Yakuza: Every Game Ranked From Worst To Best

The one that started it all; a stand-out action game that blended the unique Eastern playground of Shenmue, with the gritty storytelling of Japanese gangster movies. A viscerally brutal combat system and a quality story helped elevate it too, with the game quickly becoming a massive success in Japan.

So why is it so far down the list?

In retrospect, there are unavoidable flaws that make it a frustrating experience at present, especially since the current franchise mechanics have become solidly refined since.

To sum it up; the inability to lock-on to opponents and static camera angles leads to many a cheap and infuriating moment. Also, despite the involvement of top-tier voice talent, the Western release forced a painfully awkward English dub upon its players, which kills the exotic flavour and immersion the series is so well known for.

The most important point against it though is the recent Yakuza Kiwami - a full-fledged current-gen remake - that takes all mentioned flaws and repairs them in fine fashion, whilst bettering the worthy features (story, open-world, graphics) far above what's present here.

If Kiwami didn’t exist, this would stand a lot higher. There's no denying it broke ground with a noble effort; sporting a stellar story, a vibrant open-world, and impressively squeezed every ounce of technical ability out the PS2.