5/5 ★ – asoola's review of Yakuza 0.

This game was my introduction to the Yakuza series, I knew about the Yakuza series since I finished playing Judgment and that’s how I knew of the series but this game was the best way to dive into the Yakuza series! (or as we’re calling it now the Like a Dragon series) I was surprised to how they made both Kazuma Kiryu’s story and Goro Majima’s story connect while also making the bigger picture of the story make sense! The storytelling and the story in this game is spectacular and it will always be my favorite Yakuza game. Both Kiryu and Majima were fantastic protagonists, both of them dealt with their own hardships while also sticking to their ideals. From the beginning I saw Kiryu willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others and Majima was willing to risk it all to save a life, they’re the two sides of the same coin when you think about it. I loved how both of their characters developed throughout the journey till they became the characters that were in Yakuza 1/Yakuza Kiwami! Characters like Akira Nishikiyama and Makoto Makimura also left a lasting impression because of how well written both of these characters are. All of the characters I mentioned dealt with hardships but what I really loved is something Majima said in a chapter about how you choose who to drag with you to the darkness that surrounds people like him and that’s when I realized his character is a favorite character of mine none of these characters are flawless or morally right but there’s things to them that make you realize they’re not entirely bad either despite their profession, and that point is emphasized when Kiryu chooses a gray suit rather than a white or black suit. 👌🏽 All that aside the gameplay is extremely fun and the world of Yakuza/Like a Dragon is something I fell in love with since Judgment but started appreciating more when I finished playing this game. The music was sublime too so that’s a plus to what makes the game in its entirety an excellent game! (Side note: I finished playing this game in January 2022)