Which Yakuza Games Are the Best to Start With?

With the mainline Yakuza series available on Xbox Game Pass (again) and the recent announcement that it’s coming to the PlayStation Plus service as well starting this month, it’s becoming a lot easier for new players to try out the games. This uptick in curiosity is also leading to more people looking at all eight of the available games on both subscription services and questioning where the best place for them to begin is.

I was in the same boat back when I only had access to three games and that has only become further complicated when considering the remakes, remasters, and an entirely new entry centered around new characters. In hopes of helping someone discover this fantastic franchise without feeling overwhelmed, I want to put out my opinion on why Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Yakuza 0 are the best starting points for newcomers.

To make it all easier I’ll only be talking about the games that are readily accessible on modern platforms or through both the Xbox Game Pass and (eventually) PlayStation Plus subscription services. With the two original games being available as remakes and the prequel Yakuza 0 releasing after Yakuza 5 but before those remakes, it’s best to list the games out by their chronological order.

Yakuza 0
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Yakuza 4 Remastered
Yakuza 5 Remastered
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza: Like a Dragon

These can all be further separated by which protagonist they follow and the genre of gameplay. Each of the entries before the latest follows Kiryu Kazama with action-adventure gameplay. Even when a few of them share the spotlight with other playable characters, Kiryu remained the primary protagonist throughout. Yakuza: Like a Dragon meanwhile focuses on a new protagonist named Ichiban Kasuga, along with a host of other new characters. The gameplay also changes into a turn-based RPG.

Why Yakuza: Like a Dragon Is a Great Starting Point

Just taking the above information into account, it’s not surprising why many share this opinion. All of the games feature a self-contained story with only the occasional small narrative tie-in. There are likely more callbacks through the various substories than with the main plots.

Instead of an overarching story, however, the main cast of characters does have a lot of character development that can be missed. Yakuza: Like a Dragon still has some references for seasoned fans as well as a few select supportive characters returning, but new players can enjoy what feels like a fresh start best with this entry.

The change to a turn-based RPG format similarly reflects how fresh of a start it is. This game presents an excellent opportunity for both fans of the genre and those who aren’t as acquainted or interested with action-adventure games to check out the Yakuza series.

I think it’s especially important to point out that looking into the previous games after playing this one isn’t out of the question either. The wacky substories, lovably written characters, and everything else that represents the core DNA of the series are still present. It’s easy to play through this fresh take on the series and then transition into what came before.

Why Yakuza 0 Is a Great Starting Point

Whether you’re entirely new to the series or have only played through Yakuza: Like a Dragon, you’re going to wonder what is the best way to tackle the games focusing on Kiryu. This leads to the main question people have when getting into the series: Is it okay to start with Yakuza 0?

In most situations like this, my default response would be to go with the release order. When it comes to gameplay, a prequel that’s developed later in a series’ history could feel a lot different or way more fleshed out than the very first game. That can make it tough for some players to have to experience a bit of gameplay regression after getting through a prequel. This would ring especially true as Yakuza 0 was released ten years after the original.

If players would be going back to the original game released on the PlayStation 2, I would recommend that they stick strictly to release order and start there so the jump in gameplay and age isn’t so jarring. Most won’t be trying to find a PlayStation 2 disc copy of the original two games to play through the entire series though. They’ll instead want to experience those first two games in the most modern way possible and that means jumping into the later developed remakes, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Taking that into account, starting with the remake seems like the right call.

It also makes sense from a gameplay perspective to start with the prequel. Yakuza Kiwami was developed after the success of Yakuza 0 and was made with the intention of bringing the first game up to date. One of the primary ways it does so is by adopting the fighting gameplay from the latter. Having been released right after it and on the same engine, it feels like a natural progression to go from the prequel to the first game’s remake.

Another point of contention for other series and prequels is the overall story and the usage of characters. To take an example from another series, although Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater takes place decades before the mainline games before it, one reason I would not recommend someone to start with it is that the story fits perfectly as the third game. It manages to continue on elements introduced at the end of the previous entry and lay the groundwork for a lot in the very next entry. That includes some characters having questionable motives or developments that wouldn’t be rounded out until the next entry either.

I similarly wouldn’t introduce someone to the Resident Evil series with Resident Evil 0 because it has references and important characters from a few of the older games. I’d imagine most wouldn’t recommend playing Kingdom Hearts chronologically either because the story simply isn’t meant to be experienced that way. Unless it’s an anthology-like series such as Final Fantasy where the numbered titles exist within their own universes, the narrative ties to a prequel typically make it better to be experienced through the release order.

However, as I mentioned before the Yakuza series does have self-contained stories and the prequel is no different for the most part. Yakuza Kiwami 2 did add a special campaign that provided a follow-up to a key character from the prequel, but the stories of the prequel and the first game aren’t strongly connected.

The same can’t be said about the characters though. Not only does the prequel portray fan-favorite characters such as Kiryu Kazama and Goro Majima in a different light as they develop into the characters they are in later games, but it also incorporates key characters from the first game. From characters that are pivotal to the story with little time shown originally to the main antagonist, these characters are generously expanded upon. For me, playing through Yakuza 0 first greatly elevated characters that feel strictly like plot devices in the first game’s story and made for a more satisfying primary antagonist.

Outside of the main story and gameplay, a big part of these games is all of the substories and minigames. It’s where a lot of the outrageous content is that serves as a great palette cleanser from the typically more serious main stories. When you consider that Yakuza 0 was made in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the series, it should come as no surprise that they gave it their all when designing the fun side content. As great fan service that it was for those who were already invested, it also serves as a great introduction to how fun and ridiculous the games can be.

Another reason it’s better to experience that content in Yakuza 0 first is for how much it’s referenced in the games released after it. The main storylines might mostly stick to their respective games, but some substories have follow-ups in the remakes and even Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Some of the bigger minigames such as Pocket Circuit and Cabaret Club Czar also return in the remakes.

In the grand scheme of things, you don’t need to start with a particular entry to begin playing through these. Each is strong enough to stand on its own and provide you with hours of fun. That being said, there is a lot of fun in seeing the characters grow and catching a lot of the references that you might miss. With all of the mainline series set to be a part of the two biggest video game subscription services by the end of this year, it’s worth taking advantage and diving deep into this beloved franchise.