Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Reviews
The Yakuza franchise is a much-beloved series of games that explore the darker sides of the Yakuza, whilst simultaneously introducing players to the lively and colorful culture of the East. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life builds on every asset of the franchise, and improves it without sacrificing the games character and individuality. Whether you're a first-time player or a long-time veteran, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is arguably the greatest Yakuza game to date.
If you can groove on a game that takes its time with cutscenes and characters, ignore some subpar visuals in some spots, and have a love for gangland crime thrillers mixed with high-octane martial arts madness, this is the game for you.
Smart, sharp, often surreal, and always hugely entertaining.
Yakuza 6 is a fitting end to the journey of Kazuma Kiryu that will not disappoint long-time fans, while also providing an accessible journey to newcomers. Though it does not reach the heights of previous entries in its narrative and optional content, it does deliver a touching tale with a strong thematic core that has even stronger combat chops.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a must-have game on PlayStation 4. The end of Kazuma Kiryu's run as the main protagonist of a series that start way back on the PlayStation 2 goes out with a bang, giving us the best Yakuza game ever. It will be very interesting to see where the team takes the franchise after this one, but after seeing what the Dragon Engine can do, I'm sure it will be a gorgeous entry that will keep the drama and the action going strong.
Kiryu's final chapter is a beautiful one that has its heart in the right place, but feels slightly let down quite likely due to the new engine not allowing the developers the time they required to flesh out other areas such as the battle system and sections of Kamurocho. Despite slipping in parts, though, Yakuza 6 recovers with a compelling and intricately woven narrative featuring an appealing cast, rounded off with the side distractions expected of an entry in this series. This is an emotional sayonara to Kazuma Kiryu that may not have been all it could have been, but serves up a fine game befitting the Yakuza name.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life closes Kazuma Kiryu's tale with a hopeful rebirth of the series.
Every part of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is in tune to enrich your experience, while bringing a gratifying ending to Kiryu Kazuma's Arc.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Offering closure on a long-running saga while also entertaining on so many fronts, Yakuza 6 may feel smaller in scale at times, but that still doesn't stop it from being a mighty fine game.
Yakuza 6 marks the end of a long journey and a new beginning for the series. Kiryu's saga closes in a satisfatory manner with an intriguing story, charismatic characters and focusing on how Kiryu has grown throughout the years. Some scenes changed my opinion on earlier titles and, even then, the story is self-contained enough to welcome newcomers. The Dragon Engine marks a new era for the series with impressive visuals and visceral combat. Yakuza 6 shows a brilliant future for the series on the PS4.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza 6 isn't as great as Yakuza 0, but it's better than Yakuza Kiwami. No matter what, fans should definitely pick it up, and if you are not familiar with Kazuma Kiryu, you should check out Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami first.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Yakuza 6: Song of Life is the most heartfelt entry in franchise history, giving Kiryu his final goodbye for a future series without him in the lead.
Yakuza 6 is the final journey of Kazuma Kiryu. It is action, emotive and a catching ending of veteran hero.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a tribute to Kazuma Kiryu and his own. This farewell to the legend of the Dragon of Dojima is as emotional as it is fun, powered by the Dragon Engine that provided the face wash the saga needed.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Yakuza 6 is a wonderful, heartfelt conclusion to Kiryu's story, offering a hilariously fun and unique experience for both long-time fans and newcomers. While this isn't the best entry in the series, it's still an incredibly solid title that anyone with a PlayStation 4 should pick up.
All in all, thanks to its fantastic story, memorable cast, and more than competent gameplay, Yakuza 6 is an apt send off for the hero of one of the more criminally underrated franchises.
Is the closing of Kiryu's chapter in Yakuza 6 fulfilling? Honestly I would say no. I expected a bit more from it going in, but does it make sense? Absolutely.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is everything I want in a Yakuza game, plus a baby… and a cat café.
Debates about whether or not Yakuza 6 is the best game in the franchise will probably rage on for a long time to come- but if nothing else, The Song of Life represents a franchise, a developer, and most of all, a character, at the peak of their talents.
Aside from the most nitpicking of complaints, Yakuza 6 is but another declaration to the well-documented notion that Sega's decade-long series remains one of the finest, most consistent outings in the medium.