I think old Yakuzas did some things better than the modern games for their era that they could have tried to advance but instead seem to go back on. Ie, more crowds on the streets (but more pop in back then) to have the feel of a bustling city, now we're back to less and/or wider areas that don't feel as populated most of the time with some exceptions, maybe it's a gameplay driven decision to avoid annoyances of constantly bumping into them but I don't think it would negatively affect the games to have some more than they do atm, maybe it'd even be nice to not be able to run away from enemies at some point because you dumped in too many npcs or even run away because they bumped in the crowd and you managed to avoid more. One of them had all kinds of rooftop paths around Kamurocho, they could have expanded on that too when we're confined in these limited areas to give them more surface area to explore and do stuff in. Another one starts you off in a nice rainy weather but outside cut scenes and set pieces I don't think they have used weather so extensively or at least it wasn't so striking/reused much to remember it. They could have expanded on weather, perhaps make it random (if not realtime a la Shenmue) to again have more visual variety while going back and forth the same area. I don't remember which is which because I started them all up the other day to see how they run and what settings they all have (and also discovered I was wrong and have finished both Kiwami 1 and 2 and Yakuza 3 - which I totally forgot also has the dual protag thing going - as well as 0 so after 7 and Gaiden now I just need to do 4, 5 and 6). Combat feels good in most of them (and I think not so good in 0 which is Dragon Engine too) even if outside the combat the controls can for sure feel more floaty and mechanical and a bit weird (especially in those that have more restricted camera angles that shift at specific places) but whatever, outside combat it's always been a JRPG, basic controls as you go back and forth pressing A to interact are ok. And there are things they could reduce too now the games are more immersing and expansive, like, starting the Infinite Wealth demo it looked brilliant with the all new areas but all the glowy things you have to loot are a bit overdone. Glowing items, suitcases, big ass circles, trash cans and all kinds of other stuff now. A bit too much if you ask me, especially if they also keep respawning to give you something to pick up again as you wander back and forth, I think in some games they do and in some they don't so far, I'm not sure about IW yet but yeah, there could be less but bigger loot around.
