The Yakuza series has slowly started to enter the mainstream in recent years. As a series that wears a number of hats, every type of gamer can find something to enjoy. Although its weirdness may attract people to the series, the addictive gameplay and compelling narratives keep them invested. Since the main series is currently on Xbox Game Pass, there's never been a better time to play through Kiryu's grand adventure.
Fans of the series often recommend starting with Yakuza 0. The title provides context for later entries and is a solid introduction. Aside from that, there are also just a ton of fun minigames to play. Completionists might get a headache, but casual fans should dabble a bit. Those interested in experiencing everything the game has to offer will eventually be faced with the greatest challenge: talking on the telephone.
Updated on October 5, 2021, by Thomas Hawkins: There are a total of 7 Telephone Club Substories to be found by completionists in this particular minigame. These Substories see the Dragon of Dojima encountering several new characters that can then join him on all kinds of other activities such as darts, bowling, dancing, and Karaoke. This guide will explain how to identify the different substories and how to complete them, in addition to providing a detailed overview of how to play the Telephone Club minigame. Completing a Telephone Club Substory often requires additional steps in order to succeed, and this guide will cover these in detail whenever they come up. Once these substories are completed, it's recommended that players take a look at the new Karaoke sequences that become available when bringing the girls Kiryu meets to the Karaoke minigame.
The Teltel Boys Club
*The Teltel Boys Club is a location only available to Kiryu, located in the southwest of Kamurocho, and provides what can be loosely called a dating simulator. Telephone Clubs were a cultural staple of the time period, prior to internet chatrooms, where lonely hearts could get a chance at love. By making calls with eligible partners, a match can be made and dates can be had.
Kiryu is able to try his hand at this game of love, which takes the form of a bizarre shooting gallery. The minigame is rather time-consuming and is in a spot that holds seven unique substories. Even for those who don't care enough to hit every substory, the Real Estate Royale will eventually require players to get a successful date, so it's good to get acclimated beforehand. Either way, it's time to dial in.
Telephone Club Basics
The minigame, as stated, is a shooting gallery of sorts. It's really not that weird compared to some other quests in the game. The player can run three different courses, but the only difference is the time given to the player. For safety, just go with the longest session. Kiryu can sneeze and find 3000 yen, so it's hardly a hit to the finances.
The first step is to wait for a call. The phone will ring, and a successful quick-time event will bring the player into the minigame proper.
How To Play
From there, players will need to increase their connection with their partner on the other end of the line. This is done by answering and asking questions using responses that fly across the screen. Charge up a shot, then try to hit the best response. This best response is obvious in most cases, and if Kiryu is struggling, the right answer will glow gold after a few seconds. Each successful response will fill the heart-shaped gauge. Once the gauge is full, select the right option from a roulette. There's plenty of leniency, so don't be discouraged if the timing isn't crackerjack. Complete this process two more times, and Kiryu will have found love. Congratulations!
If players accidentally hit the wrong response, don't fret — they get a few chances to get it right. The gauge will go down, but it's not the end of the world. Additionally, if Kiryu misses the roulette at the end, he'll simply need to fill it back up. It's a very forgiving minigame.
As a note, controller malfunction can make this game a nightmare. Charging your shots can be a bit finicky with a fresh controller, so a janky controller will struggle. It isn't a challenge, but something to keep in mind for those struggling.
Make Me A Match
Once the minigame is finished, Kiryu will find a date with one of nine girls. There are only three successful dates out of those nine girls, so the blind odds of getting a proper date are not in his favor. Fortunately, there are a few ways to help differentiate the girls to prevent repeats.
Swimsuits
The first way to differentiate them is based on swimsuits. There are three possible colors, and each color of swimsuit will have its own model in Kiryu's imagination. The responses are also consistent depending on the swimsuit. For example, each girl with a blue swimsuit will give the same responses to questions. Each swimsuit has three different possible girls, which narrows down the search significantly.
Quick Time Events
Secondly, the QTE to answer the phone will help narrow it down further. The fastest QTE's will all lead to successful dates and friendships. For those who are interested in just befriending those three girls, they can feel safe as long as you hit the quick QTE. The slower QTE's don't differentiate between unsuccessful dates, but it's a great way to start narrowing it down.
Voices
Finally, listen to their voices. The different pitches of the voices are a decent indicator, but it's pretty difficult to determine those differences for someone who isn't fluent in Japanese. If the player keeps notes of details about the voice, it can help save some repeats, but using QTEs and swimsuits to narrow it down works well enough. If the player identifies any repeats, holding L1 or LB will hang up the phone and they can take another shot at finding the right girl.
Completing the Substories
There are seven substories locked behind the Telephone Club minigame. Each different swimsuit color will have one successful match each, which accounts for three substories. The swimsuits will also have their own unique unsuccessful match, accounting for three more substories. Finally, substory 34 (Sakura Shock) is able to be obtained regardless of swimsuit color. In total, it takes a minimum of seven plays, but waiting for the right RNG will take time.
Blue
- Riku - Substory #31 (The Innocent Hook-Up)
- Asakura - Substory #34 (Sakura Shock)
- Mirei - Substory #35 (Verbal Warning)
Note: To complete Riku's Substory you must complete do something after winning the minigame. Kiryu will go to meet her outside the theater, but there will be two women matching her description to choose from. In order to meet her and complete the substory, the player should choose "Talk to the Girl in Front."
White
- Ayaka - Substory #32 (The Sexy Hook-Up)
- Sakurako - Substory #34 (Sakura Shock)
- Maria - Substory #44 (The Predator's Call)
Note: Much like with Riku, there will be two people meeting Ayaka's description when Kiryu goes to meet her. The player should first select "Move In for a Better Look" to reveal a third girl, and then select "Talk to the Farther Woman" to meet the real Ayaka and complete the Substory.
Green
- Haruki - Substory #33 (The Flirty Hook-Up)
- Sakurai - Substory #34 (Sakura Shock)
- Sayuri - Substory #45 (A Mother's Touch)
Note: To complete Haruki's Substory, Kiryu will need to once again pick her out of the lineup outside the theater. This time the correct option is "Choose the Far Girl", but this won't be enough as Kiryu will also have to fight her boyfriend when he shows up.
After finishing these substories, players will never need to visit the Teltel Club again. There isn't a reward from finishing these substories (other than a good chuckle at Kiryu's misfortune), but Kiryu will be able to call his new friends to play minigames with (Specifically: Disco, Karaoke, Darts, and Pool). There's little reason to do so (except to see each girl's special karaoke scene), but it can be nice to have someone to dance with at the disco. No one wants to be out there dancing alone.