Yakuza 6 - The Song of Life: Goodbye the Dragon

A quality Japanese developer that you will not find in any western game, there is no longer a sentence that seems more appropriate to explain what SEGA has to offer with its Yakuza series. Despite the fact that criminal themes like those offered by GTA from Rockstar, Saints Row of Volition, or Sleeping Dogs from the United Front Games are always present with an open world to explore, SEGA has never been interested in carrying a similar concept. What they are pursuing for the Yakuza is a concept they have been offering since the Shenmue era, which is further enhanced by a stronger dramatic story and a series of mini-games and side missions ready to invite laughter. A series that continues to live and eventually reaches, its sixth series.

You who have time to read our preview related to Yakuza 6: The Song of Life seems to have a pretty clear picture about what this series offers. As a new series that is built specifically for the latest generation platform, SEGA inject the latest technology they call the Dragon Engine. The new engine that not only beautify the visualization quality, especially from the detail of facial characters that use many famous Japanese actors only, but also allows new gameplay approach. Accessible buildings to a smoother fighting sensation become the new thing on offer.

So, what is actually offered SEGA in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is this? Why do we call it a gameplay goodbye to an iconic character? This review will discuss it more deeply for you.

As his name stretches and the main numbers that follow, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a direct sequel to Yakuza 5 yesterday. After struggling long enough, Kazuma Kiryu's adopted son he has protected since the first series - Haruka finally managed to achieve his dream of becoming an Idol. Unfortunately, with the popularity that he achieved, the existence of his adoptive father - Kiryu who is a Yakuza actually be a threat. The Japanese people will not be able to accept the fact that their beloved Idol is a Yakuza. Kiryu himself was willing to sacrifice himself and release the relationship with Haruka. But in the end, Haruka prefers families who have been with him all this time.

This decision, together with what happened in Kiryu who was dying at the end of Yakuza 5, became the beginning of what happened at the Yakuza 6. To ensure that Haruka will no longer have to deal with such dilemmas in the future, Kiryu seeks to " "By acknowledging all his mistakes and returning to languishing for years. While Haruka is now back to the orphanage where Kiryu came from and lived his life everyday. But something that is never predicted to happen. Out of prison, Kiryu just no longer find Haruka there. The children of the orphanage themselves mentioned that Haruka had left them in one night, for no apparent reason.

The effort to find Haruka began. Wanting to make sure his adopted son is okay, Kiryu is trying to get back to explore Kamurocho for a little bit of information about what's going on. However unfortunate, when he was in the process of investigation, Kiryu actually get bad news. Haruka has been found, but is now in a coma. He had just suffered a severe accident in one corner of Kamurocho and was unconscious. Not quite crazy? Haruka was found while trying to save the life of a child he was carrying, known as Haruto. True, since he disappeared, Haruka already had a child.

Not wanting to hand him over to social service for fear that he will end up being an orphan like that happened to him in the past, Kiryu finally decides to take Haruto. Attempt to find the answer to the mystery of who actually Haruto's father began with the first clue that shows the last photo of Haruka in Hiroshima. The journey to the area known as the ship building is certainly not easy, especially considering Hiroshima is the "home" of the Yomei Alliance - Yakuza's third largest family besides Tojo and Omni. Unlike the other two families, the Yomei Alliance was never interested in expanding their territory. This powerful Yakuza family is more interested in defending their power castle in Hiroshima and making the other Yakuza families will never infiltrate them.

So Kiryu's journey to find out who Haruto's father was, but slowly, surely took him deeper into a mystery involving so many powerful people, whether from the Yakuza family or not. These interconnected threads begin to show their form, slowly but surely, mixing one of the most complex Yakuza stories you've ever come across.

So, who is actually Haruto's father? Can Haruka wake up from his coma condition? What great mystery awaits Kiryu in Hiroshima? How will the dragon's drama end? You must of course play this game to get the answer.

Dragon Engine

One of the best features offered by SEGA in the latest series is of course the implementation of new engines that are designed to utilize with more optimal performance offered by the Playstation 4. True, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life comes with new engine technology they call "Dragon Engine". No need to wait too long to see how significant the difference that he offers from the last engine that could be the source of power behind the Yakuza 0. Dragon Engine really proves the tajinya here.

Of course, from the first sight, from the visual details he offers and presents. Kamurocho now looks more detailed with the effects of light and depth of field that makes it feel more dramatic. Extra Playstation 4 performance is also used to create a more lively and realistic city. Although still carrying the same size, but you can now see cars that move freely or the population is more crowded. But for us, one of the cool things he injects is the ability to enter several buildings, no longer loading time. You can, for example, get into the Millenium Tower now, and enjoy its interior which also contains a small mall and dining area. This capability also allows you now, to fight inside indoor, including mini market though. Tackle the bastards on the street while squandering the contents of a mini market so a new scene that will definitely trigger a sense of amazement itself.

Of course, the presence of Dragon Engine is also increasingly refining the detailed presentation of the character that is already dazzling in the previous generation engine. As if to make sure that this will be the closing story of Kazuma Kiryu that should and should be, SEGA recruited so many great Japanese talents to join here. Not only borrow their faces, but also voice acting to portray each of these characters. So what you find is like a Japanese crime movie at great cost. Moreover, Dragon Engine also makes them look and feel more realistic, with the ability of facial expression right on target until more technical things, such as full-of-the-art detail. Reinforced with charming voice acting, it's hard not to fall in love with what they're trying to offer here.

One that is equally fascinating, is how SEGA also alters and adapts the changing times it should be for the Kiryu figure who is actually quite old here. The fact that Kiryu is now "alive" in the year 2016 which in fact is more relevant to our condition as a gamer than setting Yakuza 0 in the era of the 1980s or some Yakuza series in the 1990s also affect the existing features and gameplay. With the lack of a phone booth, you are now spoiled with a more modern auto-save system. Menu access is now also done with Kiryu's smart phone that now also allows it, to capture a variety of special moments with first-person glasses or just doing swafoto. He also changed a lot of things that made us even fall in love faster, something we'll talk about in separate sessions

So from the presentation, the presence of Dragon Engine became the foundation for SEGA's seriousness to present something fantastic in this sixth series. He became the foundation of the facial details of so many participating Japanese actors, he became the foundation of a world that now supports better interactive features, it becomes the foundation of the more vibrant Kamurocho and Hiroshima. As far as the eye can see, Dragon Engine does a very good job. We even hope that this engine becomes the root for more SEGA projects in the future.

Familiar, But More Subtle

If it should be simplified, each Yakuza series does offer a quite familiar sensation from one series to another. You are still faced with a semi-open world world that is not too broad, where here he is represented by two cities - Kamurocho and Hiroshima. These cities will come with a myriad of side missions to complete, but also the ultimate mission which of course encourages the existing story. As can be predicted, like the previous series, Yakuza is a game that further highlight the story as the main attraction. The concept of semi open-worldnya never try to follow the concept of similar games concoction of western developers like Rockstar with GTA V, or Volition with Saints Row.

So what you get is a game that is actually similar to what you know so far. More recent sensations arise from the implementation of the Dragon Engine which now allows some things to happen - from implementing a larger number of enemies at some point so it is enough to impress that you are engaged in a musou game, until more objects are lifted as weapons when fighting . For this last affair, he indeed reinforces the impression that Kiryu is not an ordinary human being. That at a certain point, he is like a superhero character who has no difficulty to lift a motorcycle and throw it right into the face of any enemy he faces.

One other thing that was changed by the Dragon Engine is the animated battle that now feels more flowing. As a game that relies on hand-to-hand combat and possibly weapons, at some point, the sensation of Kiryu's movement is now faster and smoother. One new thing that we welcome is the elimination of the fighting style system that had been offered in previous series. Kiryu now has only one battle style, but with a progress level system that will allow you to open and use more wrestling attacks. With faster attack and running animation, the battle sensation is different, more flowing, but on the other hand it also demands a bit of adaptation for gamers who are more used to the past series. One that is quite unique from it is the increasing level of difficulty that exists.

Believe it or not, the smoother animation of this attack is not only happening in Kiryu, but also the enemy characters you face, including the "lower class thugs" you find on the road though. Either because of the adaptability of the AI ​​system that might be perfected in this Dragon Engine or simply the result of a smoother motion execution, they are no longer as easy as they used to be. They are more adaptive and intelligent with the attacks you want to do, especially from the frequency of doing automatic block movements that will also break your combined attack chain. This level of difficulty also feels more intense in battles against the boss, which at certain HP points, usually goes straight into the Extreme Heat Mode mode which makes their damage bigger and can not stagger. For this last affair, your solution in addition to strengthening Kiryu, is to provide healing items whenever you want to go into story mode.

Extreme Heat Mode is one of the new strengths that Kiryu can access. Like the previous series, the fight you go through will create a bar called "Heat Mode" fully charged. Divided into separate nodes that will be filled in each time you attack or receive an attack, it is no longer just for you to access location-based wrapper attacks that are one of the Yakuza's attractions. Now, in Yakuza 6, Kiryu can access a new mode called Extreme Heat Mode. This mode will make it attack with greater damage and anti-stagger, but with a bar that will drain faster. It also allows Kiryu to access dozens of new wrestling attacks that will kill the enemy more quickly, which can sometimes even be triggered by a combination attack at the end. Some counter attacks, let alone weapons-based, are also usually accessible with this one mode.

With so many objects that Kiryu can now lift without problems, the Extreme Heat Mode will also automatically make Kiryu perform this action and then adapt it in a combination of attacks. Uniquely again? As with any Heat mode in general, you can still access any location-based or object-based wrapper attacks being held by Kiryu. Fortunately, given the limited time, this mode does not necessarily make Kiryu become over-powered, even when you increase the effect to the maximum level though. Advantages of fighting and completing various side missions? Of course, the chance to level up and strengthen Kiryu.

Access to the inseparable features of the Yakuza series is again present, but with a different approach. If in Yakuza 0, everything is presented with money, then the Experience Points system in Yakuza 6 is now spreading in five separate categories. Completing side missions, fighting, accessing mini game diversions, to simply eliminating lowly thugs on the street will contribute a small addition to each of these categories. Unlike previous systems where all skills will typically require a single resource, this skill points division division enables you to collect specific points to strengthen the status or access of new attacks that are also divided into sections. As an example? To increase Attack power for example, you need certain Strength and Speed ​​numbers. To access a throwing attack for example, you need a certain number in the other three categories and the like. This makes the grinding process, regardless of your hard desires, will need its own hard work especially if the skills you are pursuing, it takes a point in the resource that is difficult to find.

Fortunately, SEGA balances this new system with a new system - Hunger. True, Kiryu now needs to eat and the system is represented with a gastric image with a number indicator underneath. So, why is it essential? Because one of the most effective experience points contributors is food. For every food you buy and eat will provide experience points in various categories. But it can not be done as often as possible, because Kiryu's stomach capacity is now limited. To help Kiryu drain her guts, you have to fight against thugs on the streets, complete missions, or just take a walk in the city for a long time. The more hungry Kiryu, the more often he eats, the more experience points he gets, the sooner you strengthen the Yakuza with the dragon tattoo on his back. This is the latest grinding process offered by Yakuza 6.

One that is also simplified is the process of making money. Unlike the Yakuza 0 where there are so many meta-game sideways to raise as much money as possible, Yakuza 6 makes this resource go back to reasonable limits with less important roles. You can collect them from some of the subdued, specific types of thugs, which are usually more difficult, or simply sell items you do not need to any of the stores in Kamurocho or Hiroshima. This money now plays no more than a medium of exchange for buying items or just food, which, as we mentioned before, is the new "system" of grinding experience points. The most expensive item you can buy in this game is usually millions of yen range and ends so accessories that can be worn Kiryu to strengthen its fighting action, and nothing more. Honestly, we like this simplification. On the one hand, it reinforces the existing sense of realism, and on the other hand, simplifies your "task" to think of other resources to pursue.

So what you find from Yakuza 6 is a familiar sensation. Dragon Engine Implementation does make the movement faster and smoother, and makes the enemy AI a little more difficult. The focus of grinding experience that is now more focused on hunger and food systems makes it different and interesting, while demanding you to pay attention to the existing indicators. But the best part of all these changes and simplifications is rooted in the battle system and animated attack of the still brutal same. This aging Kiryu has more experience and more effective strategies to make his enemy faint instantly.

Best Part? Now Relevant!

If you have to choose one thing that makes us fall in love with what Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is offering and call it better than the previous Yakuza series, is setting. Discovering the fact that this game takes its 2016 setting compared to the old "old" series becomes a super refreshing approach. Not just a matter of UI implementation that now uses Kiryu's smart phone device theme, GPS system to know the direction of side mission, auto-save, until the SMS system to know the update of existing missions, but through how relevant it now feels. Why? Because we are talking about Kiryu - an old man nearly 50 years old, faced with modern technology and lifestyle that he can not understand. So what you meet is a genuine social critique, firmly attached to our lives today.

Everything is reflected through a side mission that is more highlighting technology and its effects on social life, which we think makes it feel more relevant to what we feel today. As an example? One of the side missions will get you into the story of a Youtuber / Streamer candidate who is trying hard to get a view on his video. To achieve this and make it the only mission, the "Youtuber" is willing to do anything, even stupid actions to get view, like, and subscribe. A behavior that is really difficult to understand Kiryu, who ends up trying to awaken him through a raw bogem. Reminds you of many Youtuber cases in the real world, like what happened with Jake Paul for example. In other missions, you also have to deal with Siri / Google Voice-assisted software that is now self-conscious and plays a scary role as an AI on your smartphone. Fraud cases such as "PAPA SEND PULSE" which also took place in Indonesia for example, are also photographed here.

The more relevant sensations make us end up enjoying the side missions offered by this Yakuza 6 compared to all the previous Yakuza series. For those of you who want side mission content with a weird and crazy storyline, you need not worry. SEGA still provides fairly balanced content between two different worlds. On the one hand, talking about technology, on the other hand is still asking to fight against the pirate ghosts in Hiroshima who can not move into the afterlife because of this curiosity. The combination of mission and social critics that seem more relevant in the modern era and stories that are still ready to invite laughter like this produce its own charm.

Mini Game More "Crazy"

What is the meaning of a Yakuza series without dozens of games worth waiting for. Of course it's interesting to see what SEGA can accomplish with Dragon Engine, especially from the visual side of the character model that will be carried for the "adult" content that it offers. So almost some of the content you get is still not much different. There are still mini-game karaoke with the same system and new song selection, there are still darts, baseball and mahjong games. Of course, there is still a club hostess that continues to survive in the modern era, with a similar game system that will now ask you to find the right topic of conversation while squandering money. But on the other hand, many things "crazy" are also injected SEGA here.

Although there is no mini-game that asks you to run a property business or hostess club like Yakuza 0, Yakuza 6 injects a new mini-game called Clan War. You are caught in a new "war" against a new group called Justis, a group originally built to defend the community from a Yakuza class organization, but instead grows into the group they hate. You will serve as the commander in charge of the new organization to destroy and awaken this Justis. Its own gameplay system resembles a Strategy game where you, with limited resources, have to beat other teams that are usually divided into several areas. You can "lower" the Captain's character with different skills and other units to fight, with a maximum of 100 people. Opportunities to organize organizational structures that also serve as buffs also add to the excitement for this Clan War system. More cool? You can enjoy it online, fighting other people's troops and win their own rewards, such as the concept that mobile games offer.

One thing for sure, you will not be able to talk Yakuza without paying attention to the "adult" entertainment content that he offers, which miraculously, continues to evolve from one series to another. You might predict that the implementation of Dragon Engine will make the hostess club model on Yakuza 6 fantastic, which of course is not wrong. However, what is injected SEGA turned out to be more than that. Following the 2016 setting where internet technology became so commonplace, adult content has now evolved into a feature called "LIVE CHAT". No longer just using the three-dimensional model technology like the series of the past, this time Yakuza 6 the arrival of two actresses JAV - Anri Okita and Yua Mikami who each became himself, and recorded a short video to create this special mini-game this one. Role like a live-chat process, you just need to enter the response needed to interact with them, which of course culminates with more "naughty" content. What is surprising is how mini-games this time really no longer refrain from offering content so suggestive. Not just from the fact that you enjoy video content and no longer CGI for extra sensuality, but also talks that clearly, lead to sexual activity. A naughty content at a new level.

Another pretty amazing technology from Yakuza 6 also comes from one of the mini-games that you can taste on the SEGA arcade machine inside the game. Features that have been available long enough this is often end up with SEGA games in the old era, which culminate with visual games 8-16 bits. But this time, there is an achievement of new technology that carried this one series. True, one machine lets you play the SEGA fighting game in the 2006 era - Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. The games that were released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 can be played in full from beginning to end, with all characters available and the combination and animation of the attacks being retained. Even more amazing, he also supports online functionality via Share Play for him.

Although the quantity, especially of the sensual content and mini-games offered is reduced, but the quality itself brings the Yakuza 6 to a new level. The Live-Chat feature in adult content is one of the "crazy" content we've tasted from all Yakuza series. Not just because of the fact that you see the action of these JAV actresses (albeit without explicit nudity) in the video format, but also how they make suggestive content levels up through intonation of conversation to non-restraining discussion content. Achievements are presented through the presence of the game is full of online functionality classmate Virtua Fighter 5: Showdown also deserve to amaze amazed. Wow!

Goodbye, The Dragon!

This is certainly not a spoiler. This information has been shared SEGA since introducing Yakuza 6: The Song of Life some time ago, calling it a story that will close the journey of Kazuma Kiryu - Dragon Dojima family that has existed since the first series in the era of the old Playstation 2. Although still going to star in the Remake Yakuza series offered under the name "Kiwami", but the story of Kiryu and Haruka will no longer continue. This is a story that should, summed up everything. Not only that, SEGA also had announced the existence of Shin Yakuza (New Yakuza) to replace it, which unfortunately, still without the clarity of information about the characters and stories that will he stretcher. For Yakuza fans, the question is of course one, does the sixth series do its job properly?

In our eyes, he was present satisfactory. There is no better way to say goodbye to Kazuma Kiryu's legendary figure, either in the Yakuza game itself or as an iconic character that defines a franchise that has survived for a dozen years. The story at the beginning is simple, but slowly, ends up being a complex story full of conspiracies involving all the criminals you've been dealing with, from Chinese Triads to Jing-Weon from South Korea. What is interesting is how each of them comes with the same attitude - respecting the figure of Kazuma Kiryu as the dragon of the Dojima family, as Yondaime - the fourth leader of Tojo Clan, and has heard of legendary past events. Although not the first time Kiryu get this treatment, but see that the power and popularity like this still attached to the figure of aging is certainly something that is a relief. Moreover, not only Kiryu, the story of some "insignificant" characters on the side missions of the past also appears here, including one of the heretical sect leaders and the now graying Pocket Fighter.

There is a sense of appreciation is more that SEGA still ensure that this game, it makes Kazuma Kiryu as the focus. Instead of forcing the return of Goro Majima as a playable character to extend gameplay time for example, they ensure that your emotional attentions and investments are indeed leading to Kiryu's figure alone. As a series that was formulated to be the conclusion of everything, SEGA also concocted a series that from the side of the story, counted "luxury" and bombastic. That this is no longer just a story of past criminal and past criminal organizational conflicts that have been used as one of the stories often explored by the Yakuza franchise, but it has to do with higher conspiracies, murders, and mysteries beyond the life of a criminal himself .

For Yakuza fans, this story closes with what you expect from Kiryu's own figure. A figure we have known for a dozen years, without ever showing a "crooked" idealism. Although it must be admitted, the presence of Live-Chat feature that offered the sixth series also brings Kiryu's basketball personality to a new level.

One for sure, with the confirmation of the presence of the latest Yakuza series in the future that no longer focus on Kiryu, SEGA certainly has a hard job to fulfill the hole left by this iconic character. Kiryu has proved himself to be a deep and "rich" character, which, although at some points is cliché, is enough to make you shed tears when the moment comes. Creating a character that is too closely resembling Kiryu in terms of personality or rather, too contradictory, will make Shin Yakuza later, will be underestimated. Goodbye, the dragon! Welcome to the irreplaceable big hole in the gaming industry.