Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

A touching finale for Kazuma Kiryu, Yakuza 6 manages to surprise and delight in equal measure.

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:...

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 has some teething troubles with the new game engine, mostly in combat, but it still runs well on the Steam Deck

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Kazuma Kiryu's story finally comes to a close, though there's still time for him to get an additional family member. Are his adventures in babysitting worth the wait?

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.

Yakuza 6 is an excellent final chapter for Kiryu, and it runs wonderfully on PC.

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life looks and feels like the next-gen Yakuza that we've been waiting for. Taking the developer's Dragon Engine out for its first drive, this is the sixth (or seventh, if you count the fantastic Yakuza 0) mainline entry in SEGA's crime drama action role-playing game series, and it's bloody brilliant. The much needed lick of paint makes fictional red light district Kamurocho f...

Back when I first covered Yakuza 6: The Song of Life on PS4, I found it to be a worthy swan-song for one of gaming’s most badass antiheroes. And now, 2 years later I’ve been pulled back in to Kiryu’s world one last time for the Xbox version and with all due respect to current series protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, it’s been a great homecoming.

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life presents the most detailed virtual chunk of Japan the series has managed to date, and its story provides a satisfying end to the Kazuma Kiryu saga. However, as far as gameplay goes, Yakuza 6 doesn’t make enough of an effort to break new ground, making it weaker overall than last year’s Yakuza Zero. In a way it’s a good place to jump in if you’re new to the series because...

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life brings a satisfying end to Kazuma Kiryu's story, but it's not quite the send off I expected. Between its convoluted systems and cut content, it didn't feel like the saga ended with a roar, but with a whimper.