Beginning with the original title released in 2005, the Yakuza game series has released a total of eight main games and a handful of spinoffs, including the most recent 2021 release, Lost Judgment. The open-world action-adventure fighting series presents escalating challenges from game to game, yet also features nonlinear storylines that make it difficult to follow the plot if played in chronological order.
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As such, hardened gamers on Reddit have waged a healthy debate as to which games in the long-running Yakuza series ought to be taken on first. Some like to start at the beginning, others like to plunge right into the teeth of the mega-popular gaming franchise.
Yakuza 0 (2015)
While it's technically the fifth franchise entry to be released, the storyline of Yakuza 0 is designed to function as a prequel origin story. As such, the overwhelming consensus on Reddit is that Yakuza 0 is the best place to start. If nothing else, the clarity of the plot will pay huge dividends down the line.
According to user DalekBen, Yakuza 0 is "a prequel to the series so it's a perfect place to start. Great story and tons to do." Texicali74 seconds the motion by saying "Start with 0! Not only is it the first chronological entry, but it's also the best game (by a hair over 6)." Hard to argue with that logic.
Yakuza (2005)
According to the Official YakuzaGames Series Playthrough Guide for Newcomers on Reddit, the original poster simply suggests playing the series in order of release. This means that the original Yakuza game released in 2005 is the best place to start.
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The story follows Kazuma Kiryu, a disgraced Yakuza framed for murdering his father, and the revenge campaign he mounts throughout Japan to restore his name. Per the OP, "it may be difficult to get into at first without dedication, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort, I guarantee you that this method will get you the most out of this series."
Yakuza 3 (2009)
In a Reddit thread titled "What is the right Yakuza game to start with," the final poster sharesalat breaks it down very clearly for beginners to understand. "If you like the story only it's simple, 0-6 (Japanese exclusives and spin-offs don't count). For the gameplay, it's 3-5."
First released for the PS3, Yakuza 3 is indeed ideal for gamers less interested in Kiryu's backstory and who want to engage in battle mode, event mode, adventure mode, and overall upgrades made to the previous Ps2 franchise entries. However, there are alternative best orders to play the Yakuza series in as well.
Judgment (2018)
According to the same Reddit poster who authored with official newcomers guide in the Taste Testers category of neophytes, Judgment is a fun game to start with when playing the Yakuza series. The standalone spinoff entry requires no foreknowledge of the series as a whole and can simply be enjoyed for what it is.
As the author of the newcomer guide puts it, "if you would like a fully clean, unrelated to main story Yakuza experience, try out Judgment to see if you enjoy the style of the Yakuza games. It's a good game to start with," especially if "looking for a serious crime drama."
Fist Of The North Star: Lost Paradise (2018)
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is a Yakuza spin-off game that at least one Redditor feels is as good as any to begin the series in earnest. In specific, gameovernate thinks that the obscure JRPGLost Paradise is perfect for the third tier of beginners, "taste testers," because "it uses the old engine but at its most matured, it might give off an even better impression of what most Yakuza entries play like with the 60fps, etc."
Released in 2018, Lost Paradise uses the same gameplay mechanics as the Yakuza series and crosses over with the mythos of the popular manga series Fist of the North Star to create an entirely new experience.
Yakuza Kiwami (2016)
Depending on which series you play, the original or remake, there is a different train of thought on where to begin. While some have suggested taking on the 2005 original, others have suggested starting with Yakuza Kiwami, the far-more advanced 2016 redo. Per Reddit, Kiwami is often cited as the best game to play either before or after Yakuza 0.
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Story-wise, both games serve the same function. However, Kiwami boasts far better graphics, fluid gameplay, more exhilarating combat action, and the like. Another Reddit thread backs up the sentiment, with one poster claiming "absolutely Zero and Kiwami" in regards to where to start, adding "without those two, you'll be extremely confused with what's going on."
Dead Souls (2011)
For Tier-4 beginners who happen to be a glutton for punishment, the Official Newcomer Reddit guide dares players to begin with Yakuza: Dead Souls, the survival-horror spinoff released in 2011-12. Reserved only for "The Depraved," newcomers who want to take on a brutally difficult challenge from the jump, Dead Souls is the place to be.
Like many of the spinoff games, Dead Souls does not require a player to have intimate knowledge of the series story arcs, subplots, major characters, etc. Instead, it's a fun but extremely challenging Resident Evil-style horror game that fuses Yakuza lore with a sinister supernatural bent.
Yakuza 5 (2012)
While there isn't a ton of online support for the suggestion, a Reddit user named child_from_library feels pretty strongly about beginning the Yakuza series with the fifth main game. First released in 2012, the game returns protagonists Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, and Taiga Saeijima while introducing two new series heroes.
Most support the notion of starting with Yakuza 0, but the Redditor thinks players should begin with Yakuza 5 before playing 0, Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and then Yakuza 6, adding "for me, playing this series in such order guarantees the best experience."
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)
If it isn't at the very top of the beginner's list, Yakuza Kiwami 2 comes in as a close second. The mega-popular open-world game sequel to the 2016 remake also functions as an upgraded reboot, with many Redditors suggesting that both Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 are best played in tandem right after Yakuza 0.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 functions as a hugely improved version of Yakuza 2, featuring a key part of Kiryu's life when he's thrust back into the seedy underworld of hyper-violent organized crime. Even the Official Beginner's Guide urges "the unsure newcomer" to play Kiwami 2 early on. It will be interesting to see if the new turn-based version of the awesome JRPG via Lost Souls will alter the beginner's guide.
Yakuza 6 (2016)
While most would agree that Yakuza 6 ranks among the best games in the series overall, not many would suggest it as the place to begin. However, going against conventional wisdom on Reddit is oridjinn, who confidently writes "I grabbed Yakuza 6 and it has proven to be an excellent 'starting point' for my tastes."
Yakuza 6: Life of the Song continues the saga of Kazuma Kiryu, this time told from the third-person perspective. Oridjinn goes on to say "stepping into the Yakuza world here at 6 has left me with zero regrets. I got to see our hero with all of this history to pull from."
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