I've been told that a few times now, so I think I need to give him another chance. Been playing 0 again and loving it, paying more attention to Kiryu's actions.
@@EmceeProphIt Kiryu makes a lot of bad choices. He seems straight forward but is actually really complex. The newest game (8) deep dives into him in a huge way. you might miss out on some of its weight if you haven't played through the games though. Yakuza in my mind is basically a Japanese crime Soap Opera and I love it. Gaiden brought me to tears but I think once again with out all the context of the series it wont hit as hard. I'm a huge fan and was very happy when they went turn based. RGG is still making the other style so I get the best of both worlds.
@@EmceeProphIt Honestly a lot of Kiryu’s flaws come out more throughout the rest of the series (1-6). You see bits of it in zero but it becomes much more apparent as the series goes on and the character has more chance to age and reflect on things that happen.
Definitely agree, to the point that the plot of each of the first 6 games essentially revolves around actions Kiryu took, or, more importantly, didn't take, in the previous entry.
Huh, I wonder if that was intentional. One of the first lines the Hobo party member says was "if you've got too much pride to crawl, you'll never make it in this world." And literally, the antagonist's pride shattered because of the reaction of people watching him crawl so hard he created a second identity.
Just wanna say UA-cam recommended this video to me and I'm so glad it did. I could never really explained why I loved Y7 so much with its many themes but you did it perfectly and more! Earn yourself a new fan and boy I hope the damn algorithm doesn't bury your future content from my feed.
Honestly, as I have gotten older, my love and appreciated for the Yakuza/LAD series has only increased since the first time I played it in middle school. Behind the veneer of wackiness and tough, macho manliness, the core of these games are filled with compassion and empathy for those in society that are looked down and trampled on, and portrays them in a way that doesn’t just dehumanize them as being less than others. Playing these games helped me develop into who I am today and played a part in me developing empathy and understanding growing up. The entire story revolving around the gray zone and the working girls really hit deep for me when I first played 7. These are a group of people that are so vulnerable and have little to no protection, who are shunned from society despite being only there because said society still creates a demand for them. And seeing Bleach Japan and the government demonize them and the dirty tactics they used to deport them, and seeing how utterly devastated Etsuko was when she realized what had happened is, in my opinion, one of the most heartbreaking things to occur in these games so far. And Infinite Wealth does a good job in showing just how much she’s still hurting from those events three years later, and how pointless it was given that those girls suffered for nothing and were used as pariahs for the public to pin the blame on society’s problems on. I hope the next mainline game continues to keep this aspect of the games alive and well, and I hope it influences teens and adults who play these games like it did me.
Beautiful comment. That moment with the deportation also devastated me, felt a wash of serious anger and mourning, realizing this exact thing happens to immigrants just trying to survive all around the world. And that anger comes from a good place, a human place. It's a series that has a lot of important lessons to teach.
ohhh man yakuza 7 was my intro to the series & started a complete obsession for me, it is so close to my heart and i have been BAFFLED at the lack of long form video analysis/essays for it !!! this popped up on my recommended and i'm very excited to watch this over the weekend. thanks for the treat dude
2:18:30 This & your part about homelessness earlier is what makes this channel & you a very unique gem, its heartfelt & passionate analysis. Not just some dude throwing up a quick video. I'll always love your videos bro. There's beauty in this script as much as There's beauty in this games script. 10 years later & your writing is still enough to bring a tear to my eye.
@@EmceeProphIt The algorithm hasnt treated you right bro. You've inspired me for years Just know I recognize what you create here. Its heartfelt. Its real. Thankyou for another great video Emcee. Ill probably fall asleep to this numerous times over the coming years
Still watching, only an half an hour in, but the whole point how much the taste of plain bread can be comforting makes me teary-eyed. Never experienced homelessness myself, but had times in my life when I had barely money left and needed to eat very cheap, tasteless stuff just make the month without starving. So the idea of eating sth which gives you a feel of normalcy does hit me in the heart.
Thank you all so, so much for the reception this is getting so far, especially the comments. It really means a lot that this is resonating with people. More so than just helping the channel grow (which is super appreciated!) it also reassures me that a lot of people still value the empathy, compassion, and moral action that this series promotes. Keep it up, ya'll.
Thank you, based and cool hindsight Emcee. Also, seriously, I'm glad to see you're doing well. I missed your content, and this is exactly what I needed this week.
I think that Kiryu is actually quite a complex character with fairly obvious flaws. I think that perhaps when you play Infinite Wealth which has a large focus on the results of the mistakes Kiryu has made and his grappling with a certain situation then your perspective on him may evolve.
Yakuza LAD was my intro to the entire series, and in fact I didn't play any of Kiryus games until after Infinite Wealth (this creates a very interesting perspective on Kiryus series ofc) I'll be going into some spoilers about Infinite Wealth, so have a few spaces and everything to avoid them... Kasuga is a very interesting protagonist, coming off as a big innocent dope thats secretly pretty intelligent and cunning (albeit still crazy lmao). But as you mentioned, he can almost come off as naive too, his entire worldview is based off of kindness and respect for everyone, something that even the greatest people in the world can't claim. By all means he SHOULD be Masumi, someone whose whole life was ruined because of the actions of another. And he SHOULDN'T forgive someone who attempted to have him assassinated... *repeatedly.* But he does. And this leads a lot into Infinite Wealths overarching theme... of faith and religion. Kasuga is literally positioned as an almost jesus-like figure, to the point that among the promotional materials for infinite wealth, they draw off the Last Supper with Ichi right there in the middle, and all his friends surrounding him. With his kindness and humility still being his core defining traits (and his sheer himboness lmao), he's put up against his main protagonist, a literal false prophet for a religious group there in Hawaii. And as he does that, he also plays a role in preparing Kiryu for what may be the end of his life. Kiryus an old man now, battling cancer. But he's incapable of forgiving himself for all the mistakes he's made through his life, and of caring about himself. Its only through spending real time with Ichiban that Kiryu starts to gain any modicum of self reflection. Eventually the two are split and Kiryu ends up leading another group back in Japan (and has managed to catch Kasugas insanity, seeing baddies transform :P), where HIS ultimate villain is another man who is trying to end the Yakuza entirely, much like Kiryu has tried... repeatedly... in the past. Without Ichibans influence, Kiryu never would have seen Ebina beyond the surface of a scumbag politicing crook, and wouldn't have gotten the closure he needed in his life, crying for forgiveness over Ebina after the final fight. TL;DR P L A Y I N F I N I T E W E A L T H
I discovered this game and series last year, you captured everything great and meaningful about it in your analysis, what makes it so special. One of the best, most insightful vids about a piece of media I've ever seen, and you put most other game reviewers to shame. Hats off sir, well done and godspeed on your quest as well.
I've never played a single game in this series, but I can't help but think that Japanese game devs really like their social commentary, especially (but not only) with turn based RPGs.
@@EmceeProphIt Yeah, really makes the story of games like Bravely Default 2 feel even more shallow and tropey when it's contemporaries do such a good job. Although I suppose even the most trope filled god killing JRPGs are still a (sometimes unintentional) form of commentary because of a shared cultural perception on western religion and how "The west" treated Japan in general.
I actually did my college research report on the humanization in the yakuza series! its a really underrated aspect of the series and I’m glad it’s being brought up more
In college I did a psychological analysis of the cast of Persona 4 for a class, and that was sort of a precursor to doing this stuff for a living, actually!
Kiryu is presented as perfect but is deeply flawed and not such a simple character, you'll get to see more of it if you dive into the rest of the games
Seriously this may be one of your best. I need this on a t shirt: “The next time someone is suffering, and someone else asks ‘Who cares?’ Be the fucking answer.” That had me in tears. That is what we need. Thank you, man. Thank you.
I find it funny that you used the term safety net when talking in regards to certain characters, and then the game later states that Ijincho as the social safety net for anyone. It really shows how well the game presents its themes without outright stating it. Just by your pure thought you caught on, its excellent writing on yours and the games end.
Still at the start of the video, but I gotta say, go back and play the ones you haven't. This series can be described by the word HEART and some of the themes from this one are touched on other games. Homelessness for example shows up on 4, family shows up on all of them but mainly 1, and so on. This series had me sobbing in tears more than once. That being said, there are some things that haven't aged well, one side quest on 1 comes to mind and this series has a problematic portrail of korean and chinese immigrants that I'm not the person to discuss.
Loving this so far as always, I'll be updating through replies as I go from here so I don't forget anything. 1. I can certainly understand and definitely appreciate the idea of taking your words on rpg difficulty with a pinch of salt. Especially as someone who can't stand the genre because I just can't nail these mechanics for anything. I played Miitopia on Auto, that should tell you something. That's said, not all genres have equal difficulty throughout their games. Just look at the Hidden/Scattered Object genre. These games will either beat over the head with moon logic, drive you insane because you can barely tell what it is you need to find or where it is, or just be a complete cake walk. There is so much variation between series and even single games in said series, that difficulty being too much in some cases can absolutely be stated. I'm absolutely dumb sometimes when I play these games, even if I've played them several times, and I can still say with certainty what parts are my own fault vs the game devs being unfair or just sadistic. Mystery Case Files, for as much as I enjoy the atmosphere, soundtrack, and some SOME parts of the story, is among the worst offenders of this. Dracula Love Kills is another big offender. The main game is perfectly fine in terms of difficulty, even if my dumb ass needs a guide sometimes. That said, their bonus chapter was so rage inducing with just how bullshit those puzzles were. I have beaten before, but not without angering myself after a long ass time of trying. I have since forgotten how I ever beat them too, and it has resulted in countless skip button uses since I'd rather not suffer for potential hours.
2. Oooof I'm with ya on the dungeons. I'd go on autopilot too if I had to play through them. Hell if they had spiced it up a little and maybe added some Saw like elements here and there? Maybe have Japan horror movie or urban legend nods? Maybe one dungeon could be a fight on 2chan or some other forum? Maybe a reference to the Red Room would make for a fun dungeon? Perhaps a paranormal encounter or two if you take too long in the areas, like how Persona has the Reaper? Just something, ANYTHING. So boring looking otherwise, hell I zoned out a bit just watching you play through that dungeon.
3. Yeah the ladies really got shafted here job wise. Is it accurate given the setting? Sadly yes. But it certainly sacrifices fun by the look of it. There's a lot they could've gone with. Perhaps a ghost girl job where in you get Necromantic abilities? Why not use a Miko/Priestess job as the ultimate healer class? Maybe a nod to Sailor Moon would be fun given the games takes place the early 2000s from what you've said. A DDR based class might make for an interesting early level bard. Perhaps a Stationary Store employee, with washi tape, school supplies, and various writing utensils would make a decent rogue like class? With teacher perhaps being a step up from that? Hell there were real famous and infamous Yandere anime and visual novel characters running around at this time too. Imagine a class based on THAT, man you'd likely be scary with that one. Hell why not bring all the anime lady tropes as potential classes? Just for the added variety? Better than the current limits I'd argue. Not to mention it still fits the setting.
Addon to 3, I didn't realize that the game's intro started in the year of 2005 or 6, oops. Nevertheless my points stand. Just means there's even more things to work with, and even less excuses to not use them.
4. The music is definitely incredible. As someone who's a sucker for folk type tracks, hearing those duo tracks was a real treat. The bar music was very zen and soothing. And that tower gauntlet track was just awesome. Kind of reminds me of the Diva from Fifth Element when the song goes from opera to pop(or whatever you'd call that genre). I may be a music nerd, but even I struggle when I step out of my main genres of choice. Also yeah the dungeon music definitely sounds nice...but the environment holds it down so badly. Makes it seem way more boring than it actually is. The minor repetition in the track doesn't help either. A little bit of tweaking and environment livening up would've elevated the track for sure.
5. Gaming and media in general really is missing this type of nuisance in their villains. Cus it's sadly very true. Some people who feel othered, hurt enough, victimized enough, will resent that position badly. Rightfully so, but it can lead to a mentality much like Masato's own. They'll feel like they have mask all that they are as a person or what they're going through. They live life assuming everyone else around them is stupid or worse. They stop trusting anyone they don't know until a significant amount of time passes. Above all, they'll do anything to never feel like a victim again, to never BE A VICTIM again. My Dad is one such man. He never hurt anybody like Masato, but he certainly has left some unfortunate damage in his wake. As a freshman, a group of boys he thought were friends, beat the tar out of him. All to toughen him up. After that, he grew far quieter and distant with people. He even told my sisters and I that he wouldn't be surprised if people thought he'd be the next shooter at the time. The worst of it, my sisters, myself, and my Mother all got left with the pieces those children left behind. Pieces of broken glass and sharpened metal in the form of a temper he struggled to control. I can't handle family or friend drama in movies or other media very well because of that. Loud enough shouting or yelling can be a bad trigger for me to this day. I used to cry when anyone I viewed as an authority figure confronted me on something, even if I knew they weren't going to do anything to me. My younger sister is the biggest wallflower I know who struggles to ask for help due to anxiety. I have my Father's temper and his tendency to keep my problems to myself(though I am trying to be more open when I have issues now). My elder sister chose the rebellion path a lot of eldest siblings do, and her life is often a living hell even when she does find stability. I hope this recent batch of it is permanent for her this time too. My Mother, I could say so much. But unlike my Aunt I don't wish to speak on her problems when she isn't here. Call me a hypocrite for it if you want, but when you've had someone apologize to you and say that your Mother wasn't the Mother she should've been, when that same person is far from a good Mother themselves, it sticks with you. I don't think I could forgive the boys, now men, who did that to my Dad. Even if they remember or cared enough to apologize for it. Same goes for my Aunt, who instead of focusing on her own life and actions...would rather judge everyone else because she thinks her way of prayer, that her relationship with God, is the only correct way to live life. Hell she proved me right when managing to figure out I was a witch after weaseling it out of me. I don't even know how she came up with the question she did, but it was enough to make me be honest. She even said witches are evil and of the devil after I said it, then after my Mom said something she immediately backpedaled and said I wasn't evil, but that witchcraft is still evil and of the devil. Lecturing me about the entire viewpoint she had. Even when I had counters from experience, she didn't even care. Not that I expected her to, but it still hurt to be proven so damn right. She hasn't changed, Mom can claim she has all she wants, but it's a lie. That woman wants to be in my life, but can't even accept the truth in front of her. The real me. All she sees...is another convert. A lost child in need of guidance into HER light. Not an ADULT WOMAN with her own life to life who's not even her daughter. She wonders why her daughter barely speaks to her, let alone can't stand the rest of our family. While it does hurt and matter a little bit to me that she'd rather continue to burn the bridges she rebuilds time and time again, I have no desire to be what she wants of me. I know who I am, what I want in life, and where my priorities and loyalties are best placed. She's never been worthy of being in my life. If she can't accept all that I am, if I have to mask around her until she kicks it, so be it. She'll only ever get the bare minimum from me, she's given me much the same anyway. I am a witch whether she likes it or not. I am my own woman, who will not be tied down by her hypocritical life and needs. And I'd rather burn, than be anything of her. If she wants to burn away the things she can't accept, so be it. But with that goes any chance of a true relationship. A stable bridge that isn't always smoldering. Made of ropes that I fully intend to one day cut away myself when the time is right. I refuse to be a quiet shadow for her to question forever. Pardon this massive dump I just...seems my Dad isn't the only one who has similarities to Masato. Fancy that.
Great video which reminded me why i like this game so much. Infinite Wealth was, at least storywise, such a dissapointment in comparison. Also Triplet After Triplet easily one of the best boss themes out there espeacially after the build up in the millenium tower. Edited the correct song name, thanks to Norrabal for correcting me :)
5:31 THANK YOU! OMG, I've been saying this exact thing for YEARS. In fact, it STILL pisses me off to think about what Square-Enix has done to the Final Fantasy franchise.
Truly loved every second of this video. The point about society always blaming individual moral failings instead of trying to change itself was very poignant. Your prose and takes on these sorts of problems is what keeps me coming back to every video over and over. Thank you so much!
Considering this is the first Yakuza, as far as I’m aware, to do the turn based combat thing it makes sense that the devs didn’t make it particularly hard. Haven’t gotten to Infinite Wealth yet, but maybe it’s more difficult?
Tendo winds up his OHKO and if you do enough damage to him before his next turn he doesn’t use it and the aura disappears, still i do agree it would be nice if he game explained that.
I’ve played these almost completely out of order (7,8,0, Lost Judgment,5,1,ishin,6,Gaiden,2,3,Judgment,4) so there’s loads of callbacks I never got in the later games. I think going back and playing Infinite Wealth again would feel a lot different. Had a great time but really can’t explain why I played in the order I did.
Your point about Kiryu being perfect and infalliable highlights something about Yakuza 7, as well as series soft reboots in general that will never not rub me the wrong way. A game series with cumulative history can be an amazing and equally depressing thing, seeing new and interested fans disregard a series's past for one reason or another, to no fault of their own mind you, but still something that makes me irreperably sad nonetheless. Kiryu, as well as the games he's a part of are an immensely important part of my outlook on life and my own developments as a person, and while I completely understand why people would have reservartions about playing 10 or more games to get the full experience, it hurts knowing that my video game hero, as well as his legacy could easily be thrown to the wayside and slowly fade away and be forgotten as the series moves forward with new characters and stories to tell. This isn't to say I don't like Yakuza 7 or Ichiban, however, in fact it's the complete opposite.
Good thoughts. I'm definitely interesting in giving Kiryu another shot, recently started Yakuza 0 over. Right now the main obstacle is that I'm not big on brawlers, hehe...
2:14:21 "Condeming someone off as the sole arbiter of their terrible fate, is fast, easy in an immediate, primal and stupid sort of way, [...]" I think you're talking about the "cognitive miser", it's a well documented psychological phenomenon. Here, have a link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_miser
great vid, man. when I recommend this game to people, I have the tendency to reduce it to the basics of the RPG combat mechanics and job system in a "wacky wahoo" kind of way, hoping that they will gain a better understanding of the messages of the game by playing through it themselves rather than just having me tell them about it. Such a meaningful game. And Ichiban is such a great protagonist. Keep up the great work, as always
It was a hard cut, but I realized there was no way to talk about it without ruining a surprise I otherwise didn't need to talk about. Best song in the game tho.
So excited to watch this. Yakuza 7 is one of my favorite games of all time and I don't see enough people talking about it! I only wish the writing in infinite wealth had been better....
Definitely the best analysis of this game I've seen so far! I am just now realizing how lots of the themes from this game resonate with the current political climate we're living in right now. Looking forward to more videos about other JRPGs, including Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth!
Ichiban being an enabler must be a concept that the writers didn't come across often, I'm sure it would be awesome for them to address that. However, I think your line about that being a fine line (being able to forgive and move on and being an enabler) also makes a fine line for your reasoning being between nuanced or a moral absolutism statement. I don't know what I'm talking about at this point. Gotta make it to the end of the video before it's too late.
The thing about Eri is that she's based off a actual Japanese actress of the same name. It's the Like a Dragon series has a habit of having actual Japanese media figures, surprisingly a lot of them being JAV actresses. This also tho means at those characters typically only ever show up once due to rights of the actor or actress body as well as just getting in the studio again. Given Like a Dragon's history with the Japanese porn industry it's actually not a surprise they had 7's plot be what it is. Edit: Just for the record I don't think Eri herself is a JAV actress, just a standard movie actress, but still falls under the umbrella of Like a Dragon character based off of a real Japanese actor.
Yeah, I found that pretty interesting. I wonder if that's part of why it feels like she was added late into development, and made optional. As in, maybe the decision to include her happened after a lot of scenes where already dubbed and animated.
Just completed the video, loved the sign out "Good luck on your quest." Here's a couple things: do NOT play Infinite Wealth now. I'm currently playing it now and the story is very dependent in the previous games. Sure, it is a continuation and the game makes sure you get the context, but some scenes that are making me smile and cry would not hit the same without living these moments. Second thing, you NEED to play FFXIV, I'm still in Heavensward, but from what I hear and from what I saw from this video of you, you will LOVE Shadowbringers. If you can't or don't wanna play an MMORPG, at least watch a playthrough, Dan from Playframe is doing one of the whole game with the most content possible, iirc including the Dark Knight quests which are the best job quests in the game. There's a free trial that includes Heavensward and StormBlood, has no time restriction. At least give it a shot, just know that the start of the game is not that good, but it really picks up and turns into what some consider the best FF stories, each expansion being both a story of it's own and also a story that progresses the whole FFXIV story. To conclude this, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the game, which just turn out to be almost exactly what you said in your final line: “to ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom - it is indolence." Good luck on your quest too.
Excellent opinions. Excellent game. What a combination. In all seriousness, your message at the end is absolutely true in this bullshit world. Do what you want to do, and be proud of what you have done. I’ll always be a fan because of who you are 🤘🏻
I also felt like the combat was too easy- I'm a Final Fantasy Tactics person, so I enjoy RPG pain. I just wanted to tell you that there are more satisfying and difficult battles available in this games sequel, Infinite Wealth. I suspect the team at RGG was erring more on the side of easier battles for Y7 because of the genre switch from brawler to RPG. My theory is that they didn't want to lock out fans of the prior style. Infinite Wealth is a better mix of optional difficult battles and some very nice tweaks to the combat that address some minor issues like how street weapons kind of don't work right in Y7.
This is one of my favourite games of all time, literally the only problems I have with it are the gendered jobs (which, to be fair, fits with the theme of societal misogyny) and the DLCs (which could be interpreted as highlighting the ability to convert an individual's wealth into an easier life with more features that appear beneficial... at first. However, upon scrutiny they are found not only to be mainly unused by the consumer - but also facilitate further, more egregious transactions for future generations that deprive more and more people of the ability to access more and more benefits. This will facilitate far greater differences in the future that will eventually outgrow the wealth of the individual in question, thereby implying that the very concept of selfish spending is self-destructive and will lead to the downfall of societ... uh... the Yakuza series) im sorry i smoked a big joint good video
I just got through the section on difficulty, not sure if you bring up a thought I had when playing in the vid or not. I think the reason this game is on the easier side is because the other games are brawlers. This may likely be a lot of peoples first turn based RPG and they didn't want to alienate their fan base.
Yeah, that's definitely a good point. I find most Yakuza to be pretty easy in general, since I think the storytelling and 'vibes' are the real priority, so the devs want as many people to experience that as possible.
Thank you based and perfect hindsight Emcee. I think you could keep "calls to action" moments like that, but instead of interrupting it and contradicting it you could say "but please add some actual feedback as well" y'know? :3
After fully completing the corporation mini game, I just really lost a lot of steam with this game. I've been meaning to come back to it, but I swear I find every excuse not to, like watching a 3 hour video about said game. 😅 This was a great review/analysis.
My first play through I pretty much ignored it and everything was fine. I would probably say it was better because I was a bit 'nerfed' and that made me explore my options in combat more.
Really enjoyed this! A few things: 1) RGG Studios had a staff shift shortly after Lost Judgment came out where the series main producer and creator left and the main writer took charge of the studio, meaning he needs support from the Judgment series head writer to write the main scenarios. This is an issue because said writer has some very noticeable quirks and issues. If you dislike all the exposition in LAD, then playing the games this guy wrote since Y6 will drive you up a wall. He had a big role in Infinite Wealth, which might explain how the game would commonly stop so the gang would have a weirdly out of character debate on a political topic he saw on social media that day he wanted to put in the game. The end result is a lot more uneven scripts and thematic bloat - but I do find these stories worth while and with some very high highs. Just go into future games would lower expectations - and maybe some older ones with some "um yikes" that RGG has only started working on after Y0 released in the states. 2) When you mention the dangers out Ichiban's charismatic idealism...you kind of touched upon one of Infinite Wealth's better ideas. Something to look forward to. 3) Gaiden and Infinite Wealth exist deep in the shadow of 6, the worst written in the franchise by a huge margin, so at least watch a recap video or something before playing them, it's an entry worth skipping in my opinion. Tehsnakerer has a great Yakuza series that goes over the mainline games up to 6 I recommend. I *would* recommend playing 2, though, even through the kind of shaky Kiwami remake they did. That game, in particular, has a huge shadow over Gaiden and Infinite Wealth as well, as it's the one that really dives into Kiryu's big flaw - his crippling guilt complex. 4) The Judgment games are extremely uneven (especially the handling of the female cast), but Lost Judgment has a really strong core narrative and possibly the best major "side story" thing any of these games have done, where you have to solve a mystery by helping teens in various school clubs. The boxing story, in particular, is a highlight that even includes a sequence where strong, grown men openly cry and it's treated for actual drama and goes into detail on cycles of abuse and toxic masculinity. 5) Dubs are kind of great since they started Judgment and on. Some substories can be ropey at times but give the dubs in the recent games a shot once in awhile (there should be options to switch between Japanese and English audio at any time). It feels very appropriate for Infinite Wealth, where most of the story is set in Hawaii and even has some American actors involved.
I feel an important part of Yakuza 7's narrative is lost a bit in this video. Bleach Japan sells a beautiful lie. A lie that is, understandably, agreeable on the surface. People whove fell into the grey zones, myself included, tend to view grey zones as good - as a matter of fact a valid criticism of the franchise is how it portrays these parts of the world as noble and just.- Where we see a soapload owner giving desperate women a last chance, the final safety net, others can view a sleazy greedy man profiting off of genuine sex trafficking. And would - understandably - want that man to be punished and his institution shut down. Where we see a poor guy trying to feed his family, we ignore those who are genuinely bad people, and I really can't fault anyone who would support something that looks so good on the surface. Where we see a final safety net, others may simply see the grey zones as a place for criminals to get away with their criminality. They're grey, morally dubious. For every good deed there is another person doing a misdeed. Yakuza 7's narrative stresses to not dehumanize, not to be an absolutist, but when it comes to people, even the act of opposing dehumanizing and absolution makes them fall into dehumanizing rhethoric and absolutist ideals. Its very easy to view yourself as the hero fighting the good fight™️ and to view others as either evil, ignorant, or stupid for not agreeing with you right off the bat.
My time is really precious, I have two amazing adopted twins with there own difficulties, who need a lot of my attention time. A full time job and a wife who would occasionally like to spend time with me. And some health issues of my own. So I get maybe one night of gaming a week, as my form of self care. (This is not a moan, I really do like my life) As a result I am extremely picky about what I play, and don’t have time to 100% full rpgs like I used too. I tried a Yakuza game, and after a hour in, only being able to walk about, I gave up. I want to try like a dragon, but am I going to bounce off again, as it requires to much time and there is too much padding?
I definitely get that! A big benefit of my job that I cherish is that I have the time to play things like this. Between social life and responsibilities even I can only play a few things this big each year. For what it's worth, I think this game is def worth your spare time, even if you don't have much to spare.
Yeaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
I want to see your thoughts on Infinite Wealth. I absolutely despise Yakuza gameplay. I didn't know that until AFTER I bought the series because as much as I hate the gameplay, I love the stories. So I'm slowly playing through all of them one by one and then never touching them again. I'm up to Kiwami 2 in March. I've finished 0 and K1. None of RGG studios' games respects my time and I am already sick of it. But man they tell some great stories.
>Kiryu is too perfect and doesn’t have any flaws yeah ok you lost me right there, no interest in hearing what you have to say about _anyhing_ Yakuza-related if you’re already misreading the games that fucking badly
thank u based hindsight Emcee I won't do what you tell me im an independent thinker
Kiryu is far from a perfect person. He is brash, hypocritical, indecisive despite being so headstrong. He puts his faith in the wrong people.
I've been told that a few times now, so I think I need to give him another chance. Been playing 0 again and loving it, paying more attention to Kiryu's actions.
@@EmceeProphIt Kiryu makes a lot of bad choices. He seems straight forward but is actually really complex. The newest game (8) deep dives into him in a huge way. you might miss out on some of its weight if you haven't played through the games though. Yakuza in my mind is basically a Japanese crime Soap Opera and I love it. Gaiden brought me to tears but I think once again with out all the context of the series it wont hit as hard. I'm a huge fan and was very happy when they went turn based. RGG is still making the other style so I get the best of both worlds.
@@EmceeProphIt Honestly a lot of Kiryu’s flaws come out more throughout the rest of the series (1-6). You see bits of it in zero but it becomes much more apparent as the series goes on and the character has more chance to age and reflect on things that happen.
@CeliriaRose especially in 6, kiryu was crashing out in that game
Definitely agree, to the point that the plot of each of the first 6 games essentially revolves around actions Kiryu took, or, more importantly, didn't take, in the previous entry.
It's here!! Hope ya'll enjoy my biggest analysis yet~ Feel free to comment or ask questions. Love ya nerds!
Huh, I wonder if that was intentional. One of the first lines the Hobo party member says was "if you've got too much pride to crawl, you'll never make it in this world."
And literally, the antagonist's pride shattered because of the reaction of people watching him crawl so hard he created a second identity.
I didn't notice that! Great find.
Just wanna say UA-cam recommended this video to me and I'm so glad it did. I could never really explained why I loved Y7 so much with its many themes but you did it perfectly and more! Earn yourself a new fan and boy I hope the damn algorithm doesn't bury your future content from my feed.
Honestly, as I have gotten older, my love and appreciated for the Yakuza/LAD series has only increased since the first time I played it in middle school. Behind the veneer of wackiness and tough, macho manliness, the core of these games are filled with compassion and empathy for those in society that are looked down and trampled on, and portrays them in a way that doesn’t just dehumanize them as being less than others. Playing these games helped me develop into who I am today and played a part in me developing empathy and understanding growing up. The entire story revolving around the gray zone and the working girls really hit deep for me when I first played 7. These are a group of people that are so vulnerable and have little to no protection, who are shunned from society despite being only there because said society still creates a demand for them. And seeing Bleach Japan and the government demonize them and the dirty tactics they used to deport them, and seeing how utterly devastated Etsuko was when she realized what had happened is, in my opinion, one of the most heartbreaking things to occur in these games so far. And Infinite Wealth does a good job in showing just how much she’s still hurting from those events three years later, and how pointless it was given that those girls suffered for nothing and were used as pariahs for the public to pin the blame on society’s problems on. I hope the next mainline game continues to keep this aspect of the games alive and well, and I hope it influences teens and adults who play these games like it did me.
Beautiful comment. That moment with the deportation also devastated me, felt a wash of serious anger and mourning, realizing this exact thing happens to immigrants just trying to survive all around the world. And that anger comes from a good place, a human place. It's a series that has a lot of important lessons to teach.
ohhh man yakuza 7 was my intro to the series & started a complete obsession for me, it is so close to my heart and i have been BAFFLED at the lack of long form video analysis/essays for it !!! this popped up on my recommended and i'm very excited to watch this over the weekend. thanks for the treat dude
No problem! Hope ya enjoy~
2:18:30
This & your part about homelessness earlier is what makes this channel & you a very unique gem, its heartfelt & passionate analysis. Not just some dude throwing up a quick video.
I'll always love your videos bro.
There's beauty in this script as much as There's beauty in this games script.
10 years later & your writing is still enough to bring a tear to my eye.
I really needed to hear that tonight, friend. Thank you. It means a lot that it reaches people like that.
@@EmceeProphIt The algorithm hasnt treated you right bro.
You've inspired me for years
Just know I recognize what you create here.
Its heartfelt. Its real.
Thankyou for another great video Emcee.
Ill probably fall asleep to this numerous times over the coming years
Still watching, only an half an hour in, but the whole point how much the taste of plain bread can be comforting makes me teary-eyed. Never experienced homelessness myself, but had times in my life when I had barely money left and needed to eat very cheap, tasteless stuff just make the month without starving.
So the idea of eating sth which gives you a feel of normalcy does hit me in the heart.
Thank you all so, so much for the reception this is getting so far, especially the comments. It really means a lot that this is resonating with people. More so than just helping the channel grow (which is super appreciated!) it also reassures me that a lot of people still value the empathy, compassion, and moral action that this series promotes. Keep it up, ya'll.
I CANNOT believe you post this 2 days after I finished Yakuza 7.
What a legend
Im here for it.
This game was phenomenal
Great video, glad i discovered you and your valuable commentary on a game i love, keep up the good work and i’ll stay tuned for your other stuff!
Yay! The Yakuza games are PEAK! Excited for you to dive in. Also you have a great voice, very chill to listen to.
I’ve craved some good yakuza series analysis and my god you have delivered. Thank you!!
Thank you, based and cool hindsight Emcee.
Also, seriously, I'm glad to see you're doing well. I missed your content, and this is exactly what I needed this week.
Very glad to be back!
I think that Kiryu is actually quite a complex character with fairly obvious flaws. I think that perhaps when you play Infinite Wealth which has a large focus on the results of the mistakes Kiryu has made and his grappling with a certain situation then your perspective on him may evolve.
Yakuza LAD was my intro to the entire series, and in fact I didn't play any of Kiryus games until after Infinite Wealth (this creates a very interesting perspective on Kiryus series ofc)
I'll be going into some spoilers about Infinite Wealth, so have a few spaces and everything to avoid them...
Kasuga is a very interesting protagonist, coming off as a big innocent dope thats secretly pretty intelligent and cunning (albeit still crazy lmao). But as you mentioned, he can almost come off as naive too, his entire worldview is based off of kindness and respect for everyone, something that even the greatest people in the world can't claim.
By all means he SHOULD be Masumi, someone whose whole life was ruined because of the actions of another. And he SHOULDN'T forgive someone who attempted to have him assassinated... *repeatedly.*
But he does. And this leads a lot into Infinite Wealths overarching theme... of faith and religion.
Kasuga is literally positioned as an almost jesus-like figure, to the point that among the promotional materials for infinite wealth, they draw off the Last Supper with Ichi right there in the middle, and all his friends surrounding him. With his kindness and humility still being his core defining traits (and his sheer himboness lmao), he's put up against his main protagonist, a literal false prophet for a religious group there in Hawaii.
And as he does that, he also plays a role in preparing Kiryu for what may be the end of his life. Kiryus an old man now, battling cancer. But he's incapable of forgiving himself for all the mistakes he's made through his life, and of caring about himself. Its only through spending real time with Ichiban that Kiryu starts to gain any modicum of self reflection. Eventually the two are split and Kiryu ends up leading another group back in Japan (and has managed to catch Kasugas insanity, seeing baddies transform :P), where HIS ultimate villain is another man who is trying to end the Yakuza entirely, much like Kiryu has tried... repeatedly... in the past. Without Ichibans influence, Kiryu never would have seen Ebina beyond the surface of a scumbag politicing crook, and wouldn't have gotten the closure he needed in his life, crying for forgiveness over Ebina after the final fight.
TL;DR
P L A Y I N F I N I T E W E A L T H
I discovered this game and series last year, you captured everything great and meaningful about it in your analysis, what makes it so special. One of the best, most insightful vids about a piece of media I've ever seen, and you put most other game reviewers to shame. Hats off sir, well done and godspeed on your quest as well.
Congrats on a new vid! Glad to see ya uploading
Amazing analysis, insight, and humor, as always. Thanks for the delightful video!
Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoyed~
I've never played a single game in this series, but I can't help but think that Japanese game devs really like their social commentary, especially (but not only) with turn based RPGs.
It's genuinely a big reason I love JRPGs. Most of them really have something to say~
@@EmceeProphIt Yeah, really makes the story of games like Bravely Default 2 feel even more shallow and tropey when it's contemporaries do such a good job. Although I suppose even the most trope filled god killing JRPGs are still a (sometimes unintentional) form of commentary because of a shared cultural perception on western religion and how "The west" treated Japan in general.
Oh Japan love their social commentary, not just in video games but also the rest of their media.
I actually did my college research report on the humanization in the yakuza series! its a really underrated aspect of the series and I’m glad it’s being brought up more
In college I did a psychological analysis of the cast of Persona 4 for a class, and that was sort of a precursor to doing this stuff for a living, actually!
It’s always a good day when my favorite UA-camr posts a new video!
I swear every video of yours I've ever watched contains some quote that changes my life.
I adore Y7 so much and finding this thorough analysis and review is just what I needed today! Fantastic work :)
Kiryu is presented as perfect but is deeply flawed and not such a simple character, you'll get to see more of it if you dive into the rest of the games
There is something disturbing about someone making a 3h long video about a series while not have played through said series first.
Man it’s good to see you again, dude. I don’t care how long the vid is, I’m already belly-laughing 2:28 in. I needed this. Thank you, Emcee.
Hell yeah~ I love hearing that! I'm glad I took the time off but it's really, really good to be giving peeps stuff to look forward to again.
Seriously this may be one of your best. I need this on a t shirt:
“The next time someone is suffering, and someone else asks ‘Who cares?’ Be the fucking answer.”
That had me in tears. That is what we need. Thank you, man. Thank you.
Subbing for this video!❤ Also ichi is fun, he had a different take..makes you wonder if he has mental health issues but still in a subtle good eay❤
Subbed, hope you make videos about the other games 🙂
I find it funny that you used the term safety net when talking in regards to certain characters, and then the game later states that Ijincho as the social safety net for anyone. It really shows how well the game presents its themes without outright stating it. Just by your pure thought you caught on, its excellent writing on yours and the games end.
Keep doing what you're doing Emcee, You're great. Ichiban is just the best boy.
There’s a part on the story spoiler I’m surprised you didn’t mention about Arakawa and Ichiban’s relationship
I thought about getting into it, but wanted to keep the pacing tight. Which I know is kinda rich when the vids already 3 hours long but ya know XD
Absolutely phenomenal dissection of one of my personal favourite games! I hope that when u get around to playing Infinite Wealth, u enjoy!
Hey there welcome back. Your videos have been missed
I've finished this game literally less than a week ago...the timing of this video is amazing!!
Still at the start of the video, but I gotta say, go back and play the ones you haven't. This series can be described by the word HEART and some of the themes from this one are touched on other games. Homelessness for example shows up on 4, family shows up on all of them but mainly 1, and so on. This series had me sobbing in tears more than once. That being said, there are some things that haven't aged well, one side quest on 1 comes to mind and this series has a problematic portrail of korean and chinese immigrants that I'm not the person to discuss.
There is something disturbing about someone making a 3h long video about a series while not have played through said series first.
My guy Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese say far worse things about each other than anything ever depicted in a Yakuza game. 😂
Incredible video, you have a way with articulating things i thought about the game while playing it
Holy frick your alive.
Loving this so far as always, I'll be updating through replies as I go from here so I don't forget anything.
1. I can certainly understand and definitely appreciate the idea of taking your words on rpg difficulty with a pinch of salt. Especially as someone who can't stand the genre because I just can't nail these mechanics for anything. I played Miitopia on Auto, that should tell you something. That's said, not all genres have equal difficulty throughout their games. Just look at the Hidden/Scattered Object genre. These games will either beat over the head with moon logic, drive you insane because you can barely tell what it is you need to find or where it is, or just be a complete cake walk. There is so much variation between series and even single games in said series, that difficulty being too much in some cases can absolutely be stated. I'm absolutely dumb sometimes when I play these games, even if I've played them several times, and I can still say with certainty what parts are my own fault vs the game devs being unfair or just sadistic. Mystery Case Files, for as much as I enjoy the atmosphere, soundtrack, and some SOME parts of the story, is among the worst offenders of this. Dracula Love Kills is another big offender. The main game is perfectly fine in terms of difficulty, even if my dumb ass needs a guide sometimes. That said, their bonus chapter was so rage inducing with just how bullshit those puzzles were. I have beaten before, but not without angering myself after a long ass time of trying. I have since forgotten how I ever beat them too, and it has resulted in countless skip button uses since I'd rather not suffer for potential hours.
2. Oooof I'm with ya on the dungeons. I'd go on autopilot too if I had to play through them. Hell if they had spiced it up a little and maybe added some Saw like elements here and there? Maybe have Japan horror movie or urban legend nods? Maybe one dungeon could be a fight on 2chan or some other forum? Maybe a reference to the Red Room would make for a fun dungeon? Perhaps a paranormal encounter or two if you take too long in the areas, like how Persona has the Reaper? Just something, ANYTHING. So boring looking otherwise, hell I zoned out a bit just watching you play through that dungeon.
3. Yeah the ladies really got shafted here job wise. Is it accurate given the setting? Sadly yes. But it certainly sacrifices fun by the look of it.
There's a lot they could've gone with. Perhaps a ghost girl job where in you get Necromantic abilities? Why not use a Miko/Priestess job as the ultimate healer class? Maybe a nod to Sailor Moon would be fun given the games takes place the early 2000s from what you've said. A DDR based class might make for an interesting early level bard. Perhaps a Stationary Store employee, with washi tape, school supplies, and various writing utensils would make a decent rogue like class? With teacher perhaps being a step up from that? Hell there were real famous and infamous Yandere anime and visual novel characters running around at this time too. Imagine a class based on THAT, man you'd likely be scary with that one. Hell why not bring all the anime lady tropes as potential classes? Just for the added variety? Better than the current limits I'd argue. Not to mention it still fits the setting.
Addon to 3, I didn't realize that the game's intro started in the year of 2005 or 6, oops. Nevertheless my points stand. Just means there's even more things to work with, and even less excuses to not use them.
4. The music is definitely incredible. As someone who's a sucker for folk type tracks, hearing those duo tracks was a real treat. The bar music was very zen and soothing. And that tower gauntlet track was just awesome. Kind of reminds me of the Diva from Fifth Element when the song goes from opera to pop(or whatever you'd call that genre). I may be a music nerd, but even I struggle when I step out of my main genres of choice. Also yeah the dungeon music definitely sounds nice...but the environment holds it down so badly. Makes it seem way more boring than it actually is. The minor repetition in the track doesn't help either. A little bit of tweaking and environment livening up would've elevated the track for sure.
5. Gaming and media in general really is missing this type of nuisance in their villains. Cus it's sadly very true. Some people who feel othered, hurt enough, victimized enough, will resent that position badly. Rightfully so, but it can lead to a mentality much like Masato's own. They'll feel like they have mask all that they are as a person or what they're going through. They live life assuming everyone else around them is stupid or worse. They stop trusting anyone they don't know until a significant amount of time passes. Above all, they'll do anything to never feel like a victim again, to never BE A VICTIM again. My Dad is one such man. He never hurt anybody like Masato, but he certainly has left some unfortunate damage in his wake.
As a freshman, a group of boys he thought were friends, beat the tar out of him. All to toughen him up. After that, he grew far quieter and distant with people. He even told my sisters and I that he wouldn't be surprised if people thought he'd be the next shooter at the time. The worst of it, my sisters, myself, and my Mother all got left with the pieces those children left behind. Pieces of broken glass and sharpened metal in the form of a temper he struggled to control. I can't handle family or friend drama in movies or other media very well because of that. Loud enough shouting or yelling can be a bad trigger for me to this day. I used to cry when anyone I viewed as an authority figure confronted me on something, even if I knew they weren't going to do anything to me. My younger sister is the biggest wallflower I know who struggles to ask for help due to anxiety. I have my Father's temper and his tendency to keep my problems to myself(though I am trying to be more open when I have issues now). My elder sister chose the rebellion path a lot of eldest siblings do, and her life is often a living hell even when she does find stability. I hope this recent batch of it is permanent for her this time too. My Mother, I could say so much. But unlike my Aunt I don't wish to speak on her problems when she isn't here. Call me a hypocrite for it if you want, but when you've had someone apologize to you and say that your Mother wasn't the Mother she should've been, when that same person is far from a good Mother themselves, it sticks with you. I don't think I could forgive the boys, now men, who did that to my Dad. Even if they remember or cared enough to apologize for it. Same goes for my Aunt, who instead of focusing on her own life and actions...would rather judge everyone else because she thinks her way of prayer, that her relationship with God, is the only correct way to live life.
Hell she proved me right when managing to figure out I was a witch after weaseling it out of me. I don't even know how she came up with the question she did, but it was enough to make me be honest. She even said witches are evil and of the devil after I said it, then after my Mom said something she immediately backpedaled and said I wasn't evil, but that witchcraft is still evil and of the devil. Lecturing me about the entire viewpoint she had. Even when I had counters from experience, she didn't even care. Not that I expected her to, but it still hurt to be proven so damn right. She hasn't changed, Mom can claim she has all she wants, but it's a lie. That woman wants to be in my life, but can't even accept the truth in front of her. The real me. All she sees...is another convert. A lost child in need of guidance into HER light. Not an ADULT WOMAN with her own life to life who's not even her daughter. She wonders why her daughter barely speaks to her, let alone can't stand the rest of our family. While it does hurt and matter a little bit to me that she'd rather continue to burn the bridges she rebuilds time and time again, I have no desire to be what she wants of me. I know who I am, what I want in life, and where my priorities and loyalties are best placed. She's never been worthy of being in my life. If she can't accept all that I am, if I have to mask around her until she kicks it, so be it. She'll only ever get the bare minimum from me, she's given me much the same anyway. I am a witch whether she likes it or not. I am my own woman, who will not be tied down by her hypocritical life and needs. And I'd rather burn, than be anything of her. If she wants to burn away the things she can't accept, so be it. But with that goes any chance of a true relationship. A stable bridge that isn't always smoldering. Made of ropes that I fully intend to one day cut away myself when the time is right. I refuse to be a quiet shadow for her to question forever.
Pardon this massive dump I just...seems my Dad isn't the only one who has similarities to Masato. Fancy that.
oohh hell yes! this one's been cookin' a while, and what a delicious simmer it's got. thank you for this, emcee >:)
Was full on board until you bESmiRCHeD karaoke!!
Fight me~
Its steadily getting up there Emcee, im glad its doing okay so far.
Ive finished this thru about 4 or 5 times already
Great video which reminded me why i like this game so much. Infinite Wealth was, at least storywise, such a dissapointment in comparison. Also Triplet After Triplet easily one of the best boss themes out there espeacially after the build up in the millenium tower.
Edited the correct song name, thanks to Norrabal for correcting me :)
Its called triplet after triplet, not overcoming the dragon,
Infinite wealth btw, is awesome.
5:31
THANK YOU! OMG, I've been saying this exact thing for YEARS. In fact, it STILL pisses me off to think about what Square-Enix has done to the Final Fantasy franchise.
Thanks based and cool hindsight Emcee! Great video thus far!
YAY new video!
Truly loved every second of this video. The point about society always blaming individual moral failings instead of trying to change itself was very poignant. Your prose and takes on these sorts of problems is what keeps me coming back to every video over and over. Thank you so much!
Thank you for the super kind comment! I'm really glad the message is resonating with people.
Considering this is the first Yakuza, as far as I’m aware, to do the turn based combat thing it makes sense that the devs didn’t make it particularly hard. Haven’t gotten to Infinite Wealth yet, but maybe it’s more difficult?
Tendo winds up his OHKO and if you do enough damage to him before his next turn he doesn’t use it and the aura disappears, still i do agree it would be nice if he game explained that.
Ah! Yeah I didn't catch that either. I assumed I had to go on the defensive.
GASP! A video I definitely wasn't the first commenter on because of previewing it early?! Holy shiiiiiiit
I appreciate this because I feel like the story in LaD is much, much stronger than Infinite Wealth.
THE RETURN OF THE MONARCH
Absolutely fantastic video Emcee.
I’ve played these almost completely out of order (7,8,0, Lost Judgment,5,1,ishin,6,Gaiden,2,3,Judgment,4) so there’s loads of callbacks I never got in the later games.
I think going back and playing Infinite Wealth again would feel a lot different.
Had a great time but really can’t explain why I played in the order I did.
Your point about Kiryu being perfect and infalliable highlights something about Yakuza 7, as well as series soft reboots in general that will never not rub me the wrong way. A game series with cumulative history can be an amazing and equally depressing thing, seeing new and interested fans disregard a series's past for one reason or another, to no fault of their own mind you, but still something that makes me irreperably sad nonetheless. Kiryu, as well as the games he's a part of are an immensely important part of my outlook on life and my own developments as a person, and while I completely understand why people would have reservartions about playing 10 or more games to get the full experience, it hurts knowing that my video game hero, as well as his legacy could easily be thrown to the wayside and slowly fade away and be forgotten as the series moves forward with new characters and stories to tell. This isn't to say I don't like Yakuza 7 or Ichiban, however, in fact it's the complete opposite.
Good thoughts. I'm definitely interesting in giving Kiryu another shot, recently started Yakuza 0 over.
Right now the main obstacle is that I'm not big on brawlers, hehe...
As a fan of both beat em ups and turn based jrpgs I love this series and I always try to do every sub story in these games on first play through
2:14:21 "Condeming someone off as the sole arbiter of their terrible fate, is fast, easy in an immediate, primal and stupid sort of way, [...]" I think you're talking about the "cognitive miser", it's a well documented psychological phenomenon. Here, have a link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_miser
great vid, man. when I recommend this game to people, I have the tendency to reduce it to the basics of the RPG combat mechanics and job system in a "wacky wahoo" kind of way, hoping that they will gain a better understanding of the messages of the game by playing through it themselves rather than just having me tell them about it. Such a meaningful game. And Ichiban is such a great protagonist.
Keep up the great work, as always
I'm amazed you didn't talk about receive and turn you. That is a banger and a half
It was a hard cut, but I realized there was no way to talk about it without ruining a surprise I otherwise didn't need to talk about.
Best song in the game tho.
2:32:20 shoutout to Bud Bear he a real one
So excited to watch this. Yakuza 7 is one of my favorite games of all time and I don't see enough people talking about it! I only wish the writing in infinite wealth had been better....
The best business minigame is the Cabaret Club Manager from 0 and Kiwami 2. A management game you play despite it not being good for money.
oh shit here we go!
The way it treats homelessness is really interesting! I hadn't yet seen a game cover it in such a nuanced way!
My tier list has Yakuza 7 right alongside Yakuza 0 in the top rank. I love this game a lot.
Definitely the best analysis of this game I've seen so far! I am just now realizing how lots of the themes from this game resonate with the current political climate we're living in right now. Looking forward to more videos about other JRPGs, including Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth!
Ichiban being an enabler must be a concept that the writers didn't come across often, I'm sure it would be awesome for them to address that. However, I think your line about that being a fine line (being able to forgive and move on and being an enabler) also makes a fine line for your reasoning being between nuanced or a moral absolutism statement.
I don't know what I'm talking about at this point. Gotta make it to the end of the video before it's too late.
The thing about Eri is that she's based off a actual Japanese actress of the same name. It's the Like a Dragon series has a habit of having actual Japanese media figures, surprisingly a lot of them being JAV actresses. This also tho means at those characters typically only ever show up once due to rights of the actor or actress body as well as just getting in the studio again. Given Like a Dragon's history with the Japanese porn industry it's actually not a surprise they had 7's plot be what it is.
Edit: Just for the record I don't think Eri herself is a JAV actress, just a standard movie actress, but still falls under the umbrella of Like a Dragon character based off of a real Japanese actor.
Yeah, I found that pretty interesting. I wonder if that's part of why it feels like she was added late into development, and made optional. As in, maybe the decision to include her happened after a lot of scenes where already dubbed and animated.
Amazing video. Please make one on the other yakuza games too
two hours long like a dragon vid? xmas came early this year!
Impresssive that you didnt mention *big spoiler alert* the plot twist regarding the ichiban-masato switcheroo
Emcee, i noticed you had 'Departure For Hope' from Shenmue playing at 2:33:25. Have you played those games?
Enjoying this so far! Have to ask tho how often do you get told you sound kinda like John Goodman?
A few times hehe. I've been compared to a few voice actors too.
Just completed the video, loved the sign out "Good luck on your quest." Here's a couple things: do NOT play Infinite Wealth now. I'm currently playing it now and the story is very dependent in the previous games. Sure, it is a continuation and the game makes sure you get the context, but some scenes that are making me smile and cry would not hit the same without living these moments.
Second thing, you NEED to play FFXIV, I'm still in Heavensward, but from what I hear and from what I saw from this video of you, you will LOVE Shadowbringers. If you can't or don't wanna play an MMORPG, at least watch a playthrough, Dan from Playframe is doing one of the whole game with the most content possible, iirc including the Dark Knight quests which are the best job quests in the game. There's a free trial that includes Heavensward and StormBlood, has no time restriction. At least give it a shot, just know that the start of the game is not that good, but it really picks up and turns into what some consider the best FF stories, each expansion being both a story of it's own and also a story that progresses the whole FFXIV story. To conclude this, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the game, which just turn out to be almost exactly what you said in your final line: “to ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom - it is indolence." Good luck on your quest too.
Maybe I'm hearing things, but did you add Elden Ring background noises?
Oh yeah! I used some of the ambient tracks as background music. It's a got a good, contemplative vibe to it.
Excellent opinions. Excellent game. What a combination. In all seriousness, your message at the end is absolutely true in this bullshit world. Do what you want to do, and be proud of what you have done. I’ll always be a fan because of who you are 🤘🏻
Thank you man! This comment made my night :D
Don't worry a lot of mechanical issues were fixed in 8, positioning control and aoe being screwed over by movement incouded
Good video!!!
Don't worry about the algorithm. If you make good content like this, people will find you and stick.
You make a subscribe here!
Thank you! I'll stay motivated. :)
I also felt like the combat was too easy- I'm a Final Fantasy Tactics person, so I enjoy RPG pain.
I just wanted to tell you that there are more satisfying and difficult battles available in this games sequel, Infinite Wealth.
I suspect the team at RGG was erring more on the side of easier battles for Y7 because of the genre switch from brawler to RPG. My theory is that they didn't want to lock out fans of the prior style.
Infinite Wealth is a better mix of optional difficult battles and some very nice tweaks to the combat that address some minor issues like how street weapons kind of don't work right in Y7.
Great work!
Thank you based and cool Emcee. This is going to take so many shit breaks at work to finish. But i will fight the battle
Wait, did I just make two comments on the opposite side of intelligence?
I pressed like before even starting the video
Thank you based and cool hindsight emcee hold on now you're telling me to stop but I already started typing oh well
This is one of my favourite games of all time, literally the only problems I have with it are the gendered jobs (which, to be fair, fits with the theme of societal misogyny) and the DLCs (which could be interpreted as highlighting the ability to convert an individual's wealth into an easier life with more features that appear beneficial... at first. However, upon scrutiny they are found not only to be mainly unused by the consumer - but also facilitate further, more egregious transactions for future generations that deprive more and more people of the ability to access more and more benefits. This will facilitate far greater differences in the future that will eventually outgrow the wealth of the individual in question, thereby implying that the very concept of selfish spending is self-destructive and will lead to the downfall of societ... uh... the Yakuza series)
im sorry i smoked a big joint good video
I just got through the section on difficulty, not sure if you bring up a thought I had when playing in the vid or not. I think the reason this game is on the easier side is because the other games are brawlers. This may likely be a lot of peoples first turn based RPG and they didn't want to alienate their fan base.
Yeah, that's definitely a good point. I find most Yakuza to be pretty easy in general, since I think the storytelling and 'vibes' are the real priority, so the devs want as many people to experience that as possible.
Just finished the video and I really liked your analysis on the game and pretty much agree with you on everything
34:58 oh boy you will like the sequel
Thank you based and perfect hindsight Emcee.
I think you could keep "calls to action" moments like that, but instead of interrupting it and contradicting it you could say "but please add some actual feedback as well" y'know? :3
And yes, your videos are always looked forward to 💞
Thank you!! It always means a lot to hear that~
After fully completing the corporation mini game, I just really lost a lot of steam with this game. I've been meaning to come back to it, but I swear I find every excuse not to, like watching a 3 hour video about said game. 😅
This was a great review/analysis.
My first play through I pretty much ignored it and everything was fine. I would probably say it was better because I was a bit 'nerfed' and that made me explore my options in combat more.
Really enjoyed this! A few things:
1) RGG Studios had a staff shift shortly after Lost Judgment came out where the series main producer and creator left and the main writer took charge of the studio, meaning he needs support from the Judgment series head writer to write the main scenarios. This is an issue because said writer has some very noticeable quirks and issues. If you dislike all the exposition in LAD, then playing the games this guy wrote since Y6 will drive you up a wall. He had a big role in Infinite Wealth, which might explain how the game would commonly stop so the gang would have a weirdly out of character debate on a political topic he saw on social media that day he wanted to put in the game. The end result is a lot more uneven scripts and thematic bloat - but I do find these stories worth while and with some very high highs. Just go into future games would lower expectations - and maybe some older ones with some "um yikes" that RGG has only started working on after Y0 released in the states.
2) When you mention the dangers out Ichiban's charismatic idealism...you kind of touched upon one of Infinite Wealth's better ideas. Something to look forward to.
3) Gaiden and Infinite Wealth exist deep in the shadow of 6, the worst written in the franchise by a huge margin, so at least watch a recap video or something before playing them, it's an entry worth skipping in my opinion. Tehsnakerer has a great Yakuza series that goes over the mainline games up to 6 I recommend. I *would* recommend playing 2, though, even through the kind of shaky Kiwami remake they did. That game, in particular, has a huge shadow over Gaiden and Infinite Wealth as well, as it's the one that really dives into Kiryu's big flaw - his crippling guilt complex.
4) The Judgment games are extremely uneven (especially the handling of the female cast), but Lost Judgment has a really strong core narrative and possibly the best major "side story" thing any of these games have done, where you have to solve a mystery by helping teens in various school clubs. The boxing story, in particular, is a highlight that even includes a sequence where strong, grown men openly cry and it's treated for actual drama and goes into detail on cycles of abuse and toxic masculinity.
5) Dubs are kind of great since they started Judgment and on. Some substories can be ropey at times but give the dubs in the recent games a shot once in awhile (there should be options to switch between Japanese and English audio at any time). It feels very appropriate for Infinite Wealth, where most of the story is set in Hawaii and even has some American actors involved.
Hindsight 20/20
Iktr.
I feel an important part of Yakuza 7's narrative is lost a bit in this video.
Bleach Japan sells a beautiful lie. A lie that is, understandably, agreeable on the surface. People whove fell into the grey zones, myself included, tend to view grey zones as good - as a matter of fact a valid criticism of the franchise is how it portrays these parts of the world as noble and just.-
Where we see a soapload owner giving desperate women a last chance, the final safety net, others can view a sleazy greedy man profiting off of genuine sex trafficking. And would - understandably - want that man to be punished and his institution shut down.
Where we see a poor guy trying to feed his family, we ignore those who are genuinely bad people, and I really can't fault anyone who would support something that looks so good on the surface.
Where we see a final safety net, others may simply see the grey zones as a place for criminals to get away with their criminality. They're grey, morally dubious. For every good deed there is another person doing a misdeed.
Yakuza 7's narrative stresses to not dehumanize, not to be an absolutist, but when it comes to people, even the act of opposing dehumanizing and absolution makes them fall into dehumanizing rhethoric and absolutist ideals.
Its very easy to view yourself as the hero fighting the good fight™️ and to view others as either evil, ignorant, or stupid for not agreeing with you right off the bat.
My time is really precious, I have two amazing adopted twins with there own difficulties, who need a lot of my attention time. A full time job and a wife who would occasionally like to spend time with me. And some health issues of my own. So I get maybe one night of gaming a week, as my form of self care. (This is not a moan, I really do like my life)
As a result I am extremely picky about what I play, and don’t have time to 100% full rpgs like I used too. I tried a Yakuza game, and after a hour in, only being able to walk about, I gave up. I want to try like a dragon, but am I going to bounce off again, as it requires to much time and there is too much padding?
I definitely get that! A big benefit of my job that I cherish is that I have the time to play things like this. Between social life and responsibilities even I can only play a few things this big each year.
For what it's worth, I think this game is def worth your spare time, even if you don't have much to spare.
Yeaaaah
Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube
Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good
Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube
Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
Yeha, not the first hour. Still works
hehee, BJ stands for somethong else than "Bleach Japan"~~
I want to see your thoughts on Infinite Wealth. I absolutely despise Yakuza gameplay. I didn't know that until AFTER I bought the series because as much as I hate the gameplay, I love the stories. So I'm slowly playing through all of them one by one and then never touching them again. I'm up to Kiwami 2 in March. I've finished 0 and K1.
None of RGG studios' games respects my time and I am already sick of it. But man they tell some great stories.
>Kiryu is too perfect and doesn’t have any flaws
yeah ok you lost me right there, no interest in hearing what you have to say about _anyhing_ Yakuza-related if you’re already misreading the games that fucking badly
Bless!!
I despise the current writing in the Yakuza game all the Takeshi Miike inspiration is long gone, replace with this soap level writing.