The back alleys of Osaka at night, the melodrama of clans and the grin of a hero who hits hard.

No gut ranking here, so let us look at the criteria. And the profile is commanding. The soundtrack brushes the very top, ahead of almost every game, the desert island just behind, ahead of the overwhelming majority. Attachment, fun, rediscovery follow very high, all above the great majority of the field. The controller feel stays solidly above average. The only snag is art direction, below the middle: what marks you here is the district, the faces, the tone, not raw graphical prowess. On few duels per criterion, to be confirmed, but the upward coherence is clear: a game you love, you keep, whose music stays with you.

In the urban brawler tinged with RPG, this is the entry that firmed up the Ryu Ga Gotoku formula, that unique blend of nervous fights, dramas of honor and absurd detours.

So, who is it for? For you if you love stories of loyalty and betrayal, sinking into a living district, watching a hero gain depth. Much less if you judge first on visual impact.