I just discovered the greatness that is the Ishin version of Machinegun Kiss. I can't stop listening to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D43JJ2Yckc
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Yakuza 0. 1/24/17 Less than a month to go. Let's make a difference.
- Thread starter Jimrpg
- Start date
The Last Wizard
Member
I'll be picking it up to pay for me not buying 5.
The yakuza series is one I have a love hate relation with. I feel like the games are bloated in some areas. My need to complete every quest sort of kills pacing.
I'm really excited for this game for a couple of reasons.
I love the 80's.
The different fighting styles are cool.
I think I can kick my weird completionist habit.
Majima is the shit!
Only 2 playable characters probably means I will probably have an easier time knowing the big picture.
I'm really excited for this game for a couple of reasons.
I love the 80's.
The different fighting styles are cool.
I think I can kick my weird completionist habit.
Majima is the shit!
Only 2 playable characters probably means I will probably have an easier time knowing the big picture.
I respect the attempt and this is the first time I've spent more than 10 seconds learning about this game. Just seems a little monotonous of a brawler when compared to the line up it is competing against in q1.
Going to have to pass unfortunately, and if anything this makes me weary of whether I will like P5 (also heavily praised by Gaf)
Going to have to pass unfortunately, and if anything this makes me weary of whether I will like P5 (also heavily praised by Gaf)
Brian_FETO
Banned
The writing looks amazing from what I saw in the PSX demo. Very weird and funny
The arcade ports have a bunch of screen options you can toggle with L1
The combat seemed weird with the styles, a bit floaty due to wacky animations playing out but fun. I think calling it 3D Streets Of Rage is a bit unfair, that's what I was hoping for from a SEGA beat em up and it really isn't (gameplay feel-wise)
The arcade ports have a bunch of screen options you can toggle with L1
The combat seemed weird with the styles, a bit floaty due to wacky animations playing out but fun. I think calling it 3D Streets Of Rage is a bit unfair, that's what I was hoping for from a SEGA beat em up and it really isn't (gameplay feel-wise)
Watch the youtube gameplay and see if the game is for you.
Saejima in Yakuza 5 also wore me out somewhat because it was incredibly boring. I can't say that this series doesn't have some low spots. But I think its overcome by all its other strengths, namely just being in Japan, doing virtual tourism, the characters become like old friends and so on.
Also I really liked Saejima's part in Yakuza 4, simply because the payoff was great.
1. The combat is a 3D brawler. At any point in traversal across the city, you can get invovled in a random encounter if a yakuza henchmen stops you on the street. You obviously have to wipe them out. I can't explain Yakuza 0 specifics seeing as I've not played it, but in Yakuza 5, your base attacks are hand to hand, though you can pick up many things off the street like rubbish bins, bikes, motor bikes, standing lamps and use them during the fight. The fighting isn't exactly deep, its not Street Fighter or Virtua Fighter. In some ways its like Dynasty Warriors, but DW seems more focused on clearing out large swaths of enemies, but in this you generally want to side step/roll/block attacks and attack people before they do you. You can easily gamble and attack too much and open up yourself to be hit. But I would say the combat is not overly technical or difficult. One of the things I love about the combat is the finishing "heat" moves. As you fight, you fill up your heat gauge and when that is full you can unleash a devastating attack on an enemy, like stomping on their face, or doing a huge slam into the wall. The animations for the heat moves are really satisfying even after 5 games.
The variety comes from a range of moves each character has. After collecting the requisite experience points, you can upgrade your character with various skills and moves. Again, the upgrade system isn't deep, but it does offer a nice sense of progression.
The bosses are generally far more difficult than the average goons. They have a number of special moves and don't hesitate to use them. But you can suss them out and dodge/roll them most of the time. Some of the bosses are real cheap and do need some health drinks stored up in the inventory to beat. I don't think anyone would ever say the combat is better than something like Dark Souls, but its serviceable for the game.
Also its just my opinion, but despite Yakuza having average combat, I don't think it necessarily detracts from this game in any way. When combined with the other aspects of the game like the great game world and characters and the fact that this is the only series where I finished every mainline game, this is a series that I really like despite its flaws.
2. Basically Kazuma Kiryu is a badass japanese Chuck Norris, and is perhaps one of the most morally righteous characters in gaming. If you want to play as Good Lawful, Kazuma Kiryu is your guy. His lack of humour is also offset by the game world being decidedly wacky. The wackiness might be as simple as a fat lady chasing you around the block for a kiss, or even something like an arrogant thug who is incredibly aggresive and hurls profanities and after a pounding writhes on the ground and begs for forgiveness like a coward.
Like I said, the story is very long, particularly in Yakuza 5. Its over 40 hours. There are four acts, with possibly over 50% of that gametime, down to watching a story scene or reading the conversation. Sometimes it gets overly long, but the payoff is usually worth it. In 5, each of the 4 characters that you control have their own story, and while playing through the stories are quite seperate, but they come together in the end, as the threads from each finally connect. I think they did a better job with the Yakuza 4 because it was far less laborious and generally shorter. Aside from Yakuza 5 the other games range from 15-25 hours in length and are much more palatable considering a lot of the side activities will also take some time to play too.
I honestly don't know how to tell you more about the story without having to play the games again (I played them over the course of the last ten years) and playing more than the main storyline. You'll just have to trust me.
or watch a walkthrough on youtube.3. Check out the gameplay trailers in the OP. The demo trailer in particular does a good job of selling the game. If you're not interested after that, then perhaps its not for you.
5. I honestly think 0, 1, 6 is totally fine, if that's all you've got. In 0, you get start cold and still enjoy the game because its chronologically the first. With Kiwami, its the first game in the series and the story is pretty standalone. And in 6, though I have no idea how much it relates to the past games, the other games didn't have too much riding on previous entries apart from some returning characters and over time, you can more or less work out what's going on with each one.
6. The history of Yakuza is a little long, but in short, its had a troubled history and its time for people on the fence about the series to get on board if they are interested. Certainly the sales of Yakuza 0 will be a big barometer on planning going forward for the future of this series.
ffs stop recommending that people skip games in the series
Just play whatever earliest title you have access to. First two are PS2 so that's a challenge. Y3 is physical only. Y4 and Y5 digital on PS3. Y0 onward on PS4.
oh and yeah arbok that poster is right, you're really overwriting things. A sweet tiger punching gif is worth a thousand words.
Just play whatever earliest title you have access to. First two are PS2 so that's a challenge. Y3 is physical only. Y4 and Y5 digital on PS3. Y0 onward on PS4.
oh and yeah arbok that poster is right, you're really overwriting things. A sweet tiger punching gif is worth a thousand words.
Saejima's chapter, though it has some cool moments, is definitely the low point of the game. I loved the rest of the game though.
IronicSonic
Member
Great quality brawler
Fun story
Great music
Superb characters
Lot of content
1080p60
Shadowman16
Member
6 starts pretty much in the exact place where 5 ends, and its basic story (especially the bit revolving around Haruka) takes heavy cues from Yakuza 5, so skipping 5 is not really recommended if you have access to a PS3. Its not impossible to follow 6's story without playing 5, but it'd detract from the overall experience for sure.
MadClacker
Member
This is all you need to know:
Spieler Eins
Member
Why has it got to be the same day as Resident Evil 7?
Yes they're all very good games.
The kind of person who only plays CoD, FIFA and GTA is never going to play this series. I don't know why you think it's even worth the effort. This is a niche JRPG, talk to that crowd.
Heat? It goes away when you use specials. It's denoting that you're in a powered up state. Expend the meter and it's gone. But generally you'd want to see it.
tiebreaker
Member
Saejima is the only one that I didn't do all his side quests. Shame that Tanimura is the one that got the axe.
The Artisan
Member
I preordered on amazon a couple months ago, so I automatically get that card holder right?
Kiwami is the remake of 1.
But you can start with 0 which comes out next month.
Kiwami comes out Summer 2017.
I think its ok, to not like some parts of Yakuza. But the Yakuza series is unique, there isn't any other take on life in modern Japan the way Yakuza does it.
I will have to do the maths and research on this, but at 9.2 million worldwide sales for the series and a series with 10+ titles in Japan the series is doing ok there, and possibly below average in the west. Hope someone can confirm. Some sales numbers for each title in Wikipedia. If it was doing great, none of us would be worrying about it like we do.
RE7 is going to do 5 million sales and if you're in it for physical you'll get one down the line. Getting Yakuza would mean a whole lot to the franchise. But do what you gotta do!
My angle really was, get this so Sega knows to bring more over. It wasn't really about going in depth about mechanics because most of the time its square square square triangle or giving examples on story because I played the series over ten years and played each one once and I don't have too many exact memories on the storyline. But you can watch some of the youtube clips I had in the OP and hope you get a better understanding of the game that way.
For me, its more that they fit a niche that ive always wanted, the japan virtual tourism, the understanding of another culture, the brawler gameplay that reminds me I'm playing a 3D streets of rage or a reborn Shenmue.
No announcements at this stage, so no. Don't wait on that, because there are no Yakuza games on Steam. But Sega has said they want more PC ports and there are more announcements next year so there is the faintest of hope.
RecRoulette
Member
Really want to jump in but I'm probably just going to wait for Kiwami since it's so close to RE7's launch.
AuthenticM
Member
Here's the pre-order link on videogamesplus.ca for Canadian Gaffers.
I got mine pre-ordered since this summer. This will be the first time I ever buy a Yakuza game.
Also, I want to say that the Giant Bomb crew will do a full playthrough of the Yakuza series, starting with Yakuza 0 in January. They just might help giving exposure to the games.
I got mine pre-ordered since this summer. This will be the first time I ever buy a Yakuza game.
Also, I want to say that the Giant Bomb crew will do a full playthrough of the Yakuza series, starting with Yakuza 0 in January. They just might help giving exposure to the games.
Riposte
Member
Yakuza 5 isn't really easier than other games in the series and I find it odd you wouldn't jump straight to hard since the series is should be pretty easy for long-time fans. The things that break Yakuza 5's difficulty are true for every single game: stocking on health/heat items can trivialize any encounter, while getting good gear (also prioritizing Body when leveling up) goes a long way towards making enemies less threatening. (There's also the matter of somewhat OP parrying moves.) As a baseline, I immediately noticed it was a step up above Yakuza 4. Personally, I put some limitations on what I carry and how I level and make sure to equip Champion's Ring (and put it in storage for the next part), and found it to be about where Yakuza should be at minimum. Totally forget how you unlock the Champion's Ring though.
Saejima's chapter was a drag (least interesting move set and the city exploration is shoved into the last chapter of a part that is already long enough), but I was fine with the part before it and those after it. Made Haruka's stuff feel like a breath of fresh air.
I've never played a Yakuza game.
I got 4 for free with Plus, and then bought a used copy of 3.
I got 5 on sale for 30.
I have 0 preordered on PSN.
I was very happy to see Kiwami and 6 announced at PSX (I was there).
During the show I met and asked Shane from Sony if we were going to get a PS2 Classic release of 2 on PS4 since we got those other announcements, and he said "that would make sense"
I'm very excited to finally jump in to the series with 0... after RE7, GR2, and Nier 2 lol
I got 4 for free with Plus, and then bought a used copy of 3.
I got 5 on sale for 30.
I have 0 preordered on PSN.
I was very happy to see Kiwami and 6 announced at PSX (I was there).
During the show I met and asked Shane from Sony if we were going to get a PS2 Classic release of 2 on PS4 since we got those other announcements, and he said "that would make sense"
I'm very excited to finally jump in to the series with 0... after RE7, GR2, and Nier 2 lol
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Man, is it just me, or are there a lot of "getting started with Yakuza" threads these days? Yakuza fans are weird. I'm one of them. I approve this thread, and I have the game preordered.
4 is a real good place to start if you wanna get your feet wet before you play 0
Yes, they are legitimately good games for the very most part. I've played 2 and 3 to completion and bits of 4 and 5. 2 is still my favorite and it was a PS2 game (I had a BC / OG PS3 at the time and it was completely worth the time invested).
Honestly the series has always had little things that held it back somewhat but Y0 has the best chance of catching on because it's launching when the PS4 is hot and it's an easy place to recommend someone starting their Yakuza adventures.
I'm pre-ordered and ready to roll!
Man, these threads are killing me, I've wanted to get into the series for the longest time, but was waiting to be sure it had a chance to establish itself in the west first. Becoming a fan of a series with no localizations isn't fun.
Now that they're confirming every new game tho, I guess it's time. I plan to start from the first one on PS2 soon and play them all (maybe skip Dead Souls or whatever it's called?). The series looks right up my alley and these threads hype the hell out of me haha, it's weird.
How long are these, by the way? I'm dead set on playing them all, but I'd still like to have an idea of how long it'll take me.
Now that they're confirming every new game tho, I guess it's time. I plan to start from the first one on PS2 soon and play them all (maybe skip Dead Souls or whatever it's called?). The series looks right up my alley and these threads hype the hell out of me haha, it's weird.
How long are these, by the way? I'm dead set on playing them all, but I'd still like to have an idea of how long it'll take me.
cyber_ninja
Member
I'll be there Day 0. One of my favorite franchises.
Been there from day one. It's a series which I take breaks from quite regularly but always keep coming back to finish them eventually. I'll be done with 5 around the launch of 0.
One of the few genuinely funny game series with a heart of gold. I always can count on it to make me feel warm inside. Very special you are indeed, Yakuza.
One of the few genuinely funny game series with a heart of gold. I always can count on it to make me feel warm inside. Very special you are indeed, Yakuza.
100+ hours for each game in the series*. This is not a series for trophy hunters. And getting the platinum doesn't mean 100%ing the game either. That's much longer.
* Yakuza 4 is doable in less, but you still have to beat the main story three times and a bunch of other stuff so it's still on the high end
30 hour story modes, give or take 10 hours depending on how quickly you speed through. Double that for story side quests. 100% completion is in the hundreds of hours and should not be attempted.
RE7 is happening but I'll will surely beat 0 before 1's rerelease
please don't do this to yourself.
The Artisan
Member
there's been like 2, yeah.
MadClacker
Member
SURPRISE!
Pre-ordered PAL version as soon as it was available. Would have liked to buy a Euro release of "The Business Edition" but I no longer expect anything other than the bare minimum from Sega Europe. I have never failed to buy a Yakuza game day 1.
If you've been sleeping on this series, perhaps thinking it might be difficult to jump into an established narrative and cast of characters, the release of a true origin story makes this the perfect game with which to enter the world of Yakuza. Please give this wonderful series a try!
If you've been sleeping on this series, perhaps thinking it might be difficult to jump into an established narrative and cast of characters, the release of a true origin story makes this the perfect game with which to enter the world of Yakuza. Please give this wonderful series a try!
Shadowman16
Member
Its fun to some people, like me, so don't listen to this person
Anyway, varies on the game in the series. 80% of the trophies can be gotten quickly - just play the game and the activities, probably can get the majority of trophies in 30-40 hours depending on how fast you play through the main game. But each game forces you to replay the game on EX Hard mode (not available from the offset) so that's a second playthrough for one trophy...
But for games like Yakuza 3, 5, Ishin, 0 and Kiwami you also have a 100% completion trophy that challenges you to complete all the mini games, modding weapons etc. and that takes an incredibly long time, its where you'll spend most of your time for sure. Difficulty wise it varies from game to game. 3 was insanely hard, I've never managed it, 5 isn't that hard, just incredibly long, Ishin is more of a grind than difficult, Kiwami is fairly short really, still a grind in places and 0 is fairly ok difficulty wise, but there is still quite a bit to do. Your probably looking at a good 100+ hours for 0 and 5, but Kiwami can probably be done a bit quicker?
6 is even quicker and easier to plat anyway as like 4 it looks like they've removed the requirement to 100% the game, probably would only take around 50-60 hours at a guess looking at the trophy list.
The Cartographer
Member
Total brainwash by SEGA.
I will probably ''preorder'' the game on amazon two or three days before the release.
Terra_Ex
Member
Already preordered, more people should give the series a try, it's so good. On that note, I urgently need to set aside some time and finish Y5 within the next few weeks, I'm cutting it close now.
Good to see more Yakuza threads of late, I remember when I first looked with befuddlement at Yakuza 1 back in the PS2 days; all the reviews and writeups (even from people that liked the game) just did a piss poor job of conveying what the game actually was, certainly not helped by Sega themselves muddying the water. It wasn't until I actually played it for myself that I got a proper handle on the game itself so more threads selling the series on its actual strengths is great, threads like the starter guide have been sorely needed for a long time, preaching to people outside the choir just exactly what Yakuza is and what it isn't has ever been the stumbling point of the series in the west in my view. Hoping that 0, 6 and the remake of 1 do well because I would love a remake of 2.
Good to see more Yakuza threads of late, I remember when I first looked with befuddlement at Yakuza 1 back in the PS2 days; all the reviews and writeups (even from people that liked the game) just did a piss poor job of conveying what the game actually was, certainly not helped by Sega themselves muddying the water. It wasn't until I actually played it for myself that I got a proper handle on the game itself so more threads selling the series on its actual strengths is great, threads like the starter guide have been sorely needed for a long time, preaching to people outside the choir just exactly what Yakuza is and what it isn't has ever been the stumbling point of the series in the west in my view. Hoping that 0, 6 and the remake of 1 do well because I would love a remake of 2.
lucebuce12
Member
Yakuza 0 was on the list of Pro enhanced titles during Sony's Pro reveal conference.
Edit:
Thank you for this information. I will temper my expections.
The way the localization programmer worded his response makes it hard for me to consider this definitive. It's unclear with the question worded as 'enhancements'. Also, wouldn't a Pro patch would be across all versions, not part of the localization effort? I will hold onto a sliver of hope that the tearing will be fixed on Pro. Totally psyched and picking it up day 1 regardless.
MadClacker
Member
If you posted on this Persona 5 thread saying that you hate anime,
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1328377
then you should definitely check out the Yakuza series, it's actually one of the very few Japanese games that is based on modern times (well except 0 which is a prequel) and have a realistic visual and setting. Heck some of the characters are based on famous actors. And for the folks that needs their waifus in their games, Yakuza also have you covered with hostesses that are based on Japanese models and even pornostars!
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1328377
then you should definitely check out the Yakuza series, it's actually one of the very few Japanese games that is based on modern times (well except 0 which is a prequel) and have a realistic visual and setting. Heck some of the characters are based on famous actors. And for the folks that needs their waifus in their games, Yakuza also have you covered with hostesses that are based on Japanese models and even pornostars!
Everythime I see one of those Yakuza-Threads - and thankfully the series seems to gain traction in the west - I feel obligated to post this fine video:
The Yakuza Series - Your Next Favourite
Its an epic, 50 minute overview of the series. The video is a tad older and does not cover the newer parts but I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is still on the fence or Yakuza-curios. Inmo it portrais the magic of the Y-series perfectly - better than I could. And for such a length the video is still quite entertaining.
Kudos to GAFs very own HyperBitHero for this mighty piece of work, love and dedication!
The Yakuza Series - Your Next Favourite
Its an epic, 50 minute overview of the series. The video is a tad older and does not cover the newer parts but I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is still on the fence or Yakuza-curios. Inmo it portrais the magic of the Y-series perfectly - better than I could. And for such a length the video is still quite entertaining.
Kudos to GAFs very own HyperBitHero for this mighty piece of work, love and dedication!
FloppyDelux
Member
One of the few games ill be buying day one.