Support NeoGAF

[MadClacker]

Did you guys know there is a real life action Yakuza movie based on the first game that come out in 2009? I have never seen this mentioned before and I came across it by accident whilst looking at the Yakuza 3 wiki.

Yep. It's loosely based on the first game. From the little I watched of it a few years ago it was quite funny. I would knock it for being cheesy, but then again - so are the games in their own way.

 

[kevin1025]

I did a substory today in Yakuza 3 that involved a missing child with a straw hat. I won't ruin how it goes, but it was great how it was funnier and funnier every time it went further and how it progressed. I'm loving the hell out of this game!

 

[kiryogi]

Yep. It's loosely based on the first game. From the little I watched of it a few years ago it was quite funny. I would knock it for being cheesy, but then again - so are the games in their own way.

I need to see it, the little clip of Majima in Hyperbithero's video was great. It's Takeshi Miike after all.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Ishin just came in. Wish me luck Yakuza bros.

 

[Caim]

My first Yakuza was 3 and I also played 4 and Ishin.

I'm going to buy 5 soon, but I've also thinking about trying 1 and 2 might wait for Kiwami though.

 

[Nutcasey]

I'm new to this thread and was looking to get into these games. I'd love to start at the begging and was looking at this:

http://www.play-asia.com/ryu-ga-gotoku-12-hd-edition-playstation-3-the-best/13/7087xj

Are there english subtitles in this at all? If not, would playing the PS2 version just be the best way to go about playing this from the start?

Thanks

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

I'm new to this thread and was looking to get into these games. I'd love to start at the begging and was looking at this:

http://www.play-asia.com/ryu-ga-gotoku-12-hd-edition-playstation-3-the-best/13/7087xj

Are there english subtitles in this at all? If not, would playing the PS2 version just be the best way to go about playing this from the start?

Thanks

There are no English subtitles. If you want to play it from the beginning in English, the PS2 versions of 1 and 2 are your only options.

 

[Nutcasey]

There are no English subtitles. If you want to play it from the beginning in English, the PS2 versions of 1 and 2 are your only options.

Cheers mate! I'll crack on with them then.

 

[UnluckyKate]

I'm into Ishin, my god this game is beautiful. So many new animations, amazing improvements over 5 (well duh you will say) but 1080, PS4 power to make textures, models and facial animations better and of course, fucking 60 fps it makes a world of changes and it's beautiful. I love how the light bounce of silk kimonos, it's amazing to look at. But you can still feel its cross gen. I can't wait for RGG6 for a fully new gen engine and graphical overall.

I'm so confused about combat, I don't like any of the 4 styles, they feel so barebones even after 10+ levels... Sword is slow and I don't like the charge follow ups like Saejima in 4 & 5. Bare Hands is so... bare boned compared to previous RRG games and Wild Dance is just silly you can't control shit I have no idea what I'm doing just spamming circle circle circle...

Also, I'm super confused about that very first cinematic, the raid in the Inn, the supposed assassination of Ryoma Sakamoto, when does it happen in the game ? Is it a flash forward of some sort ?

 

[The Illiterati]

I finally got copies of both 1 and 2, and played through the first. I'm really glad I finally did, what a fun series this seems like. I'm going to keep playing through these one by one! Although please someone tell me the camera improves in the next game.

 

[UnluckyKate]

I finally got copies of both 1 and 2, and played through the first. I'm really glad I finally did, what a fun series this seems like. I'm going to keep playing through these one by one! Although please someone tell me the camera improves in the next game.

everything improves, gets refined, over each episodes. That's why its good to play them in order and not backward as it can quickly get archaic

 

[MadClacker]

So I decided to gather my YAKUZA/RGG collection together. FEEL THE HEAT! I really wanted to support the series.

 

[Kralamoonard]

Just updated the OP as Yakuza 0 is now confirmed for 2017 in the West.

So I decided to gather my YAKUZA/RGG collection together. FEEL THE HEAT! I really wanted to support the series.

Holy shit, nice collection.

 

[kevin1025]

Just updated the OP as Yakuza 0 is now confirmed for 2017 in the West.

2017 isn't so bad, at least it's confirmed now! I still need to finish 4 and 5 (and Dead Souls) before then!

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Fuck I totally forgot I bought Yakuza 3 with the intention to dive in to this series like 6 months ago. This just reminded me...I should do that.

 

[Mufti Nabiyu Erin]

I'm playing through Yakuza 5 at the moment and as a huge fan of this series I'm really under whelmed so far. Okay, I admit I am only at the beginning, I did every Taxi mission and race at the beginning with Kir- ahem.. I mean Suzuki. I'm doing the side missions after beating the two Tojo Clan bozo's but it just seems weaker than the previous games. Graphically it's jaggies are fucking horrendous. The music isn't quite up to scratch and the way they've delved into the story seems really odd, normally the beginning of each Yakuza game clearly defines an event which the whole story revolves around, this so far feels like a filler episode.

I hope it gets better. I wasn't overly keen on the idea of five protagonists and five places to visit. I'm more than happy with one having played Yakuza 4 and Dead Souls. I'm also happy restricting locations, but the graphics in Yakuza 3 feel better than Yakuza 5. Though they look sublime on PlayStation 4.

I was in the same boat, and then I got to Saejima's chapter and threw myself off the boat entirely.

I just want to run around Tokyo and kick ass. Why does this game seem to want to do everything but that? :/

 

[Kralamoonard]

From the other thread, Yakuza 5 is free on PS+ US/EU. Snag it before it goes

Spoiler

inb4 license revoked

Definitely can't wait to get around to 4 and 5 now that exams are over!

 

[Menitta]

If you reeeeaaaally like this series (you should), consider importing Ishin. I bought it on a whim at a con and it is so unbelievably fantastic. Can't speak for Kenzan as I haven't put too much time into it, but Ishin is amazing. While I'm glad 0 is coming, I wish Ishin was localized as well. When it came out, the PS4 had no killer app.

 

[Kralamoonard]

Ok updated the OP as Yakuza 0 now had a confirmed release date of 24th January 2017 in the West.

 

[Emperor Bohe]

thanks for this thread... been meaning to get into the series but I had no idea where to start.

 

[Kralamoonard]

Thanks.

Also Yakuza 5 is free on PS+! Get it while you're at it.

 

[kevin1025]

Yakuza 3 really slowed down for me, when I was playing it. Should I give it another chance or move onto 4 and circle back to 3 afterwards? I'm on chapter 4 or 5 I believe.

 

[Kyonashi]

So with the new PSX announcements, is Kiwami the best place to start? It's a full remake of the first game, yeah?

 

[davidwhangchoi]

it's a Yakuza revival!!

 

[bishopcruz]

So with the new PSX announcements, is Kiwami the best place to start? It's a full remake of the first game, yeah?

It's not a bad place to start, though, Zero should work just as well. I believe that there are some new links in Kiwami to Zero. It's nice though that with Kiwami, we only really have to worry about Yakuza 2 being a hard one to play for most people. It's my favorite in the series, but it is probably the easiest one to skip as far as the overall story goes.

There's also a newer starter's guide by superfan IrishNinja here.

 

[Kralamoonard]

Updated the OP to include Yakuza 6 and Kiwami getting a western release. So happy!

So with the new PSX announcements, is Kiwami the best place to start? It's a full remake of the first game, yeah?

Yep for sure. Just hope it comes out near the summer or something, simply so that it has a relatively better chance at succeeding.

 

[plasmawave]

Played Yakuza 6 last night. They have Puyo Puyo and Virtua Fighter 5 at the arcades.

 

[Robso]

Sorry to bump.

I'm a little stuck for what Yakuza title I should play next. I've already played 1.

I have 0, 3, and 4 and Dead Souls. I know Dead Souls is a spin off, so that doesn't matter so much.

With having 3, 4 and Dead Souls (and I'll need to buy 5 at some stage) on the PS3 I really need to get those played. So, is it okay to skip 2 and play 3? Are there big spoilers from 2 in 3?

I'd like to play 2 next, but I'm awaiting the Western release of the PS4 remake, and given there's no release date for the West yet, it may not even be this year..

 

[Riposte]

I'm starting to believe that you shouldn't watch the recaps and should just play earlier games when you get to them. The plots are so separated from each I wonder if you'd just be doing more harm than good by spoiling huge twists.

 

[lucebuce12]

Sorry to bump.

I'm a little stuck for what Yakuza title I should play next. I've already played 1.

I have 0, 3, and 4 and Dead Souls. I know Dead Souls is a spin off, so that doesn't matter so much.

With having 3, 4 and Dead Souls (and I'll need to buy 5 at some stage) on the PS3 I really need to get those played. So, is it okay to skip 2 and play 3? Are there big spoilers from 2 in 3?

I'd like to play 2 next, but I'm awaiting the Western release of the PS4 remake, and given there's no release date for the West yet, it may not even be this year..

Yes you can skip 2 and just play Kiwami 2 whenever it comes out for the west.

The events of 2 have next to no effect on the story of 3 with the exception of introducting one particular character who becomes a mainstay for the series but that character's role in 3-onwards is different than what it is in 2 so you're fine.

If you've played Y1, then I'd suggest playing Y3 -> Y4 -> Y5 -> Y0 -> Y6 -> Y:Kiwami 2.

Also don't watch any recaps for Y2, you're just spoiling it for yourself.

 

[lowhighkang_LHK]

Sorry to bump.

I'm a little stuck for what Yakuza title I should play next. I've already played 1.

I have 0, 3, and 4 and Dead Souls. I know Dead Souls is a spin off, so that doesn't matter so much.

With having 3, 4 and Dead Souls (and I'll need to buy 5 at some stage) on the PS3 I really need to get those played. So, is it okay to skip 2 and play 3? Are there big spoilers from 2 in 3?

I'd like to play 2 next, but I'm awaiting the Western release of the PS4 remake, and given there's no release date for the West yet, it may not even be this year..

Play Yakuza 0.

Then play 3, 4, and 5 and hopefully Kiwami 2 will be out. Then Yakuza 6 should be on its way.

 

[Beeblebrox]

Couple of questions for YakuzaGAF, but before that, here's a quick setup:

I've played Yakuza 1 on PS2 ages ago, and forgotten it for the most part. So, I decided to watch Y1 recap in the Yakuza 3 extras menu, before jumping into Yakuza 2 on PS2. But, my PS2 Slim has got some weird problems reading Y2 disc, and I just can't deal with it (also, I'm too lazy to emulate it on PC).

Should I watch Y2 recap in the Y3 menu, or should I just wait for Kiwami 2? Is that recap too spoilery, and can I enjoy Yakuza 3 without knowing stuff from 2? Will Y3 spoil some stuff from 2?

I'm thinking about just starting from 3, and then going through 4, 5, 0 and Kiwami, in that order.

 

[TheRazielim]

Y2 is pretty much stand-alone, the best story beats will not be relevant to the later entries at all.

 

[lucebuce12]

Couple of questions for YakuzaGAF, but before that, here's a quick setup:

I've played Yakuza 1 on PS2 ages ago, and forgotten it for the most part. So, I decided to watch Y1 recap in the Yakuza 3 extras menu, before jumping into Yakuza 2 on PS2. But, my PS2 Slim has got some weird problems reading Y2 disc, and I just can't deal with it (also, I'm too lazy to emulate it on PC).

Should I watch Y2 recap in the Y3 menu, or should I just wait for Kiwami 2? Is that recap too spoilery, and can I enjoy Yakuza 3 without knowing stuff from 2? Will Y3 spoil some stuff from 2?

I'm thinking about just starting from 3, and then going through 4, 5, 0 and Kiwami, in that order.

I'd highly suggest emulating Y2 if at all possible. If not, no worries.

If you've already played/watched the recap of Y1, then just play Yakuza 3 and DON'T watch the Y2 recap. The story is almost entirely standalone and doesn't affect what happens in the next games. Just play Yakuza 3 as it is, then Y4 ->Y5 -> Y0 -> Y:Kiwami (if you want, not necessary if you've already played Y1) -> Y6.

You can play Y:Kiwami 2 at any point in between those games because it's pretty much standalone. I repeat, DON'T SPOIL Y2 FOR YOURSELF.

 

[Beeblebrox]

Y2 is pretty much stand-alone, the best story beats will not be relevant to the later entries at all.

I'd highly suggest emulating Y2 if at all possible. If not, no worries.

If you've already played/watched the recap of Y1, then just play Yakuza 3 and DON'T watch the Y2 recap. The story is almost entirely standalone and doesn't affect what happens in the next games. Just play Yakuza 3 as it is, then Y4 ->Y5 -> Y0 -> Y:Kiwami (if you want, not necessary if you've already played Y1) -> Y6.

You can play Y:Kiwami 2 at any point in between those games because it's pretty much standalone. I repeat, DON'T SPOIL Y2 FOR YOURSELF.

That settles it then - skipping Y2 recap for now, and waiting for Kiwami 2. (I mean, I could emulate it, but I'm too lazy to set everything up >.>)

3>4>5>0>K1 it is then Thanks!

 

[killatopak]

As someone who is largely interested in playing the series, would you say the more recent Yakuza is much better than the PS3 ones?

I remember dropping my Yakuza 3 playthrough because I was overwhelmed by the amount of mini games it had. I remember it being more cumbersome because there were some obscure Japanese board games in it.

 

[lucebuce12]

As someone who is largely interested in playing the series, would you say the more recent Yakuza is much better than the PS3 ones?

I remember dropping my Yakuza 3 playthrough because I was overwhelmed by the amount of mini games it had. I remember it being more cumbersome because there were some obscure Japanese board games in it.

Large amount of mini-games is a series staple at this point.

Yakuza 0 is absolutely bursting at the seams with stuff to do but almost all of it is optional and you're never exposed to it through the main story or forced to play.

And btw, the "recent" Yakuza games are all cross platform so they're on PS3 too. Only Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Kiwami 2 are PS4 only so far. It's why Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Kiwami are 60 fps on the PS4, because they're cross gen games.

Just play Yakuza 0 for now and decide where to go next later.