Recent reviews by Shyer

This game is straight crack

EDIT: https://x.com/PlayStation/status/1787331667616829929

THEY REVERSED THE DECISION

Gameplay is **really tight.** It feels good. Some characters are definitely more good than others (Reina, Dragunov, Victor, Azucena for example), but that's fairly natural for a game when it's just been released. The tools available to help new players learn how to play the game (Arcade Quest, frame data being readily available in Practice mode [which should be a given, not something we have to cheer for when other fighting games have done so for several releases in a row by the release of this game] Replays providing you tips on punishing buttons you're struggling against, **Replay Takeover,** and so on) which will make new players want to keep coming back, thus increasing retention.

The story mode is genuinely excellent. Characters that I like but didn't think were going to get any screen time *got* screen time. We also got to see the Jin Walk(tm) make a return. I can't really talk more about it without spoiling it.

Ranked has its fair share of issues that need more than just a once over. Pluggers and cheaters being the main thing, but there are little things that I think could be handled better (like One-and-Doners not having the option to cancel the set after losing to a player if they've done so too many times, but that's just my take).

Though... God, even though I genuinely like the gameplay of this title and will continue to play it, I ***CANNOT*** condone the stealth addition of a microtransaction store and battle pass. That should've been revealed months prior to the game's release, not after outlets have published their reviews. I don't doubt for a second that this was a decision on Bandai Namco's part. It's horribly scummy of the publisher to push and enforce a battle pass and microtransaction store system; The fact that it's all cosmetics shouldn't be a point in its favor. It's such an awful thing to do post-launch that it's the sole reason I cannot, in good faith, recommend this game to anyone new right now unless feedback is taken and used to make the game and systems therein better.

It's a considerably shorter title than other titles in this franchise, but considerably longer than the Kaito Files expansion for Lost Judgement.

Both fighting styles available to the player are fantastic and gradually become more fun to use the deeper into the game you get. Agent is the style that the game is definitely pushing harder than the Yakuza style, as it has all the new goofy mechanics and gizmos that were advertised as a selling point for this game. Oh, and Tiger Drop is an ability you can use in combat as well.

The soundtrack is, as expected of a title of this series, great. My favorite track has to be Cold Fire.

The story... I have feelings about it. It takes place after Yakuza 6, and leads up to the halfway point of Yakuza 7/Like A Dragon. Playing both titles before this is absolutely required, I think; there are flashbacks and references to events of both games that spoil their respective titles. For the sake of not spoiling anyone who has yet to play it, I will not say anything further.

There's a lot of side content available in this title, and a little somethin' somethin' for the Judge Eyes/Lost Judgement fans as well! The game also includes a special trial version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth available right away from the main menu upon launch.

For 50 dollars, and with how much extra time you get out of the side content in these titles, that's well worth your money. I powered through the story mode and it took me ~22 hours, with a bit of grinding on the side for abilities. Give it a go.

GAME GOOD

I have not done the post-game content but I know there's more story shenanigans to be found there, but the main story was fantastic. We stan a dim king.

With all the hubbub currently surrounding this game, it makes me wish there was a 'maybe' recommendation button on Steam.

Okay, so... I love this game. I love how it handles, how it runs in VR, the story, the plane selection, the modifiers, Conquest mode, everything. It's Ace Combat if you gave it a generous coat of orange paint and G-lock.

It kills me to hear that Frontline-59 is PS5 exclusive. Corporate meddling in an indie game is, quite frankly, absolutely ridiculous. PC and Xbox players have effectively been shafted as a result, and most of the backers were PC players. If taking the deal was for the sake of securing funding for more content down the line, then I get it. It doesn't mean I'll be happy about it.

If you have no issue waiting for the embargo on the PS5 content to be lifted, or if it remains in perpetuity and never comes to PC/Xbox, then by all means, play this game. We're going to get custom mission support in the future anyway, as confirmed by the developer in a very recent blog post, and that's a big win for user-generated content.

If you do have an issue and would rather be able to enjoy the entirety of this game, DLC included, do not buy it on this platform.

Do not.

This game is genuinely fantastic, and is a fantastic title if you're looking for a different take on the fictional setting of Kamurocho. The English cast all pull their weight for this dub, if that was anything of concern. Greg Chun's performance as Takayuki Yagami is stellar. Gameplay-wise, it's satisfyingly challenging, but never so much so that I felt frustrated, and my first playthrough was on Hard difficulty as I'm a series veteran. I can't recommend this title enough.

I reluctantly will not recommend this game right now. If a lack of good online netcode bothers you, pass this one up.

If it doesn't, this game is super rad. A vast, vast improvement to the original All Star Battle release. Everything feels better, and hitstun being a thing is pretty nice. The new characters added are cool, even if some are only here because of their appearance in Eyes of Heaven, and all of the new voice acting is fantastic. If you like JoJo, you'll like this game. I, personally, just can't really let the lack of rollback slide here.

Gameplay is solid, but there are definitely a few things about this beta that have left me wanting. And, since it's a month from release and IW have shown with their actions that they do not value player feedback, the things I, and more than likely many other players, have issues with will remain unchanged. Maybe down the line it'll be worth playing MP more often.