Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

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Yakuza 6 Release Date: PlayStation 4 December 2016 (JP) April 2018 (WW) Windows, XBOX One March 2021 (WW) Developer: Ryu ga Gotoku Studio Publisher: SEGA Series: Yakuza Platforms: PlayStation 4, XBOX One, Microsoft Windows Genre: Action, JRPG, Brawler

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (Ryū ga Gotoku 6: Inochi no Uta (Japanese: 龍が如く6 命の詩。, Like a Dragon 6: Poem of Life) is a videogame by SEGA released in December 2016 in Japan and April 2018 worldwide for PlayStation 4. The game was subsequently released for XBOX One, Windows 10, and Steam in March 2021. Set in the new location of Onomichi, Hiroshima, as well as the staple Kamurocho, Tokyo district, Yakuza 6 is the seventh game in the main Yakuza series, and the last to feature Kazuma Kiryu as the main protagonist. Kiryu is searching for the father of his adoptive daughter Haruka Sawamura's infant son after a hit-and-run leaves her in a coma. A revamped battle system means that Kiryu can no longer purchase or obtain weapons, including firearms, outside of picking them up during battles. Such weapons cannot be placed in his inventory.
WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

The following weapons appear in the video game Yakuza 6: The Song of Life:

Handguns & Revolvers

1911-type pistol

Certain characters, including Hirose Family patriarch Toru Hirose (Beat Takeshi) have this 1911 clone, familiar to those versed with previous games, which mostly resembles a Para Ordnance LDA 7.45. It does have elements from other pistol series such as the Beretta 92 series pistols. The older version of this model from the previous game engine also appears in flashback screenshots from Yakuza Kiwami.

Para Ordnance LDA 7.45 - .45 ACP.

Hirose with the 1911.

Side profile.

From the back.

Someya family patriarch Takumi Someya with the 1911 clone pointed at Saio Triad leader Big Lo.

In the time it took for Kiryu to move in between him and Lo, Someya remembered to actually cock the hammer back, the 1911 being a single-action-only pistol.

Way back in 2005, being scared stiff after having witnessed a massacre at Bacchus bar, 9-year-old Haruka meets the man that will become her father figure for the first time.

Kanji Kohimizu with the 1911 clone.

Makarov PM

As usual in the Yakuza series, this modified Makarov-PM-type pistol with an extended barrel and ring hammer is a stalwart of the criminal underworld, being used by Tojo Clan yakuza and the Saio Triad alike. This appears to be an updated model of the prior versions, as it now has correct proportions, although the safety is now incorrectly engaged (and still inaccurately present on the right side of the pistol). The safety being set would mean the hammer and slide are locked and thus it would make it impossible to fire, although of course in gameplay it still is able to. A silver-coloured version also appears in street fights, simply labelled as "Pistol." Note that the cutscene pistol appears to have a black finish vs the gameplay pistol appears to have a silver finish.

Baikal-442 - 9x17mm Browning/9x18mm Makarov/9x19mm. It is a Canadian market import model of the Makarov. It features an long barrel, not seen on the military Makarov pistol.

After diplomacy breaks down, Saio Triad members point their Makarovs at a Tojo Clan delegation...

...As said Tojo Clan delegation does the same right back.

Masuzoe Kōji aims the pistol.

Kiryu fires at some unknown foe with his appropriated Makarov.

Here, Kiryu prepares to unleash a heat action on this yakuza chinpira...

...shooting him three times, then hitting him with the butt of the pistol, which does as much damage as each of the shots. Because Yakuza.

Note: Kiryu never killed anyone.

Nambu Model 60

Police officers in the game are modelled with this revolver holstered. It is distinguished by its distinctive lanyard ring and associated handgrip cutout.

Snub-nose Nambu Model 60 - .38 special.

Saejima is taken in by the police, who are each armed with the Nambus.

An officer eyes Kiryu suspiciously as he looks at his weapon.

Nambu Model 60/Smith & Wesson Model 36

This hybrid of the Model 60 and its Smith & Wesson Model 36 forbear appears from its numerous appearances in previous Yakuza titles, having been retextured for the new game engine here. Unlike the Model 60, this revolver lacks the lanyard ring and handgrip cutout. It also has a straight barrel like the 36, lacking the Model 60's distinctive sharp taper towards the frame end of the barrel. It nonetheless retains Model-60-like features, such as the shape of the cylinder release lever and the extended thumb lever on the hammer. The model has been improved for Yakuza 6's new game engine, separating the actual rounds from the gun model itself.

Smith & Wesson Model 36 - .38 special.

In a flashback sequence a Yakuza thug holds the revolver, despite the scene taking place before the Model 60 or Model 36's existence. (Though given how it's only shown for a few scenes overall this asset reuse isn't that surprising.)

Business end.

A young Hirose holds the Nambu, having stolen it from the aforementioned thug.

A young Kurusu hands the thug back his revolver.

Katsumi Sugai unloads the weapon on Kiryu to no avail, in a sequence similar to one from Yakuza 0. However, unlike that game - which ran on the previous game engine - the model has been improved so that rounds now disappear from the model after having been fired. This is of course not as realistic as actually having the empty shells still being in there, but it's a step in the right direction at least.

Walther PPK

Traditionally in the Yakuza series, the Walther PPK is used by a character who has managed to create great power for themselves by being a selfish, greedy, and cold-hearted individual who is willing to kill just about anyone to preserve their place. Yakuza 6 is no exception to this, with Iwami Shipbuilding president Heizo Iwami (AKA Yomei Alliance chairman Takeru Kusuru) having one, which he used in 1985 to murder Hirose's Aniki in front of him for no other reason than to prove a point. Three decades later, he shoots Hirose himself for refusing to kill his own adoptive sons for discovering the Secret of Onomichi (below).

Walther PPK - 9x17mm AKA 9mm Kurz (short)

Iwami having just shot Hirose's *Aniki* in 1985, just to force Hirose's loyalty and compliance in assassinating those who discovered the Secret of Onomichi.

In the present time (that being 2016), Iwami shoots Hirose for refusing to murder Kiryu and his own adoptive sons, the latter of whom having been orphaned by Hirose to protect the secret many years prior.

One of said adoptive sons, Takaaki Matsunaga, relieves Iwami of his PPK after it dawns on Iwami that no amount of further bloodshed is going to unreveal the Secret of Oniomichi, which is now in plain view for all of Onomichi to see.

Other

"Speargun"

In the sea fishing minigame, which plays as an on-rails shooter such as other famous SEGA franchises like House of the Dead, Kiryu uses a harpoon gun, called a "speargun" in-game. There are different models with different stats such as ammo count and power that are unlocked during the course of the associated side-quest. To prompt the player to reload, the speargun makes a "ping" like that of an M1 Garand when the last spear has been fired.

"High-impact speargun" in the fishing menu.

Kiryu dives into the water, speargun in hand.

An epic showdown between the Dragon of Dojima and a giant squid.

Rocket launcher

In one scene, a Yakuza from the Yomei Alliance uses a rocket launcher to fire at Kiryu. It appears to be the same model as the rocket launcher from Binary Domain, which is based on the Panzerfaust 3, except the warhead has been removed for this game. Yakuza 6 is the first appearance of this particular model, which is later used in Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Panzerfaust Mk3 - 60mm

Kiryu readies a launcher he found to take down a pesky Tojo Clan chopper. Rest assured though Kiryu never killed anyone.

Yomei Alliance member Mimura with the rocket launcher.

Aiming the rocket launcher.

Firing. Note the projectile which is reminiscent of a AT4 warhead.

Rendering of the Rocket launcher model.

M134 Minigun (Handheld)

Tojo Clan thugs in the helicopters which harass Kiryu during his assault on Millennium Tower are armed with General Electric M134 Miniguns. Although the minigun is facing through the port-side door - much like the minigun placement on military helicopters - this is a handheld variant, as the chopper itself is a civilian model.

General Electric M134 - 7.62x51mm NATO

Airsoft handheld M134 Minigun - (fake) 7.62x51mm NATO

Apperantly the Tojo Clan can afford to send a fleet of choppers at Kiryu.

Other side of the gun while firing.

Closeup.

Yamato-mounted weapons

The Secret of Onomichi is the Yamato Mark II, a fictitious updated version of Japan's Yamato battleship, which - alongside its sister ship Musashi - was the largest battleship ever constructed. The original Yamato's main guns were a volley of nine 460-mm (18") Type 94/45 naval rifles mounted in three triple mounts; two on the fore-end of the deck, and one on the stern. The largest guns ever mounted to a warship, their maximum range was 42 km (26 mi), the length of a marathon. The Mark II quite literally turns the main-gun count up to 11, adding two extra Type 94s on in a double turret towards the bow of the ship. This necessitates the raising of the turrets behind it to clear. The rest of the guns appear to be the setup as the original Yamato's 1945 configuration. Its medium-sized guns are six 155-mm/60 3rd Year Type naval guns in two triple mounts (fore-and-aft-mounted respectively) and twenty-four 127-mm Type 89 naval guns in twin mounts situated broadside around the ship's exhaust tower. The ship's smaller weapons are comprised of four Hotchkiss M1929 13.2-mm machine guns, and a humongous one-hundred-and-sixty-two Type 96 25-mm AT/AA guns in triple mounts.

Hirose family member Takaaki Matsunaga has a 1:350-scale model of the Yamato, a present bought by his biological father the night he was assassinated by Hirose. Interestingly however, whilst the model itself is that of the original Yamato (identified by its lack of extra turret at the bow and wooden deck), the box depicts the Yamato Mark II.

Fitting out of the Yamato in 1941, showing the Type 94 (front) and 155-mm gun turrets.

Twin Type 89 12.7 cm/40 naval gun mounting at Balikpapan, Borneo.

Type 96 AT/AA Gun on triple mount - 25x163mm

The eight bow-facing Type 94s on view, as well as three of the 155-mm guns behind. Also visible here are some of the Type 96 and Type 89 guns.

A cleaner shot of the guns and the ship in all her glory.

Side view of the ship, showing the absolute barrage of 127-mm naval guns and 25-mm AA guns.

A photograph of the ship in Onomichi harbour in the cold light of day shows the stern-mounted guns.

Matsunaga with a 1:350-scale model of the original Yamato. This shows the lack of a third main turret on the front, and the resulting lower turrets behind. Also very noticeable is the wooden deck. The Mark II followed the late-WWII trend of fitting ships with armoured steel decks after the sinking of HMS Hood exposed the vulnerability of unarmoured decks to naval artillery attacks.

A closer view reveals that there is a distinct lack of 25-mm AA guns due to the lower resolution of this model.

A close-up of the box from the night when Matsunaga's biological father was killed. Despite being simply labelled as the "Yamato" (and the model itself being the Yamato), the picture actually shows the Yamato Mark II. Note the extra front turret, raised rear turrets, and armoured deck identifying this.