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

The Snake

Member
Excited for this but very confused. Seems like an odd change to make this far into a series, and for a non-spinoff title no less.

Seems like a risky move, too, since Yakuza is just now landing with normies who otherwise don't care for turn-based combat as far as I know.
 
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I just find it funny that after all this time, SEGA has finally somewhat adopted the series' actual name for the international releases. Otherwise, I'm not thrilled by news of the change to the combat system. We'll see how things look, once they start releasing legitimate in-game video of the title.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Turn-based RP-- the fuck? This is like... the opposite of what I want from Yakuza. And I like turn-based RPGs.

That said, the series could stand a shake-up. I just dunno if that's what I would've changed first.
 

Whitesnake

Banned
There are two things I like about the Yakuza series: the gameplay, and Kiryu’s story.

If they made Yakuza 6 a turn-based RPG, I would’ve been pissed that they dumbed the gameplay down, but I would’ve still had some interest.

But this has neither Kiryu nor any remnant of the gameplay that 0-6 had. Can this really even be called a Yakuza game?

Whatever, at least I still have Judgement.
 
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Keihart

Member
I'm very OK with this since yakuza was always kinda of an RPG already, just an action one you might say. I would have preffered to have both styles play diferent roles in the same game tho. Like, at some moments you have to figh and at others is classic action or something. But yeah, seems to fit yakuza pretty alright. The game already had lots of sidequests, random encounters and laundry list of skills to learn.
 

Fbh

Member
Bring it on, the turn based combat still has to prove itself but I'll keep an open mind.
As much as I like the stories and writing in the Yakuza games, the gameplay was turning a bit stale and repetitive IMO. I've yet to pick up Judgement because yet another game in Kamurocho with similar gameplay just wasn't hyping me (will still buy it at some point), and I wasn't particularly looking forward to this reveal because I expected it was just going to be more of the same with another character.

So new protagonist, new city and new combat system is the sort of change I was hoping for to re-ignite my interest in the series. Hopefully the battle system is good and they balance it well (if it's turn based I imagine battles will take longer so they better lower the encounter rate)
 

Kazza

Member
They still haven't announced the arcade line-up yet. What new game would everyone most like to be in it? My dream choice would be Daytona USA 2. Realistically, maybe something like Last Bronx (which would be cool too).
 

Keihart

Member
Virtua Fighter 5 with online would be amazing, people would play Yakuza to play virtua figther, that would be hilarious.
 
They don't develop games for the western market. Yakuza has always catered to their home audience and the fact that we get it in the west is just a bonus

I never quite understood then why they keep Yakuza exclusive to PS4 console-wise. PS4 hasn't necessarily lit the charts on fire there and I'm sure they could reach a plethora of new fans with Switch versions at least for that region.

Yes, the game will look a lot worst, but the gameplay would stay the same. I'm still holding out hope there's a new Streets of Rage with the Yakuza engine in the future, I'd love to play something like that (and with Yuzo's soundtrack).
 

Javthusiast

Banned
Changing it up between the Kiryu games and now this new yakuza era, fine by me. Yakuza games were jrpgs with random battles, quests etc. all along, just with an action battle system.

And after more than 6 games I think they are allowed to try new things. Hell even Judgment had the same system as all the other previous titles. And btw, the battle system always was a little clunky.

Let them try new things.
 

GrayFoxPL

Member
Turn based, eh?

pR5Ht2V.gif


To be honest I expected them to speed up the battles, not slow them down to a crawl.

Just imagine entering all those annoying thug encounters.

I don't mind the rpg system per se but when I imagine the snail pace of the battles in a Yakuza game...

FmTiksk.gif


Here's hoping the Japanese will beta test this and Sega would add Turbo Battles to western version.

Still Yakuza is Yakuza and this will be solid at worst. Not a day 1 but later down the line, why not?



They still haven't announced the arcade line-up yet. What new game would everyone most like to be in it? My dream choice would be Daytona USA 2. Realistically, maybe something like Last Bronx (which would be cool too).


Since this is a rpg, I'd expect old genesis jrpg's like Phantasy Star or Shining Force to be playable. Maybe these will replace arcades.
I wouldn't be surprised at least.
 
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RavageX

Member
Not sure how I feel about this. I hope they do a demo. I'm not keen on it because I LIKE the beat em up style of the series. There's hardly anyone else doing that other than indie folks(and I'm not a fan).

I am willing to give it a chance cause I am a fan, and I understand wanting to try something different.
 

CamHostage

Member
The battle system looks really cool, I am not against RPG style at all...However it should be a spin off with a different naming system. Making it a mainline numbered title was a big mistake.

Well, it is just a number...I feel the same way (and appreciate the international name change,) but it's a weird hang-up of us that we're so worried about what it's called even though many of us like what it is.

As others have mentioned, Yakuza 6 was always billed as the finale of the Kazuma Kiryu saga, so we should have been expecting changes, but the fact they stuck the 7 on it and yet it's a new start messes with my sense of organized canon. (I think SEGA was just too worried that the Ryu ga Gotoku spin-offs don't sell as well as the "mainline" games and so they needed the number on this new game whether or not it's a fresh start? Or, just, yeah, there is no other Game 7 but this, so call it that.)

I do feel like a little bit different graphical style could have also helped transition between the original era and this new era of Yakuza.

I love that they mixed it up, but Yakuza was the top-tier beat 'em up housed in an elegant lite JRPG...

I didn't get to play it much (since I'm waiting in vain for an official domestic release,) but, hmm... wouldn't the top-tier beat 'em up housed in an elegant lite JRPG actually be Aki/Syn Sophia's Yakuza: Black Leopard line?
(posted mainly because I want those PSP Yakuza games done up in HD and brought here)
 

Zambatoh

Member
I noticed that some of you are wandering why it's called "7". It's because it's canon and a direct continuation of the legacy that started with Kiryu. The spin-offs of the series are generally not viewed as such. Often taking place in what-if scenarios or parallel worlds.

As for the combat system, like it or not, every protagonist in the series has had their own combat system. Haruka even had a dance battle system in 5. So whose to say that Kasuga can't have his own Dragon-Quest/Persona-inspired combat system? He's an old school gamer after all.
 
I can understand they want to make a turn based rpg. But why to call it Yakuza 7?

Does it matter, really? It's clear that this is a different take on the Yakuza series, it's a new protagonist and all. I'm not sure if this will work, but I appreciate that they're trying. It's better than seeing the combat gameplay getting stagnant. Besides, RGG Studio is a BOSS developer. They hit on everything they put up, it's just great title after great title. So they've earned some good will IMO.
 
I dont like that it is main series, if it was a spinoff like dead souls no problem, i would have bought it at launch and had no problem with it like i did for dead souls.

I have faith in Nagoshi, the man has never made a bad game and is my favorite person at sega, so the product will be solid BUT!

i just dont like the direction for the game at all, it seems that it will have a way more "comedic" direction than the other games concidering what i have read and watched of gameplay and trailers.
Sure you can say that yakuza games always had comedic elemnts it did, but it was mostly contained to substories and random events, i just have the feeling this is much more applied to the main story in this game so i am fearing it will be a completly different tone and type of game from 1-6. (hope im wrong.)

Also to go from the beat em up combat system to turn based combat is such a radical fucking change that i cant see long terms fan suporting it for the mainline games, and i hope to christ they dont. It also looks slow as fuck, imagine all those random encounters you have to grind out to level up with those slow animations and five mobs taking a turn each, I just cant phantom it, i really cant. This game series was the only popular brawler with a good story on the market (yeah i know judgment exists) now turned into a 4 party turned based jrpg, it's my favorite video game series of all time, so yeah im fuming.

Also the 8 bit sfx what the fuck where they thinking it sounds like absolute ass and dosent fit the game at all. The only thing i like about it is that it's set in Yokohama, i am not vibing with anything else i have seen so far. I will reserve total judgment until TGS to say for sure tho.

So now the question is should i buy it or not, if it sells well we might never get another mainline Yakuza game with brawler combat and its turned into utter SHIT. If it dosent sell well sega might as well use it as an excuse to not localize the games anymore, as almost happened after Dead Souls, it was utter pain to wait for literally YEARS with no info at ALL if we where ever getting Yakuza 5 to the west. I was checking fan forums weekly just for some glimer of good news for years.

So the only thing i can really hope for is that it sells like shit in Japan and okay in the west, considering the piss poor reception it has gotten over in Japan i hope i am right. And they go back to the brawler combat for the future games.

Christ what a shit reveal!!!
 
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Virex

Banned
I never quite understood then why they keep Yakuza exclusive to PS4 console-wise. PS4 hasn't necessarily lit the charts on fire there and I'm sure they could reach a plethora of new fans with Switch versions at least for that region.

Yes, the game will look a lot worst, but the gameplay would stay the same. I'm still holding out hope there's a new Streets of Rage with the Yakuza engine in the future, I'd love to play something like that (and with Yuzo's soundtrack).
You have no idea what you're talking about.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Fast ass-whoopings in the signature of the Yakuza franchise, but a Sega game losing fire would be nothing new.
 
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RPGCrazied

Member
At first I thought it was a minigame or something. I'm all for something new, but will miss the other Yakuza combat systems.
 

Justin9mm

Member
I hate RPG turn based combat games.. I'm so sad to hear this, even if everything else is top notch, I still won't be able to get into it I know it! I love the series and now I have to pass on this one.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
I'm excited to see how this turns out. I love the series and have played most of the games, and while the combat has been enjoyable, I'm also super up for a more RPG/turn based combat system.
 

EDMIX

Member
So why not just make new IP instead? They should take a break from Yakuza series for a while and give fans a chance to miss the series.

Cause they don't want to. What they are changing likely isn't enough for a new IP and makes sense for what they've already created with Yakuza. I mean damn, after 10 games, move on. I'm fine with either or.
 

philz

Member
As someone who played through Yakuza 0 but didn't love the combat after 35 hours this has at least piqued my interest.
 

lachesis

Member
I am skpetical about the turn based battles - but maybe it will give players more time to think and plan their attack, resulting spectacular combos with brutality. However, I wlll miss my triangle finish moves.. :(
 

Shifty

Member
That's nuts. I never expected it to be the whole game rather than a goofy side game thing for a specific few questlines.

Colour me interested. It's a shame to see the loss of beat 'em up combat since there are so few series that actually do it these days, but Yakuza means quality so I'm sure it'll be a fun game.
 

Pallas

Member
Wow, that’s a pretty radical change but it looks interesting. I guess my only concern is that the battles are going to be much slower pace now. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE turn base rpg’s but I always enjoyed the faster, hectic pace of Yakuza battle mechanics, especially in 0 with the beast fighting form.

Still I’m interested and would give it a try.
 

Rayderism

Member
I would rather they altered the fighting to be like Judgment with the running up the walls and stuff (that was cool), not go turned-based (not cool).

If this is how Yakuza 7 will actually be, it will be the first Yakuza I don't bother with.
 

LOLCats

Banned
Maybe its really fun? The turn based, its possible they tested it and people loved it. Only immediate thought, grinding could be really drawn out, so hopefully they scale that somehow.
 
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KonradLaw

Member
Gutsy. It makes sense if they want to continue Judgement as series. That said, they probably should have made Judgemtn turn-based and keep action combat for Yakuza.
 

Kazza

Member
It seems like they got a little pushback by some Japanese Yakuza fans for the change in gameplay style, but they are taking it well (google translate):

MrIaXNK.png
 
Personally I thought the combat in Judgment was a step down from mainline Yakuza titles so the change in direction is appreciated. Its kind of weird seeing negativity around this since it pretty much sounds like my dream game.
 
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