Well, I'm a fan. I'm in Chapter 4 now, and it just keeps getting better.
I find it very hard to describe this game to other people. I try... "It's a brawler with fun, accessible combat. You can pull off all kinds of crazy moves. The story line involves organized crime families, and it's melodramatic but also seems self-aware and doesn't take itself too seriously. In between melodramatic story missions, you do a variety of ridiculous and often funny things, like direct a TV episode or pretend to be a boyfriend. There are also a bunch of mini-games. And people stop you on the street and give you Kleenex. The voice acting is really good, and the translation is full of American slang, which makes it sound even sillier than it probably did in the native Japanese. The game has some seriously nasty people in it, along with absurdly childlike people. There is an innocence to it, but also gravity and cruelty. It's ... uh ... a mix of all of that."
Which just leaves people confused. I heard that kind of stuff before I played it, too, and I'd just go, "Uh, okay..." and be confused, too.
I don't know. I think it's one of those games you have to play for 5 or 6 hours before you really get it.
Anyhow, consider me a member of YakuzaGAF. It's a really unique and fun game. I'm glad I listened to you guys and gave it a chance.
I'm bummed that it isn't selling as well as it deserves in the US, but I can understand why. First of all, I think it's a hard game for Western audiences to wrap their heads around (see above). Second, it has some PS3 qualities that make it seem a bit last-gen. I'm okay with that stuff -- I think it adds to the charm -- but a lot of people will turn away, based on that. And I suppose a lot of mainstream Western gamers won't give Japanese games a second look.
Oh well, I'm glad I found it, anyhow. Thanks again, YakuzaGAF. You've made my gaming year more fun, and you've helped me discover a great game series I wasn't aware of.
