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Yakuza 5 (龍が如く5 夢、叶えし者, Ryū Ga Gotoku 5: Yume, Kanaeshimono, lit. "Like a Dragon 5: Fulfiller of Dreams") is an action-adventure/beat-'em-up game originally released for the PlayStation 3 on December 6, 2012 in Japan and on December 8, 2015 worldwide. The game was developed by SEGAWP as the fifth main installment (ninth overall) of the Yakuza series.

5 continues the tradition introduced by Yakuza 4 of having multiple playable characters. There are five main protagonists and playable characters in the game, including series staple Kazuma Kiryu, returning Yakuza 4 protagonists Shun Akiyama and Taiga Saejima, Haruka Sawamura who has appeared previously but is now playable for the first time, and a new character introduced in Yakuza 5, Tatsuo Shinada.

A remaster of the game was released in Japan on the PlayStation 4 on June 20, 2019. It was released worldwide on February 11, 2020, both as an automatic unlock for the Yakuza Remastered trilogy digital download and a physical release of the trilogy. The remastered version runs in 1080p resolution (cropped to 1850x1040 on PS4) and 60 frames per second.

Synopsis[]

Setting[]

Yakuza 5 features the highest number of open-world playable maps, with a total of five set across various parts of Japan. The maps are: Nagasugai, Fukuoka, based on NakasuWP; Tsukimino, Hokkaido, based on SusukinoWP; Sotenbori, Osaka, based on DotonboriWP; Kineicho, Nagoya, based on SakaeWP; and lastly, series staple map Kamurocho, Tokyo, based on KabukichoWP. The game's events take place in December 2012.

Story Summary[]

There are 21 chapters in this game, divided into 5 parts:

Part I - Kazuma Kiryu[]

Chapter 1: The Wanderer[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 1 Chapter 1

The Seventh Chairman of the Omi Alliance is terminally ill, and the successor may seek a war with the Tojo Clan. In preparation, Tojo Clan Sixth Chairman Daigo Dojima makes alliances with yakuza families across Japan. After a meeting with the Yamagasa Family's patriarch Madarame, Daigo asks for guidance from a taxi driver, who is none other than Kazuma Kiryu having taken an alias after starting a new life to distance himself from his adoptive daughter Haruka Sawamura as to not ruin her chances of becoming a pop star. Kiryu is taken care of by a hostess named Mayumi.

Chapter 2: Uninvited Guests[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 1 Chapter 2

Two Tojo Clan soldiers who know Kiryu's identity, Yu Morinaga and Masato Aizawa, demand to speak with him to discuss Daigo Dojima, who had gone missing after his talk with Kiryu. The Chairman's disappearance has caused a rift between the Tojo and the Yamagasa Family, and war is threatening to break out between them, since the Tojo's interim chairman, Minoru Aoyama, suspects the Yamagasa may have kidnapped him. Kiryu, however, does not know any more than they do.

Chapter 3: The Plot Unfolds[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 1 Chapter 3

Kiryu recalls his and Haruka's departures from Morning Glory being for the sake of financial assistance for the orphanage. While walking around town, he meets a detective who tells him the Omi Alliance's chairman candidate Masaru Watase may be involved in Daigo's disappearance. Watase was not responsible, leading Kiryu to suspect Aoyama. He, Morinaga, and Aizawa search for Aoyama at the Yamagasa Family's headquarters, but when they arrive, they see him wound the patriarch, and Kiryu is framed. After leaving the premises, Aoyama detonates a bomb he left in the building to kill Kiryu, but he had already escaped.

Chapter 4: Destinations[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 1 Chapter 4

Madarame had survived the bombing, and tells Kiryu he asked his daughter Mayumi to keep watch over him per Daigo's request. He plan on dissolving the Yamagasa Family to save his men's lives from the Tojo Clan, but Kiryu has a different plan in mind. He meets with Yahata and has him call Aoyama to a nighttime confrontation. There, Kiryu averts a war between the Tojo and the Yamagasa by singlehandedly defeating all the Tojo men present, but Morinaga kills Aoyama and reveals he is part of a conspiracy. Though Kiryu intends to stay out of the Tojo Clan's affairs this time, news of Goro Majima's death spurs him to action once more as he heads for Kamurocho...

Part II - Taiga Saejima[]

Chapter 1: Ends of the Earth[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 2 Chapter 1

Taiga Saejima agreed to return to prison and serve out the remainder of his term for the attempted murder of the Ueno-Seiwa Clan's leadership. In 2012, Saejima is awaiting parole at Abashiri Prison in Hokkaido. Despite being model inmates, Saejima and his cellmates are constantly harassed by Hiroshi Kugihara, another prisoner who has an inexplicable bone to pick with them. Tensions escalate when Kugihara frames Shigeki Baba for an attack on one of his cohorts, after which Kugihara lets it slip that somebody instructed him to hound Saejima and goad him into fighting so that he would be denied parole. Further bad news reaches Saejima soon after when he sees the death of Goro Majima covered in a newspaper.

Chapter 2: The Way of Resolve[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 2 Chapter 2

The prison's warden, Kosaka, informs Saejima that he suspects someone may be trying to make an attempt on Saejima's life due to Saejima's parole denial and several inmates being moved to Abashiri. He encourages Saejima to break out, not wanting him to be assassinated. That night, Saejima makes a break for it with the help of his cellmates, taking Baba with him, However, their escape is hindered by Kugihara and the dozen new yakuza inmates who, as Kosaka correctly deduced, were transfered in to kill him. After an extensive battle, Saejima and Baba manage to break out of the prison and flee into the wilderness with one of the guards' snowmobiles.

Chapter 3: Frozen Roar[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 2 Chapter 3

Saejima and Baba are rescued from the mountains and rest in a village before continuing to Sapporo.

Chapter 4: Reckless Encounter[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 2 Chapter 4

Arriving in Tsukimino, Sapporo, to learn the truth behind Majima's death, Saejima and Baba seek to meet with the Kitakata Family patriarch Taizo Kitakata. Kitakata reveals that he was not the one who killed Majima, and that Majima had suspected foul play, but is shot by a sniper. Saejima chases down the assailant and learns it was Baba, who had been tasked with eliminating Saejima, but has become too fond of him to carry out his original mission. Saejima is arrested, but an Osakan detective releases him and directs him to Kamurocho for more answers.

Part III - Haruka & Akiyama[]

Chapter 1: Backstage Dreams[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 3 Chapter 1

In Sotenbori, Haruka is working in the city's pop idol circuit, regularly performing shows, appearing on TV and practicing for the upcoming finals of the Princess League talent contest. Helping her are her manager Mirei Park, her vocal coach Misa Yamaura, her publicist Hiroshi Horie, and her dance instructor Kan Ogita. Haruka participates in the first round of the Princess League finals against T-Set. A few days later, Ogita is fired for standing up to Park, and Christina, a famous dance instructor, is convinced to be her new teacher.

Chapter 2: Hope Lives On[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 3 Chapter 2

Ahead of the second round of the Princess League, Park takes Haruka with her and the two hit the town to relieve stress, during which Park tells her of her past. She had been secretly married during her time as a star, but her husband left after she aborted their child without telling him. She failed to make it big due to her agency learning of her secret marriage, ending her career to avoid a scandal. Park entrusts Haruka with a pen and her failed dream. The next day, however, Park has seemingly committed suicide...

Chapter 3: Closing In[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 3 Chapter 3

Shun Akiyama is working on opening a Sotenbori branch of his company, Sky Finance, when he receives word about Park's suicide. Akiyama is quite surprised when he discovers that his friend Kiryu's adopted daughter Haruka is that idol Park had been training. They suspect Park's suicide was staged, and investigate further, during which Haruka continues her Princess League participation. In Park's office, the pen Haruka had been entrusted with leads them to the evidence they were looking for, and learn that Park's murderer is Haruka's former dance coach Ogita, who is in league with a mysterious man.

Chapter 4: Beyond the Dream[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 3 Chapter 4

Akiyama and Haruka follow Ogita's trail and learn Naoki Katsuya, the President of Osaka Talent may hold some responsibility. Yamaura takes over as Haruka's manager and helps her prepare for the third round of the finals. Meanwhile, Akiyama learns the man he was following is Kamon Kanai, Captain of Ousaka Enterprises, one of the top families in the Omi Alliance. Kanai wants the letter Park's ex-husband, none other than Goro Majima, was supposedly in possession of. Katsuya - secretly the Chairman of Ousaka Enterprises, blackmails Haruka into handing over the letter to him, but she is intercepted by a traitorous Kanai. Akiyama rescues her, and the two make their way to Tokyo for the upcoming Japan Dome concert.

Part IV - Tatsuo Shinada[]

Chapter 1: Abandoned Glory[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 4 Chapter 1

In 1997, Tatsuo Shinada makes his debut as a major league baseball player for the Nagoya Wyverns, playing against the Tokyo Gigants. By 2012, Shinada is barely making a living as a heavily-indebted adult entertainment writer in Nagoya, getting by thanks to the kindness of the cityfolk. Loanshark Koichi Takasugi is most invested in him. While returning home, a masked man asks Shinada to uncover the truth of his past...

Chapter 2: Confronting the Past[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 4 Chapter 2

Conflicted over the offer he received the other night, Shinada is pushed into finding the truth by Takasugi. The two team up and look around town for leads, getting into several near-misses during their investigation. They learn from Shinada's old teammate Manabe that the scandal had driven both the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance out of Nagoya and away from matchfixing. Shinada deduces the Nagoya Family had fixed his match, which is confirmed by another of Shinada's former teammates, Sakai, just before he is killed by a falling cement mixer.

Chapter 3: The Price of Truth[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 4 Chapter 3

Milky calls Shinada for help, but he arrives to discover it was a trap set for him by the Nagoya Family—the same cityfolk he was friends with. Shinada's scandal was instrumental to ridding Nagoya of the large yakuza families that terrorized small business owners day in and day out. To prevent this truth from leaking, the Nagoya Family attempts to silence Shinada, but he is saved in the nick of time by Takasugi. Dejected by what he has learned, Shinada intends to leave Nagoya and start over somewhere else, but Takasugi reveals he was one of Shinada's fans and motivates him into continuing. The identity of the Nagoya Family's leader is none other than Shinada's old coach, Fujita.

Chapter 4: Fleeting Triumph[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Part 4 Chapter 4

The Nagoya Family turn themselves in, and Shinada informs the masked man what he had learned of the conspiracy, and receives 20 million yen as compensation. The masked man reveals himself to be Daigo Dojima—a high school classmate of Shinada's who was expelled following protecting Shinada's team from a rival school. Learning Daigo is a yakuza, Shinada wants to take his dream back with his own hands instead of through underworld connections, and fights Daigo to join him in his quest. Before leaving, he meets with Sawada to hear his warning and to address a regret of him never having hit Sawada's fastball.

Part V - Finale[]

Chapter 1: A Legend Returns[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Finale Chapter 1

Kiryu arrives back in Kamurocho, intent on learning the truth. Elsewhere in the district, Saejima, after meeting again with Detective Serizawa, Saejima travels to Purgatory to ask the Florist of Sai for information on Morinaga's whereabouts. Saejima finds Aizawa, and the two consult the Florist about Morinaga's whereabouts. After both of them fight in the underground coliseum as payment, the Florist reveals that Morinaga had been murdered several days prior by an unknown assailant.

Chapter 2: A Hidden Past[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Finale Chapter 2

Akiyama is approached by Katsuya and later Shinada to cancel the concert, the latter citing an imminent attack there. Akiyama and Shinada find the organizer at his office, who reveals Haruka's debut concert will actually be a debut for a supergroup formed by Haruka and T-Set, which both Park and Katsuya - who were secretly working together for a long time - had planned from the beginning. Katsuya wants to suspend the event because he also knows that something related to it is being planned, but he needed Dyna Chair to approve of the suspension as well.

Chapter 3: The Survivors[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Finale Chapter 3

Kiryu, Saejima, and Watase receive information that prompts them to look for Katsuya. All three men arrive at Katsuya's hotel suite at about the same time and learn Katsuya had lured them all there to battle one another in an attempt to draw out the master. They are shot, and the shooter is none other than Detective Serizawa, in reality the Seventh Omi Chairman Tsubasa Kurosawa. His plan is to purge both the Tojo and the Omi of that sort of yakuza to pave the way for calculating, profit-driven criminals like him. Before Kurosawa can finish them off the rest, Daigo arrives, but he is stopped by the arrival of Kanai, who had been loyal to Kurosawa the whole time. Kanai shoots Daigo, wounding him, and Kurosawa warns Kiryu that Haruka may be killed...

Chapter 4: Crossroads[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Finale Chapter 4

Baba passes a message to Haruka from Kiryu asking her to not give up. At New Serena, Kiryu, Saejima, Akiyama, Shinada and Kiryu's friend in the police, Makoto Date, gather to pool their knowledge about Kurosawa and his plot, and conclude that Kurosawa will make a move to take Tokyo from the Tojo Clan and then use the resources acquired from this takeover to wipe out his enemies within the Omi Alliance. They also believe that he intends to attack Haruka's concert, both to distract the public from his takeover and to split Kiryu and his friends' efforts to stop him by forcing them to protect the concert as well. In response, the team start to formulate a defence strategy, using Shinada's intimate knowledge about the stadium from his days as a baseball star.

Final Chapter: Dreams Fulfilled[]
Main article: Yakuza 5/Final Chapter

The men mobilize to put an end to Kurosawa's schemes. Saejima and Majima fight it out to stop Kurosawa's assassin from killing Haruka, while Shinada confronts the assassin, Baba. Kurosawa, learning his assassin had been stopped, tries to kill Majima and Saejima, but a recovered Daigo and Katsuya stop him. They learn of his plot to put his bastard son Masato Aizawa in charge, and Daigo passes this information to Kiryu, who leaves Akiyama and allows him to stop Kanai with the assistance of the yakuza Daigo had traveled the nation to gather. Kiryu stops Aizawa, but sustains grievous wounds in the process. Haruka, no longer able to bear hiding who she is and being away from her family, announces her retirement and yakuza ties on stage, and runs off. She finds Kiryu bleeding in the streets, and father and daughter reunite briefly before Kiryu's wounds render him unconscious.

Gameplay[]

This time, the game features 5 main protagonists/playable characters. Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, and Haruka Sawamura made a return in this title. A new character named Tatsuo Shinada is introduced.

Gameplay is relatively similar to the previous games in the series, though with a few changes. Similar to past games, there are two components; being Adventure Mode and Combat Mode. The change between the game's Adventure Mode and Combat Mode is also said to be more seamless compared to previous games, thus involving a transitional change when encountering enemies.

Extra Content[]

Regular weekly updates of 'Extra Contents' are available from December 11, 2012 forth. There are currently a total of 8 updates of special item packages and missions for the game, via the PlayStation Network. It uses an automatic update method when the game is launched, as and when the contents are available. This service is free of charge.

Battle System[]

Heat Action[]

"Heat Actions" has undergone further evolutionary additions. From powerful to comical techniques, a significant variation is reinforced, each symbolic to the 'Battle Style' of each playable main character.

  • Heat Climax A flashy showdown move in battle. Unlike the usual 'heat action', this is triggered by button input and when special conditions are met.
  • Revelation A significant story expansion mode power up. A power glim is suddenly triggered in the midst of a battle. At the second stage, where the character undergoes strengthening, you can also expect interesting outcome or response from the crowd around.

To prevent any Heat Actions from accidentally being performed, Heat Suppression was introduced in Yakuza 5; the player can hold down the Camera Reset button to disable Heat Action prompts. This makes it possible to attempt certain techniques like the Komaki Tiger Drop while Heat Climax is available.

Special Techniques[]

A combat feature unique to each different playable character:

  • Kazuma Kiryu - Dragon Spirit (怒龍の気位, Doryū no Kigurai, lit. "Furious Dragon's Pride")
  • Taiga Saejima - Tiger Puppetry (猛虎の心得, Mōko no Kokoroe, lit. "Savage Tiger's Experience")
  • Shun Akiyama - Launch Strike (エアストライク, Easutoraiku, "Airstrike")
  • Tatsuo Shinada - My Meteor Tackle (俺流 流星タックル, Oreryū Ryūsei Takkuru, lit. "My Personal Meteor Tackle")

Weapons[]

Unlike in Yakuza 4, where there were restrictions on certain weapons and who could purchase or buy them, all male characters can purchase all weapons and have a moveset with each and every kind of weapon. Weapon proficiency with all weapon types is obtained simply by hitting enemies with them, and aside from being able to use the more powerful weapons, certain benefits are obtained the higher level proficiency there is with a weapon:

  • Level 1 - No benefits
  • Level 2 - Slightly more weapon durability
  • Level 3 - Guarding with a weapon won't decrease durability
  • Level 4 - Attacks boosted slightly
  • Level 5 - Boost Repair Kit effect slightly
  • Level 6 - Moderately more weapon durability
  • Level 7 - Boost Repair Kit effect moderately
  • Level 8 - Considerably more weapon durability
  • Level 9 - Attacks boosted moderately
  • Level 10 - Heat Actions with the weapons use less Heat

The only quirk is Shinada's inability (or rather, refusal) to use any type of bat, even ones picked up from the ground. He is instead granted invulnerability frames upon attempting to pick up or brandish a bat, and puts it back down.

Dance Battle[]

Osaka is said to be the birthplace of Japanese Street Dance, and Sotenbori serves as a hub for many dancers who polish their skills via the "Dance Battle". It is also a challenge and part of Haruka's training in the Princess League. Competitors are rife in various places of Sotenbori, where a conversation with a dancer could initiate a battle.

Dance Styles
There are five music genres applicable in "Dance Battle"; namely:

  • Hip Hop
  • Jazz
  • House
  • Rock
  • Idol

Dance Battle System
The dance battle system is based on rhythm games, where the character basic moves are choreographed left, right, up, and down that takes timing to synchronize with the flow of the Playstation btn trianglePlaystation btn circlePlaystation btn crossPlaystation btn square buttons on the screen. The results would then be displayed; based on : Vocals, Basic Foundation, Performance and Charm.

Side Story[]

  • Kiryu: Taxi Driver
    Taxi Missions - As a taxi-driver, Kiryu earns his own keep in this manner. For a time limit, he has to take his passengers to their destination and at the same time watchful of the 'obstacles' that could snare points away, e.g. ignoring traffic rules or pedestrians.
    Race Missions - This happens in the midst of "Destiny Mission". Kiryu's taxi can undergo customizations like for e.g. turbo, the car's paint, sticker, tire enhancement, wheel, tune-up, etc. The BGM playing can be changed during this mode.
    There is also a possibility to encounter The Devil Killers, a street racing group.
  • Saejima: Hunter and Killer
    Using the "Law of the Jungle" to hunt, in order to survive. Dominate the nature of the snowy mountain and protect yourself from savage animals encounter. Experience "Real-Time Weather Changes" and the blizzard as well. Survival action in an extreme environment.
  • Haruka: The Road to Fame
    A major record company's debut awaits the champion of the "Princess League". Haruka is the gemstone Dyna Chair talent agency From TV appearances to magazine interviews, Haruka is kept busy, as well as learning the basics of being an idol. Experience the entertainment field with performance, charm, agency's remuneration and fans are also something to look out for in this arc; while at the same time being a high school student.
  • Shinada: The Cost of a Swing
    As a former professional baseball player, enhance his skills with his training coach, as he competes with his former high school teammate.

Playspot[]

  • Games Collaboration
    (Available at Club SEGA.)
    • Taiko no TatsujinWP
      Songs available are "Mappy Ondo" (マッピー音頭), "Rainbow colours" ・ Dream colours ・ Taiko colours" (虹色・夢色・太鼓色) and "From The New World" (新世界より). The game's popular character Don-Chan also makes an appearance as a prize for the "UFO Catcher" game.
    • Virtua Fighter 2WP
      A two-Player option is possible through the PlayStation Network.
  • Local Mini Games
    • Tatsu-ya Noodles
      (Fukuoka) The shopkeeper has a strained back! Take over the ramen store for the shopkeeper, take up the challenge and receive customer specified orders of varying degrees of ramen firmness texture. When you level up, the order intervals become shorter and accurate.
    • Winter Combat
      (Tsukimino) Much like a competitive snowball game within a square area of pillars of different height and time limit.
    • Manzai Comedy TeamWP
      (Osaka) A certain programme held audition that Haruka has to get past.
    • Cochins Cup Classic
      (Nagoya) Use items, aim for the Grand Champion, claim victory and win the prize money.

Trivia[]

  • Yakuza 5 had the longest delay between its Japanese and worldwide releases of all internationally-released Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio titles, at 1,097 days.
    • Outside Japan, Yakuza 5 on PlayStation 3 was a digital-only release.
  • Yakuza 5 is the 20th game to receive a perfect 40/40 score from the Japanese video game magazine FamitsuWP.
  • Yakuza 5 was released in the west on December 8, 2015; 10 years to the day after the release of the original Yakuza game in Japan.
  • Yakuza 5 has the highest number of chapters of any Yakuza game, with 21.
  • The Day One Edition of The Yakuza Remastered Collection includes a collectible Yakuza 5 PlayStation 3 Amaray case.
  • Yakuza 5 contains the most instant game over quick-time events in the series, with 3:
    • Missing the home run at the end of part 4.
    • Failing to rescue Shinada in the sewers.
    • Failing the final QTE against Masato Aizawa as Kiryu.
      • Conversely, the final QTE against Yahata in Kiryu's second encounter with him is the only one in the entire series where failure does not change its outcome or animation; Kiryu will still defeat Yahata in one punch.
  • Yakuza 5 is the only game to have a non-canon implementation of Haruka's Trust; the events that happen during and after Yakuza 5 would have realistically prevented Kiryu and Haruka from interacting and exploring each town.
  • The BGM in the staff scene right after Haruka's speech is either DIAMOND DUST by Kyosuke HimuroWP or a piano theme from MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE originally by Bob DylanWP depending on the language. The definition of language is not confirmed yet, but the difference is confirmed.

Gallery[]

Alternate Boxart[]

Logos[]

Official Art[]

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