Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Overall: 8/10
Story:
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life delivers one of the series' most personal and intimate stories, standing out as a refreshing shift in tone and scope. The smaller, tighter narrative feels especially well-paced, particularly coming right off Y5’s sprawling, often bloated storyline. Here, there’s little to no filler, and the story unfolds with a clear focus that avoids the labyrinthine web of twists that defined the PS3-era games. The twists that DO appear felt impactful and well-executed, providing intrigue without feeling overwhelming.
I thought that the central mystery of Onomichi and its “secret” was a very cool plot element without feeling unrealistically spectacular. As someone who loves history and alternative history, I found this plotline deeply engaging. The way it subtly incorporates real-world consequences Japan faced after WWII, particularly the lingering effects of demilitarization, raises political and historical questions that extend far beyond the Yakuza universe, giving the story another layer of depth and weight. That said, I can see how this might feel unsatisfying for players seeking something more contained within the Yakuza world.
Initially, I thought the Hirose Family would be knockoffs of Y3’s Ryudo Family, but they quickly proved to be their own unique group. The game invests time in showing, not telling, why you should care about them. Their individuality, chemistry, and balance of humorous and heroic moments make them some of the most captivating new characters in recent entries.
However, while it was nice to see fresh, memorable faces, I felt that Y6 fell short as "the end of Kiryu's saga" when it came to the series' staple characters. Majima, Saejima, Akiyama, and others from the legendary cast have minimal screen time, leaving the story feeling somewhat incomplete. For me personally, their lack of involvement diminished some of the emotional weight of what was meant to be Kiryu’s final journey.
Additionally, the finale itself, while thematically appropriate, lacked the spectacular, cathartic energy typical of Yakuza climaxes. Facing a character like Iwami, a modern-era "wannabe Yakuza" with daddy issues, DID encapsulate the series' commentary on how the Yakuza world has evolved. Still, it felt underwhelming for the final boss of Kiryu's saga. For such a pivotal moment, I wanted Kiryu to face a more formidable and symbolic opponent.
Finally, the ending left me unsatisfied. Knowing Kiryu appears in later games softens the blow, but it’s clear this was intended to be his sendoff. The open-ended conclusion doesn’t feel fitting for a character of Kiryu’s stature, especially when the familiar cast appears so tacked on at the end. The symbolism is clear, but it generally lacked the emotional resolution I’d hoped for after such a long and impactful journey with him.
Gameplay:
Y6 marks a major turning point for the series as the first game built on the Dragon Engine, and it shows in both its strengths and weaknesses. One of the best features is the ragdoll physics, which i prefer over YK2's, as they feel far more weighty and grounded here. Every punch, throw, and collision has a visceral sense of impact that adds to the immersion, though the game is not without its flaws.
Unfortunately, the combat variety takes a hit. While I may be in the minority that actually enjoys Kiryu's early Dragon Engine combat (despite them nerfing Tiger Drop), Y6 does severely lack the plethora of Heat Actions you'd expect by this point in the series. While the Heat Actions that are present are undeniably cool, they are pretty much the same as in YK2 and the Extreme Heat Actions feel pretty unrewarding, leaving the gameplay feeling somewhat repetitive. This is also the debut of Extreme Heat Mode, which should have been a game-changer; However, it also feels much weaker and less satisfying than in YK2. The combat often feels designed around Extreme Heat, but its underwhelming implementation leaves much to be desired. Additionally, the bounce-back mechanic when attacking a blocking enemy is just as irritating as it was in YK2.
On a more positive note, the Dragon Engine introduces several quality-of-life improvements. Random encounter enemies are now marked on the minimap, making it far easier to avoid unwanted fights. When you do engage in these battles, the transitions are seamless and natural, eliminating the jarring load screen/setup of previous entries. Y6 also introduces the hunger system previously seen in YK2.
My favorite gameplay highlight of Y6 is certainly its fully voice-acted substories, which is a first and only for the series. This elevates the storytelling and makes every side quest more engaging to experience. It’s a shame, though, that the game lacks some of the best minigames from the series. The absence of staples like gambling, fishing, bowling, and others is a glaring omission that detracts from the overall experience.
World:
Y6 does an excellent job of breathing new life into its world, delivering a mix of nostalgia, innovation, and detailed immersion. While it’s a bit disappointing to lose access to certain parts of the map that we’ve explored in previous games, I personally feel like Kamurocho makes up for it with its vibrancy and attention to detail. The sheer number of enterable locations brings a living vibe to the city that surpasses even YK2.
There’s just something special about returning to familiar locations with updated graphics. After playing through Yakuza 3, 4, and 5, stepping back into Kamurocho feels like visiting an old hometown, but it's now shining brighter and more alive than ever. The visual fidelity in Y6 is very fun to explore, as every neon-lit street corner and gritty alleyway feel more immersive than before.
Onomichi, while not my favorite city in the series, deserves recognition for the variety and character it adds to the game and to the Yakuza universe as a whole. Its charm lies in its slower, more intimate atmosphere, providing a contrast to Kamurocho's urban chaos. It might not top my personal list of favorite cities, but I can’t deny how much it enriches the game’s universe and narrative.
One of the most significant innovations in Y6’s world design is the seamless transitions between interiors and exteriors. For the first time in the series (and chronologically, the first since YK2), moving in and out of buildings happens without loading screens. This feature not only enhances immersion but also makes exploration smoother, more engaging and more natural.
Visuals:
Despite Y6's status as the engine's debut, the game delivers visuals that are nothing short of stunning. From the vibrant streets of Kamurocho to the serene beauty of Onomichi, every environment is brought to life with incredible detail. The lighting, reflections, and environmental textures all work together to create a level of immersion that's breathtaking, making it feel like you’re truly walking through these beautiful cities.
One of Yakuza's long-standing strengths is its masterfully crafted cutscenes, and Y6 proudly upholds this tradition. The cinematic sequences are impeccably directed, with a level of polish and attention to detail that rivals films. The character models are rendered with extraordinary care, capturing subtle facial expressions and emotions that elevate the storytelling to another level.
Music/Sound Design:
The OST is an absolutely underrated gem in the series, delivering a perfect blend of emotional depth and high-energy tracks. The music elevates every moment and perfectly captures the game's themes of family, sacrifice, and resilience. The sound design is immaculate too, with ambient city noises and impactful fight effects immersing you in Kamurocho and Onomichi like never before. "Destiny" is one of my favorite songs in the whole series, and for me, the OST is probably one of the best in the franchise.

Played Yakuza 0, loved it.
Played Judgment, loved it.
Played this Yakuza: Like A Dragon, loved it.
Played Yakuza Kiwami, loved it.
Played Yakuza Kiwami 2, loved it.
Played Yakuza 3, loved it.
Played Yakuza 4, loved it.
Played Yakuza 5, loved it.
Played this game, love it.

great story about depressed guy who found out more depressed plot in his life. Very recommended

Yakuza 6 is the "final game" on the original saga of Kazuma Kiryu, and it remained as such for several years before RGG picked it back up on Gaiden. Even so, I'm pretty sure at that time they were treating this game as the final game to be telling the story or the Dragon of Dojima. It also released after Yakuza 0 was made, as such, this game aims to wrap up the entire story arch they had built up prior.

The game uses the "Dragon Engine", a new engine that revamped and replaced the base framework they were using before, and it is immediately noticeable how different it is. If you've played Kiwami 2 then it won't be as much of a surprise, but the jump from 5 to 6 is very drastic (even though 5 already showed many great advancements).

Now unfortunately I'm not sure of the exact reason but Y6 is a little bit polarizing when taken as a whole. On one side, the graphics revamp and story are fantastic, almost every single dialogue is voice acted (besides some minor inner thoughts by Kiryu). All of these are great factors. Unfortunately in the side content department it lacks a lot that earlier entries had as a default. While it has a few new minigames proper to it, a lot of classic side activities are missing. I still greatly enjoyed the game but I did feel like part of the usual Yakuza fun factor was missing. Perhaps its due to the tone of the game? Though this had not stopped them before. Also, there's a distinct lack of interactable NPCs, I suppose due to them aiming to voice most characters, a bit of charm is lost due to this in my opinion.

Besides the previous point, the game is still highly enjoyable. The new city of Onomichi has a completely different vibe from previous cities in the series, its a more relaxed town that tells it's own story, despite not sharing many facilities like one is used to, it's still very enjoyable to roam around in.

Sharing a final topic about the completion aspect, overall its nowhere near as hard nor long like some of the previous titles, however there are a number of activities which require a LOT of grinding for no apparent reason. It's not just doing a certain activity until you get good, but rather repeating the same thing over and over to meet a certain number of times executed. I found it quite annoying and not many previous titles ask anything similar to this degree, given that this type of grinding is needed for a number different activities.

Overall, of course I love it and I appreciate it in somehow closing the story arc for Kiryu, the ending not being all painted pink adds to the struggle that the series hopes to convey, Knowing that it was made as a send of fills me with emotion with the ending. Of course, playing this on 2025 I know the story is not quite over, so I'm eagerly awaiting to get to the next games soon enough.

Yakuza 6 has a bit of a padding issue, but I still really enjoyed it. Please remember this as I get critical later. The 'dragon engine' is just so crispy clean and I really like how the combat feels. Beyond that seeing Kiryu interact with the child, his desire to do right by Haruka, it's cliche maybe but it was effective at immediately making me invested. After so many games having Haruka's life hanging in the balance, the future of her child it was all immediately captivating. I had become invested in Haruka, and in turn, her child. My problem arises from Kiryu who I felt acted out of character. That he didn't see Haruta as his grandchild after admitting that Haruka was like a daughter to him. Haruta felt like a plot object and not a kid who is by all rights Kiryu's fucking grandchild. My problems with the story were compounded by villains that were so evil they lacked even basic survival instinct. This led to the ending falling flat, and feeling extremely forced. It almost felt like the plot was contriving a way to keep Kiryu from killing anyone which is still so stupid of a fucking plot point that it astounds me. I know its a meme at this point but it's so stupid of a decision that it astounds me. He fires a god damn rocket at a helicopter not ten minutes after it was lampshaded that he doesnt kill people. I havent even touched on the bugs, one in particular has been a known issue for three years and can block main story progress. Overall it just... didn't feel story nor polish wise as good as the others.

A damn fine ending to the main series from 0 to 6, quite the ride Kiryu.. quite the ride indeed.

One of the best series out there, if you are wondering if it's worth it to play, please do, it's one of those experiencies that will make you feel like when you were playing your first games as a kid, definately a 10/10.

The Yakuza series have that taught me so much and always will. This one is largely focusing on a more personal story for most of it. There's absolutely no series like this out there.