Heat Actions & Extreme Heat Mode

Heat Actions are Kiryu's signature finishing moves, devastating attacks that deal massive damage and often clear out groups of weaker enemies. In Yakuza 6, these powerful techniques are tied to your Heat Gauge, a blue bar located under your health. Mastering Heat Actions and the new Extreme Heat Mode is crucial for dominating combat encounters.

Understanding the Heat Gauge

Your Heat Gauge fills as you land attacks, successfully guard, dodge, and taunt enemies. It depletes when you take damage or use Heat Actions. The gauge is divided into segments; most Heat Actions consume one or more segments. Pay attention to the blue glow around Kiryu – a brighter glow indicates a higher Heat level.

Executing Heat Actions

When your Heat Gauge is sufficiently charged (at least one segment full), you'll see a blue prompt (usually a triangle button icon) appear over an enemy or near an environmental object. Pressing the indicated button will trigger a Heat Action. The type of Heat Action depends on several factors:

Enemy State: Is the enemy standing, downed, or stunned?
Kiryu's Position: Are you in front, behind, or to the side of the enemy?
Environmental Objects: Are you near a bicycle, a wall, a sign, or a table?
Weapon Equipped: Some Heat Actions require a specific weapon.

Key Heat Actions to Master Early:

Essence of Re-Guard: (Requires 1 Heat Segment) When an enemy is attacking, press Triangle while guarding to counter with a powerful blow. Excellent for dealing with aggressive opponents.
Essence of Wall Crush: (Requires 1 Heat Segment) Grab an enemy (Circle button) and drag them towards a wall. When the Triangle prompt appears, unleash a brutal wall slam.
Essence of Extreme Bashing: (Requires 2 Heat Segments) While holding a weapon (e.g., a Traffic Cone or Bicycle), approach an enemy and press Triangle. Kiryu will perform a devastating attack using the object. Look for weapons scattered throughout Kamurocho and Onomichi.
Essence of Finishing Blow: (Requires 1 Heat Segment) When an enemy is downed, stand over them and press Triangle for a ground finisher. Useful for ensuring defeated enemies stay down.

Extreme Heat Mode

Extreme Heat Mode is a powerful new mechanic in Yakuza 6. When your Heat Gauge is at least half full, press R2 to activate it. Kiryu will glow intensely, and his attack power, speed, and defense will significantly increase. While in Extreme Heat Mode, your Heat Gauge will slowly deplete, but you gain access to unique benefits:

Enhanced Attacks: Kiryu's regular combos become more potent and often end with a powerful finisher.
Uninterrupted Combos: You are less likely to be staggered by enemy attacks during your combos.
Unique Heat Actions: Certain Heat Actions are only available in Extreme Heat Mode. These are typically more powerful and affect multiple enemies. Look for new Triangle prompts.
Environmental Weaponization: While in Extreme Heat Mode, Kiryu can pick up and use almost any environmental object as a weapon without needing to manually equip it. Simply press Square near an object to incorporate it into your attacks.
Finishing Blows: When an enemy's health is critically low in Extreme Heat Mode, a special prompt (often a glowing aura around them) will appear. Pressing Triangle will initiate a unique, cinematic finisher that instantly defeats the enemy.

Strategic Use of Extreme Heat Mode:

Crowd Control: Activate Extreme Heat Mode when surrounded by multiple enemies. The increased attack power and area-of-effect Heat Actions will help you clear them out quickly.
Boss Fights: Save Extreme Heat Mode for boss encounters. The damage boost and unique finishers can turn the tide of a difficult battle.
Weapon Scavenging: If you're low on weapons, activate Extreme Heat Mode to quickly grab and utilize nearby objects like street signs, flower pots, or even motorcycles for devastating attacks.
Health Regeneration (Skill Dependent): Invest in the "Extreme Heat Regeneration" skill under the "Body" category in the Abilities menu. This allows Kiryu to slowly regenerate health while in Extreme Heat Mode, providing crucial sustain in tough fights.

Upgrading Heat Actions and Extreme Heat

Many new Heat Actions and enhancements to Extreme Heat Mode are unlocked through the Abilities menu using experience points. Prioritize these upgrades:

Heat Action Mastery: Unlocks new and more powerful Heat Actions. Look for specific upgrades like "Essence of Lunge Attack" or "Essence of Bell Ringing."
Extreme Heat Duration: Increases the length of time Kiryu can stay in Extreme Heat Mode. Found under the "Spirit" category.
Extreme Heat Gauge Boost: Increases the rate at which your Heat Gauge fills. Also found under "Spirit."
Extreme Heat Finisher: Essential for unlocking the powerful finishing blows against critically wounded enemies in Extreme Heat Mode.

Experiment with different situations and environmental objects to discover all of Kiryu's brutal Heat Actions. Mastering these techniques will make you an unstoppable force in the streets of Kamurocho and Onomichi.