I Am Pleased to Report That Yakuza 0 Still Absolutely Rips

This is an opinion piece written by IGN staffer Justin Davis on his fondness for the game Yakuza 0. Davis, who has been with IGN for 15 years, now runs the Editorial Team. He admits that while his role is fun, it can also be stressful with tight deadlines, loud conventions, and the release of major games. When he needs to unwind, Davis often turns to "comfort food" experiences like the Yakuza series.

Yakuza 0 is a standout choice for Davis as his "comfort game" of choice. He wasn't consciously seeking it out, but his brain just turned to it as his unwind choice. He plays through Yakuza 0 on flights to Gamescom, with the game's iconic mood-setting prologue playing shortly after he launches the Steam download.

Davis has played Yakuza 0 multiple times before, but there are aspects of the game that feel awkward after going back to it. The intro is slow, talky, and heavily tutorialized with strange sepia-toned cutscenes. Despite this, Davis appreciates Yakuza's lower-budget nature and how it contributes to the game's status as a "comfort game".

The game's setting of Kamurocho, a fictional Japanese neighborhood, is one that Davis feels compelled to revisit each time he plays. The city's decay and modernization from game to game make it a character in its own right. He also appreciates the nostalgia of the 1980s aesthetic, a time of Japan's real estate bubble with neon lights, flashy suits, and decadent nightlife. The game's mix of serious Yakuza plot and ridiculous side stories is a perfect balance.

Ultimately, Davis can overlook some of Yakuza 0's awkward parts when he gets to experience the combat system that allows him to smash bikes and hire chickens. He reached the scene where Kiryu and Nishiki tear off their shirts, their incomplete tattoos gleaming in the game's neon lights, and knew he had to write something about Yakuza 0 for IGN. It's a simple pleasure that keeps him coming back for more.