Weird comparison. The only similarities are that they are about crimes.
Either way, I vote Yakuza... Tentatively. I like the series enough, but honestly I think a good chunk of the games and stories are garbage and most of my enjoyment comes from vibes. Except 7. 7 is mostly just solid.
our battle continues even here
...where's the lie tho, I can't contend with this
I think Rockstar also recognizes within minigames, there's fun to just getting wacky and throwing a bunch of shit at a wall and see what sticks. I think Rockstars usually end up being in service of something or otherwise negligible. Yakuzas become the main star- for better and worse. If a Rockstar mini game doesn't click for me, I find it easier to turn off my brain and just get through it based on ease of access. I'll never get confused.
Sega has other ideas. I still don't know how the hell the motorcycle mini game from Lost Judgment works, and by this point, the thought of going back to it mortifies me. I actually have some pretty detailed takes about minigames, but I'll cut it short as seeing RGG be able to reuse a buncha stuff fairly easily while somehow crafting some of the most mentally taxing shit I've dealt with.
[I now realize you meant games more generally and not games within a game but I agree with you anyway and I typed all that out you can't make me erase it]
as for the stories holy shit, when they get it right, I'm bawling, I'm sobbing, I need three tissues delivered to my nose by 3 equally sensitive therapists. But when it's bad, I just start breaking man, it's like finding out the structure under your house is a thin custard that's been being slurped up without you realizing it. I'm surprised I could move onto Yakuza 6 after 5. And there's just important structural foundations that the story relies upon you trusting that are hollowed from the jump. Akiyama sucks! Screw that guy. But the story relentlessly pushes him in front of me like I wanna be around him.
anyhow yakuza wins my vote, Zhao is my favorite character, and I would steal his look if I had the money.