Welcome to Backlog Brawl, Vol. 2! In the inaugural entry of this column, I discussed my experiences playing the surprisingly well-aged Sleeping Dogs. In Vol. 2, I ditch the fast cars and neon lights of Hong Kong for a much more grounded — yet, paradoxically, far more ridiculous — cityscape. Let’s take a look at the audition tape for our newest challenger!
When I started this challenge in January, I did so for the thrill but also as a much-needed outlet. Over the past few years, I’ve written a dizzying number of reviews for this site, and while I’m still keeping that fire alive (see: Love Eternal and Demon Tides), there’s a part of me that’s burned out. I spend so much time writing about other people’s passion projects that I neglect passions of my own. I grew up on JRPGs and Nintendo, but nowadays I rarely get to enjoy either.
That longing takes its toll. How many terrific games lie on my shelf gathering dust, still in their original shrink wrap? How many wayward gems are loaded onto my Steam Deck, a few hundred megabytes of bliss lost in a sea of AAA adventures? The older I get, the more I come to terms with the fact that I’ll never get to play everything I own. It’s why I challenged myself to just play what I want — because, just like money, I can’t enjoy the games when I’m gone.
Which makes what I’m about to say all the more cathartic: Two months into this challenge, the process has been absolutely liberating. I started my journey with 2012’s Sleeping Dogs, a Hong Kong-set open world that’s just long enough to be enthralling, yet just short enough to be surmountable. After 30 hours, I had seen and done everything there was to enjoy: I’d raced through traffic, engaged in shootouts at the pier, taken down hundreds of enemies, and even starred in my own little Bruce Lee flick. I’ve never been to Hong Kong, but Sleeping Dogs made me excited to visit… minus the whole triad initiation thing.
In February, perhaps to further scratch that itch, I decided to take a trip to another East Asian metropolis. The difference this time around was that I’ve actually been to this city before — albeit years ago, on a three-day vacation with some college buddies, with zero knowledge of the language and several mishaps along the way. Having played this game for 70 hours, however, I now feel inspired to return to this city, complete with its neon lights, highballs, karaoke bars, and pachinko machines.
I’m talking, of course, about Tokyo and the Yakuza franchise — specifically, the prequel that everyone raves about: Yakuza 0.
The Audition: Dame Da Ne…
The Yakuza series is one of gaming’s biggest black boxes. An epic saga spanning cities, playable characters, and decades of in-game years, Yakuza (later rebranded as Like a Dragon) is well known for its emotional storytelling, larger-than-life cast, and bevy of side distractions. It’s also a franchise that, at nine mainline entries and counting, is tough to break into — unless you’re committed to investing hundreds of hours into its world.
While Yakuza has only grown bigger in scope over the years, it has its on-ramps. Yakuza Kiwami (2017) and Kiwami 2 (2018) remade the first two entries from the ground up, polishing what had been two rough-edged PlayStation 2 games into something more palatable. Remasters of Yakuza 3 through 5 allowed fans to continue protagonist Kiryu’s journey from the comfort of newer PlayStation hardware. And, in perhaps the series’ biggest gambit yet, 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon switched up not just the main character, but the entire combat system, transitioning from a twitchy beat-em-up to a methodical, turn-based RPG.
There’s no one “best” place to start your Yakuza journey. And yet, if you were to ask a legion of seasoned fans, the vast majority would say the same thing: “Start with Yakuza 0.”
Know Your Roots
Released in Japan in 2015 (and stateside in 2016), Yakuza 0 marked the franchise’s 10th anniversary. Rather than continue Kiryu’s story from Yakuza 5, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio chose instead to celebrate the series’ roots — and travel back to the past.
Despite being a prequel, Yakuza 0 didn’t skimp on scale, requiring nearly 150 hours to see and do everything. Hostess clubs, arena battles, batting cages, and gambling only scratched the surface of what Yakuza 0 offered players. Most importantly, though, it “reset” the series, allowing newcomers to experience the origin story of Kiryu Kazama, his sworn brother Akira Nishikiyama, and loudmouthed rival Goro Majima.
While I’m sure long-stay Yakuza fans were peeved at the idea of delaying the resolution of Yakuza 5 (which ended on a big cliffhanger) for a seemingly random prequel, it’s hard to imagine many complaining about Yakuza 0 in retrospect. It’s been over 10 years since Y0’s release, yet it remains countless fans’ favorite-ever game in the saga.
It’s my first Yakuza game, and it sure impressed the hell out of me.
From Zero to Hero
It took a while for Yakuza 0 to click with me. Despite owning the game since 2018, I’d never progressed past its opening chapter. Years later, I tried again, spurred on by fellow Punished Backlogger Kei Isobe, who insisted, “You’d like it, man.” Still, I called it quits, turned off by Yakuza 0’s stun-heavy combat system and long-winded dialogue.
Then, in February 2026, motivated by a recent completion by co-editor Amanda Tien, I decided to finally go back and give Yakuza 0 its fair shake. And I’m so glad I did, even if it took me nearly a decade. There’s so much good to talk about here, from Y0’s delightfully vulnerable protagonists to its lovingly recreated Tokyo and Osaka playgrounds. The mini-games are so robust, so addictive, they’re practically dangerous: I spent five hours racing RC cars against eight-year-olds when I could’ve been wrapping up the main story. I contemplated doing every frame challenge at the bowling alley, despite there being no tangible reward.
As much as I enjoyed these side stories, the real power of Y0 is in its ability to turn laughs to sobs — seemingly on a dime. This was a game that invited me into its streets, introduced me to its quirky denizens, only to rip my heart out each time I reached a new chapter’s end. Death is frequent; pain and cruelty abound. The Tojo clan (around which Y0 is centered) is filled with scoundrels of all creeds, and it was rare for Kiryu and Majima to see a moment’s respite during the actual main story events.
But that’s the point. As much as Yakuza is a goofy, fun-loving franchise, it’s also a saga about, ultimately, the Japanese mafia. There are no saints to be found here — a code, perhaps, and maybe shreds of honor, but no clear consciences. Seeing Kiryu and Majima evolve from pariahs of their respective mob families to bona fide demons, feared and revered by all, is a joy to behold — even if I wish neither followed their predestined path.
Therein lies the beauty of the prequel: an opportunity to expand and enrich, but one that’s always confined to a set of tracks. Yakuza 0 walks those tracks boldly, and even as someone with zero knowledge of the games to come, I couldn’t help but be blown away by what RGG Studio accomplished. I invested 70 hours into this world, and the experience will stick with me for countless more.
The Matchup Is Set!
And there you have it, folks. With our second audition wrapped, we have our first heavyweight bout of the year: Sleeping Dogs vs. Yakuza 0. Which open-world great will come out on top? Tune in next volume, when they go head-to-head!
Missed the previous entry of Backlog Brawl? Check out Vol. 1 here.
David is the founder of The Punished Backlog. He has a problem finishing games he starts.
Just beat: Yakuza 0, Sleeping Dogs.
Working on: Ys VIII.
Can't wait for: GTA VI.
Follow David on Twitter at @David_Silbert to keep up to date with all things The Punished Backlog.
