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‘Lost Judgment’ will let you team up with a dog detective
A gameplay trailer shows some of what you can see and do in the sequel.
'Yakuza 7' is coming in 2020 with turn-based combat
Ichiban Kasuga's arc will apparently bring a lot of new elements to the Yakuza franchise. At a presentation in Tokyo, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios and Sega have revealed that Yakuza 7 will replace its predecessors' beat-em-up action system with a more traditional turn-based combat. A screenshot of an encounter from the game's official website shows JRPG-like headshots of Kasuga and his companions, along with health bars indicating their remaining life. It's the first time RGG Studios is deviating from the franchise's familiar combat mechanics -- even its spinoff, detective game Judgment, uses the same system.
‘Judgment’ is a sublime detective game for everyone
Grizzly murders. A ridiculously smart hero haunted by his past. A shady group of individuals who will do anything, it seems, to cover up their terrible deeds. These are the hallmarks of a great detective story, and Judgment, the latest video game from Japanese developer Ryu ga Gotoku (RGG) Studio, has all of them.
Sega will still release 'Judgment' worldwide despite actor's arrest
Sega isn't stopping the international release of Judgment despite halting Japanese sales over a voice actor's arrest for cocaine use. The company has confirmed that Ryu Ga Gotoku's PS4 legal drama is still coming to the West (including the US and UK) on June 25th, and has posted a trailer to match. The character voiced by Pierre Taki in Japan (Kyohei Hamura) is still present in the new clip, but he isn't as prominent as he was the first time around.
Sega teases August 24 Yakuza announcement
Sega plans to announce something on August 24, and while it appears to be related to the long-running Yakuza series, it's unknown exactly what the publisher has in store. Pay a visit to the Ryu Ga Gotoku website - that's the Japanese title of the Yakuza franchise - and you'll find the message seen above. Those who don't speak Japanese aren't missing much as the message roughly translates to the title of the series, and the words "9 p.m., August 24." That text also links to a Nico Video page which will presumably play host to whatever sort of announcement Sega is plotting. Whether Sega is planning to unveil a new Yakuza entry or not, fans outside of Japan shouldn't get their hopes too high that the series might leave its native country. Though a handful of Yakuza games have received localization over the years, the series' two most recent entries, Yakuza 5 and Yakuza Ishin, remain in Japan with no known plans for release elsewhere in the world. [Image: Sega]
Yakuza 1 and 2 HD extort trailer, screens
PS3's Yakuza 1 & 2 HD update now has a trailer and screens, giving us a better idea of how it'll look when it attempts a Japanese takeover on November 1. The game was officially announced this week and there's still no word yet on whether the HD-ification will have an international release.
Kazuma's back in Yakuza 1 & 2 HD Edition
The Yakuza 1 & 2 HD update originally spotted in a Sega Japan release schedule is official, with Famitsu featuring a back-tattooed blowout of the PS3 update. A preview page of the article was posted today on the publication's website.The top of the article reveals a November 1 release date for the collection, a month sooner than Sega's release calendar had it. There's still no word on a North American release; despite almost every Yakuza game being localized, there's still always an element of suspense whenever a new one is revealed.
First Yakuza: Of the End trailer and screens shamble out of TGS
You'll never survive the zombocalypse unless you take the time to educate yourself. Thankfully, we've got this first Yakuza: Of the End trailer and accompanying screens for you to study. Take note: These gangster fellows may be bad guys, but they're all that stands between you and the biting.
Next Yakuza revealed as 'Ryu ga Gotoku Of the End'
Though still not announced for US launch, the next PlayStation 3 installment in the Yakuza series was just unveiled by Sega of Japan (via Andriasang). The Japanese version of the game's official website is up, introducing the title as "Ryu ga Gotoku Of the End," and showing little more than the logo. The game was first teased back in March with a shot of the Kamurocho district from previous Yakuza titles (now seen more clearly in the gallery below). More recently, Japanese audiences were treated to a teaser ad highlighting a possibly wrecked Tokyo as the game's setting. For those of you who can read Japanese, the site offers a short blurb about the game alongside computer wallpapers and a set of folder icons for both Windows and Mac. Nope, no screenshots or videos yet, just stuff with which to dress up your computer. We're hoping to see the game in action at Tokyo Game Show next week.%Gallery-101814%
Yakuza PSP spinoff 'Project K' named, dated for Japan
When Toshihiro Nagoshi revealed the PSP Yakuza spinoff "Project K," he suggested that it was so different from the main console series that it may not even bear the "Ryu ga Gotoku" name (the Japanese title of the series). Nagoshi, apparently remembering how nice it is to make money, has revealed that the PSP game will feature the series name after all. The spinoff has been named Kurohyou: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinshou ("Black Leopard: New Yakuza Chapter"). A Famitsu article about the game (summarized by 1UP) also announces a September 22 Japanese release date for Kurohyou, which stars a new, younger character who isn't a gangster.
'Project K' is a Yakuza spinoff for PSP
The mysterious Yakuza-related "Project K" isn't just another sequel after all. In an article in the latest Famitsu, summarized by Andriasang, director Toshihiro Nagoshi revealed it to be spinoff for PSP, taking place in the game's customary "Kamurocho" location but not starring series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. In fact, the hero of this spinoff isn't a gangster at all, but an 18-year-old "delinquent" named Tatsuya Ukyou. The new perspective is indicative of Nagoshi's interest in reaching younger audiences with this game, to deliver a message encouraging kids to be more aggressive (which, we're sure, is more about being assertive than being violent). The gameplay will also be presented differently, with a "more in-your-face feel" to the combat and gameplay elements that Nagoshi thinks are expected of handheld games. Does that mean it's going to be Yakuza Monster Hunter, with groups of four teenagers taking down giant loan sharks?
Sega teases yet another Yakuza game
[Famitsu] Now that Yakuza 3 has been out in North America for a whole week and Yakuza 4 ia due to hit Japan in two days, it's definitely time for Sega to announce another one. At least, that's what Sega seems to think. At a Yakuza 4 event in Tokyo, Sega showed a teaser trailer for a new game in the series, with concept art depicting the familiar Kamurocho district of the other games. As usual, the next iteration will be produced by series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi. Codenamed "Project K," the new game appears to star a young man who "knew the graveness of the crimes he continued to commit," luckily, "fighting is his destiny," even if he "doesn't know the cruel fate that awaits." Powerful stuff! The teasers calls this new project, "A new challenge for Ryu ga Gotoku [Yakuza]," suggesting that the next game could be different in some way. Perhaps this forthcoming Yakuza will leave the story of Kazuma Kiryu behind entirely in favor of a new character. Or perhaps it'll be made for a platform other than PlayStation 3.
Yakuza 3's Toshihiro Nagoshi discusses Japanese cinematic inspiration
Sega's Toshihiro Nagoshi isn't just known for his bright orange tan. He's produced a number of titles for Sega, including Shenmue and, most recently, the Yakuza franchise. Although Nagoshi is already working on Yakuza 4 for Japan, the producer talked about some of his influences for the game's first English-language dev diary. Yakuza 3 is unabashedly Japanese, so much so that mainstream Western audiences may be unlikely to relate. Nagoshi explains in the video that as a fan of Japanese cinema, he intended on "using a Japanese style to express [human drama]" in the game. "It might feel new to the Western market, but to the Japanese market it's something we grew up on, so we're used to it." No wonder the Yakuza franchise has earned its cult status in the West. While its use of Japanese camp may be confusing to many, that's precisely what English-speaking fans love about the franchise. Thankfully, it won't be too much longer until everyone will be able to play Yakuza 3 ... and understand what's going on.
Yakuza 3 box art localized for the US
When we saw this box art for Yakuza 3 on GameFly, we sighed in relief. Thankfully, Sega has followed the time-honored legacy of making spectacularly terrible box art for the West. Amazingly, this new art manages to say even less about the game than its Japanese counterpart, neglecting to show any of the Japanese cityscape that made the game so compelling to its fanbase. More ridiculously, Kazuma Kiryu appears to have grown a goatee comprised exclusively of an ESRB rating. Of course, if you're seriously offended by the box art, you can simply import the original Japanese version. Just don't expect any of the bonus English subtitles included in Sega's upcoming release. [Via VG247]
New Yakuza 3 screenshots are sweet, serpentine
Click to Yakuza-size Though the number of images displaying dudes brawling in the gallery below may lead you to believe that the pictures therein are of a new Street Fighter game, we assure you, they're just images from soon-to-be-localized Japanese crime drama, Yakuza 3. Don't believe us? Just check out the first image in that gallery. See that? That's a back tattoo, which members of the Yakuza are like, contractually obligated to get. This guy's back tattoo is of a snake, which means that his skin gets dry in the winter. Also, it means he likes to swallow whole, completely uncooked eggs. Weird, right? %Gallery-83380%
Yakuza 4 heads East in March 2010
It may seem like just yesterday that we learned the release date for Yakuza 3, but that's only because it was. Just one day after Sega finally announced a Western release for Kazuma Kiryu's third adventure, the Japanese side of the company demonstrated just how far in the future it lives, by announcing a release date for the fourth game. And both release dates are in the same month. Specifically, Yakuza 4 arrives in Japan on March 18. That means, if you don't mind reading Japanese, you can be exactly one Yakuza game better than everyone else. A whole new group of hostesses awaits! As do some new playable characters. In addition to Kazuma, this game features three other playable mobsters, each with a separate storyline.
Yakuza 3 heads west in March 2010
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/08/yakuza-3-heads-west-in-march-2010/'; As fans of Sega's Yakuza series (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) will quickly point out, the lengthy wait for localized versions is somewhat of a disorganized crime. With two PlayStation 3-exclusive installments already available in Japan (and a third on the way), Sega Europe's online community manager, Kevin Eva, offers an enthusiastic answer to the impatient question: "YAKUZA 3 IS COMING TO THE WEST." So enthusiastic, it seems, he's already busting some CAPS. Writing on the European PlayStation Blog, Eva confirmed that Yakuza 3 will hit the US, Europe and Australia in March 2010, and emphasized the game's adherence to its cultural origins -- not to mention Sega's budget. "As part of the lengthy localisation work Yakuza 3 will feature full English subtitling," he wrote, "whilst maintaining the rich Japanese voice actors that bring an extremely engaging atmosphere to the game – this will no doubt please the purists out there!" Plus, you wouldn't want to upset those rich Japanese voice actors by replacing them. Who knows how well they're connected? %Gallery-80019%
German retailer lists localized version of Yakuza 3
This should provide hope to those who have been longing for a localized Yakuza 3 release. German retailer amazon.de has added a listing for the Japanese crime game, with a scheduled release of March 12th. Sega isn't commenting on the listing, but a localization has been rumored since July. While still unconfirmed, this listing adds credence to a project that seems like a no-brainer, considering the franchise's tremendous success in Japan. [Via 1UP]
Rumor: 1UP 'source' says Yakuza 3 is Westward bound
If fanboys complain loudly enough, can they get a game localized for an English release? The answer appears to be: yes, at least according to an unnamed 1UP source "close to the project," who says that "Yakuza 3 is currently being localized for release in the U.S. and European markets." If true, it'll be interesting to see if people will actually buy the game. The late-to-the-party PS2 release of Yakuza 2 was largely ignored. Could Yakuza 3 meet the same fate, now that Yakuza 4 is already on its way to Japan? [Thanks, Marius!]
Watch Japanese girls audition for a role in Yakuza 4
There are two very important things crucial to every Yakuza game: noodles and girls. We're pretty sure you've figured out which of these topics we're covering today. Sega's upcoming PS3-exclusive Yakuza 4 will continue the franchise's penchant for featuring Japanese hostesses. This time, however, they're relying on the fan community to vote for their favorites. Andriasang has a helpful guide detailing all of the candidates, many of whom may be found on this exclusive Blu-ray disc. Remember as you peruse the various choices that you can look, but you can't play with any of these girls -- just like the game itself.
