Kiryu Kazuma was raised at the Sunflower Orphanage and has been guarded since childhood by a Dojima Family lieutenant affiliated with the Tokyo-based Tojo Clan of the Japanese organized criminal syndicate, the yakuza. Kazuma, who has a dragon tattoo on his back, quickly rises through the ranks of the Dojima Family until he accepts responsibility for the murder of its head to protect his best friend and is sentenced to prison.
Kazuma returns to his hometown of Kamurocho ten years later. He discovers that Yumi Sawamura, a young woman he grew up with in the orphanage, has gone missing. The Tojo Clan has been robbed of ten billion yen, and numerous yakuza groups are looking for money everywhere. Against his desire, Kazuma is drawn back into the yakuza world’s battles and intrigues.
Yakuza is a hybrid game that combines free-roaming exploration, hand-to-hand combat, and role-playing aspects. In the exploration mode, Kazuma walks around the Kamurocho district. The game layout is mission-based: the player can mostly roam the town, explore some buildings, shop, or play in numerous mini-games like UFO catcher, batting cage, slot machines, blackjack, and others. In addition to plot-advancing missions, the game includes side quests that can be unlocked by engaging with some personalities roaming the town.
Hostile yakuza may frequently confront Kazuma in the city streets or during operations, resulting in battle situations. The confrontations occur on various screens, and Kazuma must defeat all his opponents to win. Though Kazuma and his opponents can employ guns, the bulk of the fights is fought in melee. Kazuma can fight barehanded and perform various actions, including punches, kicks, grabbing, throwing, and combinations. Furthermore, the player can interact with and use many things displayed on the fight screen as weapons. These include traditional weapons like baseball bats, more unusual items like chairs, umbrellas, neon signs (which electrify adversaries), and even larger objects like bicycles. Weapons commonly break after a few uses, but Kazuma can disarm opponents and gain possession of their guns.
The game’s economy (money is earned after fights and may be spent on food, drinks, healing goods, weapons, gifts, and so on) and character advancement system both have role-playing components. Following bouts, Kazuma gains experience points and levels up. When leveling up, the player can allocate ability points to increase Kazuma’s health, heat gauge (special power meter) and unlock new moves.
