Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 21-22)

Just finished Yakuza 0. I enjoyed it but boy is it FAR too long. I only slightly touched the side content and still clocked up 68 hours. There's just too much that isn't very good. Less is more in my book, this is the opposite of that. (HLTB puts it at a dull 144 hours for completionists, and they usually underestimate by quite a bit imo, the gameplay isn't engaging enough for that.)

Yet I was drawn in by the characters, the story and the world. It's a very mixed bag but the humanity shown, despite them all being caricatures, shone through and ultimately made the game worthwhile. However I can't help thinking it would have been better at half the length, it's just so needlessly dragged out. I almost quit midgame.

Combat is fun for the first few chapters, but then becomes a drag, I groaned by midgame every time a mob in the world caught me and i'd have to go through the same rote combat and finishers for the umpteenth time. It gets worse as the game goes on as enemies get tankier and block more without much else changing to keep it fresh.

The business side missions were fun for about 10 minutes but are dragged out like a Far Cry game where after you finish one area you unlock another 4 that are basically the same boring busywork.

At least the sub-stories are quite fun, and thankfully short, often 5 minute vignettes that add flavour to the world. Some made me laugh, some were a bit sick, many were forgettable, but they all helped ground the world. I think I did 40 of 100.

Far too many minigames, literally dozens that each feel weak on their own. Again less is more.

Still overall I enjoyed it, the characters and world were that good and shone through the weaker aspects, plus it had a much better tempo at the end after a glacially slow start and middle and finished on a high.

Thankfully Kiwami 1 & 2 seem much shorter.

@FraserG I tagged you as you were thinking of playing it. TBH others liked it far more than me, so take this with a pinch of salt. But still Cautiously recommended.

Returnal next I think.

@Isca @themightyant Thank you both! 68 hours scares me off Yakuza 0, but I still really want to play it. I actually bought Yakuza Kiwami for my Switch last year and played around two hours on a plane trip, but felt like I didn't grasp what was going on particularly well... I'd be curious to see how you feel going from Yakuza 0 to Kiwami and whether it's a must to start with the prequel or not.

I'm so glad you're enjoying Fable as well! That's the most satisfying thing about this job — encouraging others to try things, and then hearing about how much they've enjoyed them!

@FraserG I would caveat it with:

1)I am slow, always, in games. HLTB puts it at 40 hours for the story. But it depends if you are a completionist. I used to be but as discussed specifically aimed NOT to be with this game, but still got a little sidetracked.

2) I also don't think most of the side content is good enough in 2026 to warrant the extra time. If you focus on the main story it should be faster.

As for Zero or Kiwami first... I played Yakuza 1 & 2 on PS2 a few decades ago so don't even really remember much. But i've seen mixed opinions. Some say Zero slightly spoils some of Kiwami as you meet characters early etc. Others say because Yakuza 0 is deemed by many to be the better game start with that.

I can't really corroborate either, but I don't think it spoiled too much. But similar to what we said before i'd say whatever is most likely to make you play is the right decision for you, if it's Kiwami because it's shorter maybe go with that. But I think Zero is meant to be the high bar for story. It was mostly great, though slow to get going.

Good luck and FWIW you helped encourage me to finally get to this too. Thanks.

Still making my way through Tainted Grail. Im a bit ill so its taking me some time!
Cairn is calling me. I feel a need to try it so I may get to starting that this weekend too.
I retire next week (ill health retirement) so I should have more time to hit the backlog.

Whatever you are all playing, I hope you enjoy it!