best at. 6 looks like it's getting things back on track, which is cool, although the timing of combat animations does sound a little concerning. That was actually a problem I had with 5, although only in the basic controls of walking around, not combat. Either way, they seem to be going in a good direction overall. I like the look of the changes they're making to the Heat system in particular. And talking of 5, and this demo of 6, I always thought Kiryu's appearance was kind of strange in that demo. He looks really young. And after seeing the ending of 5, his appearance seems even more strange. It's going to be interesting to see how this all works out.

Kiwami is such a weird remake. I started the series with it, and played the og much later. And even though I like the og more, I don't think I would have played the rest if I played the og first. The og has a lot less to do and the translation is pretty bad. But kiwami is a lot more sloppy in terms of pacing and bloat

I loved the grittier Yakuza 1&2 originals. I have noticed the past few Yakuza games are leaning more toward a soap opera than a gritty crime drama.

will the yakuza 6 demo be in the localized version of kiwami because i don't know if it will and i really want it

I started the series with Kiwami thanks to PS+. It’s kinda like a video game version of one of my favorite animes, Durarara. The different interconnected story lines, how they all take place within a small Japanese city and a sharp dressed dude that can beat people up with heavy objects.

Still waiting on a Judge Eyes/Judgment Your Next Favorite to get ready Lost Judgment

I can't wait for Kiwami to come out on pc

The truth is, the more Majima I get in the game, the happier I am.

So maybe you've already answered this, (and if so could you point out where you did?) but after watching your videos I REALLY wanna play these games. I'm talking every single one. How did you go about playing them? Did you use an emulator? Or buy an import? I know the first one was released in America, but how did you get a hold of the others? Did you have to mod the text to be in English? Basically how did you go about gaining access to these games and what would be the best way for someone to play them while living outside of Japan?

guys, this Kiwami is a remake from the first Yakuza, right? it's only available in Japanese? how did u get your copy? you know if it's possible to download from PSNJP? I like to play the whole series, but I don't want to play the very first Yakuza if there's Kiwami available.

I'm already getting headaches from camera control within interiors in 6 just from watching this video. Feels like it's gonna be like the mess in 4, in which the camera couldn't keep up in the narrow ass Chinese district.