As mentioned in the title, Yakuza 0 chronicles how the series’ mainstay, Kazuma Kiryu, worked his way up the social ladder of the Dojima family’s local yakuza. However, Kazuma’s story is only part of it yakuza Formula. After all, where would he be without his best friend Goro Majima? Thank God, Yakuza 0 also tells the audience how he became the snakeskin-wearing psycho we love.
As with most yakuza games, Yakuza 0 is a blend of addictive gang drama and action combat. The story takes many twists and turns as loyalties are tested, and through it all the combat is flashy, impactful, and ridiculous. To break the gameplay loop, Yakuza 0 is full of mini-games, light business sims, and side missions that add lightness without feeling out of place. –AG
1. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
The early one Grand Theft Auto Titles were generally well received, but the performance of the PlayStation 2 revealed the full potential of the series. Of course it was 2004 Grand Theft Auto San Andreas this revealed the full scope of Rockstar’s vision for this revolutionary franchise.
in the san andreas, players control Carl “CJ” Johnson: a man who quit gang life but is forced to return to his old ways when some corrupt cops threaten to frame him for murder. What follows is one of Rockstar’s finest narrations. It’s that perfect blend of absurdity and emotion that we know the GTA games can do at their best.
GTA San Andreas may not be the biggest card in GTA history (this honor goes to GTA5), but the way the game is spread across three large cities with unique connecting areas makes it stand out feeling like the greatest GTA game of all time. Even better, this map is filled with missions and side activities designed to keep players busy. Also afterwards GTA Titles struggled to reproduce the sheer volume of things this game offers.
How Rockstar crammed so much in GTA San Andreas and still let the game run relatively smoothly is a true design marvel. This is the only crime game that you can recommend to anyone who wants to lead a life of crime from the comfort of their own home. –AG