Parents' Guide to

Yakuza 0

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Mature mafia story packs loads of violence, repetitive acts.

Yakuza 0 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 13+

for teenager

no sex just women in bikinis so it’s nothing different to going to a public beach and violence is what it is

This title has:

Easy to play/use
age 18+

A Great game but not for kids!

The game is set in 80s Japan during the bubble economy - which means that the backdrop is a time of sex, booze and gangsters. Which should be enough to keep kids away from the title. The story is great, it is about a young guy who is framed for murder and is trying to find his way in the world of the Yakuza, big buisness and trying to figure out what like is about. The game actually has two MCs, the other one is a Yakuza who has fallen from grace and is trying to get back into the game. Both MCs are pretty moral (as in they don't want to kill anyone and try their best to be as good as they can be). All in all one of my fave games but not one I will ever let my kids play (until they are old enough) especially with the VERY stark sexual themes (which are in a lot of mini games and impact the main story).

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (12 ):

This action game has a compelling story, though it can become repetitive in places. Yakuza 0's story is engaging, featuring complicated criminal characters with their own moral codes who are grappling with difficult situations. There's some over-the-top action (you can pick up a bicycle and wield it as a club or even find a stray salt shaker to season people's eyeballs), but the overall tone's serious, and is bound to leave players wondering what they would do in similar situations. That said, there's some comic relief in the form of goofy side missions, such as one in which players help Miracle Johnson -- a clear stand-in for Michael Jackson -- shoot a music video by punching "Thriller"-style zombies away from him.

Yakuza 0 is bound to draw comparisons to Grand Theft Auto for its bloody open world crime drama antics and occasional dabbling in bizarre side activities. Indeed, other than the intriguing setting of Japan in the 1980s, there isn't much here that will feel particularly original to veteran players, especially those who've worked their way through the rest of the games in this epic, ongoing series. But it's also polished. The combat's smooth and satisfying, providing plenty of options that allow players to develop their own style. And the dialogue -- though lengthy and spoken entirely in Japanese with English subtitles -- draws us into the characters' stories and plights effectively and emotionally. Like a good gangster movie, you're bound to care about these hard men. You'll appreciate their motives even as you question their actions. It's not quite a classic in the open world gangster genus, but Yakuza 0 is still worth a look-see for those interested in a glimpse into the criminal underworld.

Game Details

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