The Yakuza series has seen a resurgence in the West. The long-running action thriller found itself in a lengthy dormant period after the release of the fourth entry, save for the odd horror-themed spin-off Yakuza: Dead Souls in 2012.

Yakuza 0 is the origins story of Kazuma Kiryu and details his ascension into the ranks of the Yakuza – the name given to members of notorious Japanese crime organisations.

Plot is the key element of all the Yakuza games but trying to describe it is would make them sound either insanely boring or like a soap opera heavily mixed with a kung-fu movie. Instead it is more akin to what Die Hard would have been if it married Grand Theft Auto and made every character on the...

I've written a few reviews for the Yakuza series at this point, and I still find it difficult to figure out how to start them. See, there's really not much else like Yakuza out there.

New fighting styles to ease up repetition; tons of stuff to do; new completion point system to reward hitting goals in various areas; much-improved engine

Slightly uncomfortable approach to sexuality; economy is off-balance due to massive amounts of cash inflow

Welcome back to the land of the Rising Sun in Yakuza 0 which is not only a prequel in this cult gaming series but takes players back to where it all started as you follow the lives of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima who become indoctrinated (with the player) into the so-called Japanese Mafia.

Update: Though I originally reviewed Resident Evil 7 on PS4 and PSVR, I've since had a chance to test the game on Xbox One and PC as well. Accordingly, additional information has been added to the bottom of this review.

Tight focus limits the amount of filler; Strong narrative and tense atmosphere; Upsetting amount of visual detail; Excellent variety thanks to the different family members and playable flashbacks; Refined survival-horror mechanics that balance old with new; Top-notch VR support

Certain sections drag; Some boss battles prove more annoying than intense; Enemies could be smarter and more capable; Puzzles go largely forgotten

A hallmark of excellence. It may have some flaws, but they are negligible to what is otherwise a supreme title.

There are so many games available that gamers are prone to making comparisons. These range from some very simple and innocent comments to game-defining labels like "it's Skyrim with guns".

So many activities! | Incredible stories | Varied combat

Dated visuals | No English voice overs | Archaic save system

Back in 2006, Sega of America attempted to sell the newly created Yakuza IP as the Grand Theft Auto of Japan. At the time, this marketing was the best way to convince Western PS2 owners to give the game a shot, but it was also the most misleading: in truth, the Yakuza games are more like cinematic...

I have an imported american copy, I wanted the limited edition which was US exclusive. Have just started and am already thoroughly enjoying myself. A huge amount to do! Tons of karaoke, minigames and upgrades, adds so much to the game. Don't overlook this amazing game.