Yakuza 0: So Amon and Jo Amon

Yakuza 0: So Amon and Jo Amon All right, one more thing I wanted to cover before we finish up Yakuza 0 is Amon. There are two fights here, and each character gets his own. This is where I would take the time to get prepared instead of showing up with whatever happened to be left in my inventory. This covers the original Yakuza 0. There are spoilers for these optional fights below. Getting the challenges Kiryu fights So Amon in substory 94, The Head of the Clan. Majima fights Jo Amon in substory 100, Sotenbori in Peril. Finish the other substories for the character you want to use, then reach the late finale, after the last Kuze fight. Watch for the pager message and take a taxi to the bullfighting arena. For Majima, return to Sotenbori for his message and taxi trip. If the message hasn't appeared, check your substory list and story progress before assuming the game is broken. A started substory still needs to be finished. The Amon Defeated trophy/achievement requires both victories, so beating one of them doesn't finish that requirement. Unlocks and achievement: https://playstationtrophies.org/game/yakuza-zero/trophy/166652-amon-defeated.html Before you leave Save first. I would also give myself a separate save to come back to if I wanted another attempt without having already used a bunch of supplies. Bring plenty of recovery items. Incomparable Habu Drinks completely refill health and Heat. They cost ¥30,000 at Daikoku Drugstore after maximizing the friendship with Mr. Libido in Sotenbori. Staminan Royales are another option if that's what you have available, but they restore a large amount rather than automatically filling both gauges. Recovery items: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/816306-yakuza-0/faqs/74451/recovery Check equipment instead of just picking the highest number you see. Chain Mail has slash resistance, which is useful against Jo's knife. Stronger options include Antique Chain Mail and Chain Shirt. Regal Chain Shirt gives stun resistance. Pick from what you've actually unlocked through Dragon & Tiger rather than turning this into another massive equipment grind before even trying the fight. Take off the Calming Towel if your plan depends on building Heat. It stops Heat gain. Also check for equipment like the Charismatic Photo or Charismatic Autobiography that makes enemies more aggressive. Those are easy things to forget you left equipped. Equipment effects: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/816306-yakuza-0/faqs/74451/equipment So Amon: Kiryu's fight He opens with a cannon. Move sideways around direct shots, keep moving through the falling volleys, and watch for the laser. Getting stunned and then caught by that beam can wreck an attempt very quickly. If you have Dragon of Dojima, a useful approach is a combo ending in a finishing blow, followed by the grab input for a Finishing Hold. Pick him up from near his head and try to repeat. This can control the opening phase, but don't treat it as a guaranteed permanent lock. Once he activates his aura, normal hits stop interrupting him reliably. If the sequence breaks, recover your position instead of stubbornly finishing a combo while he attacks. Opening phase and hold strategy: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/816306-yakuza-0/faqs/74451/finale-substories One detail worth watching: after a knockdown, he can fire straight ahead as he gets back up. Move off that line rather than waiting directly in front of him. Later, he drops the cannon and a helicopter arrives. Furniture and other hazards start coming down. Now you need to watch the arena as well as Amon. Look for the small black-and-gold bottles. These give temporary invincibility, shown by the character flashing white. Either of you can collect them. Pickup appearance: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/816306-yakuza-0/faqs/74451/finale-substories If he gets one, concentrate on avoiding damage until it wears off. If you get one, use that opening to attack. A knockdown can also give you a chance to reach a pickup before he does. Don't chase him blindly through flying furniture just because he's nearly beaten. Arena hazards and pickups: https://dswiipspwikips3.jp/yakuza0/amon.html Jo Amon: Majima's fight Jo starts unarmed, then switches to a knife later. He's quick, he can counter you, and he gets more aggressive as his health drops. The knife phase is especially dangerous if you stand there trading attacks. There's also a nasty inventory trick. His thrown items can fill empty slots with tissues and a fake recovery drink called Stanamin Spork. Read the name before using anything. That fake drink damages you instead of healing you. Opening the menu in a panic and grabbing the familiar-looking bottle is exactly the mistake to avoid. Jo's moves and inventory trick: https://yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/Jo_Amon For this fight, I would build the plan around Mad Dog Trick: Demonfire. Mad Dog of Shimano comes from finishing Cabaret Club Czar. Activate the style through the pause menu, then hold Fighting Stance and press Heavy Attack as an incoming attack is about to connect. With default controller controls, that's R1 and Triangle on PlayStation, or RB and Y on Xbox. Check your bindings if you've changed them. The timing matters. Face him, let him commit, and aim for one counter. Don't turn it into a long string of random heavy attacks because the first attempt missed. Recover, watch his next approach, and try again. The same counter remains useful when he draws the knife, but keep watching your health. Heal before one bad exchange can end the attempt. Mad Dog controls: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/816306-yakuza-0/faqs/74451/goro-majima-legend-style If the counter timing isn't clicking, use Slugger's bat guard against the knife to regain control. Face the attack and look for your opening. Alternative defensive approach: https://dswiipspwikips3.jp/yakuza0/amon.html For both fights, I'd rather stop attacking, heal, and take another opening than lose the entire attempt trying to squeeze in one more hit. So is the one where I would keep a close eye on the arena and pickups. With Jo, I would focus on learning the counter timing and checking every recovery item before using it. Get those habits down and the fights become a lot more manageable.