I just beat it and I'll have to say the story was fantastic.
It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out, that guy dies or changes sides.

I just beat it and I'll have to say the story was fantastic.
It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out, that guy dies or changes sides.

I've been interested in the series for a long time but have never got into it, now you are pushing me towards it even more. My question is, can I just jump into 4 without playing the others? Are the cutscenes they offer enough to enjoy 4 on its own?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 
(Spoiler didn't work...)

when i watched the QL i really got that vibe that goes "this is a truly great game (in it's own way) that most people wont appreciate" 
i just felt that it was something i would enjoy wholeheartedly.. something about its setting and characters and vibe
  

I do have a PS3, and i can go out and buy it, but i feel its too late.. i havent played any Yakuza games and dont really have the money to time to purchase and play the first three 
 
so i guess i'll pass, and miss out on the game's story :(

It's a shame that so much of it is told through text with minimal animations. =/ One thing's for sure; it has one of the best montage theme songs ;P Seriously, I just love listening to this over and over.
 
  

i really wish i had a ps3 :(

I was sad I missed out on the original when everyone was calling it the japanese GTA and I didn't like the GTA style.  (Those people were fucking wrong, what was up with them.)  I played it years later and thought it was amazing (outside the voice acting.)  I really want 3&4 but I want to get 2 first.

" when i watched the QL i really got that vibe that goes "this is a truly great game (in it's own way) that most people wont appreciate" i just felt that it was something i would enjoy wholeheartedly.. something about its setting and characters and vibe  I do have a PS3, and i can go out and buy it, but i feel its too late.. i havent played any Yakuza games and dont really have the money to time to purchase and play the first three  so i guess i'll pass, and miss out on the game's story :( "

" when i watched the QL i really got that vibe that goes "this is a truly great game (in it's own way) that most people wont appreciate" i just felt that it was something i would enjoy wholeheartedly.. something about its setting and characters and vibe  I do have a PS3, and i can go out and buy it, but i feel its too late.. i havent played any Yakuza games and dont really have the money to time to purchase and play the first three  so i guess i'll pass, and miss out on the game's story :( "

" @Ahmad_Metallic said:

" when i watched the QL i really got that vibe that goes "this is a truly great game (in it's own way) that most people wont appreciate" i just felt that it was something i would enjoy wholeheartedly.. something about its setting and characters and vibe  I do have a PS3, and i can go out and buy it, but i feel its too late.. i havent played any Yakuza games and dont really have the money to time to purchase and play the first three  so i guess i'll pass, and miss out on the game's story :( "

but they do have a option for reminiscing and it tells you what happened in past games. "

" I just beat it and I'll have to say the story was fantastic.
It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out,  SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

that guys dies or switches sides.

Finding the truth about what happened 25 years ago is mindblowning. There were points in the game where I actually had to sit back and complicated what just happened.  I very rarely get the "Oh dude that really just happened" feeling form a game, but this one had that feeling in spades. Haveing beaten all four games now, I'd have to say the Yakuza series has one of the best and most solid stories of any videogame series. If you like really deep crime stories and don't mind reading subtitles, you should give these games a try. Also after playing the game for 40 hours and beating it my completion percent is only 32, so it's a lengthy game. "

" @Laketown said:

" @Ahmad_Metallic said:

" when i watched the QL i really got that vibe that goes "this is a truly great game (in it's own way) that most people wont appreciate" i just felt that it was something i would enjoy wholeheartedly.. something about its setting and characters and vibe  I do have a PS3, and i can go out and buy it, but i feel its too late.. i havent played any Yakuza games and dont really have the money to time to purchase and play the first three  so i guess i'll pass, and miss out on the game's story :( "

but they do have a option for reminiscing and it tells you what happened in past games. "

do you really think thats rnough ? "

I didn't update my PS3 past 3.15. Old news.
 
This is the first game released since then that actually makes me want an updated PS3. I wonder if I can play Yakuza 3...

For those thinking of trying out the Yakuza series I recommend playing as many as possible , if you have a PS2 or backwards-compatibility. Reminiscing in the newer games does a decent job of catching you up but playing each gives a better sense of character development and overarching narrative/setting, thus making the later games more meaningful. They shouldn't be expensive or too hard to find.

I agree, for me personally it's the best game in the series. As mentioned, the jump from voiced cutscenes to the dialogue scrawl is jarring, especially when it seems to do it constantly in the space of one scene. I wouldn't mind so much but there is no consistency between it all, in some respects this game is advanced and in others it has it's foot firmly in the previous generation. 
 
Having completed the game I'm curious to see where the next games will take the story considering what happens here. I found it interesting that a lot of previous characters and substories from the earlier games are brought back to be resolved, thought it was a bit odd that  Kaoru isn't referenced at all. With all the callbacks, even more so than normal I got the impression that they are drawing a line under everything that has happened so far...
 

After watching the quicklook i want to give this game a try; not sure if i should buy it though so i'll start with the demo.

I finished it a few days ago and I've got to say I'm pretty impressed by how much they've improved and added to the game over Yakuza 3. Story is great though as some people have mentioned the jump between cut scenes to in-game dialogue is a little strange. The game still has a good few Yakuza quirks that most people seem divided on but once you get past those then it's certainly one of the best PS3 games out there. Also; 
  

" It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out, that guy dies or changes sides. "

Not as good as Shenmue.

" Not as good as Shenmue. "

" @kingzetta said:

" It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out, that guy dies or changes sides. "

"

I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this).
 
Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time?

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

" @Contro said:

" Not as good as Shenmue. "

It's a billion times better than Shenmue, because this game game has a middle and a ending
 
.@HandsomeDead said:

" @kingzetta said:

" It has so many twists and turns. Just when you think you figured it out, that guy dies or changes sides. "

"

Now you see the problem with trying to be clever like this is, I have to actually know who the fuck that guy is. "

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

You can walk. You can also just press down L1 to stay stuck in the walking mode as well. "

" @Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

You can walk. You can also just press down L1 to stay stuck in the walking mode as well. "

Thank god, seems like it's a purchase for me then. "

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" @Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

You can walk. You can also just press down L1 to stay stuck in the walking mode as well. "

Thank god, seems like it's a purchase for me then. "

That's all it took to tip you over? ;P No walk? No purchase! "

" @Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" @Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

You can walk. You can also just press down L1 to stay stuck in the walking mode as well. "

Thank god, seems like it's a purchase for me then. "

That's all it took to tip you over? ;P No walk? No purchase! "

I have a thing for walking :P "

I just jumped into 3 after having played the first one when it came out... I have to say he runs really fast compared to the first game.  I forgot how dense the story is with characters and my need to try every mini-game at least once. 
 
After a few hours, it's been really fun so I'm definitely considering picking up the 4th one.

Umm...really?

PIcked up a cheap ps2 so i could play through the 1st and 2nd. Must say, even though its pushing old school boundaries, i still quite like it :)

Thought 3 + 4 seem like an eternity away :'(

@Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" @Abyssfull said:

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

" I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time? "

You can walk. You can also just press down L1 to stay stuck in the walking mode as well. "

Thank god, seems like it's a purchase for me then. "

That's all it took to tip you over? ;P No walk? No purchase! "

I have a thing for walking :P

I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time?

@TheSeductiveMoose said:

I have a question about Yakuza 3 and 4 (couldn't find a better place to post this). Can you walk if you push down the analog stick slightly or does the guy just jog all the time?

I have no better place to post this as well, internet person planning to buy Yakuza 3/4:Yakuza 2 is pretty damn good and arguably better than 3 and 4(definitely better than 3, in my humble opinion). If you can stomach PS2 graphics, check it out.

I was actually somewhat disappointed in 4's story. It was a huge step up from 3, which was full of plot holes and cliches, but 4 starts out strong but then gets weaker as the story unfolds. It's a fun and entertaining story, but I don't know if I'd say it was anything more than decent. I wish they'd get back the guy who wrote the stories to the first two games, I could tell near the end of 3 that they'd changed writers.
 
Personally I'd rank Yakuza 2 as the best of the series, it's the only game in the franchise I would say has a legitimately good story without qualifying it with "for a video game". After that comes 1, then 4, and 3 in a distant last.

My time with the Yakuza games has really only been in 4, but man, what a ride. It's one of my newest faves in terms of series available. I know that I'm totally late to the Yakuza party, but I'm glad I tried it out. But really the combat is one of the best parts. In fact I never got bothered by the street thugs that came out of nowhere. Sometimes if I saw them early enough, I'd duck into an alley and run another direction. On the whole though, the combat was just a blast to play. 
 
I did beat the game and enjoyed the story a lot. It doesn't have to be an all-inspiring story or even a blockbuster, just entertaining, enough to where I could enjoy watching it unfold. So I rank it +1 in that category for me. I actually still play the game, and now I'm on the substories parts. I had forgotten how to get some of the revelations, so I might just FAQ those so I can run around to the right spots. 
 
After I finished 4, I went out and bought 3, and then found a used copy of 1 by my house. I owned 2 previously but only played a few hours. I really wanted the whole series in my collection. Online at the PSN store they have a lot of downloadable content that's free that you can pick up. I haven't tried some of the new modes yet, but the special items work pretty well. 
 
And also...you have to appreciate a game that has both karaoke and batting cages as diversions from normal gameplay.