Since the turn of the millennium, many yakuza families have evolved into semi-legitimate organisations, taking part in local festivals and even helping provide relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Modern day Yakuza follow a strict code of practice (generally not bothering people unaffiliated with yakuza activities), and steering clear of theft, armed robbery and other violent crime. From the hot coffee vending machines, the pokey Don Quiote corner shops (complete with incessant instore jingles) to the neon-bathed pachinko parlours and wavey-armed street hawkers desperate for you to come and sample their ‘world famous’ ramen soup.

That said, both areas in Yakuza 0 are brilliantly realised and well worth getting lost in, especially if you’ve ever fancied a trip to Tokyo yourself. There’s no driving, very little shooting and while Kamurocho and Sotenbori are well-realised open world environments, they are only city prefectures as opposed to the state-sized land masses. While Yakuza 0 shares similar themes and an open-world setting, this is where its comparison with Grand Theft Auto ends. I’ve thrown together some handy Yakuza 0 tips to see you through some of the sterner challenges you’ll face along the way. Just because Yakuza 0 is an origin story doesn’t mean it comes without baggage both of the cultural sort – the Yakuza games are made principally for a Japanese audience after all – and of a gaming heritage that stretches back to 2005. If you were thinking of dipping your toe into the wonderful world of Japanese gangster life, there has never been a better time, and I’m here to offer a guiding hand with some Yakuza 0 tips.

Yakuza 0 fight music