Yakuza 4

Review: Yakuza 4

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I remember reading about the first Yakuza game (Ryū ga Gotoku in Japan) way back in 2005. I was super excited to find out that SEGA was going to bring it over. Since then the series has seen significant growth, spawning three direct sequels and three spin offs. When the original failed to catch on in the west, there was a lot of doubt that the franchise would ever come to the west again. Now we are all the way to the fourth main entry for the series. It’s great that SEGA has continued to bring the series over to the west despite the failure of the first game, but four entries in has Kazuma Kiryu finally worn out his welcome? Read on to find out.

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SEGA Sequel Saturdays: Yakuza 5

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Hey guys, hope everyone in Internetland enjoyed their April Fools day! Welcome to Episode 11 of SEGA Sequel Saturdays. This week I’ll be expressing my thoughts on the (inevitable) sequel to a game that just released, Yakuza 4. SEGAbits’ official review will be up soon, but you can read my own opinion on Yakuza 4 at my blog, here. I feel that Yakuza 4’s a fun game with lots and lots to do and some great storytelling, but at the same time, its formula is really beginning to show its age. I don’t think Yakuza 5 is even worth announcing if we’re not going to be getting some big changes and updates, and here’s what I think they should be.

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IGN presents Yakuza 4: Fact or Fiction?

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IGN has today released a feature entitled Yakuza 4: Fact or Fiction, where author Jake Adelstein and editor Daemon Hatfield sit down to discuss Yakuza 4. Jake has lived in Japan as a reporter covering the crime scene, and here he uses his knowledge to discuss the Yakuza and Yakuza 4’s relation to reality.

This is just a fun feature, nothing to get upset about, Yakuza fans. In fact it’s a genuinely interesting look at the Yakuza, how accurate the game’s hostess bars are, the possibility of the ramen shop scene being based on a real-life incident, and more. An interesting feature worth a look for fans of the Yakuza games.

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Yakuza & Phantasy Star developers love Heavy Rain

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Sony’s big budget story driven game gets love from SEGA’s Masayoshi Yokoyama (Yakuza 4) and Satoshi Sakai (Phantasy Star series), who confess that it is their favorite game released last year. Not only that, Sakai adds that he also enjoyed Call of Duty: Black Ops and Monster Hunter Portable 3rd.

Atsushi Inaba (from Platinum Games) said his favorite game last year was Mario Galaxy 2. I always keep on forgetting that the game came out last year. Just seems like it’s older!

[Source: Andriasang]

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Man gets Kazuma Kiryu’s back tattoo to win SEGA competition

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One of the most iconic things about the Yakuza series is Kazuma’s awesome back tattoo. Well, last year when Yakuza 3 was released, SEGA had a competition. What did you have to do to win? Get a full back tattoo just like Kazuma’s. Did someone win? Yes…

The winner was Fari Salievsk, a 46-year-old MMA trainer from Australia. The tattoo took six months to complete, with sessions lasting up to four hours in three week intervals.

“Getting a tatt is making a statement that is with you for life so I do recommend it but it’s not something you rush in to,” – Fari Salievsk

The tattoo was paid for by SEGA and ended up costing around $9,000, feels good getting free ink. Mr. Salievsk did change one thing on the tattoo, the bottom writing was changed from Japanese to Korean. He said “personalized his kanji in place of the original.” I don’t think he knows what kanji is….

[Via: Kotaku]

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Best Buy selling Yakuza 4 for $40

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Not exactly a news item in the traditional sense, but thought some would be glad to read this. Best Buy is holding a sale on Yakuza 4, selling it for only $39.99.

Apparently this sale is good through Saturday and includes both in-store and online. You can pick up Yakuza 4 for a heavily discounted price here.

Update: Good work, SEGA fans. Bestbuy.com has sold out of Yakuza 4 and the title is now on backorder. If you still want to purchase the game for a bargain and don’t want to wait for up to two weeks for more copies to be ordered, (or don’t live near a Best Buy,) Amazon.com has also discounted Yakuza 4, selling it for $53.99.

Happy gaming.

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Yakuza 4 is out today, here is the launch trailer

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If you didn’t know, Yakuza 4 hits retail today. That means I will be busy all day playing it.

This is the launch trailer for the game. Are you ready to be somebody in the world of nobodies? Get yourself a PStriple and a copy of the game.

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Greg Miller/IGN’s Yakuza 4 Review – My Thoughts

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Usually at Segabits we would stay clear of critic bashing but I really feel this needs to be said.

This is of course in regards to the review score Greg Miller of IGN has just given Yakuza 4 (6.5/10).

Just about everyone who has played the Japanese version of the game, be it the Japanese people I’ve spoken to about it or the Westerners who have imported the game, seem to all agree that Yakuza 4 is one of the best games in the series yet.  On the other side of the coin, it’s generally agreed by most fans that Yakuza 3 was the weakest installment in the series so far with a very slow start with its baby sitting children and rather monotonous fetch quests making up the first quarter of the game.

However not Greg Miller it seems, who, throughout his review, speaks about how much he enjoyed Yakuza 3’s story and, even more jarring, how Yakuza 4 has a weak story which seems to contradict what every other Yakuza fan has said.

Hit the jump for MORE!

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Yakuza 4 – Locations trailer

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The new trailer above lets you check out some of the locations in the upcoming Yakuza 4. If you played the past 3 titles released in the West, you should know what to expect.

“Red lights at night, Yakuza delight”

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Yakuza of the End could hit the West with different name

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[Yakuza: Goro Majima the fantastic]

Of course SEGA can say yes or no on any future Yakuza games being brought over, what with Yakuza 4 coming out very soon. But the guys from Siliconera had a great interview about what it takes to bring Yakuza games to the West. When asked if SEGA would bring over a spin off like Kenzan:

“In terms of the older games, I can really speak to that at the moment. Because currently from the Yakuza franchise we have Black Panther, Kenzan, and now we have Of the End. Which all intents and purposes is a working title for the West, we don’t know what it’s going to be called. I think the possibility is there. We haven’t closed the door on any of those titles. We’re always looking at what might be the next title that will be appropriate for the Western market.” – Yas Noguchi, Senior Producer Yakuza 4

Sounds like ‘Yakuza of the End’ is leaning more towards a yes, since they are already saying it’s a code name in the West or is this just me wanting a game badly?

Read the rest of the great interview over here.

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K-Mart: Buy Yakuza 4, Get Yakuza 3 Free

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According to a post on the Cheapassgamer forums, K-Mart will be having a “buy one, get one free” deal on Yakuza 4. If you buy the game, you get Yakuza 3 for free! Not only that, but you get 10,000 SYWR ($10) in rewards points that you can use on your next purchase. Whether or not Sega is supplying more copies of Yakuza 3 for this, or if this is just clearing out overstock is unknown. Before this is speculated as just rumor, please note the the poster on these forums has been very reliable on K-Mart sales in the past.

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Xplay gives us a taste of Yakuza 4

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SEGA senior producer Yasuhiro Noguchi stopped by Xplay to show off what’s presumably the demo for Yakuza 4. He walks us through the various characters and tells us a bit about what to expect as far as bonus content is concerned. Yakuza 4 is set to be released on March 15th in North America and March 18th in Europe.

[Source: Xplay]

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Yakuza 4 Demo Hits PSN Plus Members

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Sega dropped an American demo of Yakuza 4 this past Tuesday only for PSN Plus members. The demo lets you play as Kazuma Kiryu, Masayoshi Tanimura, Shun Akiyama and Taiga Saejima in four different brawls. Sadly, all you do is brawl as all four of them. Unlike the Japanese demo, there is no exploring of any part of the city. If you have a Japanese account, I’d recommend checking out that demo instead.

Yakuza 4 will be released on March 15 in the US and March 18 in Europe. Despite my feelings on the demo, I highly recommend picking the game up, as Yakuza 3 was a masterpiece and this one looks to be even better.

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SEGA Press Event Happening in a Few Weeks

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From GoNintendo comes a bit of news regarding an upcoming SEGA press event. Little is said of the event, except that it will happen in a few weeks time and that reps from High Voltage and Creative Assembly will be in attendance. I assume it’ll be at SEGA’s offices in California, though I never should assume as it makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me” (joke).

Should be exciting to hear more of Virtua Tennis 4, as well as the others, however what I’m really hoping for are some reveals. Sonic Anniversary, Sonic 4 Episode 2 or Phaantasy Star Online 2 would all be great. Alan Pritchard did say to expect two Sonic game announcements in the early part of this year. More details to come, obviously.

[Source: GoNintendo and The Sonic Stadium]

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