The Yakuza game series is known for its depiction of the Japanese criminal underworld, but according to director Masayoshi Yokoyama, the games are more about human emotions than crime. The Yakuza game series has been around for a while and continues to be one of the best-selling and most popular franchises of modern times. The series is known for its critically acclaimed storytelling, deep and complex characters, and unique blend of crime drama and comedy.
For those who don’t know, Yakuza is a Japanese organized crime syndicate with a long and storied history. The Yakuza first rose to prominence in the early 1700s, when they began to provide protection for merchants and others in the cities of Edo and Osaka. The Yakuza quickly became known for their ruthlessness and their willingness to use violence to get their way. Over the years, the Yakuza have been involved in everything from gambling and prostitution to drugs and human trafficking. Today, there are an estimated 24,000 Yakuza members in Japan, with a presence in both the legal and illegal economies.
In a recent interview with Edge magazine, the Yakuza game director explained that many may think that the games are centered around the Japanese Yakuza gangs, but it is not the case. According to Yokoyama, the game’s primary focus is to make players experience life-or-death situations to evoke human emotions. While it's true that the Yakuza games' main titles tend to focus on human emotions and this aspect of the game is generally well-received, the same can't necessarily be said about its spin-offs.
Yokoyama's statement seems to be true as Yakuza games follow the stories of characters who are caught up in the world of crime, and they deal with the challenges and choices that come with that lifestyle. While the games certainly don't shy away from the violence and crime that is part of the Yakuza world, they also focus on the human stories behind those events. They even deal with themes like loyalty, betrayal, and redemption, and all of this makes for a series that is about more than just crime.
The last Yakuza game to use the title Yakuza outside of Japan was Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The franchise then adopted Like a Dragon as the new series title in the West, and the reason for this change appears to be that the developers don't want the game to be about depicting Japanese Yakuza life. It is possible that the recent statement of the Yakuza game director is also to make people stop comparing Yakuza games with Japanese Yakuza gangs.
Source: Edge (via GamesRadar)