Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Reviews
Yakuza 6 keeps the focus on what's important and also shows a lot of great potential for what's to come next.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life isn’t perfect in the grand scheme, at least outside of the story, with most of the value coming from the small touches. Side stories offer a lot of insight into the world, culture and scale that they’re a blast to do. From there, I didn’t encounter a line of dialogue, no matter how small, where it wasn’t voiced. Where most games would limit voice recording to major scenes or the main story, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is more than happy to help build the world. Give this to a story about Kiryu trying to find happiness, giving him a mission and another reason to look beyond his world and you have a fantastic experience. Maybe not a perfect one, as waypoints and combat still have some ways to go, but one where fans of stories or open world games will be, if nothing else, satisfied.
Yakuza 6 applies themes of fatherhood and masculinity as coping mechanisms for intense interpersonal drama. While it surrenders the sweeping ambition that defined Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 5, it feels sharper, more focused, and more honest about its intentions. At age 48, it's impolite to define Kazuma Kiryu as an old man, but it's clear that he—and Yakuza 6 as a whole—are devoted to passing their experience on to the next generation.
The in-combat effects and camera work really make what could be a relatively basic combat cycle into something that feels dynamic and empowering every time you get to button-mash to truly kick the stuffing out of a goon's face.
The story of Kazuma Kiryu comes to a dramatic and ultimately satisfying close.
When it comes to actually playing the game, Yakuza 6 is a bit more bland, a bit sparser with content, and frankly a bit dated with its problematic choices.
With less content and gameplay depth, how could this sixth entry in the long-running franchise possibly hold up against its predecessors? Quite well, as it turns out
Even as someone who was unfamiliar with the series prior to this entry, I'd have to recommend Yakuza 6: The Song of Life on sheer virtue of being one of the best and most naturally designed open-world games I've ever played (even if it's not truly “open”); it certainly doesn't hurt that the developers also decided to chuck in a tight combat system, a handful of sweet classic arcade titles and a gripping narrative to sweeten the pot.
When the title credits roll, you’ll be hard pressed not to feel bittersweet to know this is the end of Kiryu’s long tale. Where the series goes next is anyone’s guess, but it’s hard to imaging it without our scarlet-shirted protagonist. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is not only a great game, but a fitting closure for the long and turbulent story of Kiryu Kazuma.
The story, contents and gameplay are unquestionably of a good standard, but it was not what we wanted from the final game of Kiryu Kazuma, who we were so fond of during these 12 years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Yakuza 6 is a great game because it's a Yakuza game, but it's not a great Yakuza game. It still has the great brawler action the series is known for, and a tight put together story. However, the tightening of the narrative in no ways makes up for all the great things I missed out on from the previous game.
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.
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.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is everything I want in a Yakuza game, plus a baby… and a cat café.
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.
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.
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.
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 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: 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.