Yakuza 0

Q: What is _Yakuza 0_?

A: _Yakuza 0_ is a mainline story game in the _Yakuza_ series by SEGA. It takes place in the year 1988, seven years before the prologue to _Yakuza 1_, and seventeen years before the rest of that same game. It is an open-world adventure that follows the story of Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and the trials of the Tojo Clan. It was released in Japan in 2015 and in the Americas and Europe on January 24th, 2017. As such, it is the first mainline _Yakuza_ game chronologically, but the sixth in release order, not counting spinoffs.

Q: Is this is a good game to start the _Yakuza_ series with?

A: This game is my official recommendation for "where to start the series". For story purposes, this game is a prequel so there are no story aspects from later in the series that you need to be aware of. From a gameplay standpoint, this can be a bit overwhelming, not only in the complexity of the combat gameplay, but also in the large amount of side content. From an aesthetic standpoint, this is probably the wackiest and goofiest _Yakuza_ game yet, given the setting and the amount of time the series has had to find its tone. Also, the fact that it's on a current-gen system doesn't hurt.

Q: Wasn't this game available on the PS3 in Japan?

A: That's correct, but the worldwide release was only available on the PS4 in 2017. You can currently also play this game on Xbox systems and the PC as well.

Q: Is there an autosave in this game?

A: Only in the _Director's Cut_ on Nintendo Switch 2. The PS4, Xbox, and PC releases only have manual saving.

Q: Has anything changed in the PC or Xbox versions?

A: Very little, it seems. I guess the only big difference I've learned is that there is no post-chapter saving in the PC version. You'll have to use the phone booths for every save you make, so be aware of that. If anyone knows of any other differences, please feel free to contact me so I can update.

Q: What has changed in _Yakuza 0 Director's Cut_ for the Nintendo Switch 2?

A: Released in 2025 to coincide with the release of the Switch 2 itself, the _Director's Cut_ has a few additions to this game, but doesn't change too much. Here is what's been added:

• Autosave, and the ability to save anywhere from the Pause Menu without having to find a phone.
• Two new vocal dubs: English and Chinese
• New text languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German
• Five new cutscenes that don't add too much to the game's story, just explain a few ambiguous things. They mostly appear near the end of the game.
• The new multiplayer mode Red Light Raid, accessible from the title screen.

Q: What is this game rated?

A: This game is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB. It includes the content descriptors of: Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, and Use of Alcohol. In this game, you enter the world of Japanese organized crime, which includes a lot of illegal stuff. The combat in this game can be brutal, especially the "Heat Moves" you perform in combat, but while blood sprays out a lot, it's never too overt. There is no gore; everyone keeps all their parts. As far as sexual content is concerned, references are made to sex, and there's some slight rear nudity and groping hands with adult characters in story cutscenes, but it's all very muted.

Q: Who do I play as in this game?

A: You play as series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, currently a young enforcer for the Tojo Clan's Dojima family in Tokyo, and as fan favorite Goro Majima, currently an expelled member of the Tojo Clan working in Osaka. You switch between the two characters at regular intervals as the story progresses.

Q: Wait, where are the experience meters in this game? How do I gain levels?

A: It's money. It's all about money. Money serves as your main metric in this game. Not only do you use money to buy things and play around, but you also use it to build up your character in the Abilities section.

Q: How do I get a lot of money really quickly?

A: Across the game, and even factoring in your characters' businesses, the best way to get a lot of money is by defeating Mr. Shakedown. Click on that link to be taken to that section of the guide.

Q: How much money is "enough" in this game?

A: If you don't plan on doing a lot of side content, you can break a billion and it should be enough. If you want to complete the game fully and get all the Abilities, you're looking at about a hundred billion all told, and moreso if you want to pump a lot of cash into the Legend Styles.

Q: What's a good way to beat Mr. Shakedown?

A: Well, the proper way is to pay attention, watch his movements, and exploit opportunities, but I'm guessing you didn't come here for that answer. The first rule is to carry a ton of healing. Never go up against him without a good supply of Staminan Royales. While expensive compared to other types of healing, Royales are still cheap when you consider how much money you'll be making. Using Staminans will also charge your Heat, so use that to get Heat Actions on him. Easiest way to do those is with weapons that you have Heat Actions with. The best ones seem to be Daggers for causing damage. Also, Slime Guns and Zap Guns tend to cause him more damage than standard weapons (possibly due to their added effect) so if you can get your hands on some of those, exploit that. Zap Guns in particular hurt him hard, so having maybe three in your inventory will be more than enough to put him down at his maximum health potential.

Q: I'm in a substory and I'm being asked to pick a black or white box. Which should I pick?

A: Black. Both times. The items in the white box are far easier to come by.

Q: The game just got a lot harder! All the enemies are ganging up on me and are really difficult! What can I do to make it easier?

A: Did you equip an accessory called a "Charismatic Autobiography"? Or a "Charismatic Autograph"? That seems to be what people have been having the most trouble with when they move ahead in the game, not realizing that

Q: What is _Yakuza 0_?

A: _Yakuza 0_ is a mainline story game in the _Yakuza_ series by SEGA. It takes place in the year 1988, seven years before the prologue to _Yakuza 1_, and seventeen years before the rest of that same game. It is an open-world adventure that follows the story of Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and the trials of the Tojo Clan. It was released in Japan in 2015 and in the Americas and Europe on January 24th, 2017. As such, it is the first mainline _Yakuza_ game chronologically, but the sixth in release order, not counting spinoffs.

Q: Is this is a good game to start the _Yakuza_ series with?

A: This game is my official recommendation for "where to start the series". For story purposes, this game is a prequel so there are no story aspects from later in the series that you need to be aware of. From a gameplay standpoint, this can be a bit overwhelming, not only in the complexity of the combat gameplay, but also in the large amount of side content. From an aesthetic standpoint, this is probably the wackiest and goofiest _Yakuza_ game yet, given the setting and the amount of time the series has had to find its tone. Also, the fact that it's on a current-gen system doesn't hurt.

Q: Wasn't this game available on the PS3 in Japan?

A: That's correct, but the worldwide release was only available on the PS4 in 2017. You can currently also play this game on Xbox systems and the PC as well.

Q: Is there an autosave in this game?

A: Only in the _Director's Cut_ on Nintendo Switch 2. The PS4, Xbox, and PC releases only have manual saving.

Q: Has anything changed in the PC or Xbox versions?

A: Very little, it seems. I guess the only big difference I've learned is that there is no post-chapter saving in the PC version. You'll have to use the phone booths for every save you make, so be aware of that. If anyone knows of any other differences, please feel free to contact me so I can update.

Q: What has changed in _Yakuza 0 Director's Cut_ for the Nintendo Switch 2?

A: Released in 2025 to coincide with the release of the Switch 2 itself, the _Director's Cut_ has a few additions to this game, but doesn't change too much. Here is what's been added:

• Autosave, and the ability to save anywhere from the Pause Menu without having to find a phone.
• Two new vocal dubs: English and Chinese
• New text languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German
• Five new cutscenes that don't add too much to the game's story, just explain a few ambiguous things. They mostly appear near the end of the game.
• The new multiplayer mode Red Light Raid, accessible from the title screen.

Q: What is this game rated?

A: This game is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB. It includes the content descriptors of: Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, and Use of Alcohol. In this game, you enter the world of Japanese organized crime, which includes a lot of illegal stuff. The combat in this game can be brutal, especially the "Heat Moves" you perform in combat, but while blood sprays out a lot, it's never too overt. There is no gore; everyone keeps all their parts. As far as sexual content is concerned, references are made to sex, and there's some slight rear nudity and groping hands with adult characters in story cutscenes, but it's all very muted.

Q: Who do I play as in this game?

A: You play as series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, currently a young enforcer for the Tojo Clan's Dojima family in Tokyo, and as fan favorite Goro Majima, currently an expelled member of the Tojo Clan working in Osaka. You switch between the two characters at regular intervals as the story progresses.

Q: Wait, where are the experience meters in this game? How do I gain levels?

A: It's money. It's all about money. Money serves as your main metric in this game. Not only do you use money to buy things and play around, but you also use it to build up your character in the Abilities section.

Q: How do I get a lot of money really quickly?

A: Across the game, and even factoring in your characters' businesses, the best way to get a lot of money is by defeating Mr. Shakedown. Click on that link to be taken to that section of the guide.

Q: How much money is "enough" in this game?

A: If you don't plan on doing a lot of side content, you can break a billion and it should be enough. If you want to complete the game fully and get all the Abilities, you're looking at about a hundred billion all told, and moreso if you want to pump a lot of cash into the Legend Styles.

Q: What's a good way to beat Mr. Shakedown?

A: Well, the proper way is to pay attention, watch his movements, and exploit opportunities, but I'm guessing you didn't come here for that answer. The first rule is to carry a ton of healing. Never go up against him without a good supply of Staminan Royales. While expensive compared to other types of healing, Royales are still cheap when you consider how much money you'll be making. Using Staminans will also charge your Heat, so use that to get Heat Actions on him. Easiest way to do those is with weapons that you have Heat Actions with. The best ones seem to be Daggers for causing damage. Also, Slime Guns and Zap Guns tend to cause him more damage than standard weapons (possibly due to their added effect) so if you can get your hands on some of those, exploit that. Zap Guns in particular hurt him hard, so having maybe three in your inventory will be more than enough to put him down at his maximum health potential.

Q: I'm in a substory and I'm being asked to pick a black or white box. Which should I pick?

A: Black. Both times. The items in the white box are far easier to come by.

Q: The game just got a lot harder! All the enemies are ganging up on me and are really difficult! What can I do to make it easier?

A: Did you equip an accessory called a "Charismatic Autobiography"? Or a "Charismatic Autograph"? That seems to be what people have been having the most trouble with when they move ahead in the game, not realizing that

This section is just a quick rundown of the menus in the game.

Title Menu

New Game - Begin a new adventure. You'll first select your difficulty, then whether you'd like your upgrades automatically assigned.

Continue - Load a previously saved adventure.

2-Player Vs. Minigames - Where you can play with a friend Darts, Pool, Bowling, or Disco

Online Vs. Minigames - Where you can play online with other players in Mahjong, Cee-lo, or Poker

Climax Battles - These are considered an extra challenge for people who have mastered the game. They populate over the course of the story, but you won't be able to access them all until you finish the story at least once.

Online Mode - Here you can view DLC that you have downloaded. See the DLC section for info on accessing it.

Replay - Allows you to view major cutscenes again.

Settings - Access the same Settings menu you get at the Pause Menu. See below.

There are also some other items added to the menu once you complete the game. See that section for more info.

Pause Menu

Inventory - Shows your inventory of "normal" items. You can carry a maximum of 20 items at any time. You can also view Pocket Circuit Components, Weapon Crafting Parts and Valuables by pressing using R1/RB, which do not count towards your item total.

Equipment - Allows you to equip weapons, gear, and accessories. You may carry up to 15 of these items at any time, and they're separate from your regular inventory.

Abilities - Brings you to your style menu. From there you can select a style and apply funds to upgrading it. See more in Combat and Abilities.

Pager - Access your modern, state-of-the-art pager to access 10-digit messages.

Business - Once this unlocks, you can go here to check out how things are going in your character's line of business, either Kiryu's Real Estate Royale or Majima's Cabaret Club Czar.

Substories - Check out which substories you've done for your characters.

Completion List - Allows you to view your progress in completing the attractions and distractions of the game. Things have changed in here since previous games, so look through the list to see things you're tasked with doing.

Notebook/Help - Divided into two sections:

Characters - See a quick dramatis personae of the characters in your Part in case you forgot.

Tips - Shows tips on various aspects of the game.

Settings - Allows you to adjust certain options in the game:

Difficulty - Adjust difficulty of the game. This can only be done while in-game and not on the main menu.

Display Tips - The higher this is set, the more intrusive the tips in the game will be.

Camera Control - Separated into Vertical, Horizontal, and the First-Person aspects of the same. Normal has you look in the direction you tilt the Right Stick. Inverted reverses that.

Minimap Display - You can turn this off if you don't want to see the minimap in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Minimap Rotation - With this turned on, the minimap will rotate depending on where the camera is facing.

Subtitles - With this off, you won't see subtitles in major cutscenes. Hope you know Japanese.

Summaries - This is on by default, and will give you a cutscene-based update on the character you're switching to, since you do so routinely throughout the game.

Display Language - Only available in _The Director's Cut_, you can choose what language the game text is in: Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Latin American Spanish.

Audio Lanugage - Only available in _The Director's Cut_, you can choose between Japanese, English, and Chinese. Also, you can only adjust this on the main menu.

Screen Gradation and Screen Brightness - I'd adjust your TV first, but you can switch these if your screen is too dark or bright.

Note that the Map is not accessed from the Pause Menu. You need to tap the Touch Pad to bring it up.

More options are available in the PC version of the game, such as remapping the controller buttons, and more robust audio and graphics options. I'm not going into detail on those here as they're largely used to adjust your personal preferences.

There are also other menus in certain other minigames or situations, but those are confined to the section that describes them.