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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life launches this week on PlayStation 4. The final chapter in series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu's story, fans of the franchise will likely be diving straight in, but just in case you're new or perhaps a little unsure, we've put together this guide on the most frequently asked questions that we get about Yakuza 6.

When does Yakuza 6: The Song of Life release?

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life releases exclusively for the PlayStation 4 on the 17th April, 2018. That release date only applies to Europe and North America, as the game launched in Japan all the way back on the 8th December, 2016.

Are there any pre-order bonuses for Yakuza 6?

If you pre-order Yakuza 6 digitally from the PlayStation Store, you'll receive a PlayStation 4 theme. Pre-order the more expensive Digital Deluxe Edition and you'll get the theme alongside a digital copy of the brilliant Yakuza 0. You can download and play Yakuza 0 as soon as you pre-order.

Do you need to play previous Yakuza games to understand the story?

While all of the Yakuza games focus on their own standalone story, there are usually callbacks to previous games in the series, and characters from past games often make a return. This is also true of Yakuza 6. Since this is the final chapter in Kiryu's story, you can expect to see more than a few familiar faces, so new players might feel like they're missing out.

However, it's still entirely possible to play, understand, and enjoy Yakuza 6 without having to play any previous games. Yakuza 6 features a mode that goes over the main story beats of past entries, and although it's not a perfect substitute for actually playing the games, it does a decent job of getting you up to speed.

How long does Yakuza 6 take to complete?

If you focus on just the main story, Yakuza 6 should take you around 25-30 hours. However, the game has a lot of optional side quests and activities on offer. If you want to try your hand at everything, you could quite easily spend at least 50 hours with Yakuza 6 -- longer still if you want to complete everything to 100 per cent.

Does Yakuza 6 have a New Game Plus mode?

Yes, Yakuza 6 does have a New Game Plus mode. Once you beat the game, you can restart the whole thing with all of your skills, perks, and items intact. This allows you to play through the story all over again with Kazuma as powerful as he was when you finished your first playthrough.

If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, note that you can also continue to explore the world, fight, and partake in activities at your leisure after the credits have rolled.

What difficulty options does Yakuza 6 have?

Yakuza 6 has four different difficulty options, as described by the game (followed by our own details):

  • Easy: Recommended for players who are new to action games or the Yakuza series. (Enemies deal much less damage in combat and don't attack as often. You deal more damage, too.)
  • Normal: This is the standard difficulty level.
  • Hard: Recommended for players who are skilled at action games. (Enemies deal more damage in combat, and attack more often. They also have more health.)
  • Legend: A difficulty reserved for true legends of Yakuza. (Enemies deal much more damage in combat, and rarely give you room to breathe. They also have a lot more health.)

Does Yakuza 6 have multiplayer?

Yakuza 6 doesn't have any kind of online multiplayer, but there are two two-player local minigames that you can try with a friend. The first is Puyo Puyo, and the second is Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. Both of these minigames can be accessed via the game's main menu.

Will Yakuza 6 have any DLC?

Since Yakuza 6 has been out in Japan for over a year, SEGA won't be making or releasing any significant DLC following the game's launch here in the West. You can purchase special character cards from the PlayStation Store, which tie into the game's largest optional activity, but that's all, and they're certainly not a necessity.

Does Yakuza 6 have microtransactions?

There are no microtransactions at all in Yakuza 6.

Does Yakuza 6 run better on PS4 Pro? How does it run on a standard PS4?

Yes, Yakuza 6 does run better on PS4 Pro. On a standard PS4, the game suffers from slight framerate dips during especially busy fights. On the PS4 Pro, it holds at 30 frames per second more often, although it's still not perfect.

Do you have a review for Yakuza 6?

Yes, we've got a full review for the English version of Yakuza 6. You can click through here to read it.


Do you have any other Yakuza 6 questions? Will you be picking Yakuza 6 up this week on PS4? Crack your knuckles and head into the comments section below.