The truth behind a infamous ramen shop incident in 1985 sets off a chain of events that draws four men together. This marks a turning point for the Ueno Seiwa clan, but the truth has remained hidden until now. In 2010, three new characters join Kiryu's story: Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, and Masayoshi Tanimura. Each character has their own storyline that ties into the overall events taking place.
The gameplay in Yakuza 4 focuses on action-packed combat, with each character controlling similarly to Kiryu but with unique moves and personal flourishes. Shun Akiyama can taunt opponents, Taiga Saejima wields immense strength to lift heavy objects and people, and Masayoshi Tanimura counters attacks while blocking and chaining combos into HEAT actions. The game takes place mainly in the fictional Tokyo district of Kamurocho, with new areas such as rooftops, an underground mall and parking garage, and a sewer system. As in previous Yakuza games, side stories and mini-games can be found by exploring the streets and entering businesses.
The game features hostess clubs and a massage parlor, which return from the western release of Yakuza 3 . The only content cut from the western release of Yakuza 4 is the Answer x Answer arcade game and the theme song "Butterfly City".