This is an overview and discussion post of this month's humble choice bundle, including current and historical lowest Steam prices, review scores from Steam and Metacritic, trading card eligibility, how long the main story takes to beat and what platforms the game is available for.
Please discuss the humble choice here. Questions can be asked on the November Humble Choice Question Megathread .
​

Game	Steam Reviews (All)	Steam Price	Historic Lowest Steam Price	Platform	Opencritic (TCA/100)	How Long To Beat? Main Story : Hours	Additional Information
Yakuza Kiwami 2	Overwhelmingly Positive (95%)	£24.99	£12.49	Windows	86	18.5
Darksiders III	Mostly Positive (75%)	£44.99	£11.24	Windows	69	14
Imperator Rome Deluxe Edition	Mixed (52%)	£34.99	N/A	Windows, Mac OS X + Linux	78	29
Crying Suns	Very Positive (87%)	£19.49	£11.69	Windows + Mac OS X	76	18.5
Darksburg	Mostly Positive (70%)	£17.99	£8.99	Windows	N/A	N/A
Little Misfortune	Very Positive (87%)	£15.49	£10.06	Windows, Mac OS X + Linux	78	N/A
Smile for Me	Overwhelmingly Positive (99%)	£10.29	£5.14	Windows + Mac OS X	N/A	4
Darkwood	Very Positive (94%)	£11.99	£4.07	Windows, Mac OS X + Linux	77	15.5
TSIOQUE	Very Positive (96%)	£10.99	£5.49	Windows + Mac OS X	68	3
Rover Mechanic Simulator	Very Positive (93%)	£9.29	£6.22	Windows	N/A	N/A
Youropa	Very Positive (97%)	£15.99	£3.19	Windows	84	6
Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt	Mostly Positive (77%)	£17.99	£7.19	Windows	64	N/A
Torii							Humble Original

​

After playing watching a few cancelled Vita games on a YT video, I was thinking about what games (realistically) could have worked well on the Vita if given the chance. Here are some I came up with:

1. Yakuza series - I recently played Yakuza: Kiwami on my PS4 and while the "open-world" was nothing special, the story.....WOW. One of the most emotional I have seen in awhile. I would later find out that a Free Alliances version of Yakuza 0 was released in Japan for the Vita, which leads me to the question: Why wasn't a full game released? (Rhetorical question). Seriously though, on a system starved for open-world games, I think Yakuza 0 (or any of them) would have been a welcome addition to the system and given how the FA version runs on the Vita, there is little doubt in my mind this game would have been a success.
2. Syphon Filter - For those who have never heard of this series, this was originally Bend Studio's flagship series. The Syphon Filter games were some of the best 3rd person shooters you could get on Playstation consoles. On the PSP, the SF games were arguably the best games you could get on the system period. Now granted, Bend closed the series with the final game, Logan's Shadow, but given that Bend went 3 years between their last vita game and the production of Days Gone, a prequel to the original Syphon Filter could have easily fit into the plans. A story of how Logan and Xing met and their beginnings in the Agency, maybe? As Unit 13 showed, a 3rd person shooter could work on the Vita, and given that Bend was the on-the-go maestros of shooters for Playstation consoles.....
3. Infamous: First Light - While there is rumor that there was an Infamous game on the concept table for the Vita, First Light could have been that. For those who bought this expansion to Second Son, you have my regards. This expansion wasn't bad, but not worth the price. However, as a Vita game, it would have been worth it. The criticisms for this expansion were for its short length (5 hour story/10 hours to 100%) and easy combat. Sounds like a Vita game to me (not that I wouldn't want more). Sucker Punch studios already had a history of porting games to the Vita with the help of Sanzaru games (Sly Cooper collection). With this, they could have given Fetch her own platform to stand on and fully flesh out her story. And again, "open-world" game on the Vita (which needed them).
4. Way of the Samurai - While I was tempted to go Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams here, I'm not sure that could have actually run on the Vita (criminally underrated game though). I'm also partial to Way of the Samurai's more grounded and realistic gameplay. This game is now seen as a hidden gem for the PS2, but anyone who played the game knew it was ahead of its time (hence the poor critic reviews on Metacritic, but good user reviews). This game was one of the original "choices affect your gameplay" and "branching storyline" games. Not to mention being able to customize over 40 different types of swords and a PvP versus mode and you have a game with a lot of replay-ability. Also, this game is from Acquire. The company has made many games for Sony and many handheld games for their portable systems. (NOTE: If you haven't watched the PCSX2 emulator version on YT, you should as it is a pretty good indictor of what could have been for the Vita).

What other games do you think realistically could have been made or even ported to the Vita and been met with success?
(NOTE: I left off Final Fantasy: Type-0 because I still haven't gotten over the pain Sony did to the community with that one. But yes, that could have and should have been ported to the Vita for western audiences).
(Addendum: As I was writing this, a friend texted me and let me know that Spike Chunsoft at one point had a Vita version of Way of the Samurai on the table and even had a teaser trailer for it.)

A couple of years ago, I took a quick look at top review scores in the genre (RIP GameRankings). Perspectives from outside this subreddit are always important, so I took another look around, this time from a general user score perspective. I built lists from GameFAQs, IMDb, Grouvee, and Metacritic. This comes with the usual caveats on user ratings with regards to astroturfing, review bombing, fan brigading, etc.
A few notes here, first. The actual genre classification was the biggest sticking point. I cast a wide net, based on subreddit mood over the past few years. Generally speaking, if there has been any sort of substantial controversy here that a game should be included, I included it. NieR, Undertale, Yakuza, and some mobiles are among these, for example. Zelda, Metroidvanias, Monster Hunter, South Park, and Soulsborne games were not included.
Games with very few ratings compared to the larger pool were also omitted (there weren't many of these).
I included some duplicate ports/re-releases depending on how the site listed games. These are denoted with asterisks. In those cases, I pulled extras from further down the list (hence, the "25ish"). One exception here is the Kingdom Hearts series; I did not include every single re-release and remaster, as they would have unduly cluttered the IMDb and Grouvee lists.
If there are any obvious databases I missed with datasets of this size (or there are corrections in general), let me know and I'll edit them in. I already passed over Giant Bomb, MobyGames, and VGChartz due to small datasets.

GameFAQs

Starting in 1995 as a site for guides and other game information, GameFAQs added personal game collections and ratings several years ago. Overall, I would expect ratings from such a site to lean positively toward longer games such as RPGs versus other games, but I'm not sure what kind of bias would be within the genre. Scores are out of five stars.

Rank	Game	Score	Number of ratings
1	Persona 4 Golden	4.59	6845
2	Chrono Trigger (NDS)	4.58	5619
*	Chrono Trigger (SNES)	4.57	6968
3	Xenoblade Chronicles	4.55	4881
4	Final Fantasy VI (SNES)	4.54	6294
5	Persona 5	4.54	5706
*	Persona 4	4.54	6611
6	Suikoden II	4.53	2854
7	Mother 3	4.52	1807
*	Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition	4.49	474
8	Final Fantasy VII	4.49	13599
9	The World Ends With You	4.48	4770
10	Lunar: Eternal Blue	4.48	594
11	Tales of Symphonia	4.47	4691
12	Rune Factory 4	4.46	2397
13	Skies of Arcadia	4.46	748
14	Panzer Dragoon Saga	4.46	761
15	Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars	4.45	5136
16	Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition	4.45	640
17	Persona 3 FES	4.45	5540
18	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door	4.45	4520
*	Final Fantasy VI Advance	4.43	2657
19	Tales of Vesperia (PS3)	4.43	712
*	Chrono Trigger (Final Fantasy Chronicles)	4.43	1125
20	Kingdom Hearts II	4.43	8789
21	Golden Sun: The Lost Age	4.42	2678
*	Tales of Vesperia (X360)	4.42	3858
22	Pokémon SoulSilver	4.41	6252
23	NieR: Automata	4.41	2378
*	Xenoblade Chronicles 3D	4.41	996
24	Pokémon X	4.41	15957
25	Fantasy Life	4.40	3165

IMDb

The well-known movie database has the second largest pool of ratings in this post. I don't know how long ratings have been around (or how far back video game pages go), but the database itself went to the web in 1993. Users are likely movie fans, which possibly gives Kingdom Hearts and Ni no Kuni a boost. Ratings are out of 10 stars.

Rank	Game	Score	Number of ratings
1	Persona 5 Royal	9.5	244
2	Chrono Trigger	9.5	2526
3	Final Fantasy VII	9.5	8676
4	Persona 4 Golden	9.4	652
5	Kingdom Hearts II	9.4	6518
6	Final Fantasy VII Remake	9.3	1541
*	Persona 5	9.3	1747
*	Persona 4	9.3	780
7	Suikoden II	9.3	342
8	Kingdom Hearts	9.2	6555
9	Xenoblade Chronicles	9.1	476
10	Persona 3 FES	9.1	449
11	Final Fantasy X	9.1	6424
12	Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force	9.0	82
13	NieR: Automata	9.0	1669
14	Yakuza 0	9.0	709
*	Fairy Fencer F	9.0	83
15	Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep	9.0	1345
*	Persona 3	9.0	650
16	Mother 3	9.0	308
17	Terranigma	9.0	170
18	Final Fantasy VI	9.0	2100
19	EarthBound	9.0	760
20	Yakuza Kiwami 2	8.9	252
21	Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age	8.9	286
22	Undertale	8.9	1876
23	Fire Emblem: Awakening	8.9	776
24	Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch	8.9	686
25	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door	8.9	699

Grouvee

A video game collection tracking/backlogging site going back to 2011, Grouvee uses the Giant Bomb wiki API. If there is any overlap with the backlogging fiends over at /patientgamers, this might be a similarly older crowd. Grouvee does not see as much traffic as Backloggery, but Backloggery does not appear have a database for user ratings. Ratings are out of five stars. This list required a minimum of 100 ratings, as per the site's sorting.

Rank	Game	Score	Number of ratings
1	Persona 5 Royal	4.79	153
2	Mother 3	4.63	386
3	Chrono Trigger	4.60	2475
4	Persona 4 Golden	4.60	1118
*	Persona 5	4.56	1777
5	Final Fantasy VI	4.54	1840
6	Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix	4.54	401
7	Trails in the Sky SC	4.51	143
*	Persona 4	4.50	969
8	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door	4.47	1243
9	Suikoden II	4.46	323
10	Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver	4.45	2325
11	Final Fantasy VII Remake	4.45	468
12	Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward	4.43	230
13	Persona 3 FES	4.42	917
14	Pokémon Gold/Silver	4.42	3991
*	Persona 3 Portable	4.42	623
15	Final Fantasy VII	4.42	3514
16	Final Fantasy IX	4.41	2122
17	Fire Emblem: Three Houses	4.41	629
18	Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix	4.40	243
19	NieR: Automata	4.39	1829
*	Pokémon Crystal	4.39	1551
20	EarthBound	4.38	1074
*	Persona 3	4.38	303
21	Skies of Arcadia	4.38	116
*	Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster	4.38	756
22	Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age	4.37	329
23	Yakuza 0	4.36	816
24	Rune Factory 4	4.34	196
25	Final Fantasy Tactics	4.31	945

Metacritic

Rounding out this list of lists is the smallest pool, Metacritic. This critics' review aggregator launched in 1999. Metacritic weights their review scores, but I do not suspect the site user ratings to be anything more than a straight average. Scores are out of 10.

Rank	Game	Score	Number of ratings
1	Crystar	9.6	1243
2	Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman	9.6	283
3	Xenoblade Chronicles	9.2	1326
4	Pokémon SoulSilver	9.2	830
5	Xenogears	9.2	309
6	Final Fantasy VII	9.1	2083
7	Xenoblade Chronicles X	9.1	1715
*	Pokémon HeartGold	9.1	849
8	Chrono Trigger (NDS)	9.1	634
9	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door	9.1	524
10	Paper Mario	9.1	411
11	Suikoden II	9.1	265
12	Tales of Symphonia	9.1	229
13	Vagrant Story	9.1	199
*	Final Fantasy Chronicles	9.1	183
14	Kingdom Hearts II	9.0	1260
15	Final Fantasy IX	9.0	1253
*	Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition	9.0	819
16	Pokémon Platinum	9.0	783
17	Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers	9.0	611
18	NieR: Automata - Become as Gods Edition	9.0	475
*	Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX	9.0	449
19	The Legend of Dragoon	9.0	326
20	Golden Sun	9.0	282
21	Golden Sun: The Lost Age	9.0	191
22	Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius	9.0	113
23	Final Fantasy Record Keeper	9.0	111
*	NieR: Automata	8.9	3676
24	Final Fantasy X	8.9	1645
25	Kingdom Hearts	8.9	1054

This is an overview and discussion post of this month's bundle, including current and historical lowest Steam prices, review scores from Steam and Metacritic, trading card eligibility, how long the main story takes to beat and what platforms the game is available for.
​
November Humble Monthly :
​

Game	Steam Reviews (All)	Metacritic	Cards	Steam Price	Historic Lowest Steam Price	Platform	How Long To Beat? Main Story	Additonal Information
Call of Duty WWII + DLC	Mixed (55%)	73/100 (Critics) 3.4/10 (Users)	Yes	£44.99	£17.99	Windows	6.5 Hours
Spyro : Reignited Trilogy	Very Positive (90%)	80/100 (Critics) 8.5/10 (Users)	Yes	£34.99	£34.99	Windows	16 Hours
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy	Very Positive (94%)	76/100 (Critics) 8.2/10 (Users)	Yes	£34.99	£20.99	Windows	15 Hours
Shenmue I and II	Very Positive (81 % )	76/100 (Critics) 7.8/10 (Users)	No	£24.99	£12.49	Windows	37.5 Hours
11-11 Memories Retold	Very Positive (92 % )	73/100 (Critics) 6.9/10 (Users)	Yes	£19.99	£5.99	Windows	5 Hours
Synthetik	Very Positive (93 % )	N/A	No	£16.99	£4.99	Windows	N/A
Evergarden	Positive (94%)	N/a	Yes	£7.19	£2.87	Windows, Mac OS + Linux	N/a
Operator								Humble Original

All games and prices are Steam unless stated otherwise.
These results do not include December's Early Unlocks
Total Bundle Worth (Usual Steam Store Price): £184/$240(approx.)
Total Bundle Worth (Lowest ever Steam Store Price): £100/$130(approx.)
Average review score : 85% (Very positive)
December Early Unlock's
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Game	Steam Reviews (All)	Metacritic	Cards	Steam Price	Historic Lowest Steam Price	Platform	How Long To Beat? Main Story	Additional Information
Soul Calibur VI	Very Positive (80%)	80/100 (Critics) 4.9/10 (Users)	No	£49.99	£16.49	Windows	7.5 Hours
Yakuza Kiwami	Very Positive (93%)	80/100 (Critics) 8.3/10 (Users)	No	£14.99	£11.24	Windows	18 Hours
My Time At Portia	Very Positive (90%)	73/100 (Critics) 6.9/10 (Users)	Yes	£24.99	£12.79	Windows	64.5 Hours

Link: https://www.cdndeals.ca/amazon-ca-yakuza-6-the-song-of-life_-essence-of-art-edition_-14-99-also-eb-games/ Price: $14.99 Discount: 73% Retailer: Amazon.ca
Heya, folks!
The game looks to be on sale again at Amazon.
Both Amazon and EB Games have the special “Essence of Art Edition” for * Yakuza 6: The Song of Life * on sale for ** $14.99 ** .
It’s been this price before around March (and at that time, that was the lowest it’s been) and a couple more times after that, and stock sold out pretty quickly on Amazon almost every time.

• ** Links: ** * – Amazon – EB Games (in stock in-store only)
  
• ** Reviews: ** * – Eurogamer – “Recommended” – GameInformer – 9.25 out of 10 – GameSpot – 8 out of 10 – IGN – 7.5 out of 10 – Kotaku – Metacritic – 83 out of 100 (aggregate) – Polygon – 8.5 out of 10
  

Amazon product: Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – Essence of Art Edition – PlayStation 4 Customer Reviews: I’m a big fan of the series. 4 is my favourite, I’d place 6 in second or third interchangeable with kiwami. Some things are better like the seamless world design, and other things not so much, like the character upgrades. It kind of lacks content imo, but makes up for it with a good clan creator mode. The story really needs you to suspend disbelief sometimes, and it has really high highs and low lows. It’s a game for Kiryu fans, as he plays a bigger part than ever, if that makes sense. I’d recommend this game even for people who never played a Yakuza before. All of them are fantastic as standalones, as the story and world are very inviting.
Image: 
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B074XPKMVZ/ref … YIK6Y9EEQB

I didn't make this post to hate on or show disdain for GamePass. I'll admit up front I despise GamePass and am not a fan of the strategy MS is taking. However, my point in this post is to find out what the XB community thinks about the potential value of GamePass as it exists right now. I genuinely want to know how the XB community feels about it, regardless of how I feel.
So, the question stands. What does GamePass mean to you? Is it worth it? Did it factor into your decision to buy an XB1 and/or buying an Xbox Series X? Is GamePass full of great games worth playing, just a few good games in an ocean of mediocre titles, or just mostly forgettable games that you would have never played if not for GamePass? Or, has GamePass allowed you to find rare gems that you would never have found otherwise?
Below are the vast majority of GamePass games (I only counted XB1 games on GamePass, not BC or PC games) along with their respective meta review scores (combined average review score). My source was MetaCritic and I used the review scores for only the XB1 versions of each game. I've highlighted all scores 85% or higher as well as Xbox exclusive titles.
To break it down, 33 games were rated 85% or higher, while 34 games were below 70%.
- The Surge 2 - 78% Metascore - Red Dead Redemption 2 - 97% Metascore - Kona - 71% Metascore - DayZ - 56% Metascore - Overcooked 2 - 81% Metascore - Bleeding Edge - 67% Metascore - Moving Out - 78% Metascore - The Long Dark - 76% Metascore - Streets of Rage 4 - 83% Metascore - Deliver Us The Moon - 76% Metascore - Totally Reliable Delivery Service - 63% Metascore - Football Manager 2020 - 84% Metascore - Journey to the Savage Planet - 76% Metascore - Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - 79% Metascore - Yakuza Kiwami - 81% Metascore - NieR: Automata - Become As Gods Edition - 90% Metascore - #IDARB - 77% Metascore - A Plague Tale: Innocence - 83% Metascore - Absolver - 62% Metascore - Afterparty - 75% Metascore - Age of Wonders: Planetfall - 85% Metascore - Alien: Isolation - 78% Metascore - ARK: Survival Evolved - 69% Metascore - Ashes Cricket - 79% Metascore - Astroneer - 73% Metascore - Bad North: Jotunn Edition - 65% Metascore - The Banner Saga 3 - 88% Metascore - Batman: Arkham Knight - 85% Metascore - Battle Chasers: Nightwar - 84% Metascore - Black Desert - 75% Metascore - Blair Witch - 67% Metascore - Blazing Chrome - 82% Metascore - Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - 84% Metascore - Bridge Constructor Portal - 78% Metascore - Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - 81% Metascore - Children of Morta - 80% Metascore - ClusterTruck - 69% Metascore - Costume Quest 2 - 65% Metascore - Crackdown 3 - 60% Metascore - Creature In The Well - 78% Metascore - Darksiders III - 69% Metascore - Dead By Daylight: Special Edition - 58% Metascore - Dead Cells - 91% Metascore - Dead Island Definitive Edition - 67% Metascore - Dead Rising 4 - 72% Metascore - Death Squared - 80% Metascore - Descenders - 77% Metascore - Devil May Cry 5 - 87% Metascore - DiRT 4 - 86% Metascore - DiRT Rally 2.0 - 82% Metascore - Dishonored 2 - 88% Metascore - Disneyland Adventures - 67% Metascore - DOOM - 87% Metascore - eFootball PES 2020 - 82% Metascore - Enter the Gungeon - 85% Metascore - Everspace - 84% Metascore - F1 2018 - 84% Metascore - Farming Simulator 17 - 65% Metascore - Felix the Reaper - 69% Metascore - Final Fantasy XV - 83% Metascore - For The King - 87% Metascore - Forza Horizon 4 - 92% Metascore - Frostpunk: Console Edition - 84% Metascore - Gears 5 - 84% Metascore - Gears of War 4 - 84% Metascore - Giana Sisters: Dream Runners - 32% Metascore - Goat Simulator - 53% Metascore - Guacamelee! 2 - 85% Metascore - Halo 5: Guardians - 84% Metascore - Halo Wars 2 - 79% Metascore - Halo Wars: Definitive Edition - 81% Metascore - Halo: Spartan Assault - 53% Metascore - Halo: The Master Chief Collection - 85% Metascore - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - 88% Metascore - Hello Neighbor - 42% Metascore - Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition - 90% Metascore - Human: Fall Flat - 73% Metascore - Indivisible - 82% Metascore - Jump Force - 61% Metascore - Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition - 86% Metascore - Kingdom Come: Deliverance - 68% Metascore - Kingdom Hearts III - 80% Metascore - Life Is Strange 2 - 79% Metascore - Lonely Mountains: Downhill - 79% Metascore - Marvel VS. Capcom: Infinite - 77% Metascore - Max: The Curse of Brotherhood - 72% Metascore - Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 - 72% Metascore - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain - 95% Metascore - Metal Gear Survive - 62% Metascore - Metro Exodus - 82% Metascore - Middle-Earth: Shadow of War - 81% Metascore - Minecraft - 88% Metascore - Monster Hunter: World - 90% Metascore - Moonlighter - 84% Metascore - Mortal Kombat X - 86% Metascore - MudRunner - 72% Metascore - Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden - 80% Metascore - My Friend Pedro - 76% Metascore - My Time at Portia - 73% Metascore - NBA 2K20 - 80% Metascore - Neon Chrome - 72% Metascore - Ori and the Blind Forest - 88% Metascore - Outer Wilds - 85% Metascore - Oxenfree - 78% Metascore - Pathologic 2 - 64% Metascore - Payday 2: Crimewave Edition - 65% Metascore - Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition - 86% Metascore - Playerunknown's Battlegrounds PUBG - 85% Metascore - Quantum Break - 77% Metascore - Rage 2 - 72% Metascore - Rare Replay - 84% Metascore - ReCore - 63% Metascore - Remnant: From the Ashes - 81% Metascore - Resident Evil: Revelations - 78% Metascore - RiME - 82% Metascore - Riptide GP: Renegade - 75% Metascore - Rise & Shine - 66% Metascore - Riverbond - 67% Metascore - Rocket League - 87% Metascore - Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure - 68% Metascore - Ryse: Son of Rome - 60% Metascore - ScreamRide - 71% Metascore - Sea of Thieves - 69% Metascore - Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - 85% Metascore - Shadow Warrior 2 - 78% Metascore - Sniper Elite 4 - 81% Metascore - State of Decay 2 - 66% Metascore - State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition - 72% Metascore - Stellaris: Console Edition - 81% Metascore - Subnautica - 81% Metascore - Sunset Overdrive - 81% Metascore - Super Lucky's Tale - 64% Metascore - Superhot - 83% Metascore - Surviving Mars - 76% Metascore - Supermarket Shriek - 76% Metascore - Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet - 72% Metascore - Tacoma - 79% Metascore - Tekken 7 - 81% Metascore - Terraria - 84% Metascore - The Banner Saga - 76% Metascore - The Elder Scrolls Online - 77% Metascore - The Escapists 2 - 77% Metascore - The Flame In The Flood - 74% Metascore - The Gardens Between - 81% Metascore - The Outer Worlds - 85% Metascore - The Turing Test - 80% Metascore - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - 90% Metascore - theHunter: Call of the Wild - 83% Metascore - Untitled Goose Game - 81% Metascore - Void Bastards - 75% Metascore - Wasteland 2: Director's Cut - 77% Metascore - We Happy Few - 64% Metascore - What Remains of Edith Finch - 92% Metascore - Wolfenstein: Youngblood - 68% Metascore - Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - 88% Metascore - World War Z - 73% Metascore - Yakuza 0 - 90% Metascore - Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection - 70% Metascore

This is an overview and discussion post of this month's monthly bundle, including current and historical lowest Steam prices, review scores from Steam and Metacritic, trading card eligibility, how long the main story takes to beat and what platforms the game is available for.
​
Humble Choice Lineup
​
December Humble Monthly :
​

Game	Steam Reviews (All)	Metacritic	Steam Price	Historic Lowest Steam Price	Platform	How Long To Beat? Main Story	Additional Information
Soul Calibur VI	Very Positive (80%)	80/100 (Critics) 4.9/10 (Users)	£49.99	£16.49	Windows	7.5 Hours
Yakuza Kiwami	Very Positive (93%)	80/100 (Critics) 8.3/10 (Users)	£14.99	£11.24	Windows	18 Hours
My Time At Portia	Very Positive (90%)	73/100 (Critics) 6.9/10 (Users)	£24.99	£12.79	Windows	64.5 Hours
Fluffy Horde	Mostly positive (87%)	N.A	£6.00	£1.20	Windows, Mac OS + Linux	N/A
Chasm	Mixed (69%)	72/100 (Critics) 5.9/10 (Users)	£15.49	£3.99	Windows, Mac OS + Linux	8.5 Hours
Regular Human Basketball	Very Positive (92%)	N/A	£3.99	£1.99	Windows, Mac OS + Linux	N/A
Sword Legacy : Omen	Mostly Positive (74%)	N/A	£14.99	£2.99	Windows	N/A
Balconing Simulator 2020							Humble Original

​
All games and prices are Steam unless stated otherwise.

Xbox Gamepass

• Totally Reliable Delivery Service (April 1, 2020) - Metascore: 60 (2020) - 14.99USD
• Nier Automata Become as Gods Editon (April 2, 2020) - Metascore: 90 (2018) - 26.79USD
• Alvastia Chronicles (April 9, 2020) - Metascore: N/A (2018) - 8.99USD
• Journey to the Savage Planet (April 9, 2020) - Metascore: 76 (2020) - 29.99USD
• The Long Dark (April 16, 2020) - Metascore: 76 (2017) - 8.99USD
• (RLS)Gato Roboto (April 21, 2020) - Metascore: 79 (2020) - 7.99USD
• (RLS)Deliver Us The Moon (April 23, 2020) - Metascore:N/A (2020) - 24.99USD
• (RLS)Yakuza Kiwami (April 24, 2020) - Metascore: 80 (2020) - 19.99USD
• (RLS)Hyperdot (April 30, 2020) - Metascore: N/A (2020) - 19.99USD
• (RLS)Levelhead (April 30, 2020) - Metascore: N/A (2020) - 19.99USD
• (RLS)Streets of Rage 4 (April 30, 2020) - Metascore: N/A (2020) - 24.99USD

Total Games: 11 ^{Game that includes PSN on title is or has been already on Playstation Now, RLS games are on the service at release date}
Average Metascore: 78 ^{Critics Metascore used, not enough reviews of Alvastia Chronicles}
Total Price: 207.69USD ^{This total is sum of lowest historic price without Plus/GWG on corresponding platform}

Playstation Now

• Spider-Man - Metascore: 87 (2018) - 19.99USD
• The Golf Club 2019 feat. PGA Tour - Metascore: 75 (2018) - 14.99USD
• (XGP)Just Cause 4 - Metascore: 65 (2018) - 11.99USD

Total Games: 3 ^{Game that includes XGP on title is or has been already on Xbox Gamepass}
Average Metascore: 75 ^{Critics Metascore used}
Total Discounted Price: 46.97USD ^{This total is sum of lowest historic price without Plus/GWG on corresponding platform}

Notes:

• Just Cause 4 is currently on Xbox Gamepass and has been for more than a year.

Conclusion ^{After dash {-} is my opinion}
Newer Games: XGP - No Comments.
Most Quantity: XGP - No Comments.
Average Score: XGP - Taking into account Just Cause 4 is on XGP too, it has more of an advantage.
Best Game: Nier @ 90 Metacritic - Arguably Spider-Man might be better and more popular (but is added only for three months.)
Monetary Value: XGP - No Comments.

Game Information

Game Title: Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Genre: Action-adventure
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Media: E3 2017 Trailer
'Fight, Explore, and Play'
'Previously on Yakuza...'
Take a Break with Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Minigames
Clan Creator Trailer
Developer: Sega ^Info
Publisher: Sega
Price: $59.99 USD / €59.99 EUR / £49.99 GBP
Release Date: JP - December 8, 2016
WW: April 17, 2018
More Info: /yakuzagames | Wikipedia Page
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 85 [Cross-Platform] Current Score Distribution
MetaCritic - 83 [PS4]
Curiously arbitrary compilation of main entries in the Yakuza series -

Entry (Japanese Name)	Score (Platform, Year, # of Critics)
Yakuza (Ryū ga Gotoku)	75 (PS2, 2006, 58 critics)
Yakuza 2 (Ryū ga Gotoku 2)	77 (PS2, 2008, 34 critics)
Yakuza 3 (Ryū ga Gotoku 3)	79 (PS3, 2010, 77 critics)
Yakuza 4 (Ryū ga Gotoku 4: Densetsu o Tsugumono)	78 (PS3, 2011, 59 critics)
Yakuza 5 (Ryū ga Gotoku 5: Yume Kanaeshi Mono)	83 (PS3, 2015, 34 critics)
Yakuza 0 (Ryū ga Gotoku 0)	85 (PS4, 2017, 86 critics)
Yakuza Kiwami (Ryū ga Gotoku: Kiwami) [Yakuza 1 Remaster]	80 (PS4, 2017, 69 critics)

Reviews

Website/Author	Aggregates' & Critic's Score	Quote	Platform
Eurogamer - Martin Robinson	Recommended ~ Recommended	Perhaps not the greatest Yakuza game, but Kazuma Kiryu's farewell certainly makes for the most human.	PS4
Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury	100 ~ 5 / 5 stars	If there’s any justice in the world Yakuza 6 would sell millions of copies. It’s smart, sharp, often surreal, and always hugely entertaining. The game maintains the series’ penchant for reproducing the experience of being in a Japanese city to exacting details, and then overlays a brilliant, labyrinthine, wildly funny B-grade yakuza drama over the top. It’s the kind of game you just “live” in, and the perfect example of open world game design done right.	PS4
Expansive - Ray Willmott	100 ~ 10 / 10	Without question, Yakuza 6 is one of the most enviable platform exclusive titles ever made because it just has everything you could ever wish for and more. A perfect send off for one of the greatest video game characters and gaming series of all time.	PS4
CFG Games - Maximillian Ringgenberg	98 ~ 4.9 / 5	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is an emotional bookend to a fantastic series. A few minor issues are overshadowed by a great story, fantastic game play, and a ton of side content. It's sad to see the main line games end but it gets a fitting ending.	PS4
CGMagazine - Lane Martin	95 ~ 9.5 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is everything I want in a Yakuza game, plus a baby… and a cat café.	PS4
PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones	95 ~ 9.5 / 10	A rip-roaring conclusion to Kiryu's tale and the best entry in the Yakuza series to date, Yakuza 6 is a triumph that effortlessly cements its place in the pantheon of all-time JRPG greats.	PS4
ZTGD - Jae Lee	95 ~ 9.5 / 10	It's an absolute emotional rollercoaster ride, packaged together with some of the best content the series has offered to date and polished to an absolute shine.	PS4
PowerUp! - Leo Stevenson	95 ~ 9.5 / 10	Like a good book or a new show on Netflix, Yakuza 6 is something to be binged. Writing this Yakuza 6 review was a challenge because it forced me to stop playing. I really didn't want to. I mean I REALLY didn't want to stop playing. Yakuza 6 is the kind of game that lodges itself in your brain and doesn't let go.	PS4
Geek Culture Podcast - Josh Garibay	95 ~ 9.5 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life brings Kazuma Kiryu's long-running tale to an end and does so on a high note. This is the wacky-yet-serious Yakuza vision fully realized, or at least it is damn close to it. Newcomers and established fans alike will find plenty to love in this father figure's quest for answers and revenge in a world where everything can be resolved with shirtless brawls. This powerful conclusion to the Dragon of Dojima's story must not be missed.	PS4
Game Informer - Jeff Cork	93 ~ 9.3 / 10	Yakuza 6 delivers both quality and quantity, so saying goodbye to Kiryu doesn't feel rushed.	PS4
Hobby Consolas - Hobby Consolas	93 ~ 93 / 100	We love Yakuza's story, its locations that seem "alive" and its many minigames (including classic Sega arcades such as Puyo Puyo, Virtua Fighter 5 or Super Hang On). The song of Life is the perfect ending for this saga.	PS4
VGProfessional - Nazih Fares	90 ~ 9 / 10	The most beautiful experience in the series, YAKUZA 6: The Song of Life is great way to close the Kiryu's story in style, with a fun and long adventure, full of content and side activities. Even if you didn't play the previous games, you shouldn't miss this goofy yet also mature and serious game.	PS4
GamingBolt - Pramath	90 ~ 9 / 10	Debates about whether or not Yakuza 6 is the best game in the franchise will probably rage on for a long time to come- but if nothing else, The Song of Life represents a franchise, a developer, and most of all, a character, at the peak of their talents.	PS4
PlayStation LifeStyle - Tyler Treese	90 ~ 9 / 10	While it's slightly disappointing to see so many members of Yakuza‘s great ensemble cast take a back seat in Yakuza 6, it ultimately works out for the best. Song of Life is Kiryu's story and focusing on something larger would only be a disservice to one of gaming's most fully realized characters. It's only fitting that he bows out in Ryu ga Gotoku Studio's most mature and focused game.	PS4
Hardcore Gamer - Jordan Helm	90 ~ 4.5 / 5	Aside from the most nitpicking of complaints, Yakuza 6 is but another declaration to the well-documented notion that Sega's decade-long series remains one of the finest, most consistent outings in the medium.	PS4
EGM - Mollie L Patterson	90 ~ 9 / 10	It's taken me a long time to experience the Yakuza series, but Yakuza 6 makes me so thankful that I finally have. The insurmountable badass Kazuma Kiryu is surrounded by a fantastic cast of characters and some gripping drama—it's just a shame that the "game" portion of this video game isn't quite what it could be. Still, this is a superb adventure from beginning to end, and further proof of the magic that Japanese developers can weave when they put their minds to it.	PS4
Game Revolution - Jason Faulkner	90 ~ 4.5 / 5 stars	If you've played Yakuza in the past, I think you'll get a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of this game. If you haven't, do yourself a favor and grab Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami and play through both of them, then grab Yakuza 6 when it comes out.	PS4
Gameblog - Rudy Jean-François - French	90 ~ 9 / 10	We could not have thought of a better way to end Kiryu Kazuma's adventures. More than a simple GTA clone, Yakuza 6 is a generous game which will provide you with hundred hours of an amazing gaming experience. You will never be bored with the never ending amount of content available in this game. Moreover, Japanese culture enthusiasts will have a great time hanging out in a very well modelized versions of Hiroshima and Kabukicho. A must have!	PS4
GameMAG - xtr - Russian	90 ~ 9 / 10	Yakuza 6: Song of Life is a very deep and exciting game with a great sense of humor and strange, but fun side quests. Fans for sure won't be disappointed.	PS4
TrustedReviews - Jordan King	90 ~ 4.5 / 5 stars	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a wonderful crime thriller that embraces everything that made the series great, refining it further with new technology – it blew me away. I’m not ashamed to say that the closing minutes of Kazuma Kiryu’s final chapter brought me to tears, acting as the culmination of a story in which I’ve lost myself for more than a decade. Don’t let this legacy dissuade you, though. Yakuza 6 is perfectly suited for newcomers thanks to its excellent reminisce feature alongside combat and exploration that’s easily the series’ best yet. Combine this with a deep, engaging story and Yakuza 6 offers an experience I can’t recommend enough.	PS4
Push Square - Robert Ramsey	90 ~ 9 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life tells a truly gripping tale – a story that blows most games out of the water. Combine that with a refined combat system and a new engine capable of making the game's world feel more alive than ever, and you've got a stellar Yakuza title. Although the experience does feel a little stunted in places outside of the main plot, this is still a fitting final chapter. Yakuza 6 is a gloriously dramatic send off for one of the greatest characters in modern gaming.	PS4
Gamers Heroes - Captain Camper	90 ~ 9 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life builds on every asset of the franchise, and improves it without sacrificing the games character and individuality. Whether you’re a first-time player or a long-time veteran, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is arguably the greatest Yakuza game to date.	PS4
GamesRadar+ - Alex Avard	90 ~ 4.5 / 5 stars	A touching finale for Kazuma Kiryu, Yakuza 6 manages to surprise and delight in equal measure.	PS4
Gadgets 360 - Rishi Alwani	90 ~ 9 / 10	All in all, thanks to its fantastic story, memorable cast, and more than competent gameplay, Yakuza 6 is an apt send off for the hero of one of the more criminally underrated franchises.	PS4
GearNuke - Khurram Imtiaz	90 ~ 9 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a good example of how to handle a series with multiple sequels. It builds on its strength to offer a satisfying conclusion to the story of Kazuma Kiryu.	PS4
God is a Geek - Chris White	90 ~ 9 / 10	Yakuza 6 is a fitting end to a great saga, with fantastic combat and lots to do outside the main story	PS4
Backlog Critic - Jonathan Lightwood	90 ~ 9 / 10	Sega have crafted an experience that rarely falters, whether in regards to its story, its characters or its gameplay. This isn’t just a brilliant Yakuza game. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a superb game in its own right, and may very well be an early contender for the best of 2018.	PS4
Quillstreak - Jordan Oloman	89 ~ 89 / 100	Overall, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life is a feature-length absurdity-laden romp that is the perfect silly antidote for first-timers and a pleasing development of the series for fans. With a multitude of systems, meaningful progression and side quests to fill your boots with, you will struggle to get bored and always find yourself craving your next knockout fix.	PS4
Gaming Nexus - Eric Hauter	88 ~ 8.8 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life wraps up the story of Kazuma Kiryu with the same sense of style and attention to quality the series has always maintained. By alternating erratically between deadly serious crime stories, and wildly goofball side activities, Yakuza strikes an entertaining sweet spot that few other series manage. Players should set aside a lot of time before engaging with Yakuza, because like the mob, this is a game that will keep pulling you back in.	PS4
Gaming Gamma - Gaming Gamma	88 ~ 8.8 / 10	Yakuza 6 is easily the most immersive video game I have ever played, and is just a lot of fun. The amount of times I couldn't help but smile while playing this game is a testament to the fact of how much I enjoyed myself. While the game does has its flaws, SEGA has once again delivered a fantastic game that is easily one of the best games currently out this year.	PS4
DualShockers - Giuseppe Nelva	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	Ultimately, it's a great sendoff for one of the best characters of the history of Japanese games (and of gaming as a whole), and while Kazuma Kiryu isn't going to disappear due to the upcoming remake, I can definitely say that I'm going to miss my stern and stoic best friend with a heart of gold.	PS4
Polygon - Jeffrey Parkin	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	Even with my criticisms of the admittedly optional and inconsequential aspects of the game, Yakuza 6 succeeds because its core story is so compelling.	PS4
Easy Allies - Michael Huber	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	Yakuza 6 is undeniably one of the best entries in the long-running series. Memorable side quests and engaging mini-games offer countless diversions and emotional encounters. The combat becomes routine, but the personal struggle of Kazuma Kiryu brings a satisfying and remarkable conclusion for the legendary Dragon of Dojima. Written	PS4
IGN Italy - Francesco Destri - Italian	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	Yakuza 6 does not invent anything new compared to the past and the lack of many iconic characters of the saga shouldn't be understimated, but despite this the final chapter of Kazuma Kiryu's adventures remains one of the best Yakuza ever.	PS4
The Games Machine - Mirko Marangon - Italian	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	Like its predecessors, Yakuza 6 is a beautiful, engaging and deep title. Nonetheless, after seven main chapters, countless spin-offs, remastered versions and remakes, a slight whiff of deja vu is almost inescapable. Having said that, The Song of Life is a great conclusion for an unforgettable saga.	PS4
IGN Spain - Javi Andrés - Spanish	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	The Yakuza series is held again in its 3 main pillars in this The Song of Life: many activities and mini-games, deep combats, and a wonderful storytelling that ends the era of Kazuma Kyriu and it serves to draw the new horizon towards where Sega goes to.	PS4
GamingTrend - Patrick Rost	85 ~ 85 / 100	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a beautiful game, plays smooth, and has a story that is genuinely compelling and driven by top notch dialogue and dynamic characters. The fighting is complex but easy to learn, and the game provides tons of great content in the form of mini-games, town exploration, and side storylines. There is lots to look at and take in as you play, and the game packs a lot of good into a nearly flawless package.	PS4
RPG Fan - Robert Steinman	85 ~ 85 / 100	Yakuza 6 keeps the focus on what's important and also shows a lot of great potential for what's to come next.	PS4
Sirus Gaming - Gareth Newnham	85 ~ 8.5 / 10	It’s a new era for Yakuza, both in game and out. Yakuza 6; The Song of Life may not be the grandiose send-off that some fans may have wanted, but it’s a fitting conclusion to Kiryu’s story and thanks to the new engine one that not only makes old favourites feel new again but make me look forward to the future.	PS4
GBAtemp - Krista Noren	83 ~ 8.3 / 10	Yakuza 6 is a wonderful, heartfelt conclusion to Kiryu's story, offering a hilariously fun and unique experience for both long-time fans and newcomers. While this isn't the best entry in the series, it's still an incredibly solid title that anyone with a PlayStation 4 should pick up.	PS4
COGconnected - Patrick Anderson	82 ~ 82 / 100	This may be the Dragon of Dojima’s last kick at the franchise, but he leaves on a high note that will satisfy the yakuza in all of us.	PS4
Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus	80 ~ 8 / 10	Yakuza 6 is a solid entry in the franchise. It's carried by a strong story and excellent visuals that make up for the fact that it's a fairly bare-bones Yakuza title that has less content than other titles in the series. Fans of the franchise should find a lot to like in Yakuza 6. It's not the best entry for a newcomer due to it being the end of Kiryu's story, but it's a solid and enjoyable game.	PS4
USgamer - Mike Williams	80 ~ 4 / 5 stars	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life might be the end of Kazuma Kiryu's story, but it represents a new step in the series.	PS4
GameSpot - Edmond Tran	80 ~ 8 / 10	Exciting changes to combat and an endearing narrative see the final chapter in Kazuma Kiryu's decade-long saga refine what has made the series great.	PS4
Gameplanet - Ben Wilson	80 ~ 8 / 10	Yakuza 6 delivers the series' signature poignant story, and is probably the best Yakuza has been narrative and production-wise. However, the game's trademark diversions have been trimmed back.	PS4
RPG Site - Kazuma Hashimoto	80 ~ 8 / 10	In the end, I found my experience with Yakuza 6: The Song of Life to be incredibly satisfying when everything came together. The final chapter in the story of the Dragon of Dojima was a compelling experience and remained just that even a year after the original release. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life has an incredibly bittersweet ending, and the narrative twists and turns that brought me there, left me feeling satisfied with the close of Kazuma Kiryu’s story.	PS4
The Game Fanatics - Tyler Chancey	80 ~ 8 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life has a formula that works and sticks to it. The main adventure can be completed in about twenty hours. Both Kamurocho and Onomichi pulls you in with such distinct and eye-catching content. And while the developers go right up to the line with it, how they treat Kazuma Kiryu’s departure from the series is treated with just enough ceremony and dignity to be an event for fans that stuck with him since the beginning. If you can groove on a game that takes its time with cutscenes and characters, ignore some subpar visuals in some spots, and have a love for gangland crime thrillers mixed with high-octane martial arts madness, this is the game for you.	PS4
Spaziogames - Jgor Masera - Italian	80 ~ 8 / 10	The story, contents and gameplay are unquestionably of a good standard, but it was not what we wanted from the final game of Kiryu Kazuma, who we were so fond of during these 12 years.	PS4
Rice Digital - Opale	80 ~ 4 / 5 stars	Overall, this sixth episode is a nice conclusion for Kiryu storywise, but I felt many things were lacking in gameplay compared to Yakuza 0: lifeless face expressions, less variety of combos and fighting styles, fewer mini-games, and so on. On the other hand, seamless battles and exploration are welcome changes in the series.	PS4
Guardian - Chris Schilling	80 ~ 4 / 5 stars	Kazuma Kiryu's final outing is an emotionally charged tale of familial bonds and the violence that threatens to rip them asunder.	PS4
VideoGamer - Colm Ahern	80 ~ 8 / 10	Fighting and exploring is more free than ever, and the story, while wanting in certain areas, introduces a few great characters. Some activities and side missions lack a punch, but how many games do you get to wear a giant orange on your head?	PS4
Cerealkillerz - Daniel Schwab - German	80 ~ 8 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life convinces with excellent storytelling while staying true to the Yakuza-formula which worked well in the past. While repetitive combat prevents it from being one of the greats, it is still a definite recommendation for action-adventure fans and players who enjoyed the previous titles in the franchise.	PS4
GamesBeat - Stephanie Chan	75 ~ 75 / 100	Yakuza 6 has an ambitious narrative, alternating between lighthearted and dramatic. Unfortunately, it doesn't give its characters enough love and care to truly pull off the pathos. But its sense of humor is impeccable. Its protagonist is lovable. And Sega has created a world with plenty to do.	PS4
TechRaptor - Georgina Young	75 ~ 7.5 / 10	Yakuza 6 is a great game because it's a Yakuza game, but it's not a great Yakuza game. It still has the great brawler action the series is known for, and a tight put together story. However, the tightening of the narrative in no ways makes up for all the great things I missed out on from the previous game.	PS4
IGN - Tristan Ogilvie	75 ~ 7.5 / 10	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life presents the most detailed virtual chunk of Japan the series has managed to date, and its story provides a satisfying end to the Kizama Kiryu saga. However, as far as gameplay goes, Yakuza 6 doesn't make enough of an effort to break new ground, making it weaker overall than last year's Yakuza Zero.	PS4
Stevivor - Matt Gosper	75 ~ 7.5 / 10	All in all, this is a Yakuza game – and while that may seem like a trueism, it holds up.	PS4
Attack of the Fanboy - Jelani James	70 ~ 3.5 / 5 stars	Yakuza 6: The Song of Life brings a satisfying end to Kazuma Kiryu's story, but it's not quite the send off I expected. Between its convoluted systems and cut content, it didn't feel like the saga ended with a roar, but with a whimper.	PS4
Destructoid - Peter Glagowski	70 ~ 7 / 10	Given more development time, this could have been the definitive entry in the series, but what we're left with is good enough. Hopefully Kiwami 2 can make some necessary improvements, because the groundwork set by the Dragon Engine is just awesome.	PS4
Metro GameCentral - GameCentral	70 ~ 7 / 10	A slightly underwhelming end to the legend of Kazuma Kiryu, but the changes in gameplay and graphics do hold a lot of promise for the future.	PS4
Slant Magazine - Steven Scaife	60 ~ 6 / 10	Yakuza 6 isn't just billed as running on a new engine; it's also meant to be Kiryu's last starring role. Sega is clearly trying to capitalize on last year's newcomer-friendly prequel and remake to sell this newest installment, hoping that the franchise will get a serious foothold in the West. In many ways, the game is a transition. But despite maintaining the endearing parts of the franchise that make it so refreshing amid a glut of solipsistic sandboxes, Yakuza 6's many concessions show that it isn't an entirely comfortable one.	PS4

Name: Yakuza Kiwami
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release date: August 29, 2017
Developer: SEGA
Publishers: SEGA, Deep Silver

TraileReview Scores/Discussion

Yakuza Kiwami is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Sega for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It is a remake of Yakuza, the first video game in the Yakuza series. Similarly to Yakuza 0, the prequel installment before it, Yakuza Kiwami was released exclusively on PlayStation 4 in Europe and North America in August 2017. A Kiwami remake of Yakuza 2 is set for a Japanese release in December 2017.

PS4 Trailer
Metascore: 80 / User Score: 8.5
Your Next Favorite - Yakuza: Kiwami and Yakuza 6 Demo - Dreceratops

• Did you play Yakuza Kiwami? Did you like it? Why or why not?
  
• What's the strangest place/situation where you encountered Majima?
  
• How does it compare to other games from 2017?
  

View all 2017 game discussions

Not really a question, per se, but a statement. While reading about both Hellblade being a budget priced AA game with AAA production values that has a an 81 on Metacritic and and also reading about how AAA game Agents Of Mayhem which currently has a 67 on Metacritic but is failing for delivering a less than stellar game. It made me wonder if gamers would be more willing to accept a games flaws if it was budget priced?
I personally don't think that AOM should've been sold at full price. Sure it might have had a AAA budget but the reviews will cost them sales, but I think if it was a budget priced that would help it's sales. I think of all of the games that are priced at $40, Ratchet And Clank, Hellblade, Crash Bandicoot Remastered all have benefited or will benefit from being priced $40. Knack 2 will be priced at $40 also. Even the Yakuza 1 Remake, Yakuza Kiwami is priced at $29.99. Sure it's a remaster but it's technically more of a remake. New graphics, rerecord dialogue.
I think pricing games that only offer little, the same price as a game like Shadow Of War or The Witcher 3, both which offer more bang for your buck, really hurts it's selling chances. I'm not putting a dollar sign on game length but on what you expect for what you're paying. Lots of great games on Steam benefit for being budget priced.
What do you guys think?
Edit grammer

Game Information

Game Title: Yakuza Kiwami
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8mrKxZRDCQ
Publishers: Sega
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 84
Metacritic - 82

Reviews

Attack of the Fanboy - Jelani James - 4.5 / 5 stars

Yakuza Kiwami represents the pinnacle of the series, with Sega bringing everything it has learned over the years and refining it into a single neat package. The result is a unique and unforgettable experience that far outstrips what was presented in the original entry.

CGMagazine - Remington Joseph - 8 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami is a great way to introduce anyone to the world of the Yakuza franchise

COGconnected - Patrick Anderson - 88 / 100

Even if it can't quite measure up to Yakuza 0's near-perfection, Yakuza Kiwami is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience for series veterans and newcomers alike.

Cubed3 - Drew Hurley - 8 / 10

An absurdly good game. The story, the world, the characters, and the distractions all add up to one thing: immersion. This is the type of game to invest tons of time in, and for those new to the franchise, it's all the better because there are so many other Yakuza titles waiting to be played! For returning fans, Yakuza: Kiwami gives the inaugural game new life. It's been long enough removed from the original release to feel special again, and, even better, it is released at a budget price. In fact, it's a shame that only the first title has received this remaster, but with some "big announcements" coming this month, hopefully, the others in the series will see similar rereleases on PlayStation 4. Until then, dig out those PlayStation 2s and 3s and get cracking on the rest of Kiryu's story. There may just be time to catch up before Yakuza 6 - billed the finale of Kiryu's story - arrives next March in the West.

Destructoid - Peter Glagowski - 8 / 10.0

Really, you can't go wrong with Kiwami. I would have liked it if every aspect of the game had been fully redone, but we don't see remakes like this come along often. I can deal with a few stumbling blocks when the core quality of what makes Yakuza so unique and engaging remains untouched. At least now more people can have a chance to experience this classic, which is the best thing about Kiwami's existence.

Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 4.5 / 5 stars

SEGA's ... given us all something completely modern and "new" to play, and the entire Yakuza series continues to go from strength to strength.

Do You Even Game Bro? - Kieron Verbrugge - 8.5 / 10.0

Yakuza returns to its roots with this pitch-perfect remake of the series’ debut title, brought kicking-and-punching into 2017 with a total facelift and a raft of new content

DualShockers - Giuseppe Nelva - 9 / 10.0

Until then, I will keep my fingers crossed, because the only thing better than a fantastic remake of a beloved game, is two fantastic remakes of two beloved games. Yet, whether the sequel will come or not, Yakuza Kiwami will go down in history as one of the best remakes ever created, for a game that was already great on PS2.

Gadgets 360 - Rishi Alwani - 9 / 10

Yakuza Kiwami manages to be a great value for money purchase. A solid narrative, fantastic combat, and a plethora of activities to partake in make it an easy recommendation for long-time fans and newbies alike.

Game Informer - Jeff Cork - 8.5 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami is a sprawling adventure, but – as enhanced as it is – it's clearly a foundational entry in the series

Game Revolution - Jared Tracton - 4 / 5 stars

I enjoyed my time with Kiwami despite its flaws. The story kept me up for hours on end, the sub-stories were interesting with hilarious characters and great writing, and the combat felt incredible to master by the end. It can't be ignored that they had a chance to massively improve the story, but chose to just try and maintain the status quo, but the package is fantastic nonetheless

GamePro - Michael Cherdchupan - German - 83 / 100

Lovingly overwork of a classic with chic technique, but also a few minor flaws.

Gamerheadquarters - Jason Stettner - 7.7 / 10.0

I certainly did enjoy Yakuza: Kiwami as my first visit of the franchise and look forward to hopefully playing more down the road.

GamesBeat - Stephanie Chan - 85 / 100

This newcomer thinks that Yakuza Kiwami is a blast. I can't speak to how different it is from the first game, but the sheer amount of content and personality makes it worth checking out. Though the fights could get repetitive at times, the combat system kept things interesting on the whole.

GameSpot - Peter Brown - 8 / 10

Yakuza Kiwami picks up where Yakuza Zero left off, upholding its dramatic storytelling, offbeat humor, and flashy yet frustrating combat.

Gaming Gamma - Gammalad - 9.3 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami honestly rides on the thin line between remake and reimagining of a classic game. It keeps all of the original story beats and brings the games visuals into the modern-day while incorporating a lot of the newer games mechanics without hampering the original games integrity. This game is honestly the best way to experience the original Yakuza.

GamingBolt - Pramath - 9 / 10.0

For fans of the series, the game is like a loveletter, taking Kiryu's first story, and reimagining it with modern sensibilities. For newcomers, this game represents the best place to jump in- it's a far better product than Yakuza 0, which was great in and of itself to begin with.

GearNuke - Khurram Imtiaz - 9 / 10

The story is addictive and keeps you at the edge of the seat. The general exploration and content is a step back from Yakuza 0 but the game is still a blast to play if you interested in more Yakuza games.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 8.5 / 10.0

The start was always the best, and this extreme edition is a reminder of how fantastic this series has always been.

Hardcore Gamer - Jeremy Peeples - 4.5 / 5.0

Yakuza Kiwami remakes the original game in a near-perfect way.

Hobby Consolas - David Martinez - Spanish - 89 / 100

Twelve years after its original release on PS2, Yakuza Kiwami is still a great adventure set in modern Japan. Some mechanics such as invisible walls or certain fighting elements feel outdated, but the story, setting and minigames are awesome.

IGN - Heidi Kemps - 7.9 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami makes great strides in updating the classic original Yakuza game to modern standards. But while it adds better combat, bizarrely charming side quests, and a gorgeous graphical revamp, it also ignores some of the original's biggest problems in pacing and storytelling. And because of its relatively short length, Yakuza Kiwami's fun trip through the tangled web of Japan's criminal underground feels like a prelude to something bigger and better to come.

IGN Italy - Francesco Destri - Italian - 8.5 / 10.0

Some signs of aging are inevitable counting the 12 years from the original game, but nowadays few remakes are well done like Yakuza Kiwami.

IGN Spain - Carlos G. Gurpegui - Spanish - 8 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect game for those who never played a Yakuza before. The new graphics and control are a nice way to enter in the life o Kiryu.

MonsterVine - Spencer Legacy - 4.5 / 5.0

Yakuza Kiwami is a polished and exceptionally fun game with a fantastic and moving storyline.

Player2.net.au - Stephen del Prado - No Verdict

For those itching to spend more time with Kazuma Kiryu following Yakuza 0, Kiwami is exactly what you’ve been waiting for and an essential purchase. If you happen to be looking to start the series, it’s hard to recommend Yakuza Kiwami over its immediate predecessor.

PlayStation LifeStyle - Tyler Treese - 8.5 / 10.0

As a remake, Kiwami is a triumphant success. Not only is it leaps and bounds more playable than the PS2 original, the additional scenes help flesh out character motivations. This all makes the story of Kiryu's rise feel more special, and it's a perfect continuation for those who recently played Yakuza 0. There are some disappointments, though, as just roaming around Kamurocho feels like a step backwards from previous games that featured multiple cities to explore, but that's just an unfortunate side-effect of being a remake of a much-less ambitious title. The new bells and whistles make Yakuza Kiwami a worthwhile time no matter if you've played the original or not.

PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones - 9 / 10.0

Simultaneously a great introduction to the Yakuza series and one of its better entries, Yakuza Kiwami is precisely how you remake a classic.

Polygon - Janine Hawkins - 7 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami makes it clear just how far the series has come, and just how far it still has to go. It's keenly designed to bring newly minted Yakuza fans more firmly into the fold by providing all the contemporary comforts they might expect, while also giving longtime fans more to chew on than a shot-for-shot remake ever would have. It's a patchwork, for better and for worse, and as much as I enjoyed my time with it, there's no denying that some of those patches are looking more tired than others.

Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 6 / 10

Yakuza Kiwami finds itself in a strange position. A remake that's technically a sequel to a much better game in Yakuza 0, it struggles to offer anything besides another engaging crime-drama storyline. Best described as a kind of expansion, Kiwami really shows its age in terms of narrative structure and gameplay design, but it's still worth playing through if you just can't get enough of Kaz. It goes without saying, however, that series newcomers are much better off starting with the far superior Yakuza 0.

Rice Digital - Oscar Taylor-Kent - 4 / 5 stars

The way Kiwami weaves itself into a symbiotic relationship with 0 enhances the pair as a sequential experience.

RPG Site - Kyle Campbell - 8 / 10

A fantastic jumping on point for newcomers and appealing to long time fans as well. Prepare for a night on the town with Kamurocho's finest.

Spaziogames - Jgor Masera - Italian - 8.5 / 10.0

If you are a fan of the series or not, Yakuza Kiwami is a title that you must play to (re)discover the origins of Kazuma Kiryu: the legendary Dragon of Dojima.

TechRaptor - Georgina Young - 8.5 / 10.0

A concise and emotional story that cuts out the filler and perfectly mixes in varied and interesting combat. At its core, Yakuza Kiwami is still a PlayStation 2 game, but its short and sweet nature doesn't hold it back in the long run.

The Outerhaven Productions - William Kok - 4.5 / 5 stars

This is what a remake should be.

Thumb Culture - Morgan Eck - 9 / 10.0

Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza game, which was released on Playstation 2 nearly 12 years ago, but it may as well be regarded as its own entity. Yakuza Kiwami is a fully done remake – with all new textures, extended stories, and more depth and cohesion than the original Yakuza could have dreamed of – so it’s not to be confused with a general remaster (cough Sleeping Dogs *cough).

TrustedReviews - Jordan King - 4.5 / 5 stars

Yakuza Kiwami is a dazzling remake of an underappreciated classic, improving upon its source material in so many important ways. At times it can feel dated, but that doesn't stop Kiwami from proving Yakuza is once again one of the best things on PS4, and perhaps any other platform.

Twinfinite - Hayes Madsen - 4 / 5.0

Kiwami holds a ton of appeal for anyone coming hot off of Yakuza Zero, but there's ample reason for longtime fans to jump in, and it's even a fine starting point for new players as well. Despite the slow starting hours, once Kiwami and Kazuma Kiryu grab hold of your attention, they don't easily let go.

USgamer - Mike Williams - 4 / 5 stars

Sega remastered the original Yakuza in high style. Using an updated engine, the team behind the series added new character models, re-recorded voice acting, and an expanded city of Kamurocho, all in 1080p at 60 fps. Yakuza Kiwami bleeds love for the original game. If you haven't played any Yakuza, this is the release to get. If you have, this is a great remaster of a former cult-favorite. It's not as full-featured as current Yakuza release, but it's still a great time.

We Got This Covered - Edward Love - 4 / 5 stars

Slip into your suit and ready your fists: Yakuza Kiwami is a fantastic remaster of the game that spawned a franchise, and a timely dose of wackiness before Yakuza 6 drops next year.