Give the Yakuza Series a Chance

The Ryū ga Gotoku (Yakuza) series is very popular in Japan, and has adopted a cult following in the west.  If you haven't played any of the Yakuza games yet, there is no time like the present.  With Yakuza 4 being released to the west in March 2011, you still have time to pick up, and enjoy the previous Yakuza games.  No worries though if you want to start playing the series with Yakuza 4.  Just like the last game, Yakuza 4 will have a recap of the previous games that will catch you up to speed with the story.

This is important because one of the best things about this series is the story, and you definitely don't want to miss it.  I can honestly say that the Yakuza series has one of the best stories that I've experienced in a video game.  The story has a little bit of everything: drama, action, comedy, mystery, romance, and shocking plot twists.  The characters in the game have a lot of depth to them and are very likable.  Don't be surprised if you find yourself emotionally involved with the story and characters.

It's only natural considering that the characters are voiced by famous film and voice actors.  It's also no coincidence if you recognize the look of some of the characters in the game.  The main characters are modeled after the famous person that does the voice for them.  I have to point out since it's a big deal to some people; if you don't like subtitles, or reading in general, the story part of the game could be a turn off.

That's okay if you're one of those people, don't give up on the game quite yet.  The game has a lot more to offer than just a great story, and a talented cast.  Combat is also a big part of the game and it's a lot of fun.  At first glance the fighting might seem basic, and may feel clunky.  Soon you'll realize that it's not meant to be as fluid as a strict fighting game; it's more like a beat-em-up.  You'll also notice that once you start leveling up and doing certain side quests you'll unlock new fighting moves.

That's when the combat starts to shine after you've learned lots of new heat actions, counters, and fighting techniques.  Aside from hand to hand fighting there are lots of different weapons you can use.  A lot of the weapons have unique heat actions that are very brutal.  You're also able to use the environment as a weapon; like smashing someone's face into a wall, or picking up a bicycle and beating them with it.  Check out some of the heat actions from Yakuza 3:

The combat and heat actions in Yakuza 4 have improved since then, but I didn't want to show too much.  I think part of the fun is discovering them while you play and looking forward to unlocking new techniques.  If the fighting doesn't appeal much to you, this game series still has more to offer.  You get to freely explore a fictional Japanese district called Kamurocho; which is modeled after the real life Tokyo red light district Kabukicho.  It has a lot of the same landmarks, shops, and streets they are just altered a bit and renamed.

There are also some product placements; using real life food, drinks, magazines, and advertisements in game.  To me that helps add to the authentic Japanese experience the game offers.  If Japanese culture and exploration isn't your thing, maybe you'll be interested in side quests and mini games.  The Yakuza series always has lots of different side quests and mini games for you to enjoy.  All of which are optional, but can add a lot of gameplay hours if you partake in them.

Mini games that you're able to enjoy are:  bowling, pool, darts, batting cages, arcade games, going on dates, fighting in an underground arena, golf, table tennis, karaoke, and more.  Check out this trailer for Yakuza 3 showing off some gameplay, locations, and some of the mini games you can play:

After all of this if you still aren't convinced in checking out the Yakuza series, then I have to say it's just not your type of game.  That's cool, thank you for reading, and giving it a chance.  For everyone else that hasn't played this great series, and is interested, be sure to get Yakuza 4 when it comes out.  You won't be disappointed, it's a nice improvement over part 3.

If you can find the first Yakuza game and part 2 they are still worth playing if you don't mind PS2 graphics.  Yakuza 3 is also really good and I'm sure you can pick it up cheap now.  If you're still not sure you can try out the demo for Yakuza 3 it's available on the Playstation Store; if you have a Japanese account the Yakuza 4 demo is up there.  Don't judge it too harshly by the demo though, I know people that love the game but don't like the demo. 

If you're already a fan of the series and read this because you were curious, what did you think?  What makes the Yakuza series great to you guys?  Be sure to post your comments below to possibly help attract new fans to this amazing series.  Also I tried to keep this article as spoiler free as possible so be sure to mark your spoilers in your comments.  I'll leave everyone with a trailer for the upcoming Yakuza 4, I'll be sure to do a review when the game comes out.