The four fighting styles are very different, especially once you've unlocked all the moves. I do wonder if this kind of structure is the way forward for the franchise; it certainly worked for me.
As for recycling, there's plenty that's familiar, sure, but the engine seems a notch higher on the polish-o-meter than last time, and I think it's easy to say "oh, they've just added a new story" as if it was the simplest thing in the world when it's almost certainly not. There's a bunch of new areas, too, so it's not as if it's just the same place with no differences.
I do think, perhaps, that we're reaching tipping point for the series. Keeping things a certain way for the fans is one thing, but it could well be time for a fresh start - especially as Yakuza 4 pretty much represents the pinnacle of mainline Yakuza games (as well as feeling like a natural end; not that there aren't more stories to tell, mind). Of The End sees Kamurocho lying in ruins, so maybe next time we'll see a new setting. Let's hope so - I think having Okinawa added quite a lot to Yakuza 3, though I was surprised I didn't miss it more than I did while I was playing through this one.
