Yakuza series

[OL]

Fuck off Sega you can shove your Yazuza up ya ass we want SHENMUE

Actually, I think I might prefer Yakuza 5 if it came down between the two. Better than pining after a game that doesn't actually exist.

[AnimeGamer183]

so if we read between the lines here, sega is basically keeping yakuza in japan so they can have faster development in hopes of quick turn over profits in that region? Sounds like they may bog down the series in the process, maybe its their way of beginning to kill it off...

[OL]

I think that's reading into it a little too far. No doubt they want to make as much as they can off of it as fast as possible (that's just business), but I'm absolutely sure that isn't the reason it's all staying in Japan. There are other problems contributing to that as it is.

And the series has had a yearly schedule for quite a while now anyway. This isn't anything new. I don't see anything faster about the development cycle so far. Seems the same as it ever was.

[Riku Rose]

Yakuza 0 is set in December 1988 Kamurocho, Tokyo, and Soutenbori, Osaka, according to Japanese magazine Famitsu (via Gematsu).

It stars 20-year-old Kazuma Kiryu and 24-year-old Majima Goro. Kiryu is a bill collector who works for the Tojo Clan's Dojima Family. Goro is a cabaret club manager.

Yakuza 0 is a prequel, then, setting up the events of the first Yakuza game. It's in development for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 and, unsurprisingly, does not have a western release date.

[OL]

lawl
Guess I got my math a bit wrong; teenage Kazuma would have to take place during the mid or early-80s then. Guess I forgot how old he actually is in the current games.
All the same, that concept does sound cool. Strange that it specifically says that it stars Kazuma and Majima though... the two didn't have much of a relationship before Yakuza 1, aside from knowing each others' reputations and offering whatever passing respect was due. Hope they aren't planning to retcon the hell out of everything. The game really ought to be more about Kazuma and Nishiki. I always thought Nishiki was a great character, but obviously he couldn't really be used past the first game.

[killthesagabeforeitkillsu]

Comparing Yakuza with Shenmue is like comparing Metal Gear Solid with Splinter Cell. They might be similar but have (or should) be 2 completely different approaches to stealth. Sadly Splinter Cell went full COD and now I can't get my fix of realistic stealth... despite knowing MGS V is gonna be a great game, it ain't Chaos Theory.
Yakuza and Shenmue are two different views of sandbox and storytelling. I can play both and enjoy them for their own style. SEGA might be my favorite gaming brand of all time but they are insane... for example, PSO2 on Steam would make them mountains of money. Nope, SEGA isn't interested. So until it's confirmed, don't count on Yakuza Zero with eng subs on your PS4.

[OL]

So until it's confirmed, don't count on Yakuza Zero with eng subs on your PS4.

I don't think anyone is.

[Riku Rose]

Kazuma Kiryu - 20-years-old. East Japan’s greatest yakuza organization, the Tojo Clan. Kiryu is a gangster belonging to the Dojima Family, which is under the direct command of the main Tojo Clan itself. He lost his parents at an early age, and was brought up at the Sunflower Orphanage founded by Dojima Family lieutenant Shintaro Kazama. After growing up, he followed in Kazama’s footsteps and joined the Dojima Family himself. Already widely known for being among the strongest fighters within the Tojo Clan, he operates predominantly within Kamurocho as his headquarters. However, on one fateful day in December 1988, Kiryu finds himself accused of extracting money from a back alley murder victim, putting his organization in a state of crisis. What’s worse, Kazama, the man Kiryu owes his life, too, gets caught in the crossfire. In order to protect him, Kiryu has decided to leave the Dojima Family, but…

Majima Goro - 24-years-old. Manager of the cabaret club “Grand” in Soutenbori, Osaka. You wouldn’t think he is sincere, but contrary to his appearance, he is bold, yet polite. The “King of the Night,” he managed to turn Grand into the most popular club in Soutenbori in the blink of an eye amidst cutthroat competition. However, his true identity is that of an ousted former yakuza. Several years ago, he was working in Tokyo under the Tojo Clan, but during a certain raid, went against the will of the organization, facing imprisonment as a result. Afterwards, he was sent to Osaka under the supervision of Kansai’s greatest yakuza organization, the Omi Alliance, allowed to stay alive as a normal citizen. But for his close friend and sworn brother, Majima dreams of returning to the family. One day, as the condition for his return, he is ordered to kill a person, but…

[AnimeGamer183]

late 80s Tokyo in Japan... FUCK that sounds amazing... Kazuma looks older than 20 in those pics though im sorry. Fuck... go ahead sega, shit all over my dreams and expectations, for the second time.

[OL]

Jesus... there are no words. Looks amazing. And having actually played a good deal of Yakuza 2 recently, I gotta say Sotenbori is looking damn good.
They did a phenomenal job of de-aging Kazuma, too. Yeah, sure, looks older than 20 I guess. But then, 20 never actually looks like 20 in videogames anyway.
The ponytail on Majima is just too perfect though.
The really cool thing about this is that they're essentially taking the series back to a time period where yakuza films, as a genre, were starting to make a huge comeback in Japan. After the mid-70s they hit kind of a lull, but they started re-emerging in a slightly less-glamorous form around the late-80s and early-90s. Taking that into account, I expect the game will emulate the style of those kinds of movies to a great degree. Hell, even the cutscenes in Yakuza 4 featuring Saejima and Majima in the 80s were able to emulate that style really well; this'll likely be an entire game like that.

Dammit, I wish there were hope for us getting this. Goddamn shame.

late 80s Tokyo in Japan...

It's Osaka, actually.

[mue 26]

The concept of this does sound really nice, even if it isn't much of a surprise, as this was inevitability coming before they eventually run out of good ideas to do with the series. Mind you, the zombie and samurai spin offs weren't exactly good concepts in my opinion. But yeah this sounds good, I hope they put loads of effort into getting the period feel right, but I'm guessing they definitely will.

More inspiration for me to work harder at my Japanese!

[Rakim]

That's the spirit old chap!

[mue 26]

Thanks man. Hows your Japanese going, you must be pretty good now? Would you be comfortable with a game like this?

[Rakim]

Yeah I only play Japanese games now, but I still have a ways to go before I'm where I'd like to be. I actually have bought the first two Yakuza games in Japanese, but I haven't started to play them yet.

How's your progress coming? Oh yeah and how long have to been at it for so far? According to my flash card deck I've been going for 5.3 years. That seems a bit long though. I had no clue what I was doing as far as language study goes back then.

[AnimeGamer183]

Ya know what? Now that I think about it, doesnt Y0 seem to have the best shot at coming out here? It would temporarily silence the negative comments about no Y5 (maybe even buy some time so they can re-release Y5 on PS4 and then localize it) and give fans something for in the mean time. I mean heck even it was the last hurrah at trying to get Yakuza over seas one last time, this would be a great release to say good bye considering its a prequel. You can consider my hope for Yakuza just a little bit more than it was, even if it is just blind hope.