Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game that is the sixth main entry in the franchise and serves as prequel to the original game. The game takes places between December 1988 and January 1989 in Kamurocho, Tokyo and Sotenbori, Osaka. Players can control charismatic protagonist Kiryu Kazuma and eccentric Majima Goro. The story revolves around an empty lot in Kamurocho that is owned by a young woman living in Osaka who suffers from psychogenic blindness and is mercilessly hunted down by criminal organizations.

This game convinces on numerous levels. The game play is very addictive as players can incarnate the franchise's two most skilled fighters in this game which makes for extraordinary and unique fight sequences. These characters also have a more humane touch this time around since they are much younger than in the other games and trying to help a helpless innocent woman you can't help but rooting for.

The story is also intriguing as it comes around with several conspiracies, turns and twists that will keep players on the edges of their seats. The number of characters here is more impressive than in many television series featuring multiple seasons.

This game also helps us understand how the two lead characters became the people they are in the other releases of the franchise. Regular players will discover sides of these characters that they would have never expected to witness.

It also oozes with atmosphere and brings Japan in the late eighties to life in authentic fashion with less modern suburbs, elegant discotheques and tons of addictive arcade games. The accompanying soundtrack completes the authentic immersion.

This game once again offers value for money, with the main story taking more than thirty hours to be completed while finishing the numerous different side stories might take far over one hundred hours.

While not being the franchise's most memorable game, it serves its purpose as a prequel exploring the main characters' origins extremely well. This is why this game should certainly please regular fans of the franchise. However, it would also serve as excellent starting point for new fans who could then continue their discovery of this extraordinary game series chronologically.

Detailed rating:

Atmosphere: 8 / 10 

Challenge level: 8 /10

Controls: 9 / 10

Game flow: 8 /10

Graphics: 9 /10

Length: 8 /10

Long-term fun factor: 7 /10  

Sound: 9 /10

Soundtrack: 7 /10

Story: 8 /10

Total score: 81 / 100

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is the seventh main instalment in the extraordinary action-adventure video game franchise of the same title that has existed for eleven years when this game was originally released in Japan. It's the final game featuring Kiryu Kazuma, former member of an organized crime family with a heart of gold, as protagonist. This game is certainly the most emotional, mysterious and personal one thus far in the franchise.

Kiryu Kazuma has made peace with his past and has just been released from prison as he wants to live a more secluded life and take care of orphaned children in Okinawa. Things take a more sinister turn when he learns that his protégée Sawamura Haruka has been severely injured in a hit-and-run incident when he was still in prison. As Kiryu Kazuma finds out that she is in a coma, he decides to investigate and penalize those behind the terrible crime. However, the surprises don't stop there as the protagonist learns that his protégée was protecting a little boy who turns out to be Sawamura Haruka's child. Kiryu Kazuma understands that in order to figure out the conspiracy in which his charming protégée has been mixed up, he must find the father of her son. Kiryu Kazuma traces her steps from Kamurocho, Tokyo all the way back to Onomichi, Hiroshima where she worked as a bartender. The protagonist soon gets mixed up with dangerous local and national conflicts while trying to figure out his protégée's secret life and protect his loved ones by any means necessary.

This game convinces on numerous levels. First and foremost, the story offers some interesting twists and turns and will keep players on the edges of their seats until the emotional conclusion. This game once again includes numerous very entertaining side stories that offer funny and heartfelt moments to offer genuine diversity. 

Up next, old and new characters have more depth than ever before which makes the protagonist and his loved ones even more empathic and sympathetic. On the other side, players will certainly root against the antagonists who don't even hesitate to murder a teenage mother and her baby boy.

The idea to let this game take place in familiar Kamurocho and in fictional sea side town Onomichi was a brilliant one. The former offers a healthy dose of nostalgia while the latter introduces a truly dynamic environment with unique cultural elements.

The seventh instalment in the video game franchise once-again offers excellent long-term entertainment. It's not as long as its immediate predecessor but that isn't a bad thing at all as this sixth game is more compact, energetic and focused. This means that the game has few to no slow moments and is particularly dynamic and intriguing.

Some elements in this game are obviously still quite predictable such as the mandatory final epic fight sequences in the Millennium Tower and the cameo appearances of numerous beloved characters from earlier instalments.

At the end of the day, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a wonderful conclusion to Kiryu Kazuma's reign as protagonist of this excellent action-adventure video game franchise. This dynamic game finds the perfect balance between traditional trademarks of the franchise and fresh characters, emotions and locations. Fans of old date should therefore appreciate this game as much as potential new fans. This game genuinely offers value for money as it entertains from start to finish, is the franchise's most emotional content by far and has great replay value for hundreds of hours of diversified entertainment.

Detailed rating:

Atmosphere: 8 / 10 

Challenge level: 8 /10

Controls: 9 / 10

Game flow: 9 /10

Graphics: 10 /10

Length: 10 /10

Long-term fun factor: 9 /10  

Sound: 9 /10

Soundtrack: 7 /10

Story: 8 /10

Total score: 87 / 100

Hitman 2 is a stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment. It's the seventh entry in the Hitman franchise and the second out of three games of the current game series. This game has four main maps plus two free downloadable maps as well as expensive bonus material that offers many hours of entertainment.

On the positive side, the different maps offer numerous possibilities to execute targets and retrieve information. Players can use traditional weapons such as knives and pistols but may also use their environment to stage accidents or even put blame for their actions on other characters. The different maps have much replay value and are also quite diversified with my favourites being the small village in the jungle of Colombia and the narrow streets of the busy slums of Mumbai. The graphics of this game are very lively and realistic.

On the negative side, the main story has slow pace and never manages to take off and grab the players. Anyone who is looking for creativity, depth or surprises might end up feeling disappointed. The numerous cutscenes are boring and stiff. The soundtrack is repetitive and unspectacular. The fact that the physical edition of the game doesn't even include all the main maps is unacceptable and the elevated price for bonus content is exaggerated cutthroat capitalism at its worst.

As you can read, Hitman 2 is only interesting for avid fans of the franchise who like to explore different ways to complete the maps and the bonus content. Occasional and new fans might however find that this game has several lengths and lacks intensity. At the end of the day, the game is passable but one of the weakest entries in the franchise.

Detailed rating:

Atmosphere: 8 / 10 

Challenge level: 8 /10

Controls: 7 / 10

Game flow: 6 /10

Graphics: 9 /10

Length: 8 /10

Long-term fun factor: 7 /10  

Sound: 8 /10

Soundtrack: 6 /10

Story: 6 /10

Total score: 73 / 100

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the eighth main game in action-adventure video games series Yakuza by developers Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and publishers Sega. For the first time in the franchise, this game focuses on role-playing video game fighting style where you can play five male and two female characters.

The story revolves around brand-new character Kasuga Ichiban, a resilient but naive gangster who has spent eighteen years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Upon release from prison, he gets mixed up in a complex conspiracy as his family leaves him for dead in a city he has never known. Kasuga Ichiban is trying to put the different pieces of the puzzle together to figure out the things that have happened while he was in prison and to understand his own role, identity and destiny.

This video game convinces for several reasons. First of all, it took me seventy-eight hours to complete this game and there were even some side quests I didn't manage to finish. This means that this video game truly offers value for money like all the other games in this excellent franchise.

Up next, the new role-playing game style is entertaining and fresh. This statement comes from someone who doesn't enjoy traditional games of that genre and thinks that most of these are outdated and overrated. In this particular case however, the fights in the game become much more challenging. The seven different characters also add many different special attacks. The opponents in the game also have numerous different strengths and weaknesses that you need to figure out to beat them.

The characters are equally intriguing. Aside from headstrong protagonist Kasuga Ichiban, we get six party members that will support him as the game progresses. Nanba Yu is a homeless man with a mysterious past. Adachi Koichi is a dishonourably discharged police officer and driving instructor. Mukoda Saeko is the quirky manager of a hostess bar. Han Joon-gi is a criminal of Korean origin. Zhao Tianyou is a gangster of Chinese origin. Kamataki Eri is a shy businesswoman. There are also several intriguing side characters such as crawfish Nancy who can help you poisoning your opponents. The antagonists are also very interesting, especially Aoki Ryo, an influential politician originating from an organized crime family. There are also several characters from previous games who make a return in cameo roles such as former fourth chairman of the Tojo Clan and main protagonist in this video game franchise Kiryu Kazuma. Fans of old date should therefore be as delighted as newcomers.

The game however isn't without its flaws. The numerous fights are at times very repetitive and time-consuming. Some of the opponents are very difficult to beat which might frustrate some players. Especially the duo Majima Goro and Saejima Taiga, former franchise protagonist Kiryu Kazuma and most powerful opponent Tendo Yosuke take quite some time to be beaten and the first two duels are completely unnecessary to the story. Another weakness is that the video game features three different locations instead of properly developing one which takes away from the immersive atmosphere of some of the predecessors. The soundtrack is only of average quality and not as memorable and unique as the soundtracks of several previous instalments.

At the end of the day, Yakuza: Like a Dragon should however please any fan of action-adventure video games and classic role-playing games. Fans of the franchise can't get around this release. Furthermore, the inclusion of a new protagonist offers a fresh breeze to a franchise that was repeating itself a little bit too much in the most recent instalments. Therefore, this particular game would also be a wonderful opportunity for newcomers to explore the franchise and become fans. After having completed the game, I can't wait for the sequel to discover the upcoming adventures of Kasuga Ichiban and his friends and foes.

Life Is Strange: True Colors is the fifth entry in the series and the third main instalment. This graphic adventure game is based upon decisions made by the players that will have significant impacts later on in the game, leading to a multitude of possible different endings and offering much replay value. The game consists of five episodes of roughly four hours of length which makes for about twenty hours of entertainment in total with all the side quests. If you play the game without the side quests, you could perhaps even finish it in roughly twelve to fifteen hours.

The story of the game revolves around twenty-one-year-old Alexandra Chen who leaves her foster home and psychologist behind to start a new life with her older brother in rural Haven Springs in Colorado. The siblings were separated after the tragic death of their mother shattered their lives and the father's failure to adapt to the new situation tore them apart. Alexandra Chen had several negative experiences in foster families and homes while her brother Gabriel spent some time in prison. Arriving in Haven Springs feels like paradise to the initially shy Alexandra Chen. Her brother is caring, dynamic and welcoming to her and she soon spends time with friendly new acquaintances such as park ranger Ryan Lucan and record store owner Stephanie. She even gets the opportunity to stay at her brother's beautiful apartment since he spends much time with his girlfriend and artist Charlotte and her quirky son Ethan who have their own apartment. When Alexandra gets offered the opportunity to help out at local bar Black Lantern by friendly owner Jed, everything seems to be going fine. However, appearances are deceiving as Alexandra struggles to understand the supernatural power that allows her to detect and sense other persons' emotions. Things take a more complicated turn when tragedy strikes on her first night in town. Alexandra Chen has to dig deep into her own past and discover the dark sides of this seemingly idyllic place to come to terms with the dramatic series of events unfolding around her.

This game convinces on numerous levels. First of all, the location of Haven Springs is gorgeous with a wonderful bridge, an old school record store, a cozy tavern, a luminous rooftop garden and a park right next to a lake with snowy mountains in the background. The graphic design for this game is absolutely outstanding and anyone considering her-, him- or themselves an artist should purchase this wonderful game for that reason already.

Another particular strength are the diversified characters who all have to deal with their inner demons but also show moments of hope, joy and love - even the villains. Some of these great characters are resilient brother Gabriel Chen who has been looking for his sister for many years, poetic taxidermist Reginald McCalister III and empathic flower shop owner Eleanor Lethe. Stephanie Gingrich, from the previous instalment Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, makes an impressive appearance as energetic radio show host and record store owner. The most interesting character however remains protagonist Alexandra Chen, a tender, shy and insecure youngster who has suffered much in her past but gradually becomes a resilient, hopeful and helpful young woman you could easily imagine as your friend.

The story is also above average as the numerous side quests offer interesting details about the charming characters. The final episode that puts the different pieces together might offer a few minor twists as well. The ending sequences are very entertaining as usual and make you want to discover the numerous different outcomes.

The only element one could criticize the game for is that it keeps things very safe and is exactly in the key of its four predecessors. Due to its wonderful characters and graphic excellence, it easily triumphs over its three immediate predecessors while the first original video game still remains the greatest in the series because of its absolutely astonishing story line.

Fans of the franchise can't go wrong here as this release can be celebrated as a triumphant return to form. This game would also serve as a decent introduction to the franchise. If intriguing characters, colourful graphics and twisted stories with depth are your thing, then you can't get around this game. It's also possible to purchase additional mini-game Wavelengths that further explores Stephanie Gingrich's story between the events shown in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm and Life Is Strange: True Colors. Said mini-game is roughly four hours long if you really take your time but can also be completed in half the time if you want to.

To keep it short, Life Is Strange: True Colors is one of last year's better games and makes us look forward to experiencing the future of this vibrant franchise on the pulse of time that invites us to dream ourselves far away.

Detailed rating:

Atmosphere: 9 / 10 

Challenge level: 7 /10

Controls: 8 / 10

Game flow: 8 /10

Graphics: 10 /10

Length: 9 /10

Long-term fun factor: 9 /10  

Sound: 8 /10

Soundtrack: 8 /10

Story: 7 /10

Total score: 83 / 100