Even as a self-proclaimed "Big fan!" of the series, this release has totally passed me by. I thought I'd come into here to soak in the pre-release buzz, but you know, I'm kind of out in the cold here.

So am I only the one (in)sane enough to even be bothering with the game at this point? I know the shooting mechanics are going to be all over the place, especially if previous attempts are anything to go by, but I don't care. The Yakuza series stands out enough on its own, that it more often than not is deserving of my attention, even if it has become a little long in the tooth. I can't not support this sheer lunacy, I need to see how the trademark melodrama melds with zombies.

Who's with me? FORGET MASS EFFECT 3, THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE HOT TICKET!!!

I've been in love with Yakuza since I played 3 but I think I might skip this one.... the gun play doesn't look nearly as tight as the regular combat system. And its a non-cannon side story anyways. =\

*ahem*

I've been in love with Yakuza since I played 3 but I think I might skip this one.... the gun play doesn't look nearly as tight as the regular combat system. And its a non-cannon side story anyways. =\

I really enjoyed 3 and 4, but am still feeling a little burned out on the series. Although they seem to have have mixed it up a bit with the zombies and the re-tooled combat, it looks far too similar to the previous two to really get me interested.
I'll probably pick it up in a month or so, since I already have SFxT coming soon.

@Shun_Akiyama: Really? Cause I've watched some gameplay and looked like a lot of auto-shooting especially with Akiyama's gameplay.

@Shun_Akiyama: Really? Cause I've watched some gameplay and looked like a lot of auto-shooting especially with Akiyama's gameplay.

call me when they localize

/ryu-ga-gotoku-kenzan/61-24054/

@Shun_Akiyama: Well I think I'm out anyways. Just picked up SFxT today on a whim. I wanna save my money for Ninja Gaiden 3 now.

@Shun_Akiyama: Well I think I'm out anyways. Just picked up SFxT today on a whim. I wanna save my money for Ninja Gaiden 3 now.

Already paid for; it'll be arriving on the same day as Silent Hill Downpour <3 Though I honestly don't think Dead Souls even looks that good. I just have this weird compulsion to buy all the Yakuza games brand new on launch day... like out of some respect for how determined they are to stick so closely to their own design philosophy.

@Shun_Akiyama: ...Trophyhunter, or Kingzetta for a more recent reference... you didn't happen to create yet another new profile did you?

@Shun_Akiyama: Yup, I figured as much.

@Shun_Akiyama said:

@Demoskinos said:

I've been in love with Yakuza since I played 3 but I think I might skip this one.... the gun play doesn't look nearly as tight as the regular combat system. And its a non-cannon side story anyways. =\

Binary Domain's shooting actually is based on this game, considering this game came out more than a year ago in japan..

Is it? I read some reviews for Binary Domain that suggested otherwise, basically that its a surprise that game has decent shooting, considering its pedigree.

@SlightConfuse said:

call me when they localize

/ryu-ga-gotoku-kenzan/61-24054/

...Never gonna happen!

:(

I've been a fan of the series since the first game on the PS2. I even bought Kenzan on a recent trip to Japan, although I can barely understand Japanese. I really hope they translate it at some point since the setting and sword-based gameplay really help to set it apart from the other games in the franchise.

That being said, I'm being cautious with Dead Souls, but probably gonna end up buying it since I'm not that interested in any other releases at this point.

@Shun_Akiyama said:

@Demoskinos said:

I've been in love with Yakuza since I played 3 but I think I might skip this one.... the gun play doesn't look nearly as tight as the regular combat system. And its a non-cannon side story anyways. =\

Binary Domain's shooting actually is based on this game, considering this game came out more than a year ago in japan..

Is it? I read some reviews for Binary Domain that suggested otherwise, basically that its a surprise that game has decent shooting, considering its pedigree.

@SlightConfuse: I wish they had localized that instead of this..

@Wampa1: @WatanabeKazuma: i would love a game set in feudal japan , one of my favorite time periods. yakuaza game are pretty fun, i still need to play 4.

@Shun_Akiyama said:

@WatanabeKazuma said:

@Shun_Akiyama said:

@Demoskinos said:

I've been in love with Yakuza since I played 3 but I think I might skip this one.... the gun play doesn't look nearly as tight as the regular combat system. And its a non-cannon side story anyways. =\

Binary Domain's shooting actually is based on this game, considering this game came out more than a year ago in japan..

Is it? I read some reviews for Binary Domain that suggested otherwise, basically that its a surprise that game has decent shooting, considering its pedigree.

Well Dead Souls came out first, so it could not be the other way around.

I was referring more to the fact that Binary Domain's shooting feels solid, whereas this...not so much.

This is one series I still need to catch up on. 
 
Unfortunately I can't find 2 for a reasonable price anywhere :(

Yakuza 4 was my 3rd favorite game of 2011. I'm getting this day one to show my support, and will also pick up Binary Domain at a later date.

I picked up Binary Domain. Got $10 credit from Amazon for getting Mass Effect 3 and will use that on my day one purchase of this. This is a series that I couldn't recommend to any of my friends but I absolutely love yet can't explain why. I love the long cutscenes. I love the cinematic stories. I love the arcade type of beat em up combat. I love it's ...Japaneseness. A lot more accessible to me in this form than in JRPG form as that's a genre I've just grown past.

Day one baby!

Famitsu 10/9/9/9

Can't wait! Two Nagoshi games in a month, is it Christmas?? Forget Mass Effort

Panty Thief is the funniest moment in gaming history, never laughed so hard

I pirated the JAP version of this game a year ago. The controls were a bit clunky compared to western shooters, but the controls in Yakuza games have always been a bit "off" anyway. You can play it just fine after getting used to it. I'm definitely buying this next Friday.

...Its almost time folks!

My (undead) body is ready!

I'm very excited for this game. But I also haven't had a chance to play Mass Effect 3 yet, so I kinda have to give that one priority, but rest assured, I will be purchasing and playing this game. I wanna say I still have the Japanese demo for it on my PS3. Or maybe not. I probably deleted it to make room for something else. But still.

Yakuza 4 was my first Yakuza but I LOVED it. Loved the story, the characters, gameplay, everything. I've been very excited about Y:DS ever since it was announced, but lost almost all interest when I heard of the shooter gameplay. This really ruins the whole game experience for me.

I'm definitely picking it up at some point, as I've loved this series since it came out and 4 was the best one yet IMO. Unfortunately it'll probably be a while before I'm able.

The fact that it's more about guns, and less about running around a painfully realistic Tokyo while painfully unrealistic fights get thrusted upon you has unfortunately drawn me away from this game.

I want a Yakuza 5 or something. Well maybe I should cap off 4, I'm close.

I adore the Yakuza games but am still not 100% sold on this, I'm sure I'll play it someday and love it. Y3 remains one of my favourite games of all time.

I loved 3 and 4 more so, and am currently enjoying, but on a limited level, Binary Domain. I'm thinking of getting Y:DS but part of me knows it's just because I want Yakuza 5 now...because that sounds great. Hmm...

The lames at IGN gave it 5

I've got a feeling that I'm going to enjoy more then ME3 which makes me a little :(

That aside, I don't expect this to be amazing but that overall tone seems batshit insane in the best way possible so I'm expecting some good laughs along the way (KARAOKE WITH MAJIMA!!!!).

@cosi83 said:

The lames at IGN gave it 5

IGN hates games they weren't paid to review.

Most of the reviews seem to be trending in the 70's range.

Without having played the game, yet, I have to believe that is probably pretty fair.

@Yossarian said:

Most of the reviews seem to be trending in the 70's range.

Without having played the game, yet, I have to believe that is probably pretty fair.

The series has always had a wide spread of review scores, and its perfectly understandable. For as much as I love this series, all the charm and craziness that people love is behind an intimidating wall of jargon, and all the scrolling text that entails. It is definitely an acquired taste, but those who are willing to sit through the first couple of hours of their initial Yakuza experience usually stick around, I find. And in that regard, I'm surprised to see a few of you mention Yakuza 3 as their gateway to the franchise (just as it was for me), because it's the worst game. Now, let me qualify that by saying that personally I think its an extremely enjoyable game, but it starts at a glacial pace. The Okinawa section is great from a narrative sense, particularly if you're intimately familiar with the overarching journey of Kazuma, but it makes little concession for the newcomer. I hardly think that the short videos filling you in on Yakuza 1 & 2 really do an adequate job on integrating players into all of that. When these games hit their heights (Tiger punching, literally grabbing the bull by its horns) they are amazing, but tying to sell someone on this series is pretty difficult. Well, that's speaking from personal experience, as I cannot for the life of me convince one of my friends to give this a try. This is despite the fact that he, still to this day will talk about Shenmue whenever we discuss games.

@WatanabeKazuma: After what I've played of Dead Souls thus far (maybe 5-6 hours), I'd say Dead Souls can rightfully claim the title of worst Yakuza game. It's practically 70% Yakuza 4 with the remaining 30% being some god awful shooting reminiscent of the shooting in the original Dead Rising.

@Abyssfull: Regardless, I need to see Majima's dancing for myself, and I can't not support this. I'm still thankful this got localized to begin with.