/v/, I need some advice.

I want to start the Yakuza series, but everyone's got conflicting information on "where" to start. Got a couple of questions/need advice;

My first question is should I play original Yakuza 1 & 2, or the Kiwami versions? I'm an older gamer, so going back to older, less polished titles (apparently like 3-5) doesn't bother me conceptually. I already own 0, and Kiwami 1 & 2 on steam, but I'm wondering if it's worth it to track down a rom and play the PS2 version for the classic experience.

Secondly, on the Subject of "Yakuza 0", my gut instinct is to play it in release order, which means playing it after 5 and before 6, to sort of emulate the feel of how the games were originally released. Is it worth putting it off till later, or narratively is it better if I have 0 as a story base before moving onto 1? Or am I spoiling things for myself If I do that?

Thanks in advance

Do not get meme'd into playing Kiwami. For one, they contain content that's a direct follow-up from the events in Yakuza 0. And Yakuza 0 should also not be played first as it's essentially a Greatest Hits anniversary title originally made for long time franchise fans.

>>715494960 (OP)
Originals, always the originals.

>>715494960 (OP)
I think the first one on PS2 is honestly the best. I never played Kiwami though.

>>715494960 (OP)
If you're already set on playing the series, may as well go release order with ps2 1/2, maybe skip the kiwamis later on
if you get cold feet 0->K1->K2->3 is also fine, but you'll have a warped perspective with 0 first followed by 2 low budget remakes, then going back a full decade engine-wise to 3

production order
people will say skip the ps2 games, people are wrong

>>715494960 (OP)
I'm emulating og Yakuza 1 right now and it's kino

>>715495564
>people will say skip the ps2 games, people are wrong

I had a feeling this was the correct answer.

>>715494960 (OP)
Play 0 and forget the rest of the series exists. It will be one disappointment after another

>>715495643
the only thing I'd say is get an undub patch for the first one
otherwise just play them in production order so you can enjoy the improvements in gameplay and maybe discover elements that've been forgotten with time (for instance I think the cinematography and presentation is much better in Yakuza 2 than Kiwami 2)
also they're long games so you know, pace yourself. feel free to take years on this

if you have autism that makes you love fictional casts and always want more of your favorite characters, and plenty of free time then the whole series is goat.
if you have neither of those things don't even bother. play like a dragon or 0 for a fun taste of the characters and writing and move on.

>>715494960 (OP)
If you want to play the actual original Yakuza 1&2 then you should first learn Japanese and play them. If you want to be like most western fags you start it with 0 and play onwards.

>>715495628
It's all downhill from there.

>>715494960 (OP)
1 Kiwami is a sequel to 0
You either start with 0 or 1 (PS2)
1 (PS2) is kind of mediocre but 2 (PS2) is a direct upgrade in every regard so be mindful of that
If you're set you're going to play the entire series I recommend you to play in release order

>>715496603
Kiwami's are sequels to 0 they're mostly from a different era entirely.

>>715494960 (OP)
Release order, baka. Always release order.

>>715494960 (OP)
Play Yakuza Restored, it's the original PS2 game but with the JP voicelines restored instead of the awful 2005 English dub and character name changes
https://cdromance.org/ps2-iso/yakuza-restored-undub/
https://cdromance.org/ps2-iso/yakuza-2-restored-hack/
Then when you play the rest of the franchise, install the restoration patches for each of them
https://www.nexusmods.com/yakuza3remastered/mods/5
https://www.nexusmods.com/yakuza4remastered/mods/5
https://www.nexusmods.com/yakuza5remastered/mods/7
https://www.nexusmods.com/yakuza6/mods/66
>my gut instinct is to play it in release order, which means playing it after 5 and before 6, to sort of emulate the feel of how the games were originally released
Your gut feeling would be right. Yakuza 0 might take place in the 80s but its epilogue text takes place "in the present", talking about events as if you're catching up after 5's story

>>715494960 (OP)
Originals. 1 got an undub patch too recently so there's no reason not to play it
The remakes are shit

>>715497606
Excellent, thanks for the info. Doing the restoration patch on 1 right as we speak.

>>715494960 (OP)
Yakuza Kiwami is woke trash ruined by western tranny localizers. Yakuza 0 is still fine.

>>715494960 (OP)

i played yakuza 7 first

>>715497871
Oh hey I made that pic

>>715498107
based autist

>>715494960 (OP)
0 is better when you have all the various background info and experience of the old games, so I'd recommend you play that after 5. If you can tolerate various levels of jank Yakuza 1 PS2 should be fine to play, and Yakuza 2 PS2 is better than Kiwami 2 because Kiwami 2 uses 6's combat as a baseline, and 6 is the worst dragon engine game by a country mile.
Kiwami 1 is an interesting game because mechanically it's very polished, but adds a LOT of filler boss fights to unlock Kiryu's main combat style from yakuza 1, which really drags down the experience. If not for this it'd be the definitive version of 1 I think, because 1 PS2 is kind of rough. It isn't until Yakuza 2 where they really start to nail how Kiryu feels in combat. but that jank and evolution of gameplay makes it worth playing in itself, gives you a better appreciation for the series and how it iterates on itself over and over.

One final tip, do not play these games back to back to back, you will burn out, especially if you try to 100% any of them.

>>715494960 (OP)
Play the original I guess, but if you get filtered by the clunky combat, just skip ahead and play 0. DO NOT let 1's combat ruin the series for you, it got better instantly with 2. It's better to skip ahead to 0 or Kiwami 1 than it is to ragequit the series; play it however is most fun for you.

>>715494960 (OP)
Listen, there's a shitload of games. Life is short. They're all the same slop. Please play 0 if you're only going to play one.

i played everything except Gaiden.
Play 0, then Kiwami 1, then skip to Like a Dragon. the series really has not aged well and it is TERRIBLE for playing the games back to back without at least a year long break in between.

>>715499305
1 and 2 are better than 0

>>715499338
Kiwami 2 is kino. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are good but can be skipped safely.

>>715499816
1 most certainly is not, I can see an argument for 2 though.

>>715494960 (OP)
Just bee yourself. Whatever you do, just remember to ignore the tripfag that comes to every Yakuza thread

>>715494960 (OP)
You either start in release order or start in the modern order of 0, K1, K2, Remastered Collection, 6, Judgment, 7, Lost Judgment, 7G, 8, 8G. The former is harder to get into but you see everything as you are expected to and watch how the series iterates and grows. The latter starts you off with a strong start but you jump around writing quality, gameplay mechanics, Kamurocho's development, and more because it was meant as an anniversary game and just happened to work as an intro game by happenstance. 0 was never intended to be a starting point, it was intended to be an anniversary game for fans that by chance ended up being a solid intro to the series.

Kiwamis are not 1:1 remakes at all. They expect you to have played 0 to the point of K2 having an entire mode that just spoils Majima's side of the ending. Ishin Kiwami is different to Ishin.
If you are going to start in release order we have restoration patches for the PS2 versions or the HD versions if you can understand Japanese.

When it comes to the remasters:
>1&2 HD are superior to the PS2 versions but they are Japanese only.
>PS3 3 is superior to 3R only if you use the restoration patch on GameFAQs and deal with the bugs the patch itself can bring like crashes. Otherwise 3R is superior even with all the bugs introduced by 60 FPS.
>PS3 4 is superior to 4R in terms of not having bugs from the 60 FPS, having the original Tanimura, and the original script. PC and hacked PS4s can patch in the original Tanimura but nothing else.
>PS3 5 is superior to 5R in terms of not having bugs from the 60 FPS and having a better script. 5R for whatever reason, despite being retranslated by the exact same team, added lines that straight up do not exist in 5 for no reason.
>PS4 Judgment is superior to JER because of it having the original intended lighting, two minigames (Puyo Puyo and a pinball game they got from Steam), and doesn't have weird issues due to the 60 FPS. Hacked PS4s can patch the original Hamura in.

>>715499338
gotta get on that chief
gaidens better than 8, and pretty much any of the newer games sans judgement

>>715499829
man I know it makes sense to skip them since 3-5 aren't super relevant to the main plot, but 4-0 are my favorite. It sucks 4/5 in this awkward space where anyone who isn't committed to playing like 20 games is probably going to skip the noodle shop massacre and sad kiryu + funny baseball man.
You could feel the tone being sanitized from 6 onward too, especially 7.

>>715494960 (OP)
>where to start
on the first one retard

>>715494960 (OP)
>my gut instinct is to play it in release order
your gut instinct is correct. i recently played them for the first time ever in release order, and I don't regret it at all. in fact, it made more sense to do so since 0 and the Kiwamis assume youve played the other games.

OP Here. Started 1 with the Japanese patch.

This is already cooler than anything that's come out in fucking years.

>>715502751
Godspeed, OP. Have fun and keep the thread updated

>>715502751
Just a heads up but if you're emulating it then play it in native resolution, not higher. Higher resolutions break the lighting and this still isn't fixed in PCSX2 yet. Only RPCS3 can do higher resolutions without breaking the lighting.

>>715494960 (OP)
0 or 1. Chronological or release, It doesnt matter.
>ps2 or ps4 or whatever
Doesnt matter
>but the dub is bad in ps2
People are bitches

>>715503538
Should I buy this nigga's info for 1000 yen?

So far the only thing I've bought is cat food, a rope, and a meat bun. Dunno what I'll use em for yet though.

>>715504353
Up to you. If you want to fight the secret boss you will need to guide game though, fair warning. Making any mistake in a substory in 1, 2, or Kenzan voids you of the fight and a good like five or six are missable in 1 specifically.

>>715499338
>>715499829
is that actually fine to skip them? I just finished playing Kiwami last week and will probably play Kiwami 2 later, got gifted 7 a while back and don't own 3-6

don't listen to /v/ on this topic
0 -> Kiwami 1 -> Kiwami 2 > then play in numerical order
seriously don't get memed by these retards.

>>715506165
No. Many of the recent games constantly refer back to things 3 (Orphans + orphanage), 5 (Haruka being a retard), or 6 (Haruka being a retard + everything to do with what Kiryu did) set up while spoiling events of previous games. The only things they don't really follow up on are character like Akiyama or Saejima and expect you to already know who they are, their backstories, and their character because the game will do nothing to do so when they do appear in games past 4 and 5.
>6's first cutscene is the ending of 5.
>7 straight up spoils multiple parts of 6 including a character directly telling you something that happened to a character from 6 and a character spoiling stuff from the end of 6.
>7G spoils 5's ending, 6's ending, and then puts you into the main story of 7 because 7G happens after 6, during 7, and before 8.
>8 spoils 7's ending almost immediately and then you basically get nothing out of Kiryu's side when the entire game is all about Kiryu's side, retiring him, and Ichiban is a side character.
The Bucket List is functionally pointless to you if you haven't played every single game as it's all Member Berries with the Life Links straight up having you meet characters from previous games or substories and also spoils 6's ending if it hasn't been clear enough by this point.
>8G not only spoils 8's ending multiple times with characters outright telling you what happened in the ending, but the entire story relies on it having happened and the aftermath of the ending is why anything in 8G is even happening.

>>715497871
Don't care. Only an autist would notice. Also, the kiwami guns look better anyway.

>>715502751
Fun benefit to playing Yakuza, you get to really know the towns. So much so that by the time you get to the current games, you'll know how to actually navigate the towns they are based on.

facefucking chitose

>>715509326
cheeto sex
>>715504353
You shouldn't need to buy his information. There's another information broker later on who should give you different info for free.
You will at some point need dog food, and I think maybe water. The game is a little obtuse at times with what exactly you're able to do. I would recommend using a guide if you want to do everything. If you slip up, you can miss out on stuff like the casino and good items.

>>715494960 (OP)
I just played 0 then kiwami and went up in number and it was fine

>>715497606
Playing Y1 undubbed should be considered half a sin or something
The terrible eng dub of the first game is like a national treasure

>>715511338
it's a fun relic but all the bizarre name changes and stuff makes the series weirdly inconsistent, it's easier to keep up with the one-bazillion named characters the franchise throws at you when you don't need to juggle two sets of names for a handful of them

>>715494960 (OP)
0-K1-K2-3-4-5-6 then whatever the fuck you want. I like Judgment/LJ more than Yakuza, personally. Do not take this to mean that K1 and K2 are better than the originals because they aren't, but I think if you love the series you should go back and play them after and you'll appreciate them more, too. I don't think telling people to get filtered with an old game with a god awful dub is the best way to jump in the series.
tl;dr: play 0 and then remakes and then HD. You should play the originals, but do so after you determine you like the series.

TEN YEARS IN THE JOINT MADE YOU A FUCKING PUSSY

Reminder that Ishin (the original) got a new eng translation patch that you can apply and play on RPCS3

He has a point

Is it just me or did 8 encuten the kpop hoe? Narratively speaking. She cute now, in 7 she was stuck up and bitchy

>>715512535
In 7 they were at "war" and she was kind of dealing with people trying to undo the delicate balance of Yokohama.
In 8 they're mostly chilling all things considered. She had to deal with more in LJ than in 8 in terms of things happening to the Goemijul and she was with her crush all game.

>>715494960 (OP)
Whether to play the originals or Kiwami really depends on which kind of Yakuza fan you would be and statistically it'd probably be Kiwami

>>715512617
>She had to deal with more in LJ than in 8 in terms of things happening to the Goemijul
She was in LJ? I don't remember seeing her

>>715512760
No, I mean her organization. She had to deal with Yagami personally poking into the Goemijul business and they directly threatened him in order to get him to leave after passing information to him.
It's not her personally but in terms of what she had to deal with LJ sort of hit closer to home in a way.

Remember to install it to your HDD on your original hardware PS3 to make it load faster.

>>715513046
How did we go from that to THIS

Then, make sure you get stupid cash from the casino to fund your journey.

>>715513085
The advancements in graphics technology have been fantastic.
However;

S O V L

Last one.
I wish stock PS3 let you take screen captures so this didn't look like ass.

>>715513219

I'm not going to 100% 2. I don't think I can ever get 300 in bowling, 1,000 in golf, and 20 home runs without save states.
Beating Akira, Komaki, and Amons will have to do.

>>715513447
Bowling is a joke, you can always throw the exact same way and always get a strike.
1000 in golf just needs a video guide for the swings and those are fairly plentiful. If you need one I can give you one.
20 home runs is 1, not 2, unless I'm remembering something wrong, and the tricks that work in the modern games (Look at either the character or the lines on the bat and swing when they flinch) work on it too. The only thing I didn't do in 2 was the encounter bosses around the map (I was burnt out of 2 by that point), the mahjong substories (Had no idea how to play, only threw tiles down until I got the trophy), and I think the shogi substory which is why my substory section is 97%.

>>715513712
It took all of my will to get Esper Ito and Haruka's courses done. I'll be Goddamned before I get five more perfect courses. I think I hate yakyuu, now.
If you still want to share the videos, I will still watch them.

It's always a very simple answer. You start at the beginning. Play in release order.

>Yakuza with the Restored fan patch on PCSX2
>Yakuza 2 with the Restored fan patch on PCSX2
>Yakuza Remastered Collection which collects 3, 4 and 5
>Yakuza Zero
>Yakuza Kiwami
>Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
>Yakuza Kiwami 2
>Yakuza: Like A Dragon
>Like A Dragon Ishin
>Like A Dragon Gaiden
>Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
>Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Throw in the Judgment and Kurohyou games if you want.

Does Chitose have a single job that doesn't suck? I like her but I don't like to play with her

>>715514490
I'd say J1-2 are less optional than K1-2 (after playing 1-2) and 8G. It is canon but disconnected from the main story, much like 8G

>>715514089
Looks like you're right, it seems like when I was first doing it I didn't get these either though I did for later games. I did do 1000 in the Beginner course of Golf though. For Golf the videos I'm finding only go up to 800 points on the Alien (Pro) course. I guess I just saw a lot of the ones beating Albatross past 800 points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXqIZENrFc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTd_HO0OVRA
Some examples.

For bowling:
http://gkwiki4.com/ryu2/77.html
>With 12 pounds, aim at the center or one spot to the left, use maximum power, direction all the way to the right, and spin all the way to the left to throw, and you will almost always get a strike or one pin left.
>If you miss the power and throw with 0 power, you can still get a strike by throwing slightly to the right of the center and 2 or 3 spins to the left.
If you are a little off in your direction, try reducing the spin to deal with it.
>With 14 pounds, aim at the center or one spot to the left, use power near the center, direction all the way to the right, and spin all the way to the left to throw, and you will almost always get a strike.

>>715514504
Yes. Geodancer is her best followed by Housekeeper. She's the best support in the game. Saeko is the best attacker, Seonhee is the best middleground since she can go into magic or attack jobs.

>>715514838
Geodancer is just a worse hobo, I already have a hobo on the team. Housekeeper is alright though

>>715514983
>Geodancer is just a worse hobo
Dude no, no it's not. Geodancer has an incredible armor (Essentially double damage at full HP) and weapon combo (Free MP buff every turned) paired with her having an extremely high AGI and MAG stat. This lets her use something like Violino Adagissimo turn one on bosses/minibosses or lets her use Scum Scraper, Blossoming 'Uli'uli, or Bubble Bale to do absurd damage even on Legend. Tons of enemies are also weak to water. Since it's really easy to keep her at full health it's also really easy to abuse the high damage.

You can make her a Tennis Ace if you want but it's not going to deal as much damage as Geodancer.

>>715502751
Starting with 1 is the right decision.
But play Yakuza 1 Undub. It's a fan patch that restores the jap dub + correct names. Patch your game!

>>715514490
Judgement games are very much canon and kinda important for setting up the Ichiban Era.
Also every fan should very much play Dead Souls because everyone should play a bad entry to bring better context to their feelings on a franchise as a whole.

>>715514838
I've gotten the Albatross and Mike substories done. There shouldn't be any more sporting ones I have to work on.

>>715516180
>Also every fan should very much play Dead Souls
The fuck

>>715517184
More people should play bad games
Yes I mean that seriously

>>715494960 (OP)
play ps2 games then go from there. the games are short enough to beat on the weekend and complete enough to decide whether or not it's something you're interested in continuing. I started with 0 but for some reason could not finish it, it feels kind of bloated in retrospect. I was in the mood to play PS2 and picked up Yakuza 1 and 2 Remastered and they were great.

>>715516180
>>715517184
>>715517335
I did.

>>715494960 (OP)
0 is the best in the series. You can either experience the kino that 0 is with your perception of the game indiluted by the association with the other, inferior, games in the series or you can do yourself a disservice, fall for hipster memes, and play some janky PS2 games that will make you appreciate the good games in the series less. Your choice.

>>715517406
>Esper Itou is fairly simple on some minigames despite being the hardest challenge.
>Feels like he straight up cheats in others.

>>715513046

Yakuza fags are freaks and the games are fun for a while but all of them are too long

I played 6 first against their orders then I played 0 which was fun but you’re so overpowered with both characters it was way too easy, and all the references are tiny in that game - you really don’t need to have played the whole series lol. Same with 6, it was fine to play standalone

I also played Kiwami 1 & 2 which were fine but both were more boring than 0. I tried to play 3 but it plays like shit and the average game time to completion is like double the other games so fuck that

Will prob play LaD next

>>715518525
gaylord

unfathomably cringe behavior
I will not even provide a (You)
Play the games in the order they came out.

>>715518578
>>715518826
>muh story
The story is the worst thing about Yakuza. You get about 1 hour of cool story sequence per game and the rest you wished you’d skipped.

Yakuza is great as a series for
- toying with enemies however you want with all the moves, objects and weapons
- beating the ever loving shit out of bosses
- side stories and their humor
- glorious nippon to explore

>>715519392
Funny thing is RGG mostly remembered in japan as the game where you can hit people with bicycle

>>715516607
You’re in the clear then, unless you’re going for 100%-God help you if you are. That damn Golf Bingo board gave me more nightmares than Amon. At least Mike goes down easy once you learn the timing. Hope you stocked up on Staminan Royals after that, you're gonna need 'em for the Business Battles if you're heading back into those.

>>715519392
I think the story in the first game is pretty solid. Yakuza 2 goes down the toilet with the secret Korean shit.

>>715520696
Well that is what you’re doing for hours and hours in every game until you get the moves that do more damage. I also like the motorbike

>>715507479
Retard

>>715494960 (OP)
Yakuza is fucking dogshit and the most overrated weeb trash ever made. It's the first game recommendation that made me realize /v/ is simply not a good place to get game recommendations if they can say this clunky cringey dogshit is anything but bad and stupid. The only defense for this trash is always "durr hurr you must like [shit game] if you don't like Yakuza" strawman arguments.

Start with a dumpster and throw them all in. That's most entertainment value you'll get out of them.