Kiryu didn't choose the yakuza life, the yakuza life chose him. A couple years ago, I got drawn into Kazuma Kiryu's world, the world of Yakuza games, being completely enamored by charismatic characters and the allure of rowdy city streets. The series' pitch-perfect blend of gripping melodrama and absurdist humor is as consistent as kindhearted tough-guy Kazuma Kiryu getting suckered into his former gang's illicit business. With Yakuza 5 Remastered out now, alongside the whole Yakuza Remastered Collection, the entire saga is now playable on PlayStation 4. Each entry was memorable in its own right, but Yakuza 5's opening chapter is the one that will forever be burnt into my memory. On a calm winter night in Fukuoka, about 700 miles from his home turf of Kamurocho in Tokyo, Kiryu's chaotic life is shown to have seemingly settled down again. He's a cab driver assuming a new identity under a different name, appearing to have put decades of his life ...
