The Yakuza games (the Kiryu timeline from 0-6) are a series of action-adventure/ beat- ‘em-up games set within 1 or more sandbox locations based on real-world locations in Japan.

• The games feature serious Japanese crime-dramas stories with some less-than-serious activities and sidequests at times. You can expect to cry and laugh all within 1 chapter sometimes.
  
  
• Each locale in the series features various points of interest. These range from shops to buy healing items and gear, eateries for immediate healing and EXP, entertainment buildings to play mini-games (e.g. gambling and karaoke) and more depending on the entry.
  
  
• Each map has various telephone booths that serve as save points and item boxes. Saving can only be done at these booths in the Kiryu timeline for most of the series. However, Yakuza 6 and Kiwami 1 and 2 allow you to save almost anywhere via smartphone and/or save system overhauls.
  
  
• Each game has some form of fast-travel system via taxi cabs at set locations. The player can travel to any other taxi stand around the city or to another city if story circumstances permit.
  
  
• The player has a limited inventory (usually 20 slots) to fit in healing items, equipment, weapons and more. This CANNOT be increased, but players can organize their inventory via save points. 6 lacks an item box and instead introduces an item cap for all consumable items and gear has its own tab.
  
  
• Hidden around the sandbox worlds are locker keys. These keys are used to open up coin lockers. Said lockers contain varying prizes within, such as healing items, cheat items for gambling, equipment, and more (depending on entry). There are also various other hidden collectables depending on the entry. Yakuza 0 and 6 lack lockers entirely.
  
  
• Each game has some form of “master”- an NPC that can teach you new moves or confers other abilities through completion of their trials. 6 lacks any form of master to seek out.
  
  
• Some minigames reward you with points based on your performance upon completion. Said points can be spent on varying prizes such as gear and (rare) crafting materials. The most obvious example is winning tokens via gambling, but the series’ batting cages and colosseum also go with a point-based reward system.
  
  
• Most of the time, if you have a save from the previous game when beginning the next entry (e.g. save data from 0 when starting Kiwami 1), you will get an exclusive item or piece of gear to help you through early-game. These rewards might have special effects.
  
  
• There is a postgame mode called “Premium Adventure” where you can resume playing without having to worry about/ deal with the story. This allows you to simply play minigames, finish up substories, explore the city, etc. In essence, this is the mode for finishing up achievements.
  
  
• The games also feature a New Game+ feature to replay the story while retaining all your levels, moves, equipment/ items and other non-plot critical stuff.
  

The playing order is chronological by title number:

• 0
  
• 1/ Kiwami 1
  
• 2/ Kiwami 2
  
• 3/ 3 Remastered
  
• 4/ 4 Remastered
  
• 5/ 5 Remastered
  
• 6

Yakuza Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 are remakes of the original versions but retain their original plots with some additional stuff for fun/context. The Remasters of 3-5 are the same as the originals narrative-wise, the only major differences being the translation.




All the games are story-based and linear. Each game is a direct sequel to the previous so playing the games in order is recommended for continuity. Each game is based on the tropes of Japanese crime-drama and are set in a fictitious version of Japan.

• Yakuza 0 is the origin story for the series and establishes 2 important characters:
  
  The series' protagonist, Kiryu Kazuma
  The fan-favorite recurring antagonist & ally, Majima Goro
  
  
• Yakuza 1 takes place 6-7 years after the events of Yakuza 0. The time gap between the entries allows both characters to reach their canonical positions in Yakuza 1 off-screen.
  
  
• Yakuza 0 was created after 5. Thus, it has many modernizations that make it very easy to pick up and play as "My First Yakuza Game."
  
  
• There are some spin-off games which are considered non-canon to the mainline games (namely Kenzan, Ishin, Dead Souls, Shinsho, and Judgment. Locations from Judgment are referenced in 7. However, while technically canon, Judgment has no bearing on the mainline games’ stories.)
  
  
• There are certain points during the main story where you will be railroaded into your next objective, effectively locking you out of exploring the city. These are usually during the very beginning of the game in the tutorial and during times of urgency in the story.
  
  
• As a Japanese crime-drama, expect to see some rather lengthy cutscenes, sometimes back-to-back. Cutscenes have varying styles ranging from prerendered, prerendered in-engine, rendered in-engine and a more stilted slideshow style (in 0 only).
  
  
• Without spoiling too much, the stories typically follow the misadventures of Kiryu Kazuma (family name, given name) as a member of the Tojo Clan, a powerhouse in organized Japanese crime. Time and time again, he must fight to save the Tojo Clan that raised him and ensure the safety of the ones he loves, thwarting the villains' plans with his fists when words fail.
  
  
  

There are many side quests (called substories) to keep you occupied between story beats. Some substories have unlock conditions, only appearing once certain conditions are met (e.g. enough progress in the story, complete the prerequisite substory, check at a certain time of day/ with a certain NPC follower, etc.).

• Early substories in the series are fairly simple (e.g. defend an NPC from thugs, fetch them item X, etc.) but later entries, around Yakuza 4, become more involved as a whole with multiple stages and more player involvement. Likewise, some get progressively wackier as the series continues.
  
  
• Substories are also a good source of EXP, money and items as well.
  
  
• Completing all or certain substories is required to challenge the series’ final and recurring super boss.
  
  

Combat primarily revolves around doing combos using light and heavy attacks. The player can also block/ dodge and later parry to keep safe. There is also a lock-on to track a specific enemy. Damaging an enemy successfully generates Heat, a resource that allows you to use “super” attacks that deal large amounts of unlockable damage.

• The environment is a large factor in encounters; players can pick up certain objects and use them as weapons. Said weapons have a durability counter and striking an enemy enough causes the weapon to break. Likewise, common enemies can pick up objects and hit you with them.
  
  
• Hitting an enemy into a wall causes them to rebound, allowing you to continue attacking as they are considered “standing up” instead of being knocked prone. However, the same can be done to you. Knocking enemies prone also allows you to get in some free hits until the enemy gets up.
  
  
• Heat is lost when you get hit or if you don’t hit an enemy for a short amount of time. Taunting can build Heat (if upgraded) but leaves you vulnerable. There are other ways to build and maintain Heat, but I'll leave those as secrets for you to find out.
  
  
• Certain terrain features can be used as triggers for specific Heat actions.
  
  
• Starting in 3, Heat mode gets expanded into “Red Heat mode” and eventually becomes “Extreme Heat mode” later in the series. These are modes that allow Kiryu to temporarily become more powerful overall and/or gain access to stronger moves once he builds up enough Heat.
  
  
• The player can also purchase or craft weapons (in later entries) to bring into battle and equipment to raise their overall, blade and gun defenses and/or provide unique effects.
  
  
• There are enemy encounters on the map, typically symbolized by a man in street clothing (thugs) or a suit (yakuza). If you are within aggro range, they will pursue you and initiate a battle. These encounters can be avoided by equipping certain accessories, sneaking behind them or just outrunning them. 6 has the enemy group fully rendered and walking around.
  
  
• Beating an encounter rewards the player with EXP to spend on upgrades. The upgrade system varies between games, but this is the primary way to unlock more moves and make the character stronger.
  
  6 and Kiwami 2 have a very different upgrade system compared to the original 1-5.
  
  Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 1 have different upgrade systems but are, in practice, identical to 1-5's.
  
  
• You are able to consume alcohol at various establishments or purchase bottles to keep in your inventory. In addition to recovering some health, each drink increases your drunkenness by a certain amount. Being drunk means that you build Heat faster, but enemies in the world map are more likely to notice/ fight you. Some Heat moves can also ONLY be used while drunk.
  
  In 6, Kiryu actually can’t walk straight if he is fully intoxicated. This carries over into Kiwami 2 since they are made in the same engine.
  

Again, this is a WIP. I have no idea when/ how often I can update the guide, but I'll do the best I can.

EDIT: Thanks for the upvotes and I hope you learned something from my guide. It means a lot that you all chose to visit/read mine.

Thanks for reading.