Stray Gods is a fully-fledged interactive musical where your choices can mean life or death. Despite a strong opening (you have seven days to prove your innocence), the first half didn’t quite win me over. But the second half delivered scenes that will stay with me for a long time. At one point, I even had a tear in my eye – and that doesn’t happen often. Even if the audiovisual style isn't your thing, it's worth giving Stray Gods a shot simply because the story is on par with Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us. Saying goodbye to these characters won’t be easy.
From a narrative perspective, Yakuza 6 stands a class above other entries in the series, coming close to the level of Yakuza 0. The story here is more personal, and the ending is monumental and heart-wrenching. However, I just couldn’t bring myself to clear the map of side missions. The main story is simply so good that it killed my desire to play Yakuza the “right” way, which involves engaging with everything outside of the main plot. Every hallmark element of the series is present here and done at least very well, and the storyline is a true masterpiece.
A fascinating, multi-layered detective plot lies buried beneath an array of side activities. These range from substories and rhythm-based minigames to robust side quests where we take on roles such as a taxi driver or a hunter. To witness the best scenes in this game, you have to invest a significant amount of time, tediously gaining new abilities and battling legions of enemies. However, since these are side activities, they are optional. Either way, Yakuza 5 is a merciless time-consumer. Those who take on this game, though, won't regret it.
Out of all Yakuza games so far, this one was the most tiresome of all. Still, it remains a compelling title, particularly for its engaging plot. The finale, in particular, is a small masterpiece! All that comes with a couple of tracks that have found a permanent spot in my playlist even outside the gaming realm. If only you didn't have to walk so much everywhere... Underground and 'overground' city sections also contribute to this issue. Despite that, Yakuza 4 is a good mafia story. As I progress through the series, there's a growing sense that subsequent entries may not bring as much surprise. However, this sentiment can be deceiving.
After enjoying the impressive Kiwami 2, my expectations for Yakuza 3 were rather low. This installment feels rather dated, not only due to its (albeit remastered) graphics but primarily in its gameplay mechanics. The combat system could easily be condensed into one repetitive combo and a few heat actions, and the user interface should have been rebuilt from scratch. Additionally, many plot threads fail to come together cohesively. Despite these shortcomings, the game does have its moments where I genuinely cared about its characters. Furthermore, the storytelling shows improvement compared to the previous entry in the series. Yakuza 3 can be vexing and tedious, yet it manages to be oddly addictive at the same time.
At first glance Ori is little more than an enjoyable game for kids, but it's something more. It is, above all, a diabolically intelligent metroidvania where cleaning the map from absolutely everything is a ton of fun. And under the hood of a fairy-tale-like graphics and music there is a story not just about parenthood, but also about loss. There are few cutscenes but they're not only wrap their fingers around your heart. They almost crush it in a vise. I recommend it, not only to children.
