Yakuza Series
- Thread starter The Wolf King
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Relative to most games? Probably.
Relative to what they wanted it to do? Probably not.
Still think this will be the last top be released outside Japan
I also think calling it the spiritual successor to Shenmue hurts it as many found that dull
I also think calling it the spiritual successor to Shenmue hurts it as many found that dull
Well they already said the next two were coming. Doesn't make sense to stop when the popularity is growing.
Yep, Yakuza 6 and Kiwami a remake of a PS2 game is coming west.
Looks fun.
Yakuza Kiwami will be released on PlayStation 4 physically and digitally on Aug. 29 for $29.99. Yakuza Kiwami provides an excellent starting point for those who have always heard about the series but have yet to try it. It preserves the charm of old-school, PS2-era beat-em-up gameplay, but deftly combines it with a hard-boiled crime drama punctuated with the liveliness of Kamurocho - the fictional red-light district of Tokyo the game is set in - and all the distractions that a red-light district can offer.
Kiwami is rebuilt from the ground up with all new HD assets, exclusive Japanese voice audio re-recorded by the series cast, and more; optimized for the PlayStation 4 and running in 1080p/60fps. And following suit with SEGA's commitment to the Yakuza series, the game will release in both physical and digital formats in the west.
Yakuza Kiwami will be released on PlayStation 4 physically and digitally on Aug. 29 for $29.99. Yakuza Kiwami provides an excellent starting point for those who have always heard about the series but have yet to try it. It preserves the charm of old-school, PS2-era beat-em-up gameplay, but deftly combines it with a hard-boiled crime drama punctuated with the liveliness of Kamurocho - the fictional red-light district of Tokyo the game is set in - and all the distractions that a red-light district can offer.
Kiwami is rebuilt from the ground up with all new HD assets, exclusive Japanese voice audio re-recorded by the series cast, and more; optimized for the PlayStation 4 and running in 1080p/60fps. And following suit with SEGA's commitment to the Yakuza series, the game will release in both physical and digital formats in the west.
Yes. It's a remake of the first game in the Yakuza series. Better resolution, textures, framerate, plus 30 minutes of additional cutscenes to help straighten out the story. "Extreme Revitalization," I believe they call it.
I've never played a Yakuza game before, but I'll probably start with this one. It's a remake of the game that started it all, and it's only $30.
There is an over-the-top "dramatic" element to Yakuza that put me off at first -- I thought, "Oh man, they are taking themselves way too seriously." But actually they're not, and the absurdity is part of the charm or humor.
There is also plenty of Japanese weirdness, which you get a little sense of in the trailer. Finished beating the crap out of thugs? Now go play some karaoke or watch the Battle Bug Beauties fight. There is a friendly fanbase at GAF who are good at helping newcomers to the series.
Sega is bringing lots of Yakuza games over lately. Yakuza 0 (the prequel) was released earlier this year. Yakuza 6 made an appearance at E3 as well.
My immediate impression (I think those of others, too) is that this is "GTA in Japan." YakuzaGAF tells me this is inaccurate, that they are very different games.
From IrishNinja at GAF:
Let's discuss what Yakuza is, and isn't.
Yakuza is not GTA
Back in '06 when Sega was first pushing to introduce the series out west, they not only hired some interesting vocal talent for the dub (thankfully ditched by 2), the marketing push gave some a warped definition of what the series was about. Given that GTA clones were doing well at the time, this was understandable but still seems to have left an image that isn't accurate: while you're definitely busting heads & enjoying a wide variety of activities/mini-games, you're not destroying the city...well, any moreso than the plot calls for.
Kamurocho is a big district with lots to do, but it's best to understand that it's not the same wide-open sandbox experience many western open world games shoot for.
Likewise, it's not Shenmue
Yu Suzuki followed his history of simulators with his magnum opus, and while the attention to detail & other elements clearly influenced Naghoshi in this franchise, the latter is not trying to be the former. To quote a gaffer: "Yakuza is a brawler at heart, with adventure aspects. Shenmue is the direct opposite, a pure adventure game that very occasionally has a few fights."
It is very possible to love both series for different reasons, as tone, pacing, and the very nature of the games are quite different.
So, what then is Yakuza?
Yakuza is an action-brawler RPG, or a beat-em-up RPG if that works for you.
It's a sometimes serious crime drama infused with a strong sense of manly-tears-fist-to-the-sky type melodrama that keeps the series from taking itself too seriously.
It's a series where the last entry alone had me curbstomping dudes, driving taxis, playing baseball, hunting bears, training to be a J-pop idol, and smacking hooligans with bicycles for scuffing my shoes.
There's a lot to love here for classic Sega type fans - right up to DMC & Bayonetta people, as the combat ranges from simplistic to surprisingly in depth when you build it up with different characters/styles - but in its very DNA, you can see stuf like River City Ransom & Streets of Rage.
More here:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1319598&highlight=yakuza
You really should get Zero first if you want Kiwami, as it's a direct sequel to it.
It's an awesome game with an insane amount of content... And over 100 side stories.... The substories are The star of this game...
Having never played a Yakuza game before, i took a chance and got it... Best gaming decision i have made in Years.
Fair warning though.... The violence is really gritty and brutal when it comes to The main story... No holds barred.
It's an awesome game with an insane amount of content... And over 100 side stories.... The substories are The star of this game...
Having never played a Yakuza game before, i took a chance and got it... Best gaming decision i have made in Years.
Fair warning though.... The violence is really gritty and brutal when it comes to The main story... No holds barred.
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My immediate impression (I think those of others, too) is that this is "GTA in Japan." YakuzaGAF tells me this is inaccurate, that they are very different games.
From IrishNinja at GAF:
Let's discuss what Yakuza is, and isn't.
Yakuza is not GTA
Back in '06 when Sega was first pushing to introduce the series out west, they not only hired some interesting vocal talent for the dub (thankfully ditched by 2), the marketing push gave some a warped definition of what the series was about. Given that GTA clones were doing well at the time, this was understandable but still seems to have left an image that isn't accurate: while you're definitely busting heads & enjoying a wide variety of activities/mini-games, you're not destroying the city...well, any moreso than the plot calls for.
Kamurocho is a big district with lots to do, but it's best to understand that it's not the same wide-open sandbox experience many western open world games shoot for.
Likewise, it's not Shenmue
Yu Suzuki followed his history of simulators with his magnum opus, and while the attention to detail & other elements clearly influenced Naghoshi in this franchise, the latter is not trying to be the former. To quote a gaffer: "Yakuza is a brawler at heart, with adventure aspects. Shenmue is the direct opposite, a pure adventure game that very occasionally has a few fights."
It is very possible to love both series for different reasons, as tone, pacing, and the very nature of the games are quite different.
So, what then is Yakuza?
Yakuza is an action-brawler RPG, or a beat-em-up RPG if that works for you.
It's a sometimes serious crime drama infused with a strong sense of manly-tears-fist-to-the-sky type melodrama that keeps the series from taking itself too seriously.
It's a series where the last entry alone had me curbstomping dudes, driving taxis, playing baseball, hunting bears, training to be a J-pop idol, and smacking hooligans with bicycles for scuffing my shoes.
There's a lot to love here for classic Sega type fans - right up to DMC & Bayonetta people, as the combat ranges from simplistic to surprisingly in depth when you build it up with different characters/styles - but in its very DNA, you can see stuf like River City Ransom & Streets of Rage.
More here:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1319598&highlight=yakuza
I've watched several videos over the years to see what this game is about. I probably would've been all over this series 10 years ago, but I've moved on from enjoying these types of games and just expect more now. If a game isn't a huge open world, I'm rarely interested in it anymore. I'm all about shooting people or running over them in games these days.
These games remind me more of Sleeping Dogs than GTA, at least in the sense of the Asian kung fu style beat em up. Regarding getting this or Zero first is a tough call. I think I prefer playing release order over chronological.
Oh, okay. It's not an open world game. You can walk around, but it's within limited areas of the city.
Enjoy your shooting and running people over.
GAF generally seems to agree with Repetae that playing Yakuza 0 first is best, since it is a prequel, but I'm like you, I'd rather play the first game first. I want to see where the series began, "the game that made Kiryu a legend." Second reason is that it's half price of Yakuza 0 and seems to be a smaller game than 0 and so doesn't require the time commitment (so less of a risk for a newbie).
My only qualm is that I hope it doesn't require too much skill with the combos. I am more interested in the atmosphere, story, characters, mini-games, and general Japanese weirdness than I am in the beat-em-up aspects.
From Game Informer preview:
"Yakuza Kiwami brings the debut entry of the game to the current generation of consoles using the Yakuza 0 engine. That means that not only are the visuals more modern than the original, but it also plays better. The visuals are nearly indistinguishable from Yakuza 0, which released in North America earlier this year. Players will also notice new side activities to participate in."
"As someone who has always wanted to get into the Yakuza series, but has been afraid to jump into the middle of the saga, 2017 has been a blessing. Not only did I get the great Yakuza 0 (which I'm still working through), but I'm also getting a remake of the original Yakuza game."
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/y.../14/modernizing-while-remaining-faithful.aspx
"Yakuza Kiwami brings the debut entry of the game to the current generation of consoles using the Yakuza 0 engine. That means that not only are the visuals more modern than the original, but it also plays better. The visuals are nearly indistinguishable from Yakuza 0, which released in North America earlier this year. Players will also notice new side activities to participate in."
"As someone who has always wanted to get into the Yakuza series, but has been afraid to jump into the middle of the saga, 2017 has been a blessing. Not only did I get the great Yakuza 0 (which I'm still working through), but I'm also getting a remake of the original Yakuza game."
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/y.../14/modernizing-while-remaining-faithful.aspx
That's right, Yakuza 0 is not the last by any means. Yakuza Kiwami is coming in two months, and Yakuza 6 is coming to the west as well. I'm surprised they're making such a concerted effort to bring them over, given the sales, but I'm not complaining.
Put in my order for Yakuza 0 today. YakuzaGAF is strong. I probably wouldn't have taken the leap, were it not for them. You see a lot of newcomers to the series posting about how much they're enjoying 0. Here is the latest, a thread by More_Badass:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1398183&highlight=
I think that thread pushed me over the edge. I picked it up for $50 with Prime. I needed something to play after Uncharted 4. I was going to pick up Crash Bandicoot, but I think I'll wait on a price drop for that one.
Put in my order for Yakuza 0 today. YakuzaGAF is strong. I probably wouldn't have taken the leap, were it not for them. You see a lot of newcomers to the series posting about how much they're enjoying 0. Here is the latest, a thread by More_Badass:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1398183&highlight=
I think that thread pushed me over the edge. I picked it up for $50 with Prime. I needed something to play after Uncharted 4. I was going to pick up Crash Bandicoot, but I think I'll wait on a price drop for that one.
I was planning on starting it in the next week or so as well. Easy Allies had a video around E3 of them gushing about this game, 6, and Kiwami, I'll post it later if I remember to. Definitely got me hyped to play it.
They're enthusiastic about Yakuza all right. "Majima Anywhere" sounds fun. He whispers at you, pops out of a trash can (or wherever), gets into a fight with you, then invites you to have a drink with him in the bar. He'll be the guy in a dress. lol.
Sounds like it's definitely better to play 0 before Kiwami. I was going to go for Kiwami first because it was the first game made and cheaper, but they've made story adjustments to both 0 and Kiwami such that it flows better to go 0 first, then Kiwami. Makes more sense that way anyhow, since 0 is the prequel to everything.
Sounds like it's definitely better to play 0 before Kiwami. I was going to go for Kiwami first because it was the first game made and cheaper, but they've made story adjustments to both 0 and Kiwami such that it flows better to go 0 first, then Kiwami. Makes more sense that way anyhow, since 0 is the prequel to everything.
I've played Yakuza 0 for ~ 6 hours. Early impressions:
The story is good. Lots of interesting characters and mysterious alliances. It's better than I expected. The story is serious and heavy, and yet, you never get the sense that it is taking itself completely seriously. That part is hard to describe.
Combat has been a lot of fun. I was worried about this, because I've never been into brawlers. But it's very accessible, and the punches feel good. Combos are easy to pull off, but there is depth to it, too. Beating up punks is fun. Special moves have some pretty cool animations.
I'm doing terrible at all the mini-games (karaoke, baseball, disco, arcade, etc.).
The world is confined, limited. It doesn't feel like "GTA in Japan" at all, except that you're involved with a bunch of mobsters. But even there, it feels very different. The characters here have integrity and a moral code, whereas everyone in GTA is pretty much just an assh*le.
The game has a great sense of humor. I've played two side missions so far, and they've both had me laughing out loud.
The game is one of a kind, that's for sure. It's a crazy balance between intense melodrama and completely silly side missions.
The story is good. Lots of interesting characters and mysterious alliances. It's better than I expected. The story is serious and heavy, and yet, you never get the sense that it is taking itself completely seriously. That part is hard to describe.
Combat has been a lot of fun. I was worried about this, because I've never been into brawlers. But it's very accessible, and the punches feel good. Combos are easy to pull off, but there is depth to it, too. Beating up punks is fun. Special moves have some pretty cool animations.
I'm doing terrible at all the mini-games (karaoke, baseball, disco, arcade, etc.).
The world is confined, limited. It doesn't feel like "GTA in Japan" at all, except that you're involved with a bunch of mobsters. But even there, it feels very different. The characters here have integrity and a moral code, whereas everyone in GTA is pretty much just an assh*le.
The game has a great sense of humor. I've played two side missions so far, and they've both had me laughing out loud.
The game is one of a kind, that's for sure. It's a crazy balance between intense melodrama and completely silly side missions.
Didn't realize you'd played 0. Yeah, it's good, isn't it?
I find it a very difficult game to describe. It's almost like you have to play it for about 5 or 6 hours before you get it.
I just met a character called The Walking Erection.
This game is something else.
It's hard to describe. Best I can do is, "Fun brawler, good story, good characters, lots of humor and heart, and tons of stuff to do." I'm really enjoying it. It'll probably end up as my #2 for the year, behind Horizon and in front of Uncharted 4. Very unique.
This game is something else.
It's hard to describe. Best I can do is, "Fun brawler, good story, good characters, lots of humor and heart, and tons of stuff to do." I'm really enjoying it. It'll probably end up as my #2 for the year, behind Horizon and in front of Uncharted 4. Very unique.