Abilities and Upgrades

Abilities and Upgrades is a system of experience featured throughout the Yakuza series. Throughout each entry it has come in many different mechanics.
===Mechanics===
Upgrading serves as way to give the player abilities and buffs as the game moves with the story. It is typically earned from defeating enemies in battle but it can also be earned completing activities and substories.
==Main Games==
===Yakuza===
Upgrading is first introduced in the form of three skill tracks, which are Technique, Body, and Heat. Each track has ten levels advance by manually applying experience points. These are earned by engaging in street battles and engaging in substories. It represented by a thin yellow bar above the health displayed. When the player receives a thousand experience points, it is tallied with a number displayed on the right side. There are also certain upgrades only available in certain ways such master Sotaro Komaki.
===Yakuza 2===
The system is mostly the same with new additions. Such as the ability to upgrade the heat gauge by increasing it and gaining upgrades from certain items.
===Yakuza 3===
The tech track system received an overhaul with the new engine. One noticeable change is experience is applied by the number displayed at the right side of the yellow bar not the experience point itself. It is still represented by a thin yellow bar above the health displayed but features a number tally at all times. It now also features four tech tracks, soul, tech, body, and heat. There are still some abilities that can only be earned through certain means such masters or revelations.
===Yakuza 4===
The system of upgrading receives another overhaul with the player full list abilities to choose at their leisure. Though there are some abilities that need to be unlocked beforehand in order to obtain. These abilities are earned through soul orbs which are earned by leveling up. The player earns three soul orbs per level and the level caps out at 20. Upgrading is tracked separately with each of the four characters. And each character comes with its own share of skills and abilities with soul orbs being colored differently with each character. These four characters also have their masters and revelations.
===Yakuza 5===
The system of upgrading is hybrid of the system featured in Yakuza 4 and prior games. In that it follows the tech track route but utilizes the soul orb and leveling system featured in the prior game. The leveling bar is now grey instead of yellow. The level caps out at 20 but can be increased to 25 by undergoing a breakthrough with Komaki. The player can also earn additional soul orbs with IF8R.
===Yakuza 0===
The upgrade system uses a ability tree system first featured in Ishin. However, As the game is themed around the bubble instead of usual experience points or souls. It utilizes the money in the players inventory which is applied to each circle in the tree. And each of the two characters four ability trees represent each of the players fighting styles.
===Yakuza Kiwami===
The upgrade system uses the ability tree system but also elements of the ability track system in games prior to Yakuza 4. Three of the ability trees are Soul, Tech, and Body. Each has a set of abilities earned through experience points. Which is displayed by a green meter bar. There is also a special Dragon of Dojima ability tree in which abilities are earned by engaging in the Majima Everywhere system.
===Yakuza 6===
The game utilizes an upgrade system similar to that of Yakuza 4 in that it gives the player a full list of abilities. But with a few differences such as upgrading is more expanded upon and experience being split between five differently colored types of experience (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, and Purple).
===Yakuza Kiwami 2===
The game retain yakuza 6's system with a few tweaks. And their are also some abilities that require certain prerequisites such visiting Komaki or obtaining an item.
===Yakuza: Like a Dragon===
With the change in genre, the system of upgrades and abilities is heavily expanded upon with various systems of leveling. With the level cap reaching 99 with each individual job.
==Spin-offs==
===Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!===
===Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin!===
===Judgement===
The system of experience is that of Yakuza 6 with the difference being that it tracked skill points.
===Lost Judgment===
===Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name===
The game uses upgrade system similar to Judgment. But it has some similarities to the upgrade system in Yakuza 0. In that money is utilized to obtain upgrades.
==Gallery==
Category:Game Mechanics