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Yakuza 7 Announced (new turn-based RPG style battle system, set in Yokohama, Jan 16th Japanese release)

Kazza

Member
Translation of the official Yakuza 7 website from Gematsu:

■ Introduction

The latest numbered entry in the Yakuza series for PlayStation 4, this is the story of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. In the new setting of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, the story of the hot-blooded thugs stirred up by Ichiban Kasuga will begin.

If the protagonist changes, so does the gameplay. This is a new Yakuzaexperience!

New protagonist Ichiban Kasuga changes not only the story of the game, but also how you play.


■ Story

Protagonist Ichiban Kasuga makes his way up from the depths of despair. Depicted until the becoming of a new “Dragon,” this is the ultimate story of overcoming the higher ranked and rising to new heights. The future is in your hands!

January 1, 2001. The yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, who belongs to third generation family of the Tojo Clan—the Arakawa Family—was asked to take the fall for the crimes of wakagashira Jo Sawashiro by his boss Masumi Arakawa, which he agreed to do. For the family that he loves, for the respect of his boss… Kasuga served 18 years in a strict penitentiary, and in 2019, was finally released.

However, there was no one there to greet him upon his release.

With no one to welcome him, Kasuga returned to his hometown of Kamurocho. But the Kamurocho was not the Kamurocho that Kasuga once knew.

Thanks to a police policy known as the “Kamurocho 3K Operation,” the Tojo Clan had fallen. The police and the Omi Alliance of Kansai yakuza had completely taken over. And the one who created this new Kamurocho was none other than Masumi Arakawa.

“How could the boss do something like this!?”

In order to ascertain the truth for himself, Kasuga went to go see Masumi Arakawa.

After getting past obstacles like Omi Alliance members and his former superior Sawashiro, Kasuga manages to make his way to Masumi Arakawa.

“Boss!”

A reunion 18 years in the making with the “Boss” he loved like a father, the yakuza he admired—But what awaited him there was not the smiling face of a reunion, but rather the cold barrel of a gun.

“I’m sorry, Ichi… you need to die.”

The gunshot echoed. Kasuga’s vision dimmed—.

“Wha….!”

While wandering the depths of life or death, Kasuga somehow regained consciousness. But when he came to, he was at a dumpsite in homeless town lined with cardboard houses.

“…Where am I?”

Kasuga’s question is answered by a homeless man.

“Ijincho… Isezaki Ijincho. This is Yokohama. Got that? Yokohama.”


■ Battle

“Live command RPG battles” bring the fight of the “Dragon” to a new stage!

Yakuza 7 uses a “live command RPG battle” system that combines the series’ signature action with an RPG command system. It has evolved into a system in which anyone can easily enjoy exhilarating battles. In this completely new battle system, Ichiban Kasuga and his party will fight by selecting techniques with various effects such as attack, recovery, support, and more. Enjoy immersive and dynamic battles against all sorts of enemies.


■ Adventure

A new setting: Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama!

Yakuza 7 is set in the huge new area of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, which is more than three times the size of Kamurocho in Tokyo. In Yokohama, where every place has different faces, a grand story will unfold.


■ Characters

Ichiban Kasuga (2000 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)

Yakuza-7_2019_08-29-19_014.jpg


The Tojo Clan is Kanto’s largest yakuza organization. Ichiban Kasuga is a wakashu of the Arakawa Family, a third generation family of the Tojo Clan. Since he was born in Kamurocho soapland Shangri-La, he is called “Soap Ichiban” by the older residents. Although he grew up without knowing his true parents, he was charmed by the manly spirit of Masumi Arakawa, who he met at age 15, and joined the Arakawa Family. Since then, he has lived with resolute loyalty to Arakawa, but since he is not good when it comes to earning money, he is shunned by the wakagashira Jo Sawashiro, who stresses the importance of money.

Yakuza-7_2019_08-29-19_016.jpg


He takes the fall for Sawashiro, who committed murder, at the request of Arakawa Family leader Masumi Arakawa, who is like a father to him. After that, he spends 18 years in penal servitude. After he is released, the Tojo Clan has fallen, and the Kansai yakuza known as the Omi Alliance has taken control over Kamurocho. Finding out that Masumi Arakawa was behind it all, Kasuga goes to see Arakawa to asertain the truth at its source.


See here for more info:


Added to OP
 
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Verdanth

Member
Let's see how this plays out.

Everything looked good except turn based. It just feels odd for people like us who follow the series for so much time.

But then again, they are taking a risk, and we also now have Judgment, who can mantain the more action oriented style.
 

Acidizer

Banned
This would be immense without the turn based thing.

I was hoping for a Spike Out type thing and I thought this was it.
 
New direction with Yakuza series and Judgment will continue the legacy. Makes perfect sense. Not going to touch Y7 tho but wh ocares when Judgment is the best Yakuza game anyway or at least as good as Y0.
 

Kazza

Member
Apparently, the western version will be titled "Yakuza: Like a Dragon".

I think this is a good move, both due to the brand new play-style and also because it's less intimidating to newcomers than Yakuza 7.

 
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sublimit

Banned
I still don't like the main character but damn they are doing so much to finally spice things up. I was honestly planning to skip this one (that would have been the first Yakuza that i skipped) but the new Yokohama area and the new battle system are more than reasons enough to at least give it a try.
Oh and i appreciated the Dragon Quest reference.
 
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mejin

Member
Apparently, the western version will be titled "Yakuza: Like a Dragon".

I think this is a good move, both due to the brand new play-style and also because it's less intimidating to newcomers than Yakuza 7.


yep, just perfect.




Damn, 2020 is the new 2013 for playstation. Actually, PS4 has a better goodbye year than PS3.
 

zombrex

Member
The battle system looks really cool, I am not against RPG style at all. I think they are doing it to try get some broader appeal and more sales. They have probably looked at the success of the persona series in both Japan and abroad.
However it should be a spin off with a different naming system. Making it a mainline numbered title was a big mistake.
 

sublimit

Banned
The battle system looks really cool, I am not against RPG style at all. I think they are doing it to try get some broader appeal and more sales. They have probably looked at the success of the persona series in both Japan and abroad.
However it should be a spin off with a different naming system. Making it a mainline numbered title was a big mistake.
I totally agree on that.
 
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I'm confused. At first I was like "Hell no, what are you doing? Keep your hands off my Yakuza #nochanges"

But then I realized that I don't really play Yakuza for the fights, but for the story and the minigames. So as long as the combat system works it might be a good game?

Waiting for the enemy to attack so you could Tiger Drop counter was almost turn-based after all.
 

TLZ

Banned
Apparently, the western version will be titled "Yakuza: Like a Dragon".

I think this is a good move, both due to the brand new play-style and also because it's less intimidating to newcomers than Yakuza 7.

Ok. So it's not Yakuza 7 in the west? That naming is a bit long though if they plan a sequel. Could've stuck with 2 words or 3. So if we get a sequel, it'll be called Yakuza like a dragon 2?
 

Hudo

Member
I am actually excited for this. Even though I enjoyed the combat of previous Yakuza games, I wouldn't mind them trying a turn-based game. But then again, I like turn-based stuff.
 

Geki-D

Banned
Ok. So it's not Yakuza 7 in the west? That naming is a bit long though if they plan a sequel. Could've stuck with 2 words or 3. So if we get a sequel, it'll be called Yakuza like a dragon 2?
Reminds me of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, seeing as Like a Dragon is the Japanese name for the series. I guess in the west at least, this is meant to be sort of a reboot to the franchise just like RE7 was a soft reboot. May as well be after all, different main character, different location and they're pretty much changing the game's genre, so naming it a sequel seems a bit silly.
 
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morelan

Member
I can't imagine completely changing the combat system of the series if the team behind it wasn't sure it's going to work. I mean, they might be wrong, but it's a really bold move and I like it.
 

mejin

Member
People who want the same winning formula should expect Judgment 2.

New protagonist, new story, new beginning is a great opportunity for them to differentiate their ips this time. Just my opinion, of course.
 
So the Yakuza team has deceided to get mad... and i like it.

Next, should be :
- a Street of Rage Yakuza
- a Persona Arena Yakuza
- a Project Diva Yaluza
- a Project X Zone based on the whole Yakuza characters and content
- Yakuza X Shenmue

Come on guys, get wild!
 
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I am very much in, I wish games made bold moves like this more often. Its funny though reading the response to this being turn based vs FFVII being action based. I mean I get it, but it is still amusing.
 

sublimit

Banned
Maybe it will have 2 fighting modes that we could choose? One being the same as in previous games and one that is this new turned based system?
 

xrnzaaas

Gold Member
I'll definitely play it, I mean c'mon they're finally making a brand new city. The decision to go turn based is very weird though, especially for a mainline Yakuza game. This is something I'd expect from a spin-off like Judgment.
 

zenspider

Member
I love that they mixed it up, but Yakuza was the top-tier beat 'em up housed in an elegant lite JRPG - it's a shame to see that niche go away for the forseeable future. Skeptical, but interested.
 
Apparently, the western version will be titled "Yakuza: Like a Dragon".

I think this is a good move, both due to the brand new play-style and also because it's less intimidating to newcomers than Yakuza 7.


Their subtitke should have been "A Yakuza's Life" or something for the double crossover reference. :p

Probably done to reference Dragon Quest.

People also forget that Panzer Dragoon changed genres and it is now the most sought after RPG!!!
 
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Shifty1897

Member
Wow, they're really going for it.

I'm always down to try something new. To be honest I wish more devs played fast and loose with the mechanics of long-running series.
 

Boss Mog

Member
It'll probably be a step up from the clunky, over the top fighting mechanics which for me have always been the series' weak point. That being said the series would be elevated to god-like if it were more like Sleeping Dogs.
 

TLZ

Banned
Here's footage again of that old "April fools":


Just watched this. I like what I'm seeing, but I still want it to be its own thing and continue down this route.

It's kinda weird seeing action going turn-based, when it's always the other way around.
 
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Carna

Banned
For people angry this is turn-based, this mostly a one-off type of thing. They are not gonna perma-shift to turn-based. It's like RE7 with the first-person. They did that because people were losing interest. One game with a new perspective to have people interested, then they shift back to the previous one with a sense of refreshment. Did you guys think the RE2 remake was going to be first-person?
 

Sentenza

Member
Turn-based battle system is something I did not see coming. Not that I care too much.

Personally I love GOOD turn-based tactical battles. Too bad the "good" part is basically antithetic to what most JRPGs do, as far as I'm concerned.

I like systems where positioning matter, the sequence of attacks make a difference and tactical options are abundant, like XCOM 2, Jagged Alliance 2 or Divinity Original Sin 2.
I do NOT like "menu-based combat systems where party members and enemies stand in line and attack in rotation.
 
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Teletraan1

Banned
Action combat is old and stale. Even pong was action based. Turn based is the new hotness.

I am very interested in this title now.
 

Wonko_C

Member
Seems the western version will ditch the 7 and use the original Japanese name (Like a Dragon) as its subtitle. Good move, as it shows it's a new beginning and entry point for the series. It also fits nicely with the fact that Ichiban likes Dragon Quest.

Not particularly into turn-based RPGs but I'm ok with the change. If they had done that with any of the previous main Yakuza games I would have been not ok with it. I wouldn't want them to revert to brawler style for Ichiban's series either. Maybe yakuza 14 is going to star a new character and turn the combat into a Initial D racer, I'd be down for that too.

Besides, we already have Judgment for our brawler needs. :p
 
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DonF

Gold Member
A very drastic change. Lets see if people like it.
Why not just make a side story, and not a mainline game. Weird.
 

Shrap

Member
Hmmm not sure what to think of the turn based system. To be fair the old battle system was getting really long in the tooth and the series has been in need of some big gameplay change ups for a while.
 
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