How Long Are The Yakuza Games Play Times

How Long Are the Yakuza Games?

So, you’re thinking about diving into the world of Yakuza? That’s awesome! Get ready for lots of action, drama, and some seriously fun side quests. But, before you start, you might be wondering, “how long will these games take me to finish?” It’s a great question because these games are known for being pretty big, and the answer isn’t always simple. Let’s break down everything that affects how much time you’ll spend playing a Yakuza game. We’ll explore main story completion times, side content, and how different player styles can drastically alter your playtime.

Main Story Length: The Core Experience

The main story is what you follow to see the game’s main plot. Think of it as the spine of the Yakuza experience. Most Yakuza games have a main story that can take a good chunk of time to complete. We’re talking anywhere from 20 to 40 hours for most titles, depending on your playing style and difficulty level. If you mainly focus on the main story without getting too distracted, this is what you’re looking at. Here’s a rough idea, though remember these are just estimates:

• Yakuza 0: Around 25-35 hours. It’s often considered a longer one.
• Yakuza Kiwami: About 18-25 hours, a bit shorter since it’s a remake of the first game.
• Yakuza Kiwami 2: Approximately 20-30 hours.
• Yakuza 3: Roughly 25-35 hours.
• Yakuza 4: Around 25-35 hours as well, due to having multiple protagonists.
• Yakuza 5: This one is massive, easily taking 35-50+ hours because of its scope and multiple characters.
• Yakuza 6: The Song of Life: Around 20-30 hours.
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon: This game is a bit different being an RPG. Expect 30-45 hours for the main story.
• Lost Judgment: Usually around 30-40 hours.
• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name: Around 15-20 hours, one of the shorter titles.
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: Expect the biggest game so far, with a main story taking 40-60+ hours.

It’s important to understand that these figures are just averages. You might breeze through certain parts or get stuck on a tough boss fight, which could add hours to your overall playthrough. Also, your chosen difficulty level can greatly affect playtime. Playing on “Easy” might make fights quicker, while “Hard” can greatly extend battles and require more grinding for levels, pushing your play time higher.

The Side Content Rabbit Hole: So Much More to Do!

Here’s where things get really interesting, and where playtime can really skyrocket. The Yakuza series is famous for its amazing side content. These games aren’t just about following the main story; they’re about exploring the cities, meeting quirky characters, and getting into all sorts of weird situations. Let’s dive into what awaits you outside the main storyline:

Substories: Mini-Adventures Around Every Corner

Substories are little side quests you’ll find all over the game world. They’re often hilarious, sometimes touching, and always memorable. They might involve helping a lost cat, solving a strange mystery, or even learning to dance. Each Yakuza game has dozens of substories. Tackling these can easily double, or even triple your playtime. You can easily spend 20-30 extra hours just doing substories, making the total playthrough time much longer than the main story alone.

Mini-Games: A Whole Other Game Within a Game

The Yakuza series is known for having a ton of fun and wacky mini-games. Here are just a few of the mini-games you might find in a typical Yakuza game:

• Karaoke: Sing your heart out in rhythm-based singing challenges.
• Arcade Games: Play classic SEGA arcade titles, such as Virtua Fighter or OutRun.
• Pocket Circuit Racing: Build and customize tiny racing cars and compete in tournaments.
• Darts and Billiards: Enjoy a relaxing game of darts or billiards at a local bar.
• Fishing: Spend some time fishing in the city’s waterways.
• Cabaret Club Management: Recruit and train hostesses to make your club successful in some titles
• Business Management: In some titles, you’ll build a business and manage it to make money.
• Mahjong and Shogi: Play traditional Japanese board games.

These mini-games are not just throwaway extras; they’re often very detailed, can be highly addictive, and can keep you busy for countless hours. If you’re a completionist, aiming to ace all the mini-games can add a significant amount of time to your playtime.

Activities: Exploring and So Much More

Besides substories and mini-games, the Yakuza world is full of other activities. This can range from exploring the city and finding hidden items to doing odd jobs for characters you’ve met. These may not be part of a mission, or a mini-game, but rather just something that you can do around the city, like eating at different restaurants or trying different types of food at local shops. All of these add to the feeling of truly living in the world of the game.

Spending time exploring the different neighborhoods, talking to NPCs, and uncovering hidden secrets can really expand your playtime. There is a certain appeal to just hanging around in the city of Kamurocho or Sotenbori and enjoying the atmosphere.

Completionist Playthrough: For the Ultimate Experience

If you are the kind of player who likes to complete everything, then the Yakuza games will provide lots of content for you. This means beating all the mini-games, finishing all substories, earning every trophy, finding all secrets, and maybe even reaching the maximum level or buying every item available. A completionist playthrough is where you spend a huge amount of time to really get the most of your time in the game.

Here are some of the factors that will make a completionist run lengthy:

• Longer Playtime. A completionist run can take over 100 hours in some cases, especially with longer games such as Yakuza 5 or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It all depends on how thorough you are.
• Difficulty Increases. Some parts of the game, especially on harder difficulties, become far more difficult to complete and may need grinding. This all adds to the time commitment.
• In-Depth Exploration. A true completionist will need to look every corner of the game world. This takes more time and more patience.

Completing the Yakuza games to this level of detail will really show off the amount of care and attention that the developers put into the game, but it’s definitely not for everyone. You really have to love the game to go for this level of play.

Factors Affecting Your Playtime

There are a bunch of things that can change how long it takes you to finish a Yakuza game. Here are some key ones:

• Your Playstyle: Do you rush through the story, or do you enjoy taking your time and doing side content? This makes a big impact.
• Difficulty Level: Playing on a higher difficulty setting means you’ll spend more time fighting and leveling up.
• Prior Knowledge: If you’ve played other Yakuza games before, you might be more familiar with the game’s mechanics and progress faster.
• Use of Guides: Using online guides or walkthroughs can greatly speed up your progress if you’re stuck on a mission or a mini-game.
• Skills: As you get better at the combat, you can beat bosses much quicker, leading to shorter overall times.
• Grinding: If you enjoy leveling up, doing side content, and repeating challenges, you will most likely spend more time than someone who is only trying to complete the main story.

Yakuza Games Compared to Others

Compared to many other story-driven games, the Yakuza titles tend to be longer and have more to offer. Games like Uncharted or God of War, while also fantastic, usually provide a more streamlined experience. On the other hand, the Yakuza games give you large playgrounds, lots of stuff to do, and are more open in how you explore them. This makes them unique from many other open-world action titles, like Grand Theft Auto or Assassin’s Creed, where the focus is not as much on substories and mini-games.

If you like games that give you a ton of content, the Yakuza series is right up your street. If you prefer more focused and shorter experiences, you may find it to be a little too long and packed for your taste.

Picking Your First Yakuza Game

If you’re thinking about jumping into the series for the first time, don’t be overwhelmed by the playtimes. It’s perfectly fine to start with one game, try out the main story, and maybe do some side content. There’s no need to feel like you must finish everything. Here are some recommendations for a first-time Yakuza player:

• Yakuza 0: Many fans agree that this is the best starting point. It’s a prequel that establishes many key characters and has a very engaging story and fun gameplay. It’s on the longer side, but is a very enjoyable experience.
• Yakuza Kiwami: This is a remake of the first game and is good for those who want to play the games in order. It’s a bit shorter than Yakuza 0.
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon: If you want something different with a turn-based RPG combat system, this is a fantastic option. This title also features a new main protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, making it very accessible for newcomers to the series.
• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name: This is a shorter entry in the series and a good choice if you want something less time consuming to experience, however, keep in mind it has many spoilers for the previous games.

All the games in the series are standalone stories, but they also connect to each other, so there are references and recurring characters, it’s up to you to choose what is the best way for your adventure into this franchise.

Remember, the point is to have fun! Don’t rush yourself and take the games at your own pace. The Yakuza series is about enjoying the journey and all the weird and wonderful things it throws at you.

The Yakuza games offer a rich and varied experience. The amount of time you spend will depend on what type of player you are. Whether you stick to the main story, do a few side quests, or try to complete everything, you can be sure to find many hours of enjoyable game time. Just remember to take the adventure at your own pace, and you will have a great time.