LogFAQs > #975564693

Johnbobb posted...

What are the essential must-play games of the series? LAD didn't really require knowing the other games to enjoy but not sure if that's the case elsewhere?

I think most people would say 0, Kiwami 2, and 5. However, you will get the best experience playing them all in order starting from 0. None of the games 'require' having played the others, really- they aren't a continuous storyline, so the main plots are fairly stand alone. However, the characters arcs ARE continuous. While the main plot might not necessarily flow from one to the next, there are many callbacks and continued exploration of characters pasts and future growth that reward playing the games in order.

Johnbobb posted...

How does Judgment/LAD: Ishin/LAD Gaiden tie in to all that?

Judgement and Lost Judgement are its own thing. You can play them whenever without worrying about the others. They star their own cast and have minimal crossover aside from being set in Kamurocho and Yokohama.

Gaiden will be a shorter game that follows Kiryu and takes place between 6 and LAD (and possibly during LAD as well? We don't know).

Ishin is a completely unrelated spinoff set in late 1800s Japan with the cast from the first 5 Yakuza's designs and VAs being historical characters.

Johnbobb posted...

I know the past games were action/adventure combat instead of turned-based. Is that the case for all of them?

Yes, aside from the sequel to LAD which is coming next year, all of them are action games.

Johnbobb posted...

LAD was a like 80 hour game without even doing the Milennium Tower challenges; is that the case for all of them too? I fully dont expect to have time to play the full series if that's the case

It depends. Some of them are just about as long (0, 5, and both Judgement games. Ishin comes close as well), but the rest (Kiwami 1, Kiwami 2, 3, 4, and 6) are shorter in the 30-40ish hour range.