20 Years Of PlayStation: 20 Best Video Games So Far

10. Yakuza 4

If there's one franchise that's been thoroughly misrepresented by western media coverage over the years, it's Yakuza. The first entry was essentially labelled as an 'eastern GTA', which couldn't be further from the truth - leading to a release day cultural mixup that's damned the otherwise phenomenal series forever more. Fans have stuck by it since day one though, discovering the potent RPG-meets-brawler gameplay to be one of PlayStation's shiniest hidden gems. Basically, if you like the overblown-yet-fun story of Metal Gear, the eastern aesthetic of something like Sleeping Dogs and the brutal action of Tekken's Force Mode done with far more contextual finishers, Yakuza is for you. Following the story of Kazuma Kiryu, the fourth instalment introduced three more playable protagonists, all contributing their own interweaving plot threads to a story that hurtles through some insanely enjoyable twists and turns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ld_fC32pyg In the end you'll come for the presentation but stay for the gameplay and the promise of a world-altering reveal just round the corner. With the franchise woefully undervalued in the west and Yakuza 5 about to get a digital-only release just because fans have demanded as much, you owe it yourself to see what the buzz is about first-hand.
Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.