PlayStation LifeStyle » Yakuza 4

Passing Up This Yakuza 4 Deal Is a Crime

Anthony Severino — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:21:42 +0000

Yakuza 4 has been on store shelves for a little over 3 weeks now, and already it’s on sale at one major online retailer.

This ~~steal~~ deal has Yakuza 4 on sale for 33% off the suggested retail price, bringing the total to $39.99. This deal is for today only, so head on over to Amazon.com now.

Still not sure if it’s worth your cash? Check out our Yakuza 4 review.

PS3 Review – Yakuza 4

Cameron Teague — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:14:50 +0000

Back in 2005, a little title called Yakuza was released on the PlayStation 2 and introduced gamers to the dangerous city of Kamurocho and it’s Yakuza (Japanese Mafia). 6 years have passed and the 4th entry in the series, Yakuza 4 has just released on the PlayStation 3. The series has always been known for its strong story, characters, and in-depth recreation of life in Tokyo. Yakuza 4 does not fail in these areas and even expands in many ways, but still has some nagging quirks that could really use a facelift.

Yakuza 4 tells the story of 4 complete strangers and the paths they take in a weaving story of revenge, love, and self-discovery. Each character’s impact on the story is extremely deep and engaging with plenty of content. Taiga Saejima has just left prison after 25 years, looking to have some questions answered. Shun Akiyama is trying to help people in tight money situations; Masayoshi Tanimura is in search for answers to his father’s death, and series veteran Kazuma Kiryu just can’t stay retired. All of these characters and stories wouldn’t be what they were without the amazing amount of detail put into the world around them.

The story can feel a bit awkward at times when the game goes from voiced cut scene, to a minute of text, then right back to voice cut scenes, making you wonder just why they didn’t voice all of it. Of course there is still a place for text conversations – especially when speaking to random NPCs – but to break up voiced scenes with text just doesn’t make sense. This is just a minor issue but with such great voice acting you can’t help but want to hear these people talk all the time. For those unaware, there is no option for English voice acting so you will be required to read at all times, but this is a game where people speaking in English would ruin it. The rest of the sound is top-notch with great music and tons of ambient noises to make this city truly alive.

The Yakuza series hasn’t really changed over the years, but we see a major change this year with four playable characters instead of just one. Each character has their own unique fighting style which helps keep the combat from becoming stale. The problem is, outside of this, the combat has pretty much stayed the same over the years and could really use an update, as much of it feels outdated. That being said, there is still a lot of fun to have while fighting in the game. You fight multiple enemies at a time and you can grab, kick, and punch to your delight. Get enough hits in and your heat meter fills up to the point where you are on fire, allowing you to then do finishing moves. While fighting you can pick up objects around the world such as signs, bikes, and even swords. The biggest issue with the combat has to be the camera angle which comes in too close to the combat and causes some enemies to disappear behind you.

RPG elements are included in the battle to spice things up, allowing you to level up your characters and use points to buy new moves, which helps to give you depth to the combat, but still does not fully save the combat that can become very stale at times. The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” works perfectly here and that’s exactly how Sega seems to have approached this. Sure they could have really overhauled things, but for the most part the combat is fun and serviceable. The blood is a lot more noticeable this time around with players fists getting wet with blood during combat and faces looking absolutely punished as you slam them into a car.

Luckily there is plenty of other stuff to do around the city besides just fighting. As you explore the city you will find a lot more doors are open this time around, giving players access to convenience stores, hostesses clubs, and batting cages. Yakuza 4 goes one step further with city roaming as rooftops, sewers, and parking garages all available to roam. Don’t feel like walking? Then take a cab from different points around the city, allowing you to easily move from place to place. Exploration can be a bit of a pain at times as the same camera that affects you in combat comes to hinder you when exploring the city. Invisible walls also make a guest appearance, keeping you from straying too far, but what you can visit is fairly large, so you never feel too crammed in.

Mini-games are a huge part of the Yakuza series and there are plenty of them to be found in Yakuza 4. Games like pool and darts make a return and are joined by Japanese flavored games such as mahjong, shoji, and pachinko. Ping-pong and a dojo simulation are also available, giving you plenty of things to keep you busy while also having fun. It is amazing how much time you can find yourself spending just running around the city and partaking in the tons of mini-games at your disposal.

What would this review be though without mentioning the hostesses clubs, which make a return after an absence in Yakuza 3. Sega however has decided to take these a step further and allow you to train your very own hostess. In this mini-game you dress the girl how you see fit, even choosing how she will wear her make-up. Get her on your side and making money and that is where things really take off. Earn her trust enough and you can start dating, even taking things to the next level. This next level is fairly crazy with dates consisting of pole-dancing and massages to name a few. This whole aspect is surprisingly deep, with plenty of clubs, girls, outfits, and ways to communicate.

Sega seems to have stepped things up in this category as everything from character models to city streets have received a nice boost in detail. One of my biggest beefs with the 3rd game was that many of the main characters heads and faces looked off, sometimes too big or small for their bodies. This has been fixed for the most part, though you will still notice some younger girls and a few of the guys whose heads just don’t fit their body.

Yakuza 4 is a game that offers a lot to enjoy, but the age is really starting to creep up on it. The addition of 3 new playable characters adds a new dimension to what is a deep and engrossing look into Japanese culture. This is one of those games that fully embraces you with thought-provoking subjects and fully fleshed out characters, each bringing something great to the table. The combat functions and is a lot of fun but it might be time for Sega to start to look at upgrading things a bit more drastically. The wonky camera won’t do you any favors in or out of combat and cut scenes can at times be a little long-winded but none of this kills your experience. Yakuza 4 will keep you entertained for 20+ hours of story, combat, and mini-games. Whether you’re new to the series or returning for another round of Sake, there is something in this package for everyone.

PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score

+ Engrossing story and characters bring the world to life

+ Mini-games provide nice break from the action

- Combat is starting to show its age; camera is far to inconsistent

Incredibly Devoted Fan Gets $9000 Yakuza 4 Tattoo

Paulmichael Contreras — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:03:14 +0000

There are some fans of different products, franchises or characters who put a small tattoo on their arms or legs to show their appreciation for whatever it is they like. This fan goes far above that level of dedication, as he has what may be the largest videogame-related tattoo ever crafted.

SEGA ran a contest almost a year ago, asking fans of Yazkua 3 to state in 25 words or less why they think they deserve to win a $9000 real-life tattoo to match that of character Kazuma Kiry. 46 year-old Fari Salievski from Liverpool, Australia ended up winning said contest. An MMA trainer, Mr. Salievki went through with the entire process, to end up with the impressive full back tattoo you see above (and in higher detail in the gallery below). It has earned him the nickname of “The Dragon,” and the entire process entailed four-hour sessions at least three hours apart for six months, with the artwork done by Josh Roelink from Tatudharma Studios in Sydney. Take a look at the tattoo below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Yakuza 4 is out now, and you can expect our review soon.

PlayStation Release Horizon – Week of March 14, 2011

Kishen Patel — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:54:39 +0000

Spring kicks off with a bang on the PlayStation 3 as THQ’s highly anticipated take on the first person shooter genre, Homefront, finally hits this week, along with Move compatible tennis title Top Spin 4 and Sega’s western release of Yakuza 4. The PlayStation Portable on the other hand, has a rather light line-up, with only one title releasing in the week.

Check out the full release list below:

PS3 -

Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel (03/15)
Dance on Broadway (03/15)
Homefront (03/15)
Top Spin 4 (03/15)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (03/15)
Yakuza 4 (03/15)

PSP -

Jikandia: The Timeless Land (03/15)

PS2 -

No new releases

Will you be picking up any of the latest games on PS3 and PSP? Let us know in the comments below.

See the Sights and Sounds of Yakuza 4 Kamurocho District

Adam Wolfe — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 06:04:47 +0000

The release of Yakuza 4 is just around the corner, and those familiar with the series should know that there will be plenty of fighting ahead of them. But you may not know where to go in between those brawls, fear not as a brand new trailer has been released letting you know which part of the city you should get familiar with.

The latest trailer shows off the Kamurocho district – this is the area you’ll want to head to for some karaoke, gambling, and alcohol. Also if you’re feeling lonely you can hit up the strip clubs and hostess bars as well. Needless to say Yakuza 4 has something to entertain everyone.

See trailer below:

Explore the Kamurocho district for yourself when Yakuza 4 releases on March 15th in the US and March 18th in Europe.

Yakuza 4 Shipping With Loads of Extras

Cameron Teague — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:41:42 +0000

Kazuma Kiryu and company are coming close to bringing their fight stateside and SEGA wants everyone to know that if you do the honroable thing and purchase Yakuza 4 brand new, you will be rewarded. Those who decide to pick up the game second-hand however might not be so lucky.

If you do go out and buy Yakuza 4 new, you will receive codes for the following extras not found on the disc.

Bonus costumes for Kazuma, Akiyama, Taiga, Tanimura, and Haruka
Survival Mode
Underground car park racing
The Underground Fighting Arena

If you don’t buy the game new you can still get all of this, but it will cost you as paid DLC. Also, for those pre-ordering from Gamestop, you can PS3 dynamic theme showcasing ten of the hostesses from the game.

Yakuza 4 releases March 15 on the PlayStation 3.

Yakuza 4 Translates A Ton of Cutscenes

Cameron Teague — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:56:06 +0000

There are a lot of games that boast 100 minutes or so of cutscenes but how many can boast up to 6 hours or more? We know one for sure as the BBFC rating for Yakuza 4 has revealed the game has 384 minutes worth of cutscene goodness.

This is a crazy total when you consider the upcoming RPG Dragon Age II recently revealed it had 103 minutes of cutscenes. The number of time spent on cutscenes should not surprise anyone who played Yakuza 3 as it also spared no expense with the amount it contained.

For those interested in seeing what all those scenes might show, Yakuza 4 releases on the PS3 March 15.

[Source/Via]

Yet Another Demo Coming To Plus Members First

Adam Wolfe — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:34:33 +0000

With each passing month, PlayStation Plus content is getting better and better. First, we were treated to the DC Universe Online beta, and then last week, the Killzone 3 demo was announced that it would be coming to Plus members a week before everyone else. Now, yet another demo will be heading to PS Plus members a little earlier.

Sega has announced that the Yakuza 4 demo will be coming to PS Plus members on February 15th, the same day as the Killzone 3 singleplayer demo, and then to everyone else on the 22nd. The demo will allow gamers to play as each of the four characters, so you can experience all of their different fighting styles.

This will only be a taste of what the full game will offer, which you can try for yourself when it release on March 15th in the US, and the 18th in Europe.

Yakuza 4 Gets New Trailer, North American and European Release Dates

Mike Hartnett — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:21:34 +0000

Sega has just announced the North American and European release dates for the latest iteration in the tremendously successful PS3-exclusive Yakuza series, Yakuza 4, along with a kick-butt trailer to boot.

Things are going to be much more interesting this time around, as players will not only be able to take control of series veteran Kazuma Kiryu, but three of his closest comrades as well. Not to mention that Sega got smart this time around and decided to keep the hostess clubs in all versions of the game, as opposed to Yakuza 3 where they were removed.

Look for Yakuza 4 when it hits North American shores on March 15th, and then shortly thereafter in Europe on March 18th.

Yakuza 4 Set to Break the Law From the Inside

Cameron Teague — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 04:49:06 +0000

The yakuza have a wide range of talent working for them, they even have cops on their payroll. Masayoshi Tanimura is the 4th playable character in Yakuza 4 and leads a slightly different life from the rest, as he is indeed a cop. His involvement in the group comes from his deceased father, who happened to be executed “yakuza” style.

While Yakuza 4 is already out in Japan, western fans of the series will have to experience the thrill of Japanese warfare in 2011.

Any Cuts to Yakuza 4 Will be “Nothing Like Yakuza 3″

Corey Schwanz — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 03:01:49 +0000

When Yakuza 3 was finally released to Western audiences this past Spring, gamers rejoiced at the release of a critically acclaimed, yet niche title. All was not well however, when Sega decided to cut a majority of the content. Will it happen again?

Fret not Yakuza lovers! Western gamers who like their Japanese games pure and populated by signature elements of Tokyo culture are sure to get a dose of what they want in next year’s upcoming release of Yakuza 4. Yes, the hostess bar will make a triumphant return. Sega’s Aaron Webber, the community manager of the forums that turned into a cesspool of hatred during the previous game’s release, said that ALL of the side-quests “will pretty much be in there.” How much is “pretty much”? Well, according to an interview with Kotaku, Webber actually said he was unaware of any side-quests being cut.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be any cuts at all however. One part that has definitely been cut is the mini-game of an interactive Japanese game show, Answer X Answer. While the extensive nature of the Japanese trivia was deemed “too exotic” for Western audiences in Yakuza 3, the lack of the trivia section was actually not the case at all for this game. This mini-game involved custom-made 16-bit graphics with very specific fonts. To keep the game on schedule for a March 2011 release date, this portion had to be cut. They really looked in to implementing it, but it just would have been too much work. Webber said that the main goal is to minimize the time between the Japanese and Western launches of the game, so as long as Yakuza 4 sells well, it looks like Sega will be able to fully localize more and more content in the future.

Interested in the Yakuza at all? Check out PlayStation LifeStyle’s review and tell us what you think!

[Source]

Yakuza 4 Puts Finishing Move on New Screens

Cameron Teague — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 11:06:13 +0000

Sega aims to whet our appetite even more for Yakuza 4 with a batch of 18 new screenshots.

Be careful though, these screenshots have a habit of punching and kicking those who get too close.

The Yakuza are Heading West and Have a Video to Prove It

Cameron Teague — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:55:46 +0000

It has taken Sega a while to admit it but it’s finally official that Yakuza 4 will be heading West. Although the game is already out in Japan, westerners who have enjoyed the third entry in the series have had reason to beg, and now they’ll have a chance at experiencing the thrill of Japanese warfare in 2011.

This is great news for fans of the series as previous entry Yakuza 3 was a very solid package and Sega has stated in the past that Yakuza 4 is the best yet. Along with the announcement Sega has released a brand-new US trailer for the game that is sure to impress. Check it out:

Shoot Outs, Torture and Ramen, A Day in the life of Yakuza 4

Allen Tyson — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:00:57 +0000

The life of a Yakuza is tough, dangerous and potentially short lived. One thing SEGA teaches us is that no matter how rough it gets, there’s no reason why you can’t stay incredibly well dressed as you roam the streets of Kamurocho.

SEGA’s recent trailer for Yakuza 4 has all the elements of Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s Internal Affairs. Prepare to watch shoot outs, street fights, betrayal, and endless supplies of cash – all in less than a minute and a half.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Source]

Yakuza 4 Bringing Crime to the Western Hemisphere

Zak Islam — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:05:59 +0000

SEGA had still not decided whether to give Yakuza 3 a release outside of Japan until only a few months ago. The fourth installment in the open-world Japanese gangster game based on the infamous Yakuza gang was announced a while back but, as expected, it was a Japan exclusive title when it was revealed. SEGA stated that if Yakuza 3 was a success in the west in terms of sales, which was acheived, they would plan on localizing Yakuza 4.

As Yakuza 3 was making its long-awaited worldwide debut in March, its sequel Yakuza 4 had already been released in Japan and SEGA has since announced that it will be released in the west in “Spring 2011″. Yakuza 4 will introduce a slew of upgrades from its critically-acclaimed predecessor, which introduced three new playable characters with each having their own engaging backstory as well as a “gripping interwoven plot.”

If you have some questions in regard to Yakuza 4, Sega has given the opportunity for fans to question the Yakuza series’ Producer Toshihiro Nagoshi. Just head on over to the SEGA Europe blog and leave your questions in the comments section.