Yakuza 4 Message Board

Let me tell you what I think makes a good cutscene: it's got to be something you want to watch over and over and over. Something that stands out from the routine of general gameplay, sticks in the mind and elevates a piece of story-telling from text in a bubble to something genuinely cinematic.Read more...

#showus Earlier this month we visited taverns and bars that are noisy and dangerous. More »

#culturesmash These days, it seems like you cannot turn on the TV in Japan without seeing her. Her name is Mitsu Dan. She's currently Japan's biggest sex symbol, appearing in racy TV shows and even racier movies and photo spreads. But before rocketing to fame last fall, she was just another pin-up model, and her biggest role was in a PS3 exclusive. But she wasn't yet Mitsu Dan. More »

#opinion Like a few other writers here, I've been enjoying Sleeping Dogs this week. But not necessarily for its combat, or driving, or story. No, I'm enjoying it mostly because of where it's set. More »

When there are no more Yakuza to be killed, the Yakuza will rise from the dead.

On my bucket list of game franchises I'm hoping to play at least one installment of, Yakuza is pretty high on the list. I've heard such wacky, awesome things about Yakuza 4, but the constant stream of new games means the game keeps getting pushed further and further back.

Eventually, I tell myself.

Time to put another one on the list, as Sega of America's confirmed Yakuza of the End is leaving Japan as Yakuza: Dead Souls, and will arrive over here next March, complete with the Japanese edition's slate of downloadable content and a new mini-game, Pachislot.

Yakuza: Dead Souls and mixes up the otherwise more seriously toned Yakuza series and drops in zombies, mutants and all sorts of other supernatural creatures.

Also, I can't be the only one who sees Dead Souls and keeps thinking Dark Souls.

#culturesmash When Sega held an event for Yakuza 4, it assembled the game's producer Toshihiro Nagoshi and the title's assorted cast. One of the game's biggest stars, former Morning Musume singer Mari Yaguchi, was one of the smallest. More »

Reading about Yakuza 4 is great, but you could also be playing it! And ... wearing it! We've got five copies of the game, and five t-shirts, to give away at the end of this interview.
March is typically a big month for the Yakuza series. In 2010, Yakuza 3 came out in the West in March, and Yakuza 4 in Japan. This year, Yakuza 4 hit North America and Europe, and Yakuza: Of the End almost came out in Japan (but was delayed to June 9 due to the earthquake). On the occasion of 4's Western release, we spoke to producer Yasuhiro Noguchi about the changes made between the last two games, and the significant step forward Sega made in localization.

#helpwanted Sega's Yakuza crime games feature a bevy of young attractive women as the in-game hostesses. Some of them are hostesses in real life. Some are college students. Some of them work in restaurants. One was even a porn star. No, now make that two. More »

Amazon has enacted a one-day discount on Yakuza 4, allowing you to take the entire Kamurocho neighborhood and its residents home for $39.99. That's a great deal for a game that lasts anywhere from 30 to hundreds of hours.

Think of it this way: If you earn your money in the way the game's heroes do -- by picking it up from hapless, idiotic gang members who dare to challenge you -- you won't have to beat up as many dudes before you can afford the game. That's good news for you, and good news for your city's weaker gangsters.

[Thanks, Devon]

Does Yakuza 4 decisively dominate its turf, or is the series lingering too long in familiar territory? Find out in our official Yakuza 4 review!

Yakuza 4 breaks with the six-year-old series' tradition by putting the player in control of three new characters, each in his own chapter, with former Yakuza hero Kazuma Kiryu finally arriving in the last quarter of the game. Each character has his own storyline that intertwines with the others and the main narrative, and it's these new stories that are emphasized over the ongoing saga of the unrealistically saintly ex-yakuza Kiryu.

As a result, Yakuza 4 has less baggage to deal with, and is therefore the best entry point for new players since the original game. But ... if you are going to jump into the series, I'd better warn you about some stuff.

A beautiful Asian woman bathing naked in a tub of cash would seem like a dream come true, unless of course the money was scammed from you.

Sega summons its gravelly narrator for one last look at Yakuza 4 on its launch day. In our opinion, the game is unintentionally poignant in its goofiness right now, presenting a fictionalized Japan where nobody is worried about anything but street brawling and making time with hostesses.

Enter the daily grind of Tokyo, a busy metropolis overburdened with work and worthlessness.

What made last year's Yakuza 3 great was its story. I started out as a reformed Japanese mobster (see: yakuza) who didn't want trouble, but people messed with my orphanage so I got back into the life of beating people's asses. It was a fun ride that allowed me to look past the game's flaws. Yakuza 4...

Whether you're heading towards the karaoke bar or the seedy strip joint, nothing breaks the stride of an up-and-coming Yakuza like stopping to ask for directions. Check out the Yakuza 4 trailer below to get acquainted with the Kamurocho district, and its naughtier nooks and crannies.

The more senstive among you are probably still fuming about the US localization of Yakuza 3, which excised chunks of the Japanese version, including a quiz on the country's history and hostess clubs. For the good of all your blood pressures, we're happy to report you'll have much less to get steamed about when Yakuza 4 comes stateside.

Siliconera reports that, though the quiz game is still MIA (its text is in images, which can't be changed), the only other alteration is to the soundtrack for the intro video. So relax. Take a deep breath. And get ready to ogle some hostesses, you creepy double-creep creep-o.

Put some punks in their place all over the streets and clubs of Yakuza 4!

#sex It's an odd scene to be a part of. I was sitting on a couch in the penthouse of a Manhattan hotel, a guy who works for video game publisher Sega at my side. A bunch of other men stand near us. More »

A day late and ¥82.54 short, but here's the trailer for the Yakuza 4 demo, which is now available to all PlayStation 3 owners through PSN.

Demo high fantasy and Japanese gangsterism with this week's PSN update, which will let you take Dragon Age 2 and Yakuza 4 out for a spin.

If you're into the classics, RPG epic Xenogears is available as a PSone classic. Also, Dragon Lair follow-up Space Ace is also available this week. Both titles are $10.

Resident Evil 2 is now only $3. There are a couple other demos worth trying out and Fallout: New Vegas DLC "Dead Money" is also available to take a gamble on. The full update details can be found after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Hey there, loyal fans and readers of the Playstation Blog! That one guy from SEGA is back again, here to talk all things Yakuza 4, answer your questions in the comments, and remind you of one very important thing: The free Yakuza 4 demo is going live on PSN today!

If you’ve never played the Yakuza series before, I highly recommend you download the demo and give it a whirl. Today’s demo is built around brawling, and in it you’ll get to play as all four unique characters in the game. Oh, and if you’re glowing blue and you see the triangle button appear, make sure to press it – those are called HEAT actions, and they’re both brutal and pretty amazing.

Also, hidden tip – we’ve equipped each character with a special weapon to use! Tap down on the d-pad to equip a weapon, and you’ll find yourself armed with everything from nunchucks to spears to katanas. Kazuma Kiryu, the final character in the demo, also comes equipped with all three for you to try out.

If you own a PS3, you owe it to yourself to see why this series is exclusive to the console. And there’s even more good news: following the great positive support from fans who picked up Yakuza 3 last year, we’ve made a massive effort to include as much content in the game as possible this time – which means that you’ve got hours upon hours of bonus side-content and mini-games added in. Like Hostess Clubs? Worry not – we’ve got ‘em. Pachinko? Check. Baseball, bowling, a date at the hot springs, massage parlors, table tennis in kimonos – it’s all here.

Yakuza 4 is much more than just brawling, though we hope you’ll really enjoy just how deep the combat is within the demo. You can experience everything the game has to offer firsthand soon, on March 15th! (Our friends over at Gamestop also have a shiny Hostess premium theme if you support the game by pre-ordering!)

As always, thanks to you guys for supporting series like Yakuza and Valkyria Chronicles. Drop a line in the comments if you’d like to fire away any questions.

SEGA!

Nani kore? Great scott! This week's PSN update adds the Yakuza 4 demo for PlayStation Plus subscribers, while the plebs can grab it next week. Telltale also adds the first episode of its Back to the Future adventure game. Speed on past the break at 88 MPH to see what you'll be downloading in ... the future.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

The Yakuza 4 "Kuro" and "Shiro" editions are exclusive to the UK and Australia, respectively, but you needn't despair if you're in North America and you want the bonus DLC. Sega announced today that all the downloadable extras from those editions will be included with every new copy of the game here. That includes the Fighting Arena, Survival, and underground car park racing modes, and costumes for all four playable characters (and for Kazuma's daughter Haruka too). In addition, pre-ordering from GameStop will give you yet another downloadable bonus: a hostess-themed dynamic theme for the XMB, which is sure to be humiliating.

The only thing missing from those limited editions, then, is the fancy steelbook casing. If that's what you wanted, we suppose you can get back to despairing.

UK retailer GAME has listed a special edition of Yakuza 4 called the "Kuro Edition" ("kuro" means "black" in Japanese), which includes a SteelBook case for the game, suitable for use as a makeshift weapon should you find yourself in a street fight on the way home.

The package also includes new in-game costumes for all four characters, including wrestling outfits much like those included as bonuses with Yakuza 3. It also includes a "survival" boss rush mode, a racing mode and underground fighting arena DLC -- the perfect venue for that wrestling outfit. GAME is currently offering this edition for the same £50 price as the regular version.

Sega informed Joystiq that the "Kuro Edition" is for Europe only, and won't be offered in North America.

Imagine the places you'll go with a sweet young hottie on your arm!

February's list of PS Plus goodies has been published on the PlayStation Blog, and there are some real doozies. First up is a free copy of Double Fine's latest, Stacking, which will be available to PS Plus subscribers on its launch day, February 8. For those keeping score, Stacking's usual asking price is $15. Subscribers will also be treated to an automatic download of the Killzone 3 demo on February 8. On February 18, PS Plus users will be treated to a free download of the PlayStation Mini Let's Golf.

As revealed previously by Sega, PS Plus can also snag the Yakuza 4 demo a week early on February 15. Head over to the PlayStation Blog for the full rundown of upcoming PSN and PS Plus content.

#sega Sega didn't think North America was ready for the female-companionship-for-money mechanic of Japan's hostess bars in Yakuza 3. They aren't making the same mistake twice. Check out the pretty ladies in "the most controversial trailer for Yakuza 4 yet." More »

On February 22 (NA) and February 23 (EU), a Yakuza 4 demo will punch the PlayStation Network in the face then smash a bike over its head. More »

If you're wondering about the differences between Yakuza 4's four protagonists, you'll get your chance to explore the subtle variations in each one's gangster-flattening technique starting February 15 (and Feb.16 in Europe). That's when Sega will offer a downloadable demo to the elite inner circle of the PSN family, also known as "people who paid for PlayStation Plus."

The rest of us low-level thugs will have to wait until the following Tuesday, February 22 (and a day later in Europe), when Sega makes the demo available to any old PSN user. If you like what you see and/or knock over with a traffic cone, you'll be able to pick up Yakuza 4 on March 15 in North America, and three days later in Europe.

After the break, check out a trailer all about the game's hostesses, and see what Yakuza fans were so upset about losing from the localized version of Yakuza 3. Warning: You will be embarrassed if anyone else is in the room.