Yakuza 5 [PS3] review review

[Golgo]

Just started this. The game feels just the same as before, maybe the combat is a bit smoother (?), and the city environments are starting to look a little faded (understandably, given the age of the game). But still the loony gear-switches of gameplay (from overwrought manly shouting and brutal fighting to messing around with UFO catchers and pachinko machines, etc.) are as enjoyable as ever. The characterization is fantastic in cutscenes, and no game series will ever offer a better or more hilarious depiction of the various stages of 'drunken salaryman'.

[Golgo]

I've started to grow rather less enamoured of this, now the novelty of finally getting to play it has worn off. Still in first Kiryu section, but at 6+ hours in the total lack of any plot or story momentum (frustrating, given the huge turnabout from climax of Yak4) really exposes the game for a collection of mini-games of variable quality, ranging from the passable (fighting) to the awful (street racing). Seriously, anyone who has ever moaned about Mario Kart rubber-banding has got to try the latter! Not sure how much more of a free pass I'm prepared to give this: manly eyebrows and stoney-faced lectures on Yakuza honour can only take you so far.