Yakuza 3- Honor, Face Punching, and Tattoos

PunkBoy

Considered to be the spiritual successor to the Shenmue series, the Yakuza games follow Kiryu Kazuma, a former Yakuza who's life was changed when he took the fall for a crime he didn't commit. The first Yakuza game was localized in 2005 for the PS2, and got generally positive reviews. The second game, also for PS2, wasn't localized until 2008, but still received positive reviews. I personally thought Yakuza 2 was excellent, and well worth the late localization.

After Yakuza 2, the fans were hoping for more There was Yakuza Kenzan!, which takes place in feudal Japan, but it's considered to be a side story. Fortunately, Sega announced a while ago that there will be a direct sequel to Yakuza 2. Yakuza 3 is currently a PlayStation 3 exclusive, and it certainly looks like it's going to take advantage of all the next gen goodness:

TGS 08 20 minute presentation trailer

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41278.html

The latest trailer, released a few days ago

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43193.html

Kotaku also announced that Sega has an official release date for the game: February 26, 2009. Also, people that pre-order the game will get a magazine about hostess bars.

http://kotaku.com/5099724/ps3-exclusive-ryu-ga-gotoku-3-dated

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, it's a Japan-only game. Hopefully, though, Sega will soon announce a US/European release date.

EDIT: One more thing. The theme music for Yakuza 3 is called "Loser" by acclaimed Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa.

12/2/09: Kotaku has an article saying that there's going to be Yakuza 3 PS3 bundle for Japan. It's 80 GB, and includes the game and a ceramic white PS3 with dragon design on it. It's limited to 10,000 units and will cost 45,980 yen.
http://kotaku.com/5100739/ryu-ga-gotoku-3-getting-ps3-bundle

More importantly, two new trailers were just released:

Adventure
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43257.html

Japanese Extended Digest Trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43266.html

Diarmuid

I really like the Yakuza series, and this one looks ridiculously good.
I'll certainly be getting this when/if it's released outside Japan.

Food

Is there an easy way to pick up the first two? I've always wanted to play them, but I haven't seen either in stores.

PunkBoy

Hm, online would be your best bet. You should be able to get 2 easily, since it was just released. Not sure about 1, though...

Chance

If we don't get Yakuza Kenzan! and Way of the Samurai 3 localized, I will fucking learn Japanese.

PunkBoy

Yakuza Kenzan! looks really awesome, and I hope that also gets a US release.

Just look at how ridiculously awesome the HEAT moves are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvgFej40scU

Food

PunkBoy wrote: »

Hm, online would be your best bet. You should be able to get 2 easily, since it was just released. Not sure about 1, though...

Well in that case, would it be a bad idea to play 2 without having played 1? I know these games are heavy on story.

Diarmuid

Food wrote: »

PunkBoy wrote: »

Hm, online would be your best bet. You should be able to get 2 easily, since it was just released. Not sure about 1, though...

Well in that case, would it be a bad idea to play 2 without having played 1? I know these games are heavy on story.

There's a pretty thorough recap of the first games story at the beginning of 2.

PunkBoy

Yakuza 2 has a good recap of the first game at the beginning. It's well worth playing 1, though.

Amazon.com has the first one new at $39.49. You can get it used for as cheap as $8.00.

http://www.amazon.com/Yakuza-Playstation-2/dp/B000FIVC2W/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1227892928&sr=8-2

There's also a deal if you get both 1 and 2 together.

Thetheroo

I really loved Yakuza 1, but I just haven't had the time to pick up 2 yet. I'll probably play it sometime in the Spring.

Darth_Mogs

I just finished Yakuza 2 not too long ago, and goddamn was that game was awesome. The Yakuza games might just be, in a sense, one of my favorite series(es?) because I just have that much fun with them.

Yakuza 3, for me, and Yakuza Kenzan! are both day one buys for me when they get localized. (Positive thinking. Positive thinking..) It really is just that simple. I don't care what else is out when they come out; they will be bought and played compulsively.

Reznik

Is this does not get released in North America I will hurt everyone responsible for it

Now if you will excuse me I am going to run off and harass EB for the first 2 games.

PunkBoy

Updated OP. New trailers, and a box cover!

Trailer footage is stuff we've seen before, but in better quality.

PunkBoy

Okay, bringing this thread back because there's a couple new videos! The first one shows some of the unarmed moves you can do, while the second shows off some weapons.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44291.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44292.html

Combat looks to be even more brutal than 2.

Darth_Mogs

PunkBoy, you are one of my favorite people. I just thought you should know that.

Where do you go for your latest information on Kenzan! and 3? I don't want to immerse myself in information about the games, but I really, really have to have somewhere I can compulsively check for localization information. I don't care how long it takes.

UnbreakableVow

Only played a demo of the first game, but by the time I found it anywhere for sale, I had already moved onto PS3. Sad.

Hopefully 3 will have an accessible enough story.

Darth_Mogs

UnbreakableVow wrote: »

Only played a demo of the first game, but by the time I found it anywhere for sale, I had already moved onto PS3. Sad.

Hopefully 3 will have an accessible enough story.

If 2 is any indication, there might be a story recap at the beginning of 3. Since at the start of 2, you had the option of having about 85% of the story retold through most of the cutscenes and some narration. If 3 includes it, I don't know if they'd do it for 1 and 2, or just two, though. But, if not, there's always synopses and Youtube.

PunkBoy

Darth_Mogs wrote: »

PunkBoy, you are one of my favorite people. I just thought you should know that.

Where do you go for your latest information on Kenzan! and 3? I don't want to immerse myself in information about the games, but I really, really have to have somewhere I can compulsively check for localization information. I don't care how long it takes.

Honestly, I was just browsing on GameTrailers and saw the videos. As for the other news, I was just browsing Kotaku and came across it. I really wish I knew of a centralized site to check for news.

PunkBoy

GameTrailers has some new videos up:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44720.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44725.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/44726.html

The game looks as gorgeous as ever. Still hoping for a US release, though...

Cherrn

PunkBoy wrote: »

The game looks as gorgeous as ever. Still hoping for a US release, though...

Sega has told videogaming247 that there are still no plans to bring Japanese open-worlder, Ryū ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) to the West.

We thought we’d ask after being subjected to two sets of screenshots, an excellent looking trailer, and have seen the announcement of Japanese exclusive white, dragon-themed PS3 all in the space of one month.

However, when we asked Sega if it was on its way West, a company rep replied: “Not that I know of.”

I don't know who the hell Videogaming247 are, so I guess it's possible they just mailed some random representative who has no idea about what kind of business decisions the company makes.

Still, it doesn't seem too likely at this point.

Airan

Goddamn those attack videos are brutal. I'm cringing at the baseball bat one, right in the face!

Canada_jezus

Going to check vids first but this has probably sold me a ps3 right here.

Sam

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43257.html

this is Shenmue 3. Or the closest we'll ever get, and this is admittedly pretty close. Now this is actually more like Shenmue than low-budget Shenmue in terms of a certain sense of atmosphere that is largely missing from most games...

I don't care for the karaoke/dating/hentai/prostitution thing, and hopefully the other minigames make up for what looks like too much of a focus on pr0n.

Regardless, because of it being new Shenmue and all, it is the only game that would make me purchase a PS3.

Not Metal Gear, not Blu Ray, not Drake.

The PS2 had plenty of games that made it worth buying after I owned an Xbox- GTA when it was supposedly going to stay exclusive, MGS when it was a bigger deal and offered more that other games didn't, every worthwhile Japanese game, etc.

This doesn't extend to the PS3 at all for me. Except with this game.

I wonder if my 400-500 bucks and subsequent business would be enough for Sony to translate just the text, because I don't want a dub job done by bored midwesterners.

If they don't, I guess I'll take comfort in the fact that I didn't buy that fucking monstrosity*


*I don't hate the console at all, but given that I use an SDTV, it makes no sense to get a PS3, particularly if this game doesn't come out in English.

Impersonator

Oh god Sam, you're right, this feels so much like Shenmue, I just wish I had a PS3

RainbowDespair

Was the translation of Yakuza 2 any better than Yakuza 1? Just wondering since Yakuza 1 currently holds my coveted "Most gratuitous use of swearing in a videogame translated by people who are clearly not native English speakers and have no clue how swearing is supposed to work in English" award.

Reznik

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

RainbowDespair

Reznik wrote: »

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

Really? Excellent. I gave up on Yakuza 1 because the VA was just that bad. I may have to give 2 a try.

Sam

I wonder why they took so fucking long with 2.
I think they'll release 3 though. Judging by the shit Sega puts out, this is their biggest investment. Given how much the game cost they probably wouldn't mind springing for VA, in which case we're fucked because I doubt they'll have dual audio tracks for the entire game.

Darth_Mogs

RainbowDespair wrote: »

Reznik wrote: »

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

Really? Excellent. I gave up on Yakuza 1 because the VA was just that bad. I may have to give 2 a try.

I thought there was an option in the first to have the Japanese VA to subtitles? Maybe I'm just confusing it with 2 where it was, as said, just Japanese VA with subtitles. I don't know for sure. Really, I didn't mind the VA job for Yakuza 1, but Yakuza 2 was really good for the route they took, for that. I generally don't enjoy subtitled movies like that, but I was positively enthralled by Yakuza 2 for it.

Here's to holding out hope for Yakuza 3 and Kenzan! localizations.

Sam

yakuza is just way too Japanese, from the looks of it, for a dub. At least Shenmue was fantastical and nonpolitical. This game involves Japanese politicians and crime bosses and a dub would fatally wreck the realism.

Sam

Darth_Mogs wrote: »

RainbowDespair wrote: »

Reznik wrote: »

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

Really? Excellent. I gave up on Yakuza 1 because the VA was just that bad. I may have to give 2 a try.

I thought there was an option in the first to have the Japanese VA to subtitles? Maybe I'm just confusing it with 2 where it was, as said, just Japanese VA with subtitles. I don't know for sure. Really, I didn't mind the VA job for Yakuza 1, but Yakuza 2 was really good for the route they took, for that. I generally don't enjoy subtitled movies like that, but I was positively enthralled by Yakuza 2 for it.

Here's to holding out hope for Yakuza 3 and Kenzan! localizations.

I would rather they just went straight to 3 and do Kenzan! if 3 proves popular enough. In North America this series has no fanbase- you can't expect one if you release on PS2 in 2008. I don't see how Kenzan will help 3, which looks like a much bigger/more marketable game.

Darth_Mogs

Sam wrote: »

Darth_Mogs wrote: »

RainbowDespair wrote: »

Reznik wrote: »

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

Really? Excellent. I gave up on Yakuza 1 because the VA was just that bad. I may have to give 2 a try.

I thought there was an option in the first to have the Japanese VA to subtitles? Maybe I'm just confusing it with 2 where it was, as said, just Japanese VA with subtitles. I don't know for sure. Really, I didn't mind the VA job for Yakuza 1, but Yakuza 2 was really good for the route they took, for that. I generally don't enjoy subtitled movies like that, but I was positively enthralled by Yakuza 2 for it.

Here's to holding out hope for Yakuza 3 and Kenzan! localizations.

I would rather they just went straight to 3 and do Kenzan! if 3 proves popular enough. In North America this series has no fanbase- you can't expect one if you release on PS2 in 2008. I don't see how Kenzan will help 3, which looks like a much bigger/more marketable game.

That would be the best way to go about it, yeah. From what I figure (I have kind of a blackout going for the two games outside of a few trailers here and there, since I don't know when they'll be out, or if and I don't want to get my hopes up) Kenzan is a spin-off based on Kazuma's Ancestors from the Feudal era, so unless it has some sort of important points for 3 or something like that, localizing 3 to test the waters would be the best way about it. Especially since I'd imagine 3 would be the more polished/familiar of the two games.

So basically, I completely agree with you, but I really want both games. I want all the Yakuza I can get.

Unco-ordinated

Sam wrote: »

Darth_Mogs wrote: »

RainbowDespair wrote: »

Reznik wrote: »

Yakuza 2 is all subtitled, which I appreciate. No bad VA, and the translation seems very good. I haven't run in to any awkward phrasings or typos or bad grammar.

Really? Excellent. I gave up on Yakuza 1 because the VA was just that bad. I may have to give 2 a try.

I thought there was an option in the first to have the Japanese VA to subtitles? Maybe I'm just confusing it with 2 where it was, as said, just Japanese VA with subtitles. I don't know for sure. Really, I didn't mind the VA job for Yakuza 1, but Yakuza 2 was really good for the route they took, for that. I generally don't enjoy subtitled movies like that, but I was positively enthralled by Yakuza 2 for it.

Here's to holding out hope for Yakuza 3 and Kenzan! localizations.

I would rather they just went straight to 3 and do Kenzan! if 3 proves popular enough. In North America this series has no fanbase- you can't expect one if you release on PS2 in 2008. I don't see how Kenzan will help 3, which looks like a much bigger/more marketable game.

Yakuza and Yakuza 2 apparently sold pretty well in Europe, so if all else fails they may just release it in Europe and you guys can import it.

Btw, if anyone here hasn't played the Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan demos on the Japanese PSN (one focuses on the main gameplay and the other focuses on the minigames), I'd recommend you do, they're short but still good. Hopefully they'll release a couple of Yakuza 3 demos pretty soon too.

PunkBoy

On a slightly different note, I'm playing through GTA IV again and the suit and red silk shirt outfit looks very similar to Kazuma's outfit.