Every city has secrets, and the fictional Tokyo pleasure district of Kamurocho has more than its fair share. Its streets are a home to criminals of all stripes, from lowly punks to powerful gangsters. Behind its doors, you can find shops and arcades, massage parlors and illegal casinos, bath houses and hostess clubs. Yakuza 4 largely follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, weaving a soap opera tale of honor and betrayal with simple but satisfying brawling action. But it departs from the Earlier Games in the series in a meaningful way. Whereas Kazuma Kiryu carried the earlier games entirely on his own gloriously tattooed back, Yakuza 4 features four terrific playable characters whose distinct personalities and interwoven tales make for the series' most engaging entry yet.