Sure, there’s talk of creator Yu Suzuki wanting to make Shenmue 3 in the news. When is there not talk of someone, somewhere wanting to make another Shenmue? What some of these misguided Segaphiles seem to forget, of course, is that Yakuza practically is Shenmue.
Similar mechanics, practically the same development team members, and though Yakuza’s Kazuma Kiryu probably has a bit more ink done than Shenmue’s Ryo Hazuki (not to mention a worrying penchant for teddy-boy popped collars), all the hallmarks of Shenmue can be found in the Yakuza series. Quick Time Events? Check. A plethora of mini-games? Present. It even has the same trio of modes: Event, Adventure and Battle. It’s literally Shenmue in everything but name.
Of course, the Yakuza series has its own fans in its own right. In fact, when it looked like we here in the West weren’t getting our oversized hands on Yakuza 3 (mostly because we stinking gaijin didn’t really get off our Western asses and buy the first two Yakuza games), a fully-functioning campaign was forged by the series’ foreign zealots. Letters were drafted, petitions birthed, and, in general, support sought. Sega, in their infinite wisdom, let this fan-fervour gestate until it finally spilled over into what they assumedly gauged as “probably enough to warrant a Western release of the game” territory.
And release it they did, and, true to our usually dishonourable word, we went out and bought it. As a reward for our fealty toward this foreign lord, Sega have confirmed that Yakuza 4 will see a release over in these parts next year.
That said, the graphic and title above is for Yakuza Of the End, the seventh Yakuza title to surface since Kazuma-san first widely strut his stuff back in 2005, but you can take it this entry also covers the aforemention Yakuza 4 follow-up. After all, CS1 Team practically churn out a new Yakuza game over a frantic weekend of sake and marathon karaoke sessions. We do get confused at times.
The biggest draw to Yakuza Of the End (literally “Like a Dragon Of the End” in Japanese, and no; it doesn’t make much more sense in its native tongue) is the presence of everyone’s favourite gaming’s staple: zombies. How in the Emperor’s name they came up with the idea that featuring an undead outbreak in Kamurocho was something we, the fans, wanted, we will never know. We guess zombies literally can be inserted into any genre. They’re insta-genre-compatible!
Yakuza Of the End, zombies and all, will be out in Japan next year. Knowing Sega , it will also invade our moist, delicious brain-filled shores sometime later on in the same year/month/day.
colmshan1990
Any genre?
FIFA DLC anyone?
Let’s hope Kaz doesn’t read this, or GT5 will be getting another delay, we can’t miss the zombie driver mode after all!
This game seems… different. I didn’t really connect with Yakuza in the past, but I may have to give this a go, especially after it comes down in price.
Kovacs
Okay, maybe not every genre. I was being a little facetious. Maybe.
;)
solidsteven
GT5 zombies sound good.:P I’ve just sent kaz that idea and he said that gt5 will be delayed untill 3099.:P
SpikeyMikey23
always wanted to try yakuza, was there ever a demo? Im not keen on GTA and im given the impression its very similar
Kovacs
There is a Yakuza 3 demo. Also, it’s not really like GTA. Hard to explain. Give it a shot. You might like it.
jayjay119
Yakuza is not virtually Shenmue, yes the two have similar fighting systems but Yakuza is a much lower quality production than even Shenmue 1 on the DC was, which is strange, which is why I know which on I would take in a heartbeat.
Kovacs
I’ve played both Shenmues and … Hmm … Three Yakuzas. They’re not identical, obviously, but never has the term “spiritual successor” applied to a series so much.
jayjay119
That I agree with, Yakuza is much more a spiritual successor to Shenmue than Heavy Rain was to Fahrenheit/Project Indigo but, I dunno even today Yakuza still feels like the inferior brother who is like his sibling but just not as good really.
Kovacs
A good point. Personally, of all the games, Shenmue 1 is my favourite. But, and this is just me, I think Yakuza 3 is a close second. I liked it more than Shenmue 2. o_O
I still think the games are exceptionally close in terms of overall gameplay.
jayjay119
I agree, Shenmue 1 is the best, but I think for me it’sbecause of what it represents, even today a lot of games haven’t come close to matching the quality of the game and the realism of the world withing. Shenmue 2 was good, but it just felt like an extention of the first game, there was nothing really there that extended the world created in Shenmue 1. I would love to see the last part made with todays technology though, imagine what they could do, if it wasn’t dumbed down that is.