New Yakuza

[Centrale]

Interesting that Majima seems to already have an eyepatch in that photo. I would think this would be a good opportunity to see how that happened.

[真鵜雄]

Interesting that Majima seems to already have an eyepatch in that photo. I would think this would be a good opportunity to see how that happened.

we already saw in 4.

[真鵜雄]

I just bought Famitsu and I have a few more details about the story:


As the rumors said the story will be placed in December 1988 at Kamurocho and Soutenbori.
In that period there was a fight to get the contract to build the Milleium Tower.
An evening, Kiryu collects money from a person that suddently get murdered.
Tojo-kai suspect the killer was Kiryu and they point the spearhead to Kazama too.
To protect him, Kiryu decide to leave Doujima-gumi, but...


In the meantime, Majima lives in Osaka and manage a Cabaret Club in Soutenbori under Oumirengo protection.
Majima is hiding himself from Tojo-kai (you know the reason if you played Yakuza 4), but he still dream about go back into yakuza.
One day he receive an offer, he can return into yakuza if he kills a person...

[Centrale]

we already saw in 4.

Oh, really? I'm still only about halfway through 4. My bad.

[George]

Yeah its part of a flash back in 4, later on.

It takes awhile, what with Akiyama's long intro at the start that feels like it took 50+% of the game.

[inthesky]

I am interested in the angle they're going to take in portraying Kiryu. Like...how sensitive or conflicted he'll be. I never played the first game.

In any case seeing as this is a prequel I think this is a nice opportunity for Sega to "relaunch" the franchise outside of Japan. They can redo the way they brand the game. Since chronology and plot is so important to the game, they have the option of both giving the franchise a "fresh start" without going for the messy reboot option that could split apart the franchise. If the prequel is moderately successful, Sega could consider making compilations/remasters of the previous games to catch the new fans up to speed.

Those more intimately familiar with Yakuza should comment on this also...what do y'all think?

[Team Andromeda]

This is just going to be more of the same really and the 80's angle is just a cheap and easy way of being able to keep most of the original assets with just minimal changes to give it a 80's retro look.
I'm willing to bet most of the same old animation, same old moves , same old gameplay, same old GFX will be reused and deep down they'll be nothing new and the only highlight will be playing some of SEGA old sprite scalers in the Arcades .

SEGA needs to give Yakuza and the Yakuza team a break and work on a new IP or better yet make a kick as sequel to Binary Domain

[真鵜雄]

it will be sold in Spring 2015 (source: Official Website).

[Aki-at]

I am interested in the angle they're going to take in portraying Kiryu. Like...how sensitive or conflicted he'll be. I never played the first game.

In any case seeing as this is a prequel I think this is a nice opportunity for Sega to "relaunch" the franchise outside of Japan. They can redo the way they brand the game. Since chronology and plot is so important to the game, they have the option of both giving the franchise a "fresh start" without going for the messy reboot option that could split apart the franchise. If the prequel is moderately successful, Sega could consider making compilations/remasters of the previous games to catch the new fans up to speed.

Those more intimately familiar with Yakuza should comment on this also...what do y'all think?

No I agree on this point completely. But I feel they won't capitalise on this golden chance and the game would be ignored for localisation. I feel though their decision (SoE/SoA) is already made up and the series won't be coming over to the West anymore.

With Yakuza 5 you had the justification of the title being both the longest in the series, attributing to higher localisation cost and Haruka's segment (A good 3 hours) that would alienate the fanbase.

With this there is no such issue. At least presently.

it will be sold in Spring 2015 (source: Official Website).

Ah Spring, or as I like to call it, Yakuza season.

[ROJM]

This is just going to be more of the same really and the 80's angle is just a cheap and easy way of being able to keep most of the original assets with just minimal changes to give it a 80's retro look.
I'm willing to bet most of the same old animation, same old moves , same old gameplay, same old GFX will be reused and deep down they'll be nothing new and the only highlight will be playing some of SEGA old sprite scalers in the Arcades .

SEGA needs to give Yakuza and the Yakuza team a break and work on a new IP or better yet make a kick as sequel to Binary Domain

I hate Naka. But i will say that when Sonic Team was at their prime was when they created their other games outside Sonic..they were becoming the AM2 of the consumer division..in a way its too bad it didn't carry on.
So Yakuza studio has fallen under the same trap..making sequels and new ip that no one gives a fig about.
As for the prequel...missed opportunity man...

[MadeManG74]

I am interested in the angle they're going to take in portraying Kiryu. Like...how sensitive or conflicted he'll be. I never played the first game.

In any case seeing as this is a prequel I think this is a nice opportunity for Sega to "relaunch" the franchise outside of Japan. They can redo the way they brand the game. Since chronology and plot is so important to the game, they have the option of both giving the franchise a "fresh start" without going for the messy reboot option that could split apart the franchise. If the prequel is moderately successful, Sega could consider making compilations/remasters of the previous games to catch the new fans up to speed.

Those more intimately familiar with Yakuza should comment on this also...what do y'all think?

I actually think that would be a great idea, try to re-launch the game in the west. Don't call it Yakuza Zero, but launch it with the title "Like a Dragon" or "Yakuza: Like a Dragon".

I thought they should have tried this previously too, Yakuza 4 for example should have been named "Yakuza: Four Dragons" as it might have made it seem like an easier 'jumping on' point for newbies to the series.

I doubt they will try again though, they've made efforts since the first Yakuza to launch them in the west, but never really found their footing, I don't see why they would try with this one. I'll keep my fingers crossed though!

[Team Andromeda]

So Yakuza studio has fallen under the same trap..making sequels and new ip that no one gives a fig about.As for the prequel...missed opportunity man...

[/color]


Its not a missed opportunity really. Its just coming out too soon . SEGA Japan need to give Yakuza and the team a break for the IP for a couple of years . Bring in some tech and make another new IP and then go back and work on a new Yakuza game .


I'll expect more of the Yakuza team to leave and for this IP to be run into the ground over the next 2 years and then what SEGA Japan got to offer ?

[George]

I do agree that Yakuza Team needs to do another new IP and I'm a bit bored of the yearly Yakuza games. Part of me is interested in the 80's setting, especially if they capture the arcade scene. But the other part of me is a bit pissed that they are still using the damn same engine from Yakuza 3.

[Aki-at]

I do agree that Yakuza Team needs to do another new IP and I'm a bit bored of the yearly Yakuza games. Part of me is interested in the 80's setting, especially if they capture the arcade scene. But the other part of me is a bit pissed that they are still using the damn same engine from Yakuza 3.

The engine is based on the one they developed for Binary Domain.

Not sure what RGG Studio is going to do about new IPs/the future though. It's a strange situation they find themselves in, can't trust their Western branches to market their games, can't fall back on a dwindling Japanese market for long and SEGA unlike Capcom, Konami etc do not have established IPs that sell well to the Western market outside of Sonic the Hedgehog. Not really a positive long term outlook.

[Mariano]

The engine is based on the one they developed for Binary Domain.

Not sure what RGG Studio is going to do about new IPs/the future though. It's a strange situation they find themselves in, can't trust their Western branches to market their games, can't fall back on a dwindling Japanese market for long and SEGA unlike Capcom, Konami etc do not have established IPs that sell well to the Western market outside of Sonic the Hedgehog. Not really a positive long term outlook.

Hey speaking about Yakuza, did you imported Yakuza Ishin some time ago right? what do you think about it?.