Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 / Yakuza 4 (PS3)

[SuperBeatBoy]

Finished this just now. I found it the dullest and the weakest of the series. But still quite enjoyable and still leaves me with that feeling i never like after i finish any of them. Akiyama is the strongest of the new 3 and the one i liked the most. However Saejima had his strengths. Just feel they could have done a hell of alot more with them especially Tanimura.

6/10

[Golgo]

On the Saejima quest right now, however I haven't been able to advance the plot at all after I discovered the joys of Shogi. And Mah-Jong. And the gambling table.
As far as I can tell Yakuza 4 is a comprehensive cluster of brilliant mini-games with some story/character elements sprinkled on top.

[chopemon]

Starting playing this last week and fell in love. This is my first Yakuza game and I will definitely be playing the others.

I love how much there is to do and see. I'm 16 hours in and just

->Open Spoiler<-

rescued Kido from the undergorund area

. I'm spending loads of time doing the side activities and enjoying being in the world. I have had 12 sub stories so far and completed 11 of them so I'm going to push on with the story while looking for the revelation photo opportunities on the rooftops.

Fantastic game that I should have played much sooner.

[wakka]

I'm most of the way through Yakuza 2 at the moment Chopemon. Well worth going back and playing the PS2 titles as they're superb.

[chopemon]

I was wondering if they're worth playing. Does Yakuza 1 have the Japanese voices or will I be forced to listen to Hamill et al? I have Yakuza 1 still sealed. Going to source Yakuza 3 and will download 5 when it comes out. Fingers crossed for western versions of the two PS4 games.

What about the PSP games?

[wakka]

I was wondering if they're worth playing.

'Shotteh de fock opp!!' They certainly are but the first has English voices only, meaning you get a lot of that sort of thing.

The story follows on extremely closely from 1 to 2 so I'd probably recommend playing them in order. I haven't gotten to 3 or 4 myself yet though so maybe they're different (but from what I've seen they're not). I played Yakuza 1 to completion back in the day and had to watch the optional half hour recap at the start of Yak 2, as I'd forgotten most of the details and you really need to remember a lot of the names and stuff to know what's going on.

No idea about the PSP games as I've not tried them. Sadly I doubt Ishin will be translated as they never bothered with Kenzan!, but I'm a bit more hopeful for Yakuza 0. I think whether that is translated or not will all depend on the sales of 5.

[ETC]

4 is the best by quite a bit until the release of 5 later in this year which is fantastic too.

the psp one (I think it's called black panther iirc) is only ok the second a bit better I think there's a fan translation in the usual places or a partial one anyways

[wakka]

Can't wait to play 4 then - I love following the story, it's like seasons of a TV show almost.

[Golgo]

4 has the cut scenes from all previous games available via a viewer on the start-up creen. So you can set aside several hours and recap on the lot if you fancy.

[MrKirov]

I started with 3, and watched the recaps of the previous 2 games, that was enough for me to understand everything.

4 was fantastic, looking forward to 5. Sad we didn't get Ishin though. Im still hoping we get both of the PS4 titles too!!

[wakka]

Hehe, I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to these things - would rather play through game by game!

[chopemon]

Is there ever a point where you can switch between characters you've already played as and mop up side stuff?

The game isn't very good at warning you about points of no return and I'm part way through Saejima's chapters and hope that at some point I can go back to do some more Akiyama stuff.

[Golgo]

Yes, just before the final showdown.

->Open Spoiler<-

All characters are holed up together in a bar and you can switch between them at will.

[chopemon]

Awesome, thanks!

[chopemon]

Just got into Tanimura's story. Was not a big fan of Saejima's story. The prison was god awful and he was an uninteresting character. Loved the

->Open Spoiler<-

army of yakuza lining the streets

at the end of his story though.

I like seeing the story from different angles but I think I'd have a stronger connection to all the side activities if I played as one character all the way through. You start working on hostesses as Akiyama but making them date you seems a longer term thing than the game allows if you keep pace with the story.

Still thoroughly enjoying the game!