Yakuza 0 is unequivocally a masterpiece, the best Yakuza game hands-down — in my mind, one of the most important games ever made. It’s a fascinating character-driven drama set to the backdrop of Japan’s bubble era, a 1980s playground where real estate boomed. It’s a game that’s moody, thematic, topical, and impactful in all the best ways, a must-play of the century. That’s exactly what has me feeling a little lost by the Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut on Nintendo Switch 2, a game that, on a technical level, is undoubtedly the single best way to play. But it also feels emblematic of the creative rut that the series is starting to feel stuck in, an unwillingness to move on from the past. As much as I love Yakuza 0, this release does help cement a worry that’s been at the back of my brain for the series at large.
Note: This article contains spoilers for Yakuza 0.
