7 Long-Running Video Game Franchises (And Where To Start With Them)
2. Yakuza
Start with: Yakuza 0
The Yakuza series has all the makings of an impossible to get into franchise. The games are long, there are a lot of them, and there is a lot of continuity between them. Lucky for you, there exists Yakuza 0, a prequel to the series which serves as a great starting point.
Set in late 1980s Japan, Yakuza 0 follows the series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as he attempts to clear his name after he is wrongly accused of murder.
The game has an amazing story which you won't want to put down but also has arguably the best combat system in the series. The game has multiple fighting styles all as flashy as each other.
If for some reason that doesn't please you there are a ton of mini-games throughout the Kamurocho district such as dancing at an 80s disco, racing toy cars, and even playing a ton of retro SEGA games at various arcades.
You could spend hundreds of hours seeing everything Yakuza 0 has to offer and the good news is, once you've done all of that, there are plenty more Yakuza games to try afterwards.