Free Play Days event running until October 4

With Yakuza 7: Like A Dragon shaking things up and Xbox Game Pass bringing first-time players into the fold, it's another great year for curious players to see what the cherished Yakuza series is all about.

I won't lie, it can be intimidating – and super easy to put off as a seemingly huge and potentially years-long undertaking. But one step at a time is all you need to see if Yakuza's st??reet-brawler action, cozy city v?ibes, larger-than-life personalities, and wacky side-stories and mini-games are your sorta jam.

As a limited-time trial offer, Sega is letting Xbox Live Gold subscribers play as much Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 as they can possibly squeeze in from October 1 to October 4.

These games are way too long to finish during that free window, so I'd start with Yakuza 0, a prequel that's often cited as the most accessible and intriguing for all-?new players. I'd also try to prioritize reaching Chapter 3: A Gilded Cage sooner than later. You've gotta experience Majima's introduction.

It's risky to hope something lasts forever, but I'm kind of at that point with Yakuza.

The post You can play three Yakuza games for free until Sunday if you have Xbo??x Liv?e Gold appeared first on Destructoid.

Kazuma stoically nods in approval

If you own either Yakuza 0 or Yakuza Kiwami on Steam - and to be honest there's little reason not to - you will be pleased to hear that Sega has auto-upgraded both titles to their respective Deluxe Edition releases, adding a selection of neat extras to the wild 'n' wacky brawler R??PGs.

By visiting "Extras" in either titles' installation folders, players now have access to a digital manga for each game, as well as a selection of ???avatars and wallpapers. There are also a couple of neat animated Steam banners, so you can dress up your desktop and interface like a hard-drinkin', hard-fightin' night in Kamurocho.

While these upgrades are hardly ground-shaking events, we currently live in an avaricious era of video gam??ing, and as such the "little things" matter. Publishers like Sega having the foresight to appreciate its loyal fanbase i??s something to be commended, no matter how small the gesture.

Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 are all available on PC via Steam. If y?ou hurry, you can capitalise on the current "Big in Japan" promotion, offering all three titles at gre??at, discounted prices.

Yakuza 0 ?and Yakuza Kiwami owne?rs get deluxe editions for free on Steam [PCGamesN]

The post Steam p??orts of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami auto-upgraded to Deluxe Editions appeared first on Destructoid.

Kingdom Hearts III on its way too

Yakuza 0 has had quite the staggered release -- Japan in 2015, the rest of the world in 2017, and then a PC port in 20?18 -- and the final platform is just around the corner. W?hen it gets there, it'll be a day-one addition to the best subscription service in games.

Yakuza 0's Xbox One port is coming before the end of February, a m??ove that was revealed by Xbox Game Pass rather than Sega. It'll arrive on February 26 and instantly be a part of Xbox ??????????????????????????Game Pass. No pre-ordering necessary, just queue it up and go.

This isn't the only major addition to Game Pass over the course of the next week. Kingdom Hearts III is also on its way, right alongside all the denser-named Kingdom Hearts content that just landed on Xbox. Also, Wasteland Remastered is here for an introduction to inXile's gritty apocalypse ahead of Wasteland 3's launch in May.

Here's the skinny on everything?? coming to Xbox Game Pass before the end of February:

Xbox Game Pass for Console:

• Ninja Gaiden II -- February 20
• Kingdom Hearts III -- February 25
• Two Point Hospital -- February 25
• Wasteland Remastered -- February 25
• Yakuza 0 -- February 26
• Jackbox Party Pack 3 -- February 27

Xbox Game Pass for PC (none of these have dates, they're all just li??sted as "soon"??:

• Indivisible
• Reigns: Game of Thrones
• Two Point Hospital
• Wasteland Remastered
• Yakuza 0

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for Conso??le: Kingdom Hearts III, Yakuza 0, Wasteland Remastered, and More [Xbox Wire]

The post Yakuza 0 will be? o??n Game Pass on day one of its Xbox debut appeared first on Destructoid.

Cinderella Story

At E3 2019 this year, I had the distinct honor of sitting down with Kazuki Hosokawa (producer for Judgment and Yakuza) from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios and asking him about the future of the series and how each game gets made. As well as getting some insight into the development process, I learned that Hosokawa gets his best ideas while sitting in the bathtub. While he wouldn't confirm if he sipped on champagne while doing so, I now like to believe he lives exactly like the characters he create?s.

To kick t??hings off, I was curious which character from the series Hosokawa? feels most represents himself. There are a tremendous amount of different personalities in Yakuza and it's not hard to believe that some of them are based on the team creating these adventures??. For Hosokawa, he f?eels that Yagami Takayuki from Judgment fits him the most.

"I feel like Yagami from Judgment...I feel very connected to him in terms of humanity and the struggles he has gone through," Hosokawa said. "When looking at a character like Kiryu, he's almost superhuman. There are times when you can't real?ly tell what is going on in his mind. He's a hard character to really reflect yourself on or connect in that way. In terms of being a more human representation of me, I feel like Y??agami is that."

With Judgment soon to release and Shin Ryu Ga Gotoku still in development, I've been wonder?ing where the? series will go once those games come out. We haven't seen much about whatever Shin will be, but? there has to be ?some general idea of what will be next. "Ideally, what we'd like to do at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios is continue Yakuza as an ongoing thing and have Judgment, as well," Hosokawa told me.

So if Judgment does well, which is already has in Japan, th??en we ma?y end up seeing it and Yakuza alternate years in bet??ween releases. That may be exactly what Yakuza needs since??? the transition to the Dragon Engine with Yakuza 6 sort of feels like one step forward and two steps b?ack. While not a bad game (I quite enjoyed my time with it), one can tell that the need to build a new engine demanded some features get cut to hit the designated release date. Kiwami 2 improved in? nearly every?? fashion and it seems like Judgment will be better still.

"With regards to Shin Rya Go Gotoku," he continued, "we're still in the middle of development on that. We can't divulge too much information, so there's nothing that we can tell you at this time." That's to be expected, though, as actual footage of the game hasn't even shown up yet. The protagonist of that title, Kasuga Ichiban, may have made his debu??t in the Japan-exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku Online, but we don't know ??how he'll animate or feel?? like in Shin. The title is likely to be?? something that won't see a release until late 201??9 in Japan or possibly even 2020.

So maybe I don't know a whole lot about th??at title, but something that can give us insight into the process is how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios comes up with the narra??tive for each game. While Hosokawa and Sega CEO Toshihiro Nagoshi (cr??eator of the series) don't handle specific scenes or bits of dialogue, the two come up with the overall thematic elements that give each story its own essence.

"What things make a good story?" Hosokawa asked. "I kin??d of draw from all the different movies I've watched or books I've read in the past and try to figure out what was really great about them??. I want to bring those elements in, mix them together with something that is my own and write the story from there." As for how he gets those ideas, Hosokawa explained that he comes up with his best ideas while out for a walk or taking a bath. When something comes to him, he frantically writes it down so that he won't forget it.

That desire to get ideas out ?quickly is actually a part of how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio??s works. While the US has been inundated with a tremendous amount ??of Yakuza in a short spa??n of time, the games typically release on a yearly sche??dule in Japan. The occasional spin-off spaces out some main entries, but there isn't a long wait between playing a new chapter in this storied saga. Yakuza has seven main entries, four spin-?offs, and two PSP games with Judgment seemingl?y bein??g the natural progression of what comes next.

"We've been working on the se?ries for quite a long time," Hosokawa said. "Organically, the development team likes to push themselves to tell their stories from a new perspective or to bring ?something fresh into the mix." When an idea comes to them, they get to work on it and thrive under the schedule given to them. "That's how we develop new ideas as we move on in the series."

With how frequently new Yakuza games do come out, one woul?d think that the developers may become a bit tired of working on the same franchise for so lo?ng. I was curious if the team ever considered branching off into different genres, either with Yakuza or a brand new series??. "I personally have been involved in the development of a lot of different games prior to the Yakuza series," Hosokawa told me, "so I feel like my experience with development is really well rounded.?? I've tried a lot and I'm happy to be working on Yakuza the way it is."

It's possibl?e that the team hasn't become burnt out because they are allowed the time to decompress after each game. "The team definitely has to switch off after the development of each game and kind of go about their own hobbies," Hosokawa stressed. "Everyone deals with this in their own way. Some members travel overseas while others go mountain climbing. I, personally, like to go camping a lot or build miniature models." It seems Sega isn't putting unreasonable demands on its teams, allowing them to live their lives instead of slaving over a computer all the time. This, in turn, gives the team the energy to come back to Yakuza time and time again.

What may also keep them coming back is the city they've built. Kamuroch?o, a fictionalized take on Tokyo's red let district, has been featured in every main?? entry and will the setting for Judgment. While most of the s??equels have contained another city for players to explore, Kamurocho is the foundation that grounds these wacky martial arts fantasies. I wondered where the team would go if they had to leave it behind, to which Hosokawa brought up Yakuza 5. That particular entry is the largest in the series and features five different?? cities (one returning from Yakuza 2). While Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios is happy with where they are, any future games may take place overseas ??to really mix things up.

One of the ways that the team has tried to surprise fans is with the casting of celebrities in ??its ga??mes. Starting with Yakuza 6, each new entry has had a famous Jap??anese actor portray a character in some capacity. You may even be aware that Pierre Taki had to be removed from Judgment due to alleged drug usage, w??hich brings up why actors are being cast instead of creati??ng original characters.

As it turns out, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios has always wanted well-known f?aces to be attached to its projects. The biggest reason for not starting with them was budget conflicts, but sometimes scheduling was what made plans fall through. "Even though we have certain people in mind," Hosokawa explains, "there are always schedul??ing and budget conflicts that we can't get the exact person we're looking for. We try to keep roles flexible so that we may consider other plans if anything falls through."

Before bidding Hosokawa good?bye, I pondered about a return of Binary Domain. An overlooked shooter from last-generation, Binary Domain was conceived by Nagoshi and worked on by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios, so it has some of the distinctive?? flair that permeates each Yakuza game. While Hosokawa wasn't involved with the develo??pment of that game, he was happy to hear that fans were p??leased with it.

"I'm personally not in a position to make the call with that series," Hosokawa stated, "but we definitely love hearing fans reactions and love listening to what they want from the series going forward." Truly, that seems to be what keeps this team going. Yakuza has always been a hit in Japan,? but it recently grew from a cult following to a larger fanbase in the west. Seeing the fruits of their labor pay off?? in such a big way, it seems unlikely that Yakuza w?ill ever b?e in a slump. That's the best thing you can ask for.

The post Yakuza directo?r says his best ideas for the series start with him in a bathtub appeared first on Destructoid.

So long, Denuvo

Sega is continuing to tighten up the PC version of Yakuza 0, a wonderfully weird and charming game that'll consume your life. I don't think I'll ever care to revisit Yakuza 0 -- once on PS4 was enough, and I still have multiple sequels to see through -- but if my mind does change, I'm definitely double dipping on PC. This port should look more and more tempting to anyone considering starting the series.

Highlights from this week's Yakuza 0 PC patch in?clude shader and shad??ow improvements (especially in Chapter 6), better ultrawide display support, an FOV slider (find it in the advanced graphics menu), and a toggle for the UI. Sega is also striving to clamp down on crashes and improve the mouse controls.

Here's the rest of the list:

• Fixed an issue where certain particle effects were not being displayed (most noticeable when using certain weapons like the cannon).
• Added border artwork displayed during areas with locked aspect ratio when played in non-16:9 display modes.
• Added Background audio slider in audio menu.
• Added target monitor output selection option for multi monitor setups in advanced graphics menu.
• Added support for QWERTZ and AZERTY keyboard layouts.
• Fixed an issue where disconnecting a controller during conversation could cause a soft lock.
• Fixed an issue where mouse cursor would be confined within application window while in menus.
• Fixed an issue which could cause a crash when playing the fishing mini game.
• Fixed an issue where the game could crash if the installation folder path includes a dot.
• Improved behavior of camera control when using a mouse to use raw mouse input.
• Improved mouse scroll wheel behavior.
• Improved Alt+Tab behavior.

This patch is currently being beta tested, so you'll have to manually install it within Steam. Find your way into Yakuza 0's Properties section from your Steam library. Once there, go into the Betas tab and use "community_test_branch" for the Branch and "Dragon??OfDojima" for the password.

Users are also reporting that the patch removes Denuvo, so if you have a hard-line stance against the anti-tamper tech, that's a notable change. It would seem that good things come to those who wait several mo?nths or so to buy Sega's PC ports. Kamurocho's calling. (And so is Old Man Kuze.)

Beta Patch v3 is live - 11 February 2019 [Steam]

The post Yakuza 0 is worth another look on PC with this ??latest patch appeared first on Destructoid.

Wear the dragon

It's still kind of surreal to me that the Yakuza series is actually popular in the West. I've been playing them for roughly one-third of my life and I never expected the series to break beyond its niche. It has truly been a wild ride and I'm happy we can now all agree that Kiryu Kazuma is a badass. Sadly, there has been a dearth of merchandise for fans to show off their love. Apart from pop-up stores in Japan, where else can you get some official Yakuza branded t-shirts?

At the online Sega Shop, apparently. If you head over to Sega's official online store, you'll be able to grab some Yakuza Kiwami 2 themed shirts and hoodies as well as a blanket and phone case. They all sport antagonist Goda Ryuji's golden dragon tattoo, which is totally awesom??e. The prices are a little bit high,? but this is likely to be the only official merchandise we'll ever get.

Y2: Kiwami [Sega Shop]

The post There’s some rad Yakuza Kiwami 2 merchandise on the Sega website appeared first on Destructoid.

Baka mitai

For nearly as long as I’ve been playing Yakuza games, I’ve always read comments from fans saying, “These games are like Shenmue”. At first glance, that definitely sounds accurate. I even remember making such a claim after playing the demo for Yakuza 3, which  reminded me a lot of what I had heard about Sega’s Dreamcast classic. It has taken me until now to see h?ow wrong that statement is.

For those unaware, I’ve never personally owned a Dreamcast. My friend had one and I’ve played games on it, but the consumer distrust that Sega bred after the release of the Saturn got to me even in my youth. I absolutely loathed Sega’s 32-bit system and I didn’t want anything else to do w?ith their consoles for the foreseeable future. Maybe it was just my nine-year-old self being hyperbolic, but I wrote off the Dreamcast long before it was even announced as coming west.

While that may or may not be a tragedy, it was how I felt at the time. That decision ended up causing me to miss out on some crazy and memorable games from Sega’s final console, most notably Shenmue. I’ve never had a frame of reference for properly comparing Yu Suzuki’s magnum opus to Yakuza, but after reviewing the two games this past week, I can finally make a dec????larative statement.

Shenmue and Yakuza are really not that similar.

To an outsider, a cursory look might trick you into thinking both series are the same thing. Shenmue has you traveling around Japan and China in a semi open-world manner. You can talk to people, play mini-games, enter shops to buy items and even fight guys on the street. Yakuza is limited to Japan (with different cities), but everything else I me??ntioned above is accurate of Kiryu Kazuma’s journeys. The execution of these ideas is where the two series differ.

The main goal with Shenmue was to create an environment and atmosphere that could be mistaken as real. The famous concept behind Yu Suzuki’s epic is an acronym known as “FREE”. This stands for “Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment,” and it was a core philosophy that Suzuki and his team worked to embed in everything Shenmue had. If you wanted to talk to a random person, that should be possible at all times? (and even full?y voiced). If you wanted to chill out and play some arcade games, that should be possible whenever you felt the urge.

There was a story with main characters in Shenmue, but the real desire was to expand the possibilities of gaming by presenting entirely new dynamics not feasible on older hardware. This can be seen in how progressing through the main campaign of the first Shenmue puts more of an emphasis on mundane activities over bare-knuckle brawling with thugs. For a martial arts game, Shenmue features very little fighting and a weird focus on living out Ryo’s real life. It even culminates ?in him getting a job to pay for a ticket to China, which is the kind of stuff kung-fu films gloss over.

Shenmue even presents different scenarios based on when you appear to specific locations or on what in-game day you’re finishing a main story sequence. There i??s a tremendous amount of missable cutscenes and content because re?al life has much the same thing. If you aren’t at a bar on Christmas Day, you might miss the chance to profess your undying love to your high school sweetheart.

For the Yakuza series, the main goal was to create a gaming experience geared more towards adults. At the time when Yakuza released in Japan, Sega was famously dealing with financial woes. The failure of the Dreamcast was still fresh (with Shenmue playing a huge role in that) and market trends were showing Sony and Nintendo making pushes t?owards teenagers. Microsoft had also jumped into the console market and it seemed like the medium was starting to “grow up”?.

Instead of trying to create a game with mass appeal, Yakuza series producer Toshihiro Nagoshi wanted to make a game specifically for the Japanese market. Sega wasn’t doing well in any regard and Nagoshi figured honing in on something only they could provide would resonate with a home audience. After some extensive research (a.k.a. drinking at dive bars in Tokyo) and hiring a famed Japanese crime novelist, Nagoshi’s team set out to prope?rly replicate th??e Japanese underworld and show that gaming could move past being simply high scores or quarter munching.

With that, the very opening of the first Yakuza should show you how different both teams approached game design. Yakuza sets up a clear story, has intense cinematic directi??on and incredible voice acting and always guides the player through the journey to maintain proper pacing of its plotline. There are side distractions, sure, but you likely will never be without an idea of how to progress in Kiryu’s story.

The emphasis that Shenmue puts on fleshing out its setting of Yokosuka, Japan is not present in Yakuza’s fictionalized version of Tokyo. There is a layer of authenticity to how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios’ created Kamurocho (Yakuza’s main setting), modeling it closely after Tokyo’s own Kabukicho district, but you never have the same level of interaction as present in Shenmue. Nagoshi’s team certainly wanted to create an environment you felt connected to, but wisely stepped away f??rom detailing too much of it and focused more on fleshing out other aspects of the game.

Even the side activities in Yakuza don’t take center stage. You could make that same argument for Shenmue, but Yu Suzuki’s vision includes waiting around for multiple in-game hours while time passes and new events can occur. This necessitates doing something to kill time, which is where the arcade cabinets (or gacha dispensers) come in. In Yakuza, ?the onl?y thing stopping you from progressing is walking to the next waypoint.

Beyond that, even the pedestrians present in Yakuza bear little resemblance to Shenmue’s obscene level of detail. Since there isn’t much story purpose in talking with random bums or little children in Yakuza, the game doesn’t allow you to do so. Some NPCs might give a single line of dialogue, but that is it and you’re on your way. In Shenmue, you’ll be talking to seemingly ev?eryone since the game demands you piece clues together on your own.

The action sequences, as well, play out with entirely different design methodologies. Shenmue uses an engine repurposed from Virtua Fighter (of which the game originated as a prequel to the fighting series) whereas Yakuza could be more closely linked to Streets of Rage. Shenmue wants you to practice your martial arts, focus on skills that you find useful and execute them like a true master of kung fu. Yakuza just lets you smack dudes in a visceral manner with simplified inputs and combo strings. You even get RPG-lite systems that see Kiryu level-up, where Shenmue is mostly about your own journey with conquering its control scheme (though moves will get stronger as yo?u use them).

What you prefer is entirely subjective, but each game feels nothing alike. I guess removing layers and layers of nuance will reveal the central idea of “Martial-arts action,” but the execution is key. Both games couldn’t feel less alike if Sega tried. Even the quick-time events play out differently, with Shenmue relegating entire sequences to them while Yakuza uses them to punctuate d?evastating finis??hers in combat.

Could one even say any aspect of the two series' is similar? For sure: there is definitely some crossover between the two series.?? In?? action, though, you really don’t get the same thing playing one over the other. Both are targeted at a different audience and mindset and that is completely okay.

What drew me to falling in love with Yakuza was split between the writing of its characters and its mixture of old-school, arcade gameplay design with new technology. What I enjoyed from my time with Shenmue was how it made you feel organically connected to its game world and the respect it paid to martial arts philosophy. Any influence that is present is likely because Nagoshi worked as a supervisor to Suzuki while Shenmue was being made.

Really, though, just stop comparing the two series. Each does something totally different and it is really diminutive to try and say they are the same. If Yakuza is Shenmue, then Deadly Premonition is Shenmue. Resident Evil 4 is Shenmue. Heavy Rain is Shenmue. The impact of Sega’s legendary game can be felt in?? so many titles that you can see it in even the most far removed of genres. That doesn’t suddenly mean that these games are s??imilar to Yu Suzuki’s.

The post Shenmue and Yakuza are really not that similar appeared first on Destructoid.

Could Yakuza Ishin finally be on the books?

Following up the release of head-cracking remake Yakuza Kiwami 2, publisher Sega have released a questionnaire to the community, asking about their thoughts on the Yakuza games and their remakes.

It's all fairly standard stuff, but of note in particular is the question "How interested are you in purchasing the various spin-off titles that have never received western release?" This, of course, is referring to Yakuza Ishin, a side-game that launched in 2014 for PS3 and PS4 in Japan, but never made it to the West. It contains similar structure and gameplay to the fantastic mainline series, but is set in the B?akumatsu era of Japan, back in the 1800's.

Now this is obviously no confirmation at all that Sega are preparing Ishin for localisation, but it should be remembered that Sega sent out a similar survey asking about Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, with the release of Yakuza 6. Faster than you say "EEEYATATATATATA!", we got a localisation announcement soon afterward, so fingers crossed, Yakuza fans.

You can take the survey yourself right here. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is available now on PS4.

The post Yakuza Kiwami 2 survey asks fans about remakes and spin-off localisa??tion appeared first on Destructoid.

But there's more work left to be done

The brawl is back on. Sega released a patch for Yakuza 0 on PC that fixes crashes during cutscenes, gameplay, a fight in Chapter 10, and ?while rematching an opponent in the Pocket Circuit mini-game.

If these notes sound strangely familiar, that's because the developers attempted to put out a similar update last week but ultimately had to pull it as new issues cropped up for certain players. Now, it seems, they got it right. The re-launched patch is available today on Steam. Go invest in real estate!

"Your continued patience and support have been greatly appreciated," said Sega. "We're continuing to work on the other issues some of you are experiencing and will have more inf??ormation for you soon."

Are any of you playing Yakuza 0 for the first time? If?? so, I'm curious to hear how that's going.

The Patch is Back! Patch 1 re-launches 13 August [Steam]

The post Yakuza?? 0 should now be less prone to crashes on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

It caused issues for players who didn't have any previously

When the PC port of Yakuza 0 works, it works well enough, but there's an unfortunate lack of consistency. Some players have struggled to make it through certain substories ??without crashing, others are dealing with stuttering issues, and some unlucky few can't even seem to get the game to?? launch properly. It's a shame to see such a wonderful thing brought down by technical woes.

For its part, Sega is trying to get to the bottom of these and other issues. Trying.

The team issued a promising patch for Yakuza 0 this morning that was set to fix several types of crashes (during boot up, cutscenes, unspecified gameplay, the Chapter 10 fight, and while rematching a rival in Pocket Circuit), but the update had unintended side effects. It had to be rolled back.

"While our patch showed no issues in testing, it appears that Patch 1 is causing issues for some users who had no issues previously," noted Sega. "Therefore, we are rolling back the patch while we?? continue to investigate. Our apologies to all who are experiencing difficulties. We are investigating all issues raised here and will be back with more information soon."

Even with this mishap, it's encouraging to see Sega at least strive to get patches out so soon. I think Yakuza 0 will get where it needs to be for most players before too long, and then everyone can cue up the ol' end-of-substory, lesson-learned music. For the sake of future ports, I hope so anyway.

_{[Image credit: Rägnärøkkr]}

The post Yakuza 0 is o??ff to a bumpy start?? on PC as Sega rolls back its first patch appeared first on Destructoid.

That's rad

I've always been aware of the Yakuza series but never had a chance, or even a desire, to play the games. Much of that was ignorance -- I didn't really know what these games were like. Maybe I had assumed they were Japan's version of Grand Theft Auto, which I already have no interest in.

Whatever the reason, it was stupid. If Yakuza 0&n??bsp;is a good indicator of the series, then holy hell I am so happy that these games a??re being ported to PC now.

Tested on: Intel i7-4770k 3.50 GHz, 8GB of RAM, Geforce GTX 970, Windows 10. Framerate measured with NVIDIA GeForce Experience and in-game setting.

As the above intro image states, this game is ??certainly best experienced on a controller. I played with both the Xbox One controller and the Steam Controller and found them to be leagues more comfortable than playing on a keyboard and mouse. Every key can be rebound, whether you're using a controller or a keyboard, though the game does not seem to recognize anything above Mouse 3.

Certain minigames are also rather difficult with the keyboard. Specifically, karaoke and disco feel more like a typing test rather than an entertaining minigame. On a controller, they're great! The disco minigame, in particular, is one of my favorites. The mouse controls for the third-person camera are also slooow. There is a mouse sensitivity setting to help with this, but nothing ever manages to feel quite right. Even when using the Steam Controller, I had to set ?the right thumbpad to Joystick Camera because the Mouse Joystick mode didn't feel right (and also doesn't work well with many minigames).

It does have mouse support in the menus??, though you can't click on the scroll bar to drag it downward, despite me attempting to literally every time I enter the menus. Menu control in general is just okay on mouse and keyboard. Scrolling with the mouse wheel also gets awkward as it always resets your selected item to the moused-over one, so it's important t?o move the mouse away from the list of items before attempting to scroll. 

In terms of performance, I have never seen the game dip below 60 frames as long as I kept SSAA at 2x or off. Turning it up to 4x or 8x saw a drastic dip in framerate. Nothing else seemed to have any real impact on FPS, which is great. I had some strange minor stuttering in some of the first cutscenes, but I haven't encountered anything like it after turning V-Sync on (having watched plenty more cutscenes). 

However, there are other reports of stuttering, crashes, and other issues on the Steam forums. Again, while I have not encountered anything except some early stuttering, the Yakuza 0 port does have its fair share of u??ser and card-specific issues. As usual, I'd suggest searching for your graphics card among the Steam forums to see if anyone else has report??ed issues with it. At the very least, a Sega rep seems to be active on the forums collecting data, so ideally they can iron all those issues out.

On a surprisingly related note, does anyone know how the heck to play Mahjong? I read through the four thousand pages of instruction that Yakuza 0 has available, but still felt completely lost while playing. Just when I think I have a decent grasp of what I'm doing, BAM! Ron or Riichi. I didn't expect to spend an entire (real) day playing darts, pool, and Mahjong, but I guess that's Yakuza for you.

Anyway, while I didn't expect Sega to mess up the PC Port based on their pedigree, Yakuza 0 has most of the bells and whistles that many would expect. It instantly picks up on a control scheme switch between keyboard and controller, it handles alt-tabs quite well, and the options are incredibly customizable. Some are experiencing issues, but when isn't that the case on a PC game? I'm very excited ?to finally be able to enjoy this series and that the PC version does it just?ice. 

_{[This PC Port Report is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Yakuza 0’s PC port is a great way to learn Mahjong (and play Yakuza 0) appeared first on Destructoid.

Rise of the Dragon

_{[Given that Yakuza 0 is out for PC today, we're bumping the review up.]}

Japan in the '80s was a wonderful time for business owners. The yen was exploding in value and money was flowing like water. If you were involved in any kind of business, legit or not, you were basically so wealthy that you could blow your nose with money. Most people ??wer??e having a blast and living a carefree lifestyle.

Set during this period of Japan’s history (called the Bubble Economy), the sto??ry begins in Tokyo with a young and inexperienced Kiryu Kazuma doing grunt work for the Dojima family of the Tojo Clan. He soon gets mixed up in a false murder accusation and is on the run for his life.

Yakuza 0 (PS3 [Japan], PS4 [Reviewed])
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Released: March 12, 2015 (JP), January 24, 2017 (US, EU)
MSRP: $59.99

Also making an appearance is Majima Goro, Kiryu's companion of sorts. We join him in the middle of some personal tor??ment, being bored to death by the town that has become his cage, Sotenbori, Osaka. Assigned the task of murdering a malicious and evil man, Majima’s chance to get back in the good graces of the Shimano family of the Tojo Clan lies on his ability to murder, a line he has yet to cross. Not everything is as straightforward as it may seem and the two are soon thrust into a situation well beyond what they could have ever expected.

Taking a step back from the sprawling epic of Yakuza 5’s hefty cast, Yakuza 0 focuses the plotline on two seemingly disconnected narratives to better build the characters behind them. While there are still the requisite plot twists and kooky bits of melodrama, Yakuza 0 spins a tale that is far more believable and well thought-out then the last two main games. The pacing of the story is also much more balanced; opting to shift between characters every two chapters instead of playing out an entire storyline before segueing into the next. This lets certain story beats become heightened with cliffhangers that then bu?ild the drama for some incredible payoffs when you return to that tale.

Those payoffs are definitely worth it, too. One of the greatest aspects of the Yakuza series is that the developers seem to understand the beauty of downtime. Some chapters in 0 are filled wit??h what might seem like pointless diversions, but help to fully flesh out the character you’re controlling.?? You get to experience Kiryu’s rise in real-estate, Majima’s penchant for managing cabaret clubs and a bunch of ridiculous side-quests before the action boils over into an immense crescendo of violence and fisticuffs.

While I do believe that the action moments of the previous entry, Yakuza 5, were a bit more heightened, nothing about 0 is ever a boring slog. The game feels like a PS2 era classic with modern game design, which makes f?or an experience that is quite difficult to put? down. Even though the story takes around 25 hours to finish, I couldn’t wait to jump right back in and explore all of the secrets and side-quests I had missed.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself that the drop to only two playable characters would make the combat a bit more basic, but you&rs??quo;d be completely wrong. Instead of sticking with a single style for each character, both Kiryu and Majima are given three different fighting stances to toy around with. None of them bear much resemblance to each other or even previous characters in the series.

Majima has a “Th????ug” style that feels like something out of UFC with a lot of heavy hits and powerful strikes along with a “Slugger” style that utilizes a baseball bat and a “Breaker” style that turns break dancing into violent choreography. Majima is clearly the most unique and his “Breaker” style, in particular, is just loads of fun. Spinning around on the floor with tons of particle effects and limbs flying is just wild to witness.

Kiryu has a “Brawler” style that is clearly a less refined version of his previous mo?ve set along with a “Beast&?rdquo; mode to tackle bigger foes and a “Rush” mode. The “Rush” style, in particular, is amazing to toy around with and can even get you out of a jam when your health gets low. Based around a simple form of boxing, you get a lot of quick hits and evasive maneuvers that increase in speed as you build up your “heat” gauge.

The “heat” gauge system has been refined from previous installments, focusing more on multiple levels of build-up that can then be turned into different finishing moves. These are some of the most gloriously absurd displays of violence ever put in a game, with animations that look brutal and would leave the recipient in a hospital for quite a long time. How people can even breathe after receiving some of these punishments is a mys??tery.

Thankfully, there is less of a focus on these intense special moves. Previous games in the series had built such a bustling repertoire of finishers that keeping track of them required a checklist. Now, though, the game gives you a trade-off of exacting these finishers ??or increasing your durability and speed in combat. While I love kicking a dude across the face and watching him get airborne, in tougher battles, I need all the speed I can get.

You also no longer acquire experience points from combat. Instead of grinding out battles to cheap out the AI, you have to build your funds to “invest” in yourself and learn new abilities. Maxing out any one particular fight style requires about 15 billion yen, which is d?efinitely a ton of scratch. This shift helps toughen the main storyline while still giving you an option to lessen the difficulty, should you feel t??he need.

It doesn’t totally overhaul the combat in the game, since you can still pick one style and never change for every encounter, but it does give you different options to screw around with. The game also does provide some opportunities where particular styles are a better fit, which makes it rely more on skill than just leveling up. Even with all these changes, Yakuza still feels like the modern equivalent of Streets of Rage, which should please old-school fans.

Coupled with the well written story, Yakuza 0 is easily a complete game before you even get into all of the finer details. There is so much extra stuff to do that one could basically rip out the main portion and sell it? as a separate experience. Heck, upon completing the story, you get to do just that, eschewing all of the crime drama for the simple joys of hitting the local arcade or fishing in the river in Premium Adventure Mode.

This is where the real beauty of the series comes out. The setting is more of a character than the actual people. Sega has rendered Japan with so much life and detail that you?? can’t ??help but get sucked into your surroundings. Street vendors selling food, garbage piling up outside of restaurants, thugs harassing folks in dark alleys; both Tokyo and Osaka feel like living, breathing entities.

That may be due to Kaumrocho being based off of the real version of Tokyo’s red light district, Kabukicho, but the licensing of real-life brands and the attention to detail with street placement and NPC cha?tter is so astute that I really want to book a flight and head overseas. Everything is rendered so well that you wish the invisible walls blocking you from exploring certain?? areas would take a hike, because the desire for exploration is high.

While not every area of previous games is present (since this takes place 17 years before the first game), there are differences in geography that will be welcome changes?? to returning fans. Seeing how the city you’ve grown with over the years was a different beast before is really a sight to behold, especially with all of the neon colors and added fidelity of the PS4.

The 1080p presentation really shines for Yakuza 0. There are some framerate issues while exploring the city (and some ugly screen tearing while moving the camera), but the game remains smooth and crisp whenever you’re in ??the thick of action. I do wish Sega could have put a little bit more polish on this late international port, but none of that ugliness ever crops up during actual gameplay.

Heck, I haven’t even mentioned the extra game modes related to Kiryu and Majim?a’s main storylines. You’re put in control of a real-estate firm for Kiryu and have to manage some cabaret clubs with Majima. Both feature radically different takes on similar ideas (cap??turing neighborhoods) and could double as strategy games in their own right.

You get to build up your staff (hostesses for Majima and advisors/security for Kiryu), buy plots of land and invest time/money into seeing them grow to conquer the city you’re in. While they are a bit awkw?ardly placed in the main narrative, they aren’t necessary by any means. They feel like fully realized ideas, but you can happily ignore them and still get the full experience. The crazy music for customizing hostesses in Majima’s game is too much to pass up, though.

I could probably keep going for hours and hours about the joys I’ve had with Yakuza 0. As of the time of writing, I still haven’t managed to finish all of the substories present. There is also a slot car racing component, an underground coliseum and red-light distractions for those so inclined. Even if all of these modes sucked, Yakuza 0 would be a tremendous game, but basically every component is of high quality. This is because the series was 10 years old when Sega developed the game. They took all of the experience they had gained over the years and provided the definitive version of?? their Japanese simulator. They also used this chance to flesh out the leading man and fan favorite character to give followers something they hadn’t ever seen.

Yakuza 0 is a stone cold masterpiece. Sure, it has some rough edges and there is probably more content then most people will ever care ?to see, but it runs well, looks great and provides a dramatic, well written and properly paced story that holds up even for people who have no experience with the series. If you’ve been looking for a chance to dive in?to this series, you would be hard pressed to find a better entry point. If you’re already a fan, then you’d be stupid to pass up on this game.

It features all of the best aspects of the series with very little of the negatives, making for a game that I’ll probably still be digging through by the time Kiwami releases over here.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Yakuza 0 appeared first on Destructoid.

I adore Yakuza 0, but the batting cages nearly broke me

Yakuza 0 comes to PC this week. It feels like word of mouth for Sega's strange and sweeping action-adventure romp through 1980s Japan is at an all-time high, and with its budget price, I'm hopeful lots of curious players become hardened fans once they give 0 the chance it so rightfully deserves.

I don't have it in me to play all the way thr??ough -- not again. Never again. But for those of you who decide to go down the winding path toward 100% completion, good luck and godspeed.

Yakuza 0 has a riveting main story, numerous zany substories, and a handful of genuinely enjoyable activities. You can and should dip your toes in everything, especially the ??hostess club sim. As you become more invested in the world, you might even find yourself looking up mahjong guides. But then there's the rest: all the optional fluff sitting between you and an accomplished to-do ??list.

The RNG in the rock-pape??r-scissors catfight tournament mini-game is beyond annoying, but it's mindless enough that you can brute force your way through. The ba??tting cages, on the other hand, require intense concentration and precise reflexes. Just thinking about them makes me apprehensive.

I distinctly remember dedicating a Sunday afternoon and evening to studying this and similar videos that make Yakuza 0's batting look so effortless. It took me countless hours to even come close to what's shown in this three-minute video. I tried it all! Looking?? at animation cues to know when to swing. Focusing on the sound. Memorizing the exact timings needed for each individual pitch, and figuring out a way to reliably count down in my head. Everyone had an inside tip, but nothing seemed to work.

I probably should've just walked away -- that would've been the rational decision -- but I had come too far. I was so close t?o putting a cap on Kiryu and Majima's '80s adventure. I craved that sense of closure. When my reflexes, practice, and luck finally came together long enough for me to win, I wasn't happy. I didn't celebrate. All I could do was be thankful that I'd never have to go through the silly ordeal again.

Yakuza 0's impending PC release pushed? this memory to the front of my mind, and now that I've shared my cautionary tale, I'm curious: what's the most frustrated you've ever been with a mini-game?

The post What’s the most frustrated you’ve ever been with a mini-game? appeared first on Destructoid.

Still digital only

During the relatively uneventful PC Gaming Show there was one announcement that stood out -- Sega's commitment to PC gaming, which just happened to reveal during a short clip that they were bringing Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami to the PC.

I mean, that's the sort of thing you get a Sega rep in for and discuss, but instead we got tons of clips of old PC games and date reveals we already knew about. Anyway, Sega took to Twitter to confirm that not only will Yakuza 0 run at?? 4K and 60 frames-per-second, but it'll also offer an uncapped framerate option for "meatier" PCs.

Within that same Twitter thread Sega re-iterated that both releases are digital only. Still, given that the Yakuza series never could have seen the light? of day in the west, the proliferation of it in any sh?ape or form is good news.

SEGA Europe [Twitter]

The post Sega confirms that Y??akuza 0 PC will support 4K60FPS, as well as an uncapped frame rate appeared first on Destructoid.

IKUZO!

For years now, I’ve been a huge fan of the Yakuza series. The first title I played was Yakuza 3 back in ??2011 and it took me by complete surprise. It was basically everything I had ever wanted out of a video game, right down to kooky characters and gut-wrenching action moments. It also had an extreme attention to detail in recreating a small slice of Tokyo, a city I’ve always fantasized about visiting.

When the chance arose to speak with the localization team behind the series, I couldn’t pass that up. I had always wondered about how one gets started doing localization or what the process might be for selecting which features get cut. With Yakuza 6 releasing soon, it felt like the best opportunity to have a chat with Scott Strichart and Sam Mullen (producers over at Atlus that handle Sega’??s Japanese content). While I wasn’t able to directly talk to them, I did put together a couple of questions that hopefully answers how the localization process isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

_{[Art gallery image courtesy of Sarah Wellock]}

To start off, I asked Sam and Scott how the two of them even ended up working on localization for the Yakuza series. The cliff notes version is that they happened into it, but the longer story is a bi?t more detailed. For Sam, he started his career working on deployment and project management on Japanese cell phone games in a pre-smartphone era. This soon led to him becoming a project manager on deploying Japanese games into Western markets, which he describes as being, “effectively localization.”

For Scott, his story is more of an underdog tale. After receiving his English teaching degree, Scott found himself broke, unemployed, and disillusioned with his life. He took a long shot and applied as an editor and tester at a local company to keep himself afloat. That company turned out to be Atlus and after a single project in QA, Scott was brought on as an editor for the Nintendo DS game Drone Tactics. As he states, “I still have that game, seal??ed, on my desk. Never ??forget your roots…But don’t play them, either.”

Both men have worked on a tremendous amount of titles. When asking about their personal favorites, both agreed that it was too difficult to pick one game. “Games are like children,” Sam says. “There are no favorites. Each is special in its own way.” Still, some of the more notable titles each has worked on include the SEGA Vintage Collection, Persona 4, 3D Dot Game Heroes, Project DIVA, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, and Class of Heroes (the first game the two worked on together).

With such a broad range of genres and styles, I obviously wanted to know how long a typical game would take to localize. I stuck more to the Yakuza series when asking this, but Sam’s answer can apply to almost any text-heavy Japanese game. In his words, “[The length] depends on a lot of factors, including the number of Japanese characters in a game…and the number of people we can allocate to the project. The Yakuza series has become easier to localize over time and with the move to the Japanese version needing to support both Traditional Chinese and Korean at launch…there’s been a lot of improvement in our ability to engage earlier and more effectively on the se?ries.”

Scott then followed that up by stating, “To give you some context, Yakuza 0…the largest Yakuza game my team has actually worked on, started pre-production in December 2015 and didn’t go gold until November 2016. By comparison, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life??, which despite being a more focused gam?e with a larger team, still look 10-11 months from pre-production…to QA and final submission.”

That seems like an awful lot of time just for translation, doesn’t it? But localization doesn’t just mean taki??ng text and dumping it into Google translate. There are a lot more factors that a team must account for when trying ??to convey a message that the game director wanted.

“We do a lot more than tra?nslation,” Sam pointed out. “There is a common misconception that a localization team just translates, but that is just a small sliver of what our job entails.” He then mentioned how a direct 1:1 transla?tion of text would lose the cultural nuance of the text, so the teams often adapt the relevance of sentences for the Western audience. The game also needs to be readied for localization, meaning a team cannot work on a project without the go-ahead from Atlus or Sega.

As for which Yakuza title took them the longest, both Sam and Scott agree that Yakuza 5 was a massive project. As Sam stated, “Yakuza 5 wasn’t built to be e??asily localized in the first place.” This can be seen in the many cultural standards that aren’t brought up in Western games (such as ?playable character Shinada being a reviewer of sexy massage parlors).

So with localization demanding a careful eye on cultural relevance, does the localization team have any say on what content gets retained during the games? I mainly questioned about the side stories that are prevalent in the Yakuza series, sin?c?e a lot of them use Western lingo to convey comedy or drama depending on the situation.

“We just need to make sure the emotional beats in the substories that we do get land like they’re supposed,” states Scott. “If the story is meant to tug on your heart strings, we make it do that. If it’s meant to make you laugh, we make sur?e it’s funny.” Sam ??then followed up with, “We don’t censor anything if we can help it.”

As diehard fans may already know, Yakuza 3 was a victim of content being cut in order to ensure its release. This resulted in the removal of content that was deemed “heavily rooted” in Japanese culture. Sega did eventually relent with Yakuza 4, but the damage was done and people were a ?bit angry. While I mistakenly inferred the translation was broken, Sam did say that the game was, “a product of its time.”

Scott elaborated: “I’d love the chance to [restore cut content]…It’s less about ‘fixing’ and more about bringing your own strengths to the table on restoring older games.” He then continued by explaining how he takes more notice of the Kansai accent and how his personal styling of Kiryu’s dialog in Yakuza 0 and 6, which demanded the character be more impassioned than other games, is something he has brought into the Kiwami remakes. He did end by saying, “Having done four games now, getting the opportunity to bring that consistency back to Yakuza 3 would be really cool.”

As with any Yakuza interview, I had to ask what the chances of Sega localizing Kenzan and Ishin might be. Both games have remained Japanese exclusives and for good reason; they feature periods of Japan’s history that Western audiences know next to nothing about. While the answer wasn’t a definite “no,” as Sam puts it, “We’re releasing four Yakuza games within the span of two years and are doing all we can to meet the demand of the fans. Just keep buying our games if you like them.” Scott followed up with, “Short of dedicating this entire office to Yakuza ??localizations, we’re goi?ng as fast as we can!”

Something else that wasn’t a definite “no” was the chance of the West eventually seeing the PS3/Wii U Yakuza HD Collection. The final answer: greater than zero percent and less than 100 percent! That may not be the confirmation everyone was looking for, but it d??oes at least keep the dream alive.

T??he best way to wrap up was? to ask both men how much they enjoyed having the chance to localize games. Both had some very inspirational things to say about their work.

Sam: “Since we work with parties around the world, there’s never any downtime. There’s always something that needs attention…But at the end of the day, you get a game that people can enjoy and the fans are so wonderful and encouraging. It really does get you up out of bed and out the door; because you know you can get out there and make something amazing.&rd?quo;

Scott: “Sometimes, when our games are erupting into dumpster fires because of this and that…we’ll [Scott and Sam] look at each other say ‘LIVIN’ THE DREAM, RIGHT?’ because it’s true. As much as things challenge us, as hard as they can be, we’re getting paid to make video games happen. Standing in that room when we announced Yakuza Kiwami 2…hearing the entire room literally erupt because they saw a su?btitle over Kiryu’s face; I live for it.”

The post T?alking localization with Yakuza loc??alization producers Scott Strichart and Sam Mullen appeared first on Destructoid.

Haruka, no!!!!

During the inaugural PlayStation experience in 2014, viewers were graced the amazing gift of the announcement that Yakuza 5 would be localized for the west. The following year, Sony confirmed that Yakuza 0 would grace western consoles and in 2016, we were given confirmation that Kiwami and 6 would be coming. Whether intentional or not, the PlayStation Experience has become synonymous with Yakuza.

So imagine my pain when I found out that 2017's PSX won't feature anything Yakuza related. Announced during an official livestream of Yakuza 0, Sam Mullen and Scott Strichart (Sega of America localization producers) confirmed the terrible news for all Yakuza fans. Wh??ile I'm sadden??ed, I can definitely understand why.

The two most recent Ryu Ga Gotoku studio games are Kiwami 2 and Fist of the North Star, both of which have not released in Japan yet. While Kiwami 2 isn't far off (it releases December 7), Seg?a wouldn't really be in a position to show anything from a localization. They could announce a plan to translate these games, but we'd still be waiting at least 12 months before being able to play anything. It makes more sense to save that for next year.

Mullen and Strichart did at least reassure fans that 2018 will be a "great year" for Yakuza, so I'm sure we'll be getting some kind of surprise after Yakuza 6 launches. I can't imagine Sega would just stop after bringing 6 to the west, so I'm still hopeful for Kiwami 2.

No Yakuza announcement at PSX 2017, 20?18 will be a "great year" for Yakuza [Reset Era]

The post There won’t be any Yakuza announcements at PSX this year appeared first on Destructoid.

YATTA!

Sega has made a lot of strides with porting over Japanese made games to PC. Just this year we've seen ports of Bayonetta and Vanquish, so it looks like the sky is the limit w??hen it comes to series. In an interview with PC Gamer, John Clark (S?ega's senior VP of commercial publishing) said, "If I asked you to write me a list of ten games you want Sega to bring out on PC, it probably isn't any different from the list [we have]."

In regards to Yakuza, Clark started, "It's on that list. Of course something we're talking about it… that would just be incredible to bring that to the PC audience." As for Persona? ?"Of course, of course...We don't feel that anything is off the table in terms of these conversations."

So will we see these games by the end of the year? Only time will tell, but its looking more likely that Sega's niche titles will be arriving to PC at some point. If Bandai Namco can make a success out of Dark Souls on PC, then I'm sure any of??f-kilter game has a?? fighting chance.

Yakuza and Persona are 'on that list' of games Sega wants??? to bring to PC [PC Gamer]

The post Sega seems up for Yakuza and Persona on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

Bonus costumes and such

Yakuza 0 is really great. It may possibly be the best Yakuza game released in the West thus far, but there was one strange omission: unlockable costumes. In some of the previous Yakuza titles, beating the game allowed you to select costumes for Premium Adventure Mode and change the look of Kiryu and his pals. Yakuza 5 actually broke that trend, opting to have the costumes relegated to DLC, but Sega wisely bundled? them with the Western release in 2015.

For some reason, Yakuza 0 didn't launch with those added costumes. I suppose it isn't the biggest deal as all of these extra bits are being released for free, but it is still strange. Either way, starting today and going until February 14, there will be a new DLC pac??k released each week with extra goodies for players to grab. This should make my third pla?ythrough a little easier (and probably would have helped with my LEGEND mode run).

Once downloaded, you need to talk to Bob Utsunomiya (the clown) near the CP Shrine in both Kamurocho and Sotenbori. From there, he'll gift you the items and you'll be free to use them. For costumes, you'll have to go to Kiryu's real-estate office and Majima's cabaret club office and change into them. Those may be locked until you beat the game (like they were in 5), but I'll have to check to make sure.

Also, have a l?ook at the launch traile??r. It should get you suitably amped up for the game.

Yakuza 0 launch trailer, free DLC announced [Gematsu]

The post Yakuza 0 will be getting some free DLC next month appeared first on Destructoid.

SMASH that box!

I think a little part of me died when I saw John Hardin, Sega's PR manager, smash the box of Yakuza 0 The Business Edition with a hammer. It was hysterical, but all I could think of was how damaged the game would be. You shouldn't damage Yakuza 0; the game is fucking incredible!

That being said, this quirky little video shows you exactly what a copy of this "special edition" will come with. It is a bit underwhelming, all things considering, but I do love the business card holder. I'm also a fan of bulkier boxes; it looks lik??e the graphic design department put a lot of effort into this??.

For anyone wondering, I have pre-ordered a copy of this. I know Sega gave me the game for review, but I can't pass up on getting some Yakuza-themed trinkets. I love the s?e??ries too much to deny myself that.

The post It will require ?a heat a?ction to open the Yakuza 0 Business Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

This could be your first game, it is a prequel

You know how those "prequels released years after the o??riginal" arcs go. If you've been following along since the start you're bound to pick up on little nuances that newcomers won't, but it is the start of the story after all, so you can begin anew without feeling left out knowing ?that some sort of explaination will be present.

That's the deal with Yakuza 0, a prequel that takes place 17 years before the original game. Kazuma Kiryu, the hero of the series, is a younger runt, and hasn't been to prison yet. But just like the Star Wars prequels (and Rogue One for that matter) the creators have to spice things up and "super" it a bit -- and this time, they're going with giving Kiryu and his partner Majima access to multiple fighting styles, along with all of the wackiness that a Yakuza game typically entails.

But since this is a partly niche series with a spotty localization record, I want to know what your experiences are with it. I've played every entry outside of the spinoffs, and most regrettably due to its lack of a western release, I missed out on Ishin (the one that takes place in the 19th century).

The post How caught up are yo?u on the Yakuza series, and are you ready for Ya?kuza 0? appeared first on Destructoid.

That card holder is nice, though

Nothing screams the holidays like trading business cards. Wait, that can't be right... why would Sega PR lie to me? Either way, this new promo trailer for Yakuza 0 is high on the cringe factor and loaded with ??shots of that lovely business card holder included with the "Business" edition of the game.

While I'd prefer to have an actual collector's edition for this series, getting any kind of promo in the US is awesome. Yakuza needs more love, so I'm happy to pluck down a pre-order to get some silly trinket. I mean, I'm buying the game anyway, so why not? I wish we would get that Yakuza 6 console, though.

The post Business me?etings are super awkward at Sega Europe appeared first on Destructoid.

My fist your face, that's for sure!!

I'm in love with the Yakuza series; I don't think that can be stated enough. If you'd like to know one of the reasons why, just watch the new trailer for Yakuza 0.

Along with being awesome, the trailer showcases the different fighting styles that main characters Kiryu Kazuma and Majima Goro have at their disposal. Oddly enough, not many of the series' signature "heat" act??ions are shown off. I'm guessing that would spoil some of the fun, seeing as how the games have gotten progressively more ridi??culous with how over the top the violence is.

My favorite "heat" action has to be from Yakuza 5 where the heavywei??ght charact?er, Saejima Taiga, turns an enemy into a snowman.

The post Watch Kiryu and?? Majima rough up some thugs in this Yakuza 0 trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

Man, I hate pool

The Yakuza series may not be well known in the West, but any fan can tell you that the best feature is all of the crazy mini-games. Yakuza 0 looks to continue that tradition with a bunch of ridiculous scenarios and returni??ng classics (Karaoke is king!). Kiryu can't always be a pouty badass.

I love the inclusion of classic Sega games. Yakuza 5 blew me away with an online-enabled version of Virtua Fighter 2, so maybe we can get online matches of OutRun. If not, at least I'll be able to drown ???my sorrows in pool...

Yakuza 0 ‘Nightlife of 1980s Japan’ trailer [Gematsu]

The post Yakuza 0 still has all the zany mini-games appeared first on Destructoid.

Better than nothing I guess?

Sega has announced a special pre-order deal for Yakuza 0 for North America. If ?you pre-order the "Business Edition" you get---business cards. A steel business card case with some business cards for Kiryu, as well as a hostess club card. These are not used in English-spea??king countries so much, but even if they were or even if we were Japanese, I don't envision myself passing these out or framing them or anything. 

But wait! You also get this theme for a digital pre-order--that is also kind of lame. Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you set any uploaded ?image as your PS3 and PS4 background? They didn't change the icons or anything.

Perhaps the effort and budget was focused on making the actual game good, which definitely appea??rs to be the ca??se. Still, if they're going to have pre-order goodies, I think they could do better. 

The post Yakuza 0 Business Edition pre-order is lackluster appeared first on Destructoid.

Yakuza 0 comes to PS4 Jaunary 24, 2017

Yakuza 0 has been out in Japan since before Donald Trump was even running for president, let alone about to be one of two choices for the office, but the Americas and Europe will not get to play Yakuza 0 until January 24, 20?17, a couple ??days after President Trump is sworn in.

As Kyle noted when we got word Sega was bringing it over in "early 2017," "The prequel is set in the 1980s and lets players see what Kiryu and Majima's lives were like as?? foot s??oldiers, long before they became the renowned yakuza we've seen in previous games." Sega is localizing the game itself and only releasing it westward for PS4 (it was on PS3 in Japan).

Meanwhile, Yakuza 6: Poetry of Life hits Japan in December. It's, the "final chapter" for Kazuma Kiryu. If Sega brings that one over too, you'll get to see his beginning and end.

Until then, I recommend watching Pale Flower to hold you over.

The post We’re getting Yakuza 0 on January 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

In both physical and digital formats

Yakuza 0 is coming to western shores in early 2017, Sega announced ?today.

The prequel is set in the 1980s and lets players see what Kiryu ??and Majima's lives were like as foot soldiers??, long before they became the renowned yakuza we've seen in previous games.

While the title was released on both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 when it came to Japan last March,?? Sega only plans to publish the game on PS4 in western territories. And while that may be a disappointment for some, others will be glad to know the company has confirmed plans to release the title in both physical and digital formats across Europe and the Americas.

Sega also wants you to know that, unlike Yakuza 5, this entry is being localized "100 percent as a Sega initiative, clearly assert?ing "PlayStation isn't involved on a production level with this title."

And speaking of Yakuza 5, it's is currently on sale at a 25 percent discount (now $30) through April 5. If that sounds intriguing, you can find more information in our review (Spoilers: It's really good!).

The post Yakuza 0 is coming west in early 2017 appeared first on Destructoid.

Yakuza news

Yakuza 5 is coming to PS3 December 8 and Yakuza Zero is a??lso coming to the west on PlayStation 4, Sony announced at the PlayStation Experience.

SEGA's Yakuza 5 missed its mid-November release date after being announced for a western release at last year's PlayStation Experience. Yakuza Zero is a prequel set in the '80s that came to PS3 and PS4 in Japan e??arlier this year.

The post Yak??uza 5 comes west next week, Yakuza Zero confirmed for PS4 appeared first on Destructoid.

V has come to...the top sales bracket

The Game Awards may be coming up soon, but another awards show made minor waves just a few hours ago: Sony's PlayStation Awards, the yearly event hosted by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia to give a pat o??n the back (and a cute trophy) to the highest-selling PlayStation titles released in the last 12 months?. So yeah, it's not a big deal (not any more than high sales are a big deal), but hey, recognition is recognition.

The biggest winners of the night were Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Minecraft PlayStation 4 Edition and Dragon Quest Heroes, which won the Platinum Prize awarded to games that shipped over a million units. The other "V" title to do well was Grand Theft Auto V, which netted the Gold Prize (for games that shipped over 500,000 units), but also placed in the fan-determined User's Choice categories for both Asia and Japan, as well as the "Asia Special Award" given to games that contributed significantly to PlayStation's business in Asia. Not sure exactly what the criteria for the last one are, but The Witcher 3 and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD also merited the prize.

Other winners included Bloodborne, Yakuza 0, God Eater 2: Rage Burst, Final Fantasy XIV, and Phantasy Star Online 2, the latter two standing alongside Minecraft as the b?est-selling downloadable titles of the year.

So, yes, some games sold alright in Japan and Asia. Yay! Check out the full awards listing b?elow.

Platinum Prize

Metal Gear Solid V

Dragon Quest Heroes

Minecraft

Gold Prize

Grand Theft Auto V

God Eater 2: Rage Burst

Yakuza 0

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3

Bloodborne

PlayStation Network Award

Final Fantasy XIV

Phantasy Star Online 2

Minecraft

User's Choice Prize Japan

Bloodborne

Grand Theft Auto V

The Witcher 3

Metal Gear Solid V

Dragon Quest Heroes

User's Choice Prize Asia

Bloodborne

Grand Theft Auto V

The Witcher 3

Metal Gear Solid V

Yakuza 0

Asia Special Award

Grand Theft Auto V

Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster

The Witcher 3

The post Metal Gear Solid V, GTA V win big a??t the PlayStation Awards 2015 appeared first on Destructoid.

Western release still in question

Sega's open-world beat-'em-up Yakuza 0 was the top-selling game in Japan last week, debuting with a combined 236,329 physical sales acr??oss both PS3 and PS4, according to Media Create.

While the lion's sh??are of purchases came on the older platform, the prequel buoyed PS4 sales, sustaining the system's momentum with a thir??d straight week atop the country's hardware charts.

The PS4 experienced a surge in demand coinciding with the release of Square Enix and Omega Force's Dragon Quest Heroes&nbs??p;at the beginning of the month. The action game moved over?? half a million units at launch between PS3 and PS4, again, the majority taking place on the elder system.

Despite the PS3's continued dominance in terms of software purchasing power, it's encouraging to see the Japanese market starting to embrace the new hardware. The sooner consumers do so, the sooner studios will stop hamstringing new projects with cross-generational fence s??traddling. 

Whether Yakuza 0 will ever see a western release remains a mystery, given how long fans have waited for an localized version of Yakuza 5. However, there is cause for optimism. Following Yakuza 5's Japanese release in 2012, Sega recently announced the long-awaited title will arrive in North America and Europe sometime this year. Just pray the wait for Yakuza 0 isn't quite so long.

「龍が如く0 誓いの場所」合計23万5000本。「デジモン」「うたの☆プリンスさまっ♪」「マリオパーティ10」など新作多数の「週間販売ランキング＋」 [4Gamer]

The post Yakuza 0 tops Japanese charts, spurs PS4 sales appeared first on Destructoid.