Heat Actions (ヒートアクション, Hīto Akushon) are a mechanic present throughout the Yakuza series first introduced in the original Yakuza. When in combat, the player may initiate Heat Actions under certain conditions to unleash brutal attacks on their enemies, which are represented in a short scene that may involve pummeling enemies to the ground, bashing them with various objects, smashing faces against walls, and many others.
Mechanics[]
The bottom of the health bar displays a Heat gauge
Heat is a gauge that is tracked separately from health. In most incarnations, it is displayed as a blue, partially segmented gauge beneath the character's health bar. The gauge fills as the player lands attacks and grabs. Should the player fill the initial segment of the bar they can press a button to perform a Heat Action. The Heat will then be spent on that action. Other games in the series use similar means to track Heat, but the representation may differ.
The Heat Action prompt in Yakuza.
Furthermore, the criteria for Heat Actions can contextually vary depending on other factors including:
- Which character the player is playing as. For example, Kazuma Kiryu has a suite of Heat Actions different from Goro Majima.
- The player's surroundings, such as proximity to a wall or railing.
- An object the player or the enemy may be holding.
- The number of enemies near the player.
- The state of the player's health.
- How much heat the player has.
- How drunk the character is.
Regardless, the game will always display a prompt that indicates that a Heat Action can be performed if available.
Some Heat Actions include additional quick-time event sequences that can deal extra damage at the cost of extra Heat. Missing a button input will end the sequence.
Heat Actions can also be performed by enemies and bosses, where quick-time events may occur in order to avoid the attacks. However, some bosses have certain Actions that cannot be escaped.
Depending on the game, Heat Actions may be innately known by the character, or may have to be learned in some fashion, either through character growth mechanics, or martial arts training.
Many of the Heat Actions in the series follow the naming convention "Essence of...", which is a localization of …の極み (...no kiwami, Lit. "extreme use of..."). This implies that the move is an "extreme" improvised use of the material, skill, or terrain, for the purpose of dealing damage in a street brawl. More professional martial arts moves that fall under Heat Actions tend not to follow this naming convention.
Main Games[]
Yakuza[]
Heat Actions were introduced in the first game of the series. If a player finishes a battle with a heat action, the heat gauge will not be lowered. This mechanic would not return in later games.
Yakuza 2[]
Yakuza 2 introduces a mechanic called "Feel the Heat!" (勝機, Shōki, Lit. "Chance for Victory"), which did not receive the moniker until Yakuza 3. During most boss battles, a QTE requires the player to mash the R2 button to build up enough Heat to do a special Heat Action against the opponent. The player will be able to perform the Heat Action right away if they're in Heat Mode when the prompt pops up.
If the player executes every single Heat Action in the game, Kiryu will be able to perform any Heat action in battle regardless of how much Heat he has.
Yakuza 3[]
Yakuza 3 introduces Red Heat. When Kiryu's heat gauge reaches its last three bars, he will have a red aura and access to new heat actions.
"Feel the Heat" functions similarly to how it previously did, but instead of having a unique sequence of attacks for every boss, it now requires the player to perform a special Heat action known as Super Finishers. If the player already has sufficient Heat prior they will automatically get to choose one of them.
The only Super Finisher available at the beginning of the game is Head Press, but the player can unlock two other finishers through Revelations, alongside many other regular heat actions.
The original version of the game has a out time limit for the player to choose what Super Finisher to use in a boss. This was cut in the remaster.
Yakuza 4[]
At the near end of "Feel the Heat", the player must press the following buttons in order to gain Heat. If the player manages to gain enough Heat they perform a sequence of the character countering and dealing damage to the enemy. Activation of the sequence is always performed using Triangle. Failing the QTE will make the enemy deal damage to the player and remove their Heat completely.
Red Heat also makes a return, though now it's only 2 bars long and exclusive to Kiryu.
Yakuza 5[]
This game introduces a new way to preserve heat and use heavy attacks on Heat Mode, by holding the L2/LT button whenever the prompt is supposed to appear.
All of the characters also have a unique ability related to heat, which drains them depending on how long they are used.
This game also introduces Climax Heat Actions, having its own gauge which gains meter from your regular heat actions. These actions are preformed exactly like regular heat actions, but instead of the original blue color, its displayed as a red color. Climax Heat actions are preformed with consecutive buttons and button mashing, at the end show a Kanji similar to Kiryu's Essence of Dragon King
"Feel the Heat" is no longer connected to the Heat gauge.
Yakuza 0[]
In Yakuza 0, the heat bar is divided into three bars, which are colored differently based on Kiryu's and Majima's battle styles (Thug and Brawler heat is blue, Beast and Slugger heat is yellow, Rush and Breaker heat is pink, while Legend heat is white for Kiryu and a dark purple for Majima). When all bars are empty, the player moves slower and has no heat aura, but gradually gains more speed and an aura as each bar is filled. At least one bar of heat must be filled to perform a Heat Action.
Yakuza Kiwami[]
Yakuza Kiwami scraps the multi-leveled Heat Gauge in favor of a gauge similar to the ones seen in previous games.
It also introduces two new mechanics:
Climax Heat functions very similarly to Red Heat from Yakuza 3 and Yakuza 4, but doesn't change the color of the Kiryu's aura, as they are defined by the fighting style he's currently using. Though initially exclusive to the Dragon style, the player can make it available for the other fighting styles as well.
Ultimate Heat Actions are performed during boss fights when the opponent goes into a recovering state. To perform the heat action, the color of Kiryu's current fighting style must match the color of the enemy's aura whilst they regenerate, which is randomly generated. Once performed, pre-rendered animations specific to the style will show and the boss will take massive damage. A 極 (kiwami, Lit. "extreme" or "ultimate") symbol is shown after execution. The player can alternatively counter the regenerating opponent with a regular heat action but they inflict less damage.
Yakuza 6[]
Heat operates in a similar manner to previous titles, but with several tweaks. When Kiryu achieves Heat Mode, he no longer has an aura around him. The aura only appears once the player enters a "transformed" state called Extreme Heat Mode, which increases his attack power and somewhat lessens the damage dealt to him.
Heat Actions themselves have been overhauled. Certain strong strikes will trigger a QTE, usually involving rapidly pushing buttons, that will boost the player's Heat gauge. This occurs primarily with boss enemies, but will occasionally appear with regular enemies as well. This QTE will often result in the option to complete a Heat action to damage the opponent severely.
Yakuza Kiwami 2[]
Heat in Yakuza Kiwami 2 doesn't differ much from how it functioned in Yakuza 6, though Feel The Heat makes a return, functioning similarly to how it did in it's original counterpart. The player must mash the Rush Combo to build up heat instead of the original R2.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon[]
While the concept of Heat is not present in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Skills are an equivalent since they specifically cost the player MP. The pre-rendered animations and cutscenes associated with each Skill also greatly resemble the ones used for similar Heat Actions in previous games. New Skills are automatically learned whenever characters level up in their jobs and some are transferrable across different jobs. The latter are categorised as Character Skills, conveniently labeled with a red orb on the left side of the Skill List.
Kiwami Skills are also available and they are represented with rainbow-colored icons in the Skill List. They are unblockable and cannot be countered. Nonetheless, their damage output depends on the current Attack stats of the character. Typically, they are two of the last Skills learned in any given Jobs.
Compared to other games, MP is not instantly replenished when characters perform attacks although some have access to Skills where their MP is immediately recovered upon performing Skills. MP can only be replenished with medicinal items, alcohol, healing stations or certain Poundmates.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth[]
Similar to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Skills are an equivalent to Heat Actions since they specifically cost the player MP. Many concepts established in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, such as Job Skills, Character Skills, and Kiwami Skills all made their return. Transferring Skills are now made easier, with every skills available to a job can now be used on other jobs, provided the characters have the necessary spare skill slots depending on the characters' Bond levels. Up to 5 normal skills and 1 Kiwami Skill are transferrable at any time.
Unlike Yakuza: Like a Dragon, however, there have been changes to make the system closer to the original Heat System. All playable characters now automatically recovers a small bit of MP if they use their normal attacks, allowing MP to function similar to Heat. A new form of Heat Action called Tag Team Attack is added, allowing either Kasuga Ichiban or Kazuma Kiryu, and one other party member including Kiryu to perform an unblockable attack together, dealing massive amounts of damage to enemies in range. These attacks do not consume MP, but instead uses up the Hype Meter of the involved characters. For Kasuga Ichiban, he also gains access to Ultimate Tag Team, allowing him to deal damage to all enemies at the cost of every involved party members' Hype Meter.
Specific only for Kazuma Kiryu, he recieves several systems unique to him that's even closer resembling Heat. His default job, Dragon of Dojima, allows Kiryu to perform Heat Actions from the previous games if certain requirements are met while he's in the Brawler Style. From Chapter 8 onwards, Kiryu gains access to Dragon's Resurgence, which works similarly to Yakuza 6/Kiwami 2's Extreme Heat Mode. Spending his Hype Meter allows him to enter this mode, allowing him to move, attack, and play similarly to the brawler entries of the series for a short period of time.
Spin-offs[]
Ryu Ga Gotoku: Kenzan[]
Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin![]
Heat is represented by an orb on the left of the health bar. When the player gains heat a blue edge forms around the orb, and when the edge is filled. A number appears on the orb to show amount of heat. The number goes down when heat is spent. Up to 9 charges on heat can be stocked, depending on player upgrades.
This system is largely retained in the remake, albeit with a small visual change. Instead of the Japanese numbering in the original, it uses Roman numerals.
Judgment[]
Heat is represented by the EX Gauge, visualized as a hexagon. If one side glows in white, powerful EX Actions can be performed, which can even counter Deadly Attacks inflicted by bosses.
The game also has the EX Boost, its equivalent to Extreme Heat Mode, which makes Yagami stronger, faster, and completely invincible even against Mortal Wounds, gives him new EX Actions (e.g. EX Finishing Blow in the Crane and Tiger styles and EX Co-op Actions whenever Yagami has an AI partner), and allows style switching to be executed midway through almost any attack. The latter also provides more ease for juggling.
That said, whenever Yagami is attacked during EX Boost, at least one segment of the EX Gauge is instantly "consumed". This causes EX Boost to end much faster and leave less opportunities for Yagami to perform EX Actions. His HP bar also vibrates, signifying the enemy's inability to inflict actual damage to Yagami under EX Boost.
EX Boost is also unable to be replenished with items that normally replenish the EX Gauge.
Lost Judgment[]
The EX Gauge returns from Judgment, completely unchanged visually, though EX Boost no longer makes Yagami or Kaito invincible. However, Yagami and Kaito can become invincible if their health is significantly low. In addition, the attack output of EX Boost is significantly buffed, with Yagami and Kaito having access to skills that increase the attack output of EX Actions in EX Boost. They also have access to gear that increase the attack output of "regular" combos in EX Boost only.
Compared to Judgment, juggling can be easily performed without EX Boost, due to the enhanced base speed of style switching. EX Boost nonetheless buffs the damage output of juggling. Like its predecessor, EX Actions can also counter Deadly Attacks within an extremely narrow time limit. EX Boost also increases the effectiveness of Mortal Reversals, a new unique mechanic introduced to counter Deadly Attacks.
In addition, the EX Gauge can be replenished by eating meals at restaurants.
Trivia[]
- Characters in-universe seem to be aware of the existence of Heat, exemplified by when Cyclops Oba asks Kiryu to not use his "flaming blue death moves" in Yakuza Kiwami 2.