Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3)

[crocky-chocky]

Took me a while to get into this. I finished Yakuza 2 right before jumping into 3, and the lack of any real change bar the visuals is...kind of amazing. I loved 2 with all my heart, but I guess I was expecting more of a leap here. Or at least an end to fenced off environments and X button mashing dialogue sequences. This is possibly the worst Yakuza for both of those things.

I'm beginning to think the slow start was a stroke of genius. Because for me, this game absolutely soars when you return to Kamurocho. Love how it suddenly throws all these new Yakuza bosses at you after hours of wondering where the heck the story's going. One chap (named Goh, I think) seems a right backside...In his intro he

->Open Spoiler<-

threatens some chap with an axe and choffs on a dead ducks head!

. Amazing.

Just beat

->Open Spoiler<-

Kanda in the love hotel

, which was epic. Lots of ridiculous weapon grabbing, and Kazuma's finishing move was even more OTT than a lot of No More Heroes. Also, Rikiya wins my favourite new character vote so far. The way he and Kazuma

->Open Spoiler<-

get in to the love hotel

...was priceless.

The revelations are a bit good, too.

So yeah. It's awesome. Dated, but almost admirably so. Even the Orphanage snoozarama adds another ridiculous onion layer to Kazuma's totally nonsensical character. Love it!

[Eight Rooks]

It is odd trying to compare #3 and #4, for me. I know I'm playing a Japanese copy of both (though I did use the FAQ for #3, so I know what went on), but I still suspect I'd seriously call #4 the better game. The tech's not that different, there's still a lot of talking, but what I can work out of the twists and turns the story just seems a lot better written. I'm fascinated how much of this is wishful thinking on my part, but still - I liked the orphanage side of #3, but I can't deny the game was so slow at points as to be more than a little annoying, not to mention the ultimate bad guy was rather... uninvolving. The two sides of the story never really seemed to gel for me. #4 feels much more like the first two games, only (so far) without quite so much of the ludicrous camp excess (at least, not in the main storyline), which is fine by me. #2 was a great story until that ending, and Kenzan was my favourite largely because of how much it played things straight. Punching tigers in the face is all very well, but Yakuza is more than capable of some degree of subtlety, and the best instalments seem to be the ones where the creators realise that.

[teddymeow]

Good Lord!!

Had the day off today. Got up early, did some laundry, vacuumed, sat down with a cup of tea at about 10.30am with the plan of playing this for a little while and then nipping into town this afternoon.

Umm, well, I've just turned off the PS3! I haven't played a game solidly like this in as long as I can remember. Even my GOTY last year (Uncharted 2) was played in small doses to make it last longer.

This game is just an absolutely brilliant timesink. I'm finding myself seeking out sidemissions and locker keys and doing the things that i'd normally brush over for want of completing the main story mode.

I see this managed to chart in the top 30 if MCV are to be believed. I hope that 4 will get a translation and hope SEGA decide to release it in it's entirety.

[crocky-chocky]

Had a pretty immense session on this yesterday too. Roughly an hour of huge ruckage through Kamurocho, and it really benefited from the lack of any loading to break up the action. The fight system's pretty shallow, but when you're in the zone, constantly topping up your Heat gauge, instinctively grabbing the nearest bycycle to mash some dude with...it's fun stuff.

I think I know where the story's heading, and I think it lacks a standout villain like 2. But yeah, good stuff.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Loving this. The Karaoke mini-game makes me Woo Woo!

[saturn-gamer]

This is really a fantastic game and i'm glad I gave it a second chance.

I found the first few chapters to be a bit of a chore, which is why I initially quit playing in favor of other games like God of War (talk about Sega and crappy timing). I hated fetching for a freaking dog, and I thought the Orphanage parts moved on too slow.

Having finished those other games, I finally found the time for Yakuza 3. Most of Chapter 4 was still boring but I ended up doing quite a bit of the side missions and locker keys. Also thoroughly started to enjoy Pool, its really well done in this game.

After that the game starts to strut its stuff though. From Chapter 5, I've played until Chapter 10 without a break inbetween. Its really awesome and fun, I enjoy this more than GoW3 for sure.

I also like those revelations, its a weird yet original way to learn new techniques.

[crocky-chocky]

Finished this last night and basically loved it to bits. Though I would say Yakuza 2 is the better game...

I actually missed the overblown twist-o-rama ending of 2, This one ends with a bit of a shrug in comparison, and my Yakuza Boss of choice didn't get the portion of story he deserved.

Saying that, there's some pretty brilliantly done moments in the last coupla chapters. I think it's ace that it manages to have some pretty touching moments (at least by videogame standards), followed immediately by something completely ridiculous. E.g

->Open Spoiler<-

Nakahara's adopted daughter breaks her silence and speaks for the first time in years, thus giving Nakahara the strength to grab a charging bull by the horns and nonchalantly send it spinning through the air.

I quite liked the Okinawa town centre too. Felt a bit more cosey and Shenmue like due to its size, and it was nicely populated with faces you could get to know if you explored. A lovely contrast to Kamurocho.

So...yeah, I liked it. Still has all of the flaws, but the fact it's stuck a few years in the past oddly adds to its uniqueness . The mix of story, semi-free-roamingness, and nutty humour is no less entertaining than it was in the PS2 days. I hope 4 has the same charm. On to Resonance O' Fate now.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Just finished it myself, loved every minute of it. Kazuma has to be one of the best video game characters ever.

Seriously hope that SEGA publish Yakuza 4 in the west.

[teddymeow]

35 hours now. More than Mrs Teddy has played FFXIII for!

I point blank refuse to stop playing this and am currently stalling at chapter 12 whilst I run around trying to finish as many side missions as I can. Not for Trophy goodness but just becuase I don't want it to end.

I have found out though that certain side stories only unlock after you achieve certain actions so it might be a while.

I'm totally going to pick up Kenzan when I'm out in Tokyo in a few weeks and I am sorely tempted to pick up 4 too on the off chance that SEGA decide to stick their heads back up their arses and not translate it.

[SuperBeatBoy]

45 hrs for me to complete it. Never even realised i played it for that long, that good and immersive. Couldn't put it down!

[teddymeow]

Finished just now; 37 hours with 75 sidestories complete. Gonna be a bitch to find the others.

I've read the descriptions but am feeling a bit tired so can someone please explain the difference between the two Premium options that have unlocked and which is better for clearing up little bits and pieces.

Truly amazing game. Can't believe I almost didn't buy it after the demo put me off!

Hoping now for a localisation announcement at E3!!

[spagmasterswift]

I went into this pretty blind thinking it was gonna be like a Japanese version of GTA, me running around Tokyo in a flash suit chopping up fools with a sWord...instead I've spent huge amounts of time taking care of a bunch of kids and playing golf - which has been actually awesome...and thankfully I've just got that suit and a plane ticket to Tokyo so who knows, maybe a bit of swing swing swing and chop chop chop coming up this weekend...you know, for the kids!

[hush]

I picked this up about a week ago it's fun ,looks great and feels good but man the Chapter's with the kids are boring

[losersclub]

Caved in and bought a PS3 again, this is going to be one of my first purchases as i loved the first two games

[Golgo]

I too was put off by demo so haven't caved...yet. I'm guessing the demo was not a good reflection of the awesome of the end-product?