Quick Look: Yakuza 3

After seeing this and reading many of your comments, I kinda wanna play this.

Is there going to be a review of this?

Yeah, bombcast comments were pretty painful to a fan of the series like myself. I don't mean to imply that I can't take criticism towards games I like, but I think the origins of this game are wildly misinterpreted.
 
And I'm not suggesting you have to interpret origins to enjoy it either, by the way. It's just that I think it's important to understand that Yakuza is a jRPG with realtime brawler combat in place of turn based, traditional jRPG combat. Battle transistions work like they do because they're just that - battle transistions.
 
I think the faster you stop expecting Yakuza to be an action adventure and realise that it's a jRPG, the faster you can begin appreciating it (or not) based on its actual merits.
 
For an understanding of said origins, check out arcade brawler "Spikeout" released on the Xbox as Spikeout Battlestreet, which is another Toshihiro Nagoshi game, and insert an instanced version of that into a contemporary jRPG. Sprinkle that with minigames and an absolutely astonishing attention to detail both in "product placement" and in the environments.
 
Oh and if you can stomach the drop in tech, do play 1 and 2. Nearing the end of 3 now I can say with confidence that despite the same feel for subtlety and editing (something japanese story based games traditionally have neither) it doesn't touch the storyline of Yakuza 2.

good god that's boring! shouldn't this be called "Babysitter 3"?

" Mentioned in the QL but I still find it weird the portrayal of the Yakuza as kind, loving role models for children. Like could you imagine a Mafioso version? - and for the DSi: Blood Red and Crip Blue :D "

This is exactly my type of game. 
Shenmue I and II are my favourite games of all time so I guess it's not surprising.
The Yakuza series is sort of like a spiritual successor.
 
The combat system might be a bit janky like someone said but saying that it's still incredibly fun. I think a lot of brawlers could take some pointers from the combat in this game.

This should of been the next endurance run.

Kind of want to play this...

I was watching from my bed and I literally fell asleep during this quicklook.
 
Weird game. For the most part amazing visuals but severely lacking in other aspects. The impressive production values in the graphics department combined with the total absence of voice overs outside cutscenes really strikes me. It's as if they concentrated their resources on the graphics and didn't really care about most of the other stuff.

" クウィクルクの 龍が如く！　すごいね。 "

"This seems to be a lot of text"
 
and how much text was in Persona 4? I think I'm really liking Yakuza 3.

"I think the faster you stop expecting Yakuza to be an action adventure and realise that it's a jRPG, the faster you can begin appreciating it (or not) based on its actual merits. "

" Why is the audio of almost all of Giantbomb's material (podcasts and videos) always so soft, or at least much softer than compared to the general media? "

haha hey look its Asian harry potter

Perfect endurance run material right here!

I'm sure that the blood thirsty Gears of War and Modern Warfare American audience is just gonna love this.

I kinda loved this game, I too got a Shenmue vibe from it. 
 
Too bad Jeff doesn't like it enough for an Endurance Run. This may be a slow paced game but Persona 4 was much slower paced than this.

this looks surprisingly...awesome ;o

Kazuma: I'm not even supposed to be here today!

Flashy women in Hatsumachi. Is there really any other kind.

for the kids!@

It sucks that a game with such wonderful, memorable voice acting doesn't have that much of it. 

Man why is Ryan in so many quicklooks? Its not like he's bad, but he's always there. Ryan and Jeff, Ryan and Vinny, Ryan and Brad, Ryan Vinny and Brad, Ryan Vinny and Dave. I want more Vinny and Jeff.

" "This seems to be a lot of text"  and how much text was in Persona 4? I think I'm really liking Yakuza 3. "

wow it looks like the slow parts of GTA

this game looks absolutely terrible when games like mass effect 2 are out.

When are we getting a PSP version of Aakuza? that would be awesome

This game reminded me of heavy rain a lot.  It's just the way they slowly build up the characters and make you do some pretty mundane things in the beginning.  But by the time you get to the middle point and on when the story picks up, you're much more invested in the characters.  If you like crazy japanese stuff and like a good, albeit very extensive story, then yakuza 3 is for you.

this reminds me of Shenmue, which means I must play it.

Damn, that was a sweet facestomp.

@RazielCuts:

It's Asian Harry Potter!
 
Also, Yakuza 3 endurance run. Calling it.

You know this was foreign enough for me to contemplate playing this.

Awww, too bad it's only on the PS3- It looks like a game I'd enjoy.

Asian Harry Potter! Now that's a film I'd see. 

Too bad they did not record a better section of the game to show off.  I have already beaten this and loved it.  Took about 20 hours or so and am only 20% completion with the game.

" "This seems to be a lot of text"  and how much text was in Persona 4? I think I'm really liking Yakuza 3. "

Sooo boring....  for me.

" Man why is Ryan in so many quicklooks? Its not like he's bad, but he's always there. Ryan and Jeff, Ryan and Vinny, Ryan and Brad, Ryan Vinny and Brad, Ryan Vinny and Dave. I want more Vinny and Jeff. "

10 mins in while Jeff was looking for the last kid I really wanted him to start shouting "...JASON!!!.... JASON!"
 
Damn you heavy rain

" this game looks absolutely terrible when games like mass effect 2 are out. "