2018's Biggest Video Game Protagonists - Ranked From Worst To Best

9. Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life & Yakuza Kiwami 2)

It's fair to say that Yakuza fans knew what they were getting with Kazuma Kiryu in 2018, and yet, Yakuza 6 differentiated itself by serving as the reportedly final chronological outing for the franchise legend.

Even once Kiryu's fond farewell was over, though, fans were able to revisit the good 'ol days with this past summer's Yakuza Kiwami 2, a remake of 2006's Yakuza 2.

Despite the dense, dialogue-heavy plotting of the Yakuza games, it won't take long for newbies to figure Kiryu out: the guy loves sharp suits and kicking a** almost as much as he loves his adoptive niece Haruka and her young son Haruto.

Still, Yakuza 6 actually moved the character on in an interesting way, lending greater humanity to an action icon who often just seemed like a walking cartoon (an awesome one, mind).