This game is mad Japanese. I do appreciate them not wasting time with English VA and just subbing everything.
 
It's still pretty enjoyable, I liked the brawling system, and the arcade games and karaoke were fun (and pretty funny).
 
Probably the closest game I can relate it to is Saints Row, where it's an open world game that's serious one minute and ridiculous and over the top the next.
 
Seems like a neat game, definitely going to check it out when it releases.

oh my god. I need it now. I seriously, really want to play the first two. no copies anywhere >< 

Tried it out, I thought the combat was awful but I'm new to the series so was probably doing it wrong.

sweet. i liked the demo a year ago (japan) and i probably missed a lot but it was still fun. im downloading it now.

Played the demo. Combat is ehh. The karaoke mini-game was hilarious though.

fun fact about the combat i didn't pick up til the end:  you can grab a dude when he is still on the ground and you'll like grab his leg
 
i got by ok i think not reading any of the instructions, the only thing i couldn't figure out at first were dodges and how to pick up items in the world. i think combat would be better with some kind of soft lock-on system.

Played the demo tonight.  This game is bad.  There is the RPGesque text windows.  The jerky and sloppy combat with gaudy life-bars.  The near complete lack of interactivity with the environment.  I really hope this is just a crappy demo, because if this game is really this bad...well...I'll have a renewed appreciation for GTA4, that's for sure.

GTA IV had an interactive environment? 

I just played the demo. What is such a big deal about this game, it seems so primitive to me... the combat was so clunky and it's kind of annoying how there really isn't a lock on, you just have to mash buttons through guys, and what the hell is up with all the text boxes? I realize that they put them there because we can't understand Japanese but by the time you know it's there, it's gone and if you're standing around a bunch of people it's like a text box overload. Also, the graphics are pretty terrible.  
 
Taking a look through the menus though, there is a leveling system but I'm not sure about the depth of it. Basically what I see so far is that you can only upgrade like 5 different things which will grant you different abilities... Seems like a pretty average game though. I might pick this up if I can find it for cheap used. Definitnely not a full price purchase for me... I was really expecting something different I guess.

Use R1 as a lock-on. The only problem is that you need to be facing/near an enemy before it'll happen. If you notice, while you're holding it, you're character will stay facing the enemy and strafe around them.

I love the style of it and how japanese it isbut the gameplay....not so much

" @Kr3lian: I understand where you are coming from but: 1. You're right, it is only the demo 2. Yakuza isn't about hijacking cars and doing the same things you do in GTA4. It more like a Shenmue type of game, but focused on crime.  "