Upstar

This game was a gamble, but so was Yakuza to begin with. Of course I was skeptical about the turn based combat system, but after my first fight I was immediately surprised by how much I enjoyed it! And that goes for the rest or the game. I stumbled upon this game by chance and decided to play because of its addition to PlayStation plus and figured i'd give it a shot, and i can gladly say that was one of the best gaming decisions I have every made! I wasn't expecting to love this game so much. The story and characters are perfect, especially Ichiban who is such an inspiring protagonist and has influenced me greatly. As I continued my "like a dragon" journey, i found myself wanting to be a better person, to follow my own path and become a hero in my own right. Ichiban is one of those chatacters that you can't help but love - hes whimsical, strong, honest, and an overall good guy. He is willing to stick his neck out to aid other people that he has only just met, no matter who they are. His encounters with the inhabitants of this world can range from heartwarming, intense, random as hell, to downright hillarious. No matter how wacky this game gets it never stops from being believable. Eacher character truly feel like their own individual personality, trying to make their way through this crazy world. Ultimately this game is about struggle, people trying to survive in an unforgiving world, and finding beauty in pushing forward. "Keep living, Ichi" - the final confrontation is heartbreaking, and the character dynamics are top notch. I dont regret a single moment I spent exploring this world, and I can't wait for my next Yakuza experience!