Yakuza 0 Review for Steam

I can easily say Yakuza 0 was one of the most enjoyable games I have played in a long time. SEGA has created a game so violently realistic that players are drawn in by the graphics alone. Unfortunately, my gaming experience was short-lived with Yakuza 0 due to the constant bugs which caused the game to crash during cut scenes. Although SEGA announced this was addressed in their first patch, my experience was still severely impacted by these glitches and I found the only way to get past the title sequence was to skip the cut scene altogether. Luckily this “skip” allowed me to gain some time playing the game, however, I still suffered severe penalties since it did not work in every case. While there were many disappointing crashes, my time spent playing was extremely enjoyable, and I found this game to exceed all expectations I had for the Yakuza series converting to PC.

I warn anyone with a weak stomach not to play Yakuza 0. Right from beginning, players are introduced to intense combat and violent themes. The storyline enticed me from the very beginning and it disappoints me that crashes have prevented me from continuing past the first chapter of the game. The attention to graphic detail, eloquent linguistic features, and concise controls make Yakuza 0 a pleasurable experience and lead me to believe the unfortunate bugs will be fixed promptly.

I decided to experiment and see what would create the best gaming experience between keyboard/mouse and a chorded Xbox controller. To no surprise, the Xbox controller was dominant. Even when increasing the sensitivity in my mouse, it seemed changing direction was slower on keyboard than it was with a controller. While walking this was not a problem, however, moving quickly in combat is crucial and the keyboard/mouse did not perform as well as the controller with this task. If I were going to improve Yakuza 0 it would be tweaking the controls. In addition to improving the camera movements, I would alter the keys used for combat which would allow for better gameplay. I felt the keys were too clustered and, therefore, it created an awkward experience when performing combos. By spacing them out a bit more perhaps it would create a more organic gaming experience.

My time playing Yakuza 0 was short-lived, but I was able to see more than violence. I experienced a taste of classic Japanese culture. Karaoke, which proved combat is not the only activity seen in Yakuza 0. In fact, this unique game includes mini-activities, online modes, and much more than would never be expected in an action game. Although Karaoke was quite difficult and I was ultimately deemed “tone deaf” it was extremely enjoyable!

Even with every crash I endured, Yakuza 0 was an overall outstanding experience when I was able to play. I look forward to when SEGA fixes these bugs! Until they do, I cannot with a good conscious award the full points I would have if it were fully functioning.

Score: 7.5/10

Check Out the Yakuza 0 Launch Trailer:

Yakuza 0 is now available digitally on PC worldwide via Steam at $19.99 USD.