Rescued Rhythms

It is rare for me to muster the patience to write reviews about anything but boy does this deserve some credit. A disclaimer however, if turned based JRPG combat is not your thing then don't waste your time. However, if you're looking for a unique, refreshing experience that will crack you up and jerk your tears while being so addictive you'll want to take off days from work just to play more of it, then get up and grab your wallet (seriously). Like the rest of the Yakuza series, you'll often feel like you've just started watching a TV series you cant put down because of the deep and intricate storyline that leaves you wanting more. What personally wins me over with this series is its ability to not take itself too seriously and it nails every perfectly timed opportunity of a break from the main plot with hilarious moments through sub-stories - and you are spoiled with them nearly non-stop. This game brings all of these elements together and cranks up the wackiness to 11 and I love it because it takes my mind off the depressing morbidity of the real world, which is why I play video games to begin with. The characters will endear the hell out of you and become so attached to the protagonist that you'll find yourself genuinely caring for a fictional character. You'll end up with a storyline that will have you wondering what is going to happen next and you'll almost never run out of things to do because the side content alone is mind boggling (even after you've finished the game). I mean, it even has its own Crash Team Racing built in complete with its own upgrade system in case the ton of other mini-games are not enough. Yakuza is a series that a lot of people "don't get", however for those that it clicks with, it becomes an obsession where once you fall into it, you will be pestering your friends and partner about it all day. This title makes a decent entry point for those who are curious however it does spoil some important plot developments from previous games once you get halfway though it. If you play video games to escape the real world, have an open mind and a fairly good attention span to keep up with the amazingly intricate story line, then this is the game that will make every other feel pitifully vanilla, stale and predictable. The only gripe I have is the sewer grinding.