Yakuza 0

The setup

What you are walking into

Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure beat 'em up and a prequel to the Yakuza series, set in 1988 Japan during the country's economic bubble era. The game follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu in Tokyo's Kamurocho district and Goro Majima in Osaka's Sotenbori district. Players alternate between their stories as they navigate the criminal underworld, engaging in street fights using multiple switchable combat styles, managing businesses, and participating in a wide variety of side activities and minigames. The game is largely credited with bringing the long-running franchise to mainstream Western attention.

Where it lives