ReviewDisparity Logo
ReviewDisparity

Critics, outlets, and games against player sentiment

HomeNewsGamesJournalistsOutletsLeaderboardsCompareAbout
Review Signal

Keep the data honest.

ReviewDisparity tracks how critics, outlets, and games compare with player opinion across Steam and Metacritic. The goal is simple: make disagreement visible instead of burying it in scattered scorecards.

Explore
Browse gamesBrowse journalistsBrowse outletsCompare entities
Site
Dataset & methodologyPublishing principlesFAQTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy

© 2026 ReviewDisparity. Independent review disparity tracking.

Data sourced from publicly available information on OpenCritic, Steam, and Metacritic. ReviewDisparity is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of those services.

  1. Home/
  2. Games/
  3. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Released: 4/17/2018

In Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu will find out exactly how much people are willing to sacrifice for family - be those ties through blood or bond - when he investigates a series of shadowy events that involve the ones he holds closest to his heart. Fresh out of a three-year prison sentence, an older and weathered Kiryu comes to find out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing from the orphanage he looks after. The trail leads him to his old stomping grounds in Kamurocho, where he discovers that she has been struck by a car and now lies in a coma. To make matters worse, Kiryu learns that Haruka now has a son that he must look after. With baby in hand, Kiryu journeys to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima to unravel the truth about Haruka, her son, and a sinister secret that the Hiroshima yakuza are harboring. From the unparalleled realism of the new setting of Onomichi, a beautiful, sleepy port town in Hiroshima Prefecture, to the latest evolution of Kamurocho, the biggest red-light district in Tokyo, Yakuza 6 is the ultimate iteration the game's blend of gritty crime story, hyper-explosive combat, and all the vices and distractions those locales have to offer. Enter the "Dragon Engine" - Explore the world of Yakuza like never before. Yakuza 6 is the first current-gen Yakuza title that was developed from the ground up for the PS4, introducing the seedy Japanese underworld with detailed visuals, lifelike animations, a new physics engine, interactive storefronts, seamless transitions and more. Explore Kamurocho Reborn and the Scenic Views of Onomichi - The hypnotic lights, opportunistic inhabitants, and hedonistic distractions of Kamurocho look better than ever. Revamped minigames like karaoke, batting cages, darts, hostesses, and the SEGA arcade have been streamlined for maximum pleasure, and new additions like the RIZAP Gym, Cat Café, and Clan Creator are the purrfect distractions after a long night of bashing heads! But it's also time to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life to play tourist in beautiful Onomichi. This tranquil coastal community is home to plenty of local activities like bar mingling, spearfishing (think action-packed rail shooter... with fish), and more! Let the Bodies Hit the Floor - Yakuza 6 Kiryu is a 100% certified thugfed OG, so that means he's a battle-hardened veteran when it comes to the art of street fighting. Although he utilizes one fighting style this time around, you best believe Kiryu hits like a truck. Devastating combos and bone-breaking Heat Actions make a return, but now the Dragon of Dojima can fill up a meter to engage Extreme Heat Mode. When activated, Kiryu glows blue and unleashes heavy-damage combos with his fists or any "tool" that's close at hand. Fully Voiced Japanese Audio - For the first time in series history, every line and piece of dialogue is fully voiced in Japanese. Let the dramatic story and absurd humor of the series unfold like an interactive foreign film experience.

In Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu will find out exactly how much people are willing to sacrifice for family - be those ties through blood or bond - when he investigates a series of shadowy events that involve the ones he holds closest to his heart. Fresh out of a three-year prison sentence, an older and weathered Kiryu comes to find out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing from the orphanage he looks after. The trail leads him to his old stomping grounds in Kamurocho, where he discovers that she has been struck by a car and now lies in a coma. To make matters worse, Kiryu learns that Haruka now has a son that he must look after. With baby in hand, Kiryu journeys to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima to unravel the truth about Haruka, her son, and a sinister secret that the Hiroshima yakuza are harboring. From the unparalleled realism of the new setting of Onomichi, a beautiful, sleepy port town in Hiroshima Prefecture, to the latest evolution of Kamurocho, the biggest red-light district in Tokyo, Yakuza 6 is the ultimate iteration the game's blend of gritty crime story, hyper-explosive combat, and all the vices and distractions those locales have to offer. Enter the "Dragon Engine" - Explore the world of Yakuza like never before. Yakuza 6 is the first current-gen Yakuza title that was developed from the ground up for the PS4, introducing the seedy Japanese underworld with detailed visuals, lifelike animations, a new physics engine, interactive storefronts, seamless transitions and more. Explore Kamurocho Reborn and the Scenic Views of Onomichi - The hypnotic lights, opportunistic inhabitants, and hedonistic distractions of Kamurocho look better than ever. Revamped minigames like karaoke, batting cages, darts, hostesses, and the SEGA arcade have been streamlined for maximum pleasure, and new additions like the RIZAP Gym, Cat Café, and Clan Creator are the purrfect distractions after a long night of bashing heads! But it's also time to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life to play tourist in beautiful Onomichi. This tranquil coastal community is home to plenty of local activities like bar mingling, spearfishing (think action-packed rail shooter... with fish), and more! Let the Bodies Hit the Floor - Yakuza 6 Kiryu is a 100% certified thugfed OG, so that means he's a battle-hardened veteran when it comes to the art of street fighting. Although he utilizes one fighting style this time around, you best believe Kiryu hits like a truck. Devastating combos and bone-breaking Heat Actions make a return, but now the Dragon of Dojima can fill up a meter to engage Extreme Heat Mode. When activated, Kiryu glows blue and unleashes heavy-damage combos with his fists or any "tool" that's close at hand. Fully Voiced Japanese Audio - For the first time in series history, every line and piece of dialogue is fully voiced in Japanese. Let the dramatic story and absurd humor of the series unfold like an interactive foreign film experience.

In Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu will find out exactly how much people are willing to sacrifice for family - be those ties through blood or bond - when he investigates a series of shadowy events that involve the ones he holds closest to his heart. Fresh out of a three-year prison sentence, an older and weathered Kiryu comes to find out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing from the orphanage he looks after. The trail leads him to his old stomping grounds in Kamurocho, where he discovers that she has been struck by a car and now lies in a coma. To make matters worse, Kiryu learns that Haruka now has a son that he must look after. With baby in hand, Kiryu journeys to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima to unravel the truth about Haruka, her son, and a sinister secret that the Hiroshima yakuza are harboring. From the unparalleled realism of the new setting of Onomichi, a beautiful, sleepy port town in Hiroshima Prefecture, to the latest evolution of Kamurocho, the biggest red-light district in Tokyo, Yakuza 6 is the ultimate iteration the game's blend of gritty crime story, hyper-explosive combat, and all the vices and distractions those locales have to offer. Enter the "Dragon Engine" - Explore the world of Yakuza like never before. Yakuza 6 is the first current-gen Yakuza title that was developed from the ground up for the PS4, introducing the seedy Japanese underworld with detailed visuals, lifelike animations, a new physics engine, interactive storefronts, seamless transitions and more. Explore Kamurocho Reborn and the Scenic Views of Onomichi - The hypnotic lights, opportunistic inhabitants, and hedonistic distractions of Kamurocho look better than ever. Revamped minigames like karaoke, batting cages, darts, hostesses, and the SEGA arcade have been streamlined for maximum pleasure, and new additions like the RIZAP Gym, Cat Café, and Clan Creator are the purrfect distractions after a long night of bashing heads! But it's also time to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life to play tourist in beautiful Onomichi. This tranquil coastal community is home to plenty of local activities like bar mingling, spearfishing (think action-packed rail shooter... with fish), and more! Let the Bodies Hit the Floor - Yakuza 6 Kiryu is a 100% certified thugfed OG, so that means he's a battle-hardened veteran when it comes to the art of street fighting. Although he utilizes one fighting style this time around, you best believe Kiryu hits like a truck. Devastating combos and bone-breaking Heat Actions make a return, but now the Dragon of Dojima can fill up a meter to engage Extreme Heat Mode. When activated, Kiryu glows blue and unleashes heavy-damage combos with his fists or any "tool" that's close at hand. Fully Voiced Japanese Audio - For the first time in series history, every line and piece of dialogue is fully voiced in Japanese. Let the dramatic story and absurd humor of the series unfold like an interactive foreign film experience.

Critics
86
Steam
93
Metacritic
85

Score Breakdown

85.5

Critic Average

111 reviews

93

Steam User Score

8,035 reviews

85

Metacritic User Score

668 reviews

Disparity Breakdown

Steam Disparity
-7.2
Metacritic Disparity
+0.5
Combined Disparity
-3.4

Average of both sources

Review Timing

88 early (79%)15 launch window (14%)8 late (7%)

Review summary

Updated May 8, 2026

Based on 111 scored critic reviews, critics give this game an average score of 85.5/100. Critics score this game 7.2 points lower than Steam users and 0.5 points higher than Metacritic users.

How these comparisons are calculated
Sources behind this summary(5 recent of 111)+
  1. Romain MahutviaGameblog
    Apr 28, 2021·Late review
    90/100View review
    Steam 92.7/100 · -2.7 ptsMetacritic 85/100 · +5.0 pts
  2. Evan RoweviaSaving Content
    Apr 27, 2021·Late review
    100/100View review
    Steam 92.7/100 · +7.3 ptsMetacritic 85/100 · +15.0 pts
  3. Alejandro SerradorviaGeneración Xbox
    Apr 16, 2021·Late review
    87/100View review
    Steam 92.7/100 · -5.7 ptsMetacritic 85/100 · +2.0 pts
  4. SomosXbox StaffviaSomosXbox
    Apr 11, 2021·Late review
    89/100View review
    Steam 92.7/100 · -3.7 ptsMetacritic 85/100 · +4.0 pts
  5. Simone RampazziviaThe Games Machine
    Apr 9, 2021·Late review
    85/100View review
    Steam 92.7/100 · -7.7 ptsMetacritic 85/100 · 0.0 pts