Yakuza 3 Review

By Kristan Reed Published 9 March, 2010

Chop chop.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

Given that it has the lowest petty crime statistics in the civilised world, Japan's portrayal in the Yakuza series, as a thug-infested cesspool of extreme physical violence, certainly provides an amusing contrast from the endlessly polite reality. Perhaps the whole of Japanese society is secretly fantasising about stoving each other's faces in with bicycles. It would explain a lot.

Even the gentlest stroll down a local Okinawan highway almost always ends up with lead protagonist Kiryu Kazuma being set upon by puffy-jacketed gang members eager to acquaint him with their fists. Any excuse for aggro is considered fair game, but more often than not it's simply because they want to mess him up.

Back on his old Yakuza turf you could understand the incessant hostility, but the life of the former 4th chairman of the Tojo clan has turned around somewhat dramatically. A few years on from the chaotic events of Yakuza 2 we find the sculpted man-machine holed up in the idyllic surrounds of a distant beachside orphanage, chopping onions and dispensing sage-like advice to 10-year-olds.

But wearisome problems are never that far away from Kiryu, even when he elects to decamp to the most remote part of Japan. Sure enough, trouble finds him when it transpires that frowning men in suits want to knock down the orphanage and build a military base and holiday resort where it sits.

'Yakuza 3' Screenshot 1

The yellow ink is especially painful, we're reliably informed.

As ever, the game's endlessly convoluted exposition provides a fine and curiously compelling framework upon which to hang accessible beat-'em-up encounters. For more than 20 hours you'll happily smash an endless supply of goons in the mush in increasingly elaborate fashion, gaining new moves and narrative insight into the bargain. It's a compelling formula, despite or perhaps because of its undemanding simplicity.

From the publisher that brought us Streets of Rage, Virtua Fighter and Shenmue, Yakuza is essentially a mashup of all three, which is hardly surprising but does mean it's the stuff of SEGAphile fantasies. Liberally sprinkled with their genius, it's the grateful beneficiary of some of their most satisfying elements, in a context which delivers a uniquely Japanese - and uniquely SEGA - flavour.

In its latest incarnation, though, most of the changes are peripheral to the ultra-accessible two-button-mashing violence at its core. Perhaps the most striking improvement comes as a result of the series' belated arrival on a high-definition platform, with the already lavish production values benefitting enormously from its graduation to PS3. From the moment Kiryu strides up the beach with his intricately etched dragon tattoo in full view, it's evidently a game with an eye for detail.

'Yakuza 3' Screenshot 2

The old arm hump manoeuvre is a winner.

Wandering idly through downtown Okinawa (and, later, Tokyo), the heady bustle combines with a convincing atmosphere of enigmatic inscrutability that accompanies any Japanese urban exploration. Between the dense and narrow layout, mysterious shops and market stalls routinely offer an expansive and exhaustive array of items whose sole purpose appears to be to cater to the eccentric whims of OCD gamers.

Sampling each and every one contributes to the game's exhausting progression requirements, and it quickly becomes apparent that there are no simple shortcuts. Spending an astonishing 295 minutes watching cut-scenes is but one in a long line of extraordinary completion requirements. More than 20 hours, a completed main quest and countless side missions yielded me less than 10 per cent completion.

But if the spirit of the game is to waste as much of your time as possible, then it's just as well that you'll revel in this indulgence. Given how many side quests and mini-games the first two Yakuzas boasted, it shouldn't come as any great surprise to discover even more layered on top, but their presence remains utterly integral to the game's appeal.

In addition to the bowling, arcade games, gambling and the UFO catchers that you'll be familiar with from previous editions, Yakuza 3 beefs up the distraction quotient no end. There's golf, karaoke, darts, a batting cage, pool, fishing, fighting tournaments, card games and other incidental tasks, all of which are built into the missions themselves, so there's never any shortage of peripheral amusements to get stuck into whenever the incessant brawling loses its lustre.

They're mostly designed as throwaway extras, but the game still does a handsome job in whatever it tackles, with simple, intuitive mechanics built into every one of its mini-games, and it also manages to infuse inadvertent humour when you least expect it. Kiryu's steely expression as he casts his rod out to sea, or his impassioned karaoke performances, are sure to be the stuff of gaming legend, while his furious attempts to blog the 'revelations' he discovers via his cameraphone repeatedly drive home the game's adorable lack of self-awareness.

In the main missions, meanwhile, there's a notable attempt to improve the sense of variety. Rather than cram in one linear brawl after another until the inevitable boss encounter, greater attention has been paid to the game's pacing. The emphasis on character development during each of the dozen chapters is particularly noticeable, with numerous missions devoted entirely to dramas at the orphanage, while other sections task you with fleeing from or chasing after assailants rather than battering them into submission. While it's true that certain sections outstay their welcome, this unhurried ebb and flow is something you grow to appreciate.

Inevitably, combat still provides the main thrust of the gameplay, and a few tweaks have also found their way into the otherwise-familiar melee fighting system. A few more Heat moves have been included, while the ability to craft and repair your own weapons helps give you the edge during the really intense encounters. Although at its heart, Yakuza 3 is still the same uncompromisingly brutal mix of punches, kicks, grabs and blocks it always was, with a basic RPG-style experience system underpinning the level and variation of attacks.

'Yakuza 3' Screenshot 3

Drinking too much antifreeze can have undesirable effects.

Although this brand of uber-violence can be supremely satisfying when it's at its most bone-crunchingly brutal, it's not without its foibles. Despite being wonderfully accessible, you tend to get inexplicably locked between opponents' attacks, which still rankles, and fight strategy is limited, mostly boiling down to mashing buttons until you can unleash one of the gratuitous head-smashing Heat moves (although there's still nothing quite like throwing a bicycle at a downed opponent and then jumping full-force at their face).

The problem isn't so much the combat itself, but that Yakuza 3 doesn't know when to leave you alone. Being spammed with random brawls when you're trying to get from A to B is tedious, and if there was a means of switching them off it would be a more pleasurable game to play in general. It's not as if the game's exactly lacking for combat anyway, and with all the extra distractions that have been added the chances are you'll be caught out more than ever by pointless random battles.

What's really likely to irk fans though is SEGA's decision to chop parts from the Western release entirely. Having already admitted that you'll no longer be able to groom hostesses in cabaret bars, it's irritating to discover that you can't engage in the hilarious erotic massage mini-game either, where Kiryu has to keep his rising excitement under control while images of scantily clad ladies waft past.

'Yakuza 3' Screenshot 4

Few men can carry off the upturned collar like Kiryu.

The omission of Mahjong, Shogi Chess, and the Answer X Answer trivia game is hardly a big loss, but it still leaves a bad taste in the mouth, especially given that both previous Yakuza games were translated without ditching any of the more obscure elements of Japanese culture. Maybe poor sales figures in the West for both titles convinced SEGA that it wasn't worth the additional effort.

Still, in SEGA's defence, it has got a point when says there's enough great content to satisfy Western audiences. Even playing through the main missions will take a minimum of 15 hours, while the addition of around 100 side quests easily doubles that tally. Factor in the innumerable additional challenges, and the free DLC bundled with the game, and it will be hard to feel short-changed.

For a game that could well have been overlooked for a Western release entirely, the removal of a few minor elements, while frustrating, is a small price to pay. What remains is a relentlessly enjoyable action-RPG, which offers a unique insight into Japanese culture despite its exaggerations. The Western version of Yakuza 3 might have suffered a few heartbreaking cuts, but it's still intriguing at every turn and shouldn't be missed.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (75) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • number9 #1 2 years ago

    Yazkua 3? I don't get it.

    Edit: Why all the negativity? There was an error in the title of the article and they corrected it...
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 16:08

  • mowgli #2 2 years ago

    Played demo. Demo was meh.

  • danathjo #3 2 years ago

    I see they timed the Yazkua 4 demo on the Japan store perfectly

  • MiniAmin #4 2 years ago

    Man, God Of War 3, Heavy Rain, and Yakuza 3 all in the span of a month. You lucky bastards ;)

    /Jealous 360/Wii owner...

  • sfp_noodle #5 2 years ago

    i wish i spent my money on this rather than ff13 :(

  • MasterNameless #6 2 years ago

    I'm loving FFXIII so far, around 20 hours in

    I was a little put off Yakuza 3 after the demo, but after reading the full review I am intrigued again. I have too much to play though, so it'll have to wait for the summer drought for me I think.

  • smoothn00dle #7 2 years ago

    I want to play something new.. this is my game *v*

  • Bloodloss #8 2 years ago

    Hmm, would've bought it if they didn't treat westerners as second class customers and cut a bunch of content. At the very least they should've given you the option to enable that stuff.

  • balflear_pkt #9 2 years ago

    day one!

  • NegativeZero #10 2 years ago

    It increasingly sounds like the removal of the bars and massage parlours is less a case of Sega couldn't be arsed, and more that they're trying to cover themselves from someone being offended.

    Taking out all the cultural things that give the game its flavour seems really wierd, almost as if the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. Sega are such a baffling company sometimes. It's like there's some kind of cosmic scale and they have to make sure they balance out every good decision they make with a crap one.

  • Cataferal #11 2 years ago

    The biggest release of the month.

  • Kanjin #12 2 years ago

    'Yazkua' how excellent, feel like I should be stroking my moustache while I say it.

  • davisorle #13 2 years ago

    On EG that barely gives good scores and this got an 8? This is such bullshit... lol Im sorry, Im a guy that has a list with games to buy for a PS3 that i also have on my list to buy and this game is one of the crapiest shit ever. Looks like a cheap immitation opf Shen Mue and as bad as the campaign of Tekken which noone ever enjoyed.

    8/10? EG you are so bad in reviews.

    Edit: For all of those thinking that im just craptalking against an exclusive u are more than welcome to downrate me. I honestly dont gieva f**k if you think so.
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 05:40

  • Spman2099 #14 2 years ago

    Such a great series... Surely some people won't understand Yakuza 3; however, those who do love it.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #15 2 years ago

    Never really 'got' yakuza games. Even if I did I wouldn't buy this due to the odd cuts imposed on Westerners.

  • jonsaan #16 2 years ago

    You can hardly moan about the decision to chop more risque parts of the gameplay EG. Your constant lashing of games like Dead or Alive obviously doesn't always fall on deaf ears. This is what you get ultimately.

  • HokutoNoKen #17 2 years ago

    What a great time for all PS3 owners!

    Heavy Rain : score 9 / 10
    Final Fantasy XIII : score 8 / 10
    God of War 3 : score 9 / 10
    Yakuza 3 : score 8 / 10
    Battlefield: Bad Company 2 : score 9 /10

    / Ken

  • EvilBob_leeds #18 2 years ago

    Yea verily, great days are these to be gamers, I say unto you!

  • menage #19 2 years ago

    I still want this, but cutting content which would add some more variety instead of just punching made this a one I will pick up when it drops in price.

    Otherwise I would have bought it day one.

  • ZuluHero #20 2 years ago

    While I really enjoyed the Yakuza 3 demo and will still be getting it on release, what really stood out for me as the most disappointing was the lack of voices. Maybe I’m too used to fully-voiced western games like ME2 and Heavy Rain, but Y3 with its text boxes seemed like a step backwards to me.

  • BAM! #21 2 years ago

    Day one. Fuck the haters.

  • jonsaan #22 2 years ago

    I enjoyed the demo but I had to keep checking I wasn't playing the dreamcast. I couldn't find the mad angels either.

  • LetsGo #23 2 years ago

    So far this year;

    MAG, Heavy Rain, GOW3 and Yakuza.

    Wow, expensive times for PS3 owners.... ;*(
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 08:25

  • DiamondIce #24 2 years ago

    I saw the review of this on Playr on Sunday and they gave it 4/10. They said it was shoddy with a lot of really bad glitches and poor gameplay.

    After the demo I decided it wasn't ever going to click with me especially with all the other stuff coming out.

    Edit:
    1) Just saying what another source thought of game
    2) Expressing an opinion on here really leads to negativity
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 15:55

  • TheJuriel #25 2 years ago

    So, it's like Shenmue. Shame it doesn't look any better.

  • MrTeatime #26 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:59:18 03-01-2012

  • FireMonkey #27 2 years ago

    "Given that it has the lowest petty crime statistics in the civilised world, Japan's portrayal in the Yakuza series, as a thug-infested cesspool of extreme physical violence"

    At what point did 'extreme physical violence' get classed as 'petty crime'?

  • jellyhead #28 2 years ago

    Excellent tagline :)

    Brilliant series of games. Buy this game you maniacs, just buy it :)

    I wanted to run a Hostess Bar, Sega. Idiots! You'd better bring Yakuza 4 over if this sells well and no chopping chunks out of that one. We're perfectly capable of understanding Japanese culture thankyouverymuch.

  • Slipstream #29 2 years ago

    It's a no brainer...

    (Shenkuza Fan over here)

    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 15:34

  • Blerk #30 2 years ago

    By the looks of it nobody's going to buy the third game either. Such a shame that hardly anyone will even give it a chance - such a brilliant series. :-(

  • apoc_reg #31 2 years ago

    Great review and matches my attitude to the cuts perfectly.

    Don't care about chess but bummed about hostess stuff... just not enough to stop me being excited for it!

    Haven't given up hope for hostess dlc though....

  • HarryPalmer #32 2 years ago

    Gonna buy it just because it's unique, I found the combat in the demo a little simplistic?? Maybe I was missing something, and probably didn't have access to a lot of the moves.

  • andywilkie35 #33 2 years ago

    shopto.net have sent this out to me already, not gonna be able to play it though as I'm balls deep in the outstanding FFXIII.

    But this'll be good to have on the shelf so as soon as I've finished that and God of War 3, this'll be straight in the PS3

  • mikeck #34 2 years ago

    I think this is what excites me now more than anything: Spending an astonishing 295 minutes watching cut-scenes is but one in a long line of extraordinary completion requirements. More than 20 hours, a completed main quest and countless side missions yielded me less than 10 per cent completion.

    That's my life sucked away right there :)

  • mr_shoe_uk #35 2 years ago

    I knew we'd lost the hostess clubs, but shogi and mahjong..? That's extra dissapointing, I'm much sorrier to lose those than the bars.

    It seems like a strange decision as well, the only translation would be adding a big explanation, but they could have just copied over this from Yakuza 2.

    Oh well, still pretty pumped, extremely anticpated game for me.

  • swissorc #36 2 years ago

    @MiniAmin
    Not really still playing Mass Effect 2 and looking forward to Red Steel 2 and Monster Hunter 3 Oh and Galaxy 2, Metroid etc etc. Would I like to play God of War 3 not really would I like to Play Yakukza 3 yep would I like to WATCH heavy rain nope. Jelous not really the word i'd use.
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 09:29

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #37 2 years ago

    Can't wait for this.

    My third 360 picked an opportune time to die on me. With this, Final Fantasy XIII and God of War 3 I've got plenty to tide me over until I get my 360 back.

  • drumbaby #38 2 years ago

    No games on the PS3...goddamit when are you going to sort it out Sony???!!

  • mikeck #39 2 years ago

    @swissorc

    Jelous not really the word i'd use

    Me neither, I'd use jealous. Sorry, I'm a pedantic bastard. ;)

  • Joco84 #40 2 years ago

    Not a day one purchase for me I'm afraid, what with all the other games that are currently being release on PS3.

    Will wait for the Summer to see if I can pick this up! Good review though

  • Raziel #41 2 years ago

    Buying this day 1.

    won't play it for a while as I'll be playing FFXIII and Heavy Rain first, but I'll be damned if I give Sega any excuse to keep Yakuza 4 in Japan exclusively.

  • Vasenor #42 2 years ago

    This, God of War 3, the better FF XIII and the solid bet that Persona 4 (or other newest SMT game) will be on PS3 is starting to make me really want one...

  • RobotRocker #43 2 years ago

    I find the cut content funny.

    Nerds complain there is no option in game to bribe women to find their lives interesting.

    Still, you should buy this or else we might not get Yakuza Kenzan or Yakuza 4.

  • FabricatedLunatic #44 2 years ago

    A button masher, Kristan? For your garden variety street punk, perhaps, but tougher enemies and bosses require the use of block, dodging, counters, etc.

    But as much as I love Yakuza, I'm not paying full price for a game with that much content missing. Might as well replay the uncut Yakuza 2 until a price drop (which should take no more than a couple of weeks).
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 13:03

  • Snidesworth #45 2 years ago

    Played the demo and found it fun enough, but I couldn't get away with the feeling that it was a PS2 game with some next-gen gloss slapped on top of it. The lack of full voice acting hurt too.

  • krudster #46 2 years ago

    Six HOURS of full voice acting not enough for you?

  • Snidesworth #47 2 years ago

    With modern games routinely having every line voice acted? No, not really.

  • ZuluHero #48 2 years ago

    "Six HOURS of full voice acting not enough for you? "

    No, not really. In this day and age if a game is 30 hours long then it should have 30 hours of voice work. Besides, Its not like they're short of a gig or two on a bluray is it? ;)

  • krudster #49 2 years ago

    Most of the text dialogue is the sort you want to read quickly anyway, and goes on for ages. If it were voice acted, you'd wind up just skipping through most of it anyway. It's better this way from a playability perspective.

  • ZuluHero #50 2 years ago

    It would be nice for the player to be able to decide that though. I thought it lacked the presentation of more western efforts because of its use of text and I personally thought that it suffered a bit because of it. I guess i don't like halfway-house efforts as I find it really noticable when the voices drop out. Also when it sits somewhere between the two its far easier for it to divide people.

  • Snidesworth #51 2 years ago

    So you're saying that you want to rush through the dialogue because it's a load long winded waffle? That just makes it sound like the game needs and editor and more voice acting.

  • Retroid #52 2 years ago

    I really, really want this (especially after the excellent Yakuza 2, perfect for with original speech + subtitles) but I'm still really, really put off by content being cut out.

    I just can't help it :(

  • Lord_Gremlin #53 2 years ago

    God, 8? Now I DO believe EG is full of 360 fanboys.

    Edit: Sorry, I've just realized that EU Yakuza 3 is missing a good chunk of content. This is truly bad, now I see why it's 8.
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 13:39

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #54 2 years ago

    So could all the people that filled up the Portal 2 comments saying that Valve are twats for not releasing it on the PS3 care to come here and tell me why this isn't on 360? Because as a Shenmue fan, I really want to play this!!

    P.S. I know the answer. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 13:39

  • jefranklin18 #55 2 years ago

    @DiamondIce:

    I can't believe anyone would admit to watching Playr. It does little dispel the notion that all gamers are spotty teenagers with a fixation for women that they cannot have. I've tried it a couple of times and little has tempted me to come back.

    However, I would like a gaming show in the style of Top Gear. You have 3 presenters (a fanboy for each system) and a live studio audience and they do news, reviews, etc. You could even have challenges (to match the Top Gear challenge) where they have to (for example) do the Le Mans 24hr on GT (or Forza).

  • dfish #56 2 years ago

    damn too many games atm march is the new xmas. thank god i put some money aside

  • The_Inquisitor #57 2 years ago

    What surprises me by this comments section is just how many people seem oblivious to the Yakuza series prior to this latest entry. It just goes to show how poor the first two were marketed so hopefully this will change.

    As much as I am looking forward to this game and have been since the second game, I'm still flabbergasted at how good it looks.

  • Retroid #58 2 years ago

    Marketed?

    Yakuza 2 stumbled & tripped out into Europe by accident judging from the amount of awareness it had in shops.

    /Pre-ordered it from Play

  • spengos #59 2 years ago

    Well, if Shenmue III isn't coming out then I guess this is the next best thing for now.

    It's a shame it's been slightly westernized. Surely the whole point of games like this is that they reflect the Japanese culture. Whether or not it makes sense to us is irrelevant.

    I'll still pick this up I think. But will wait for it to fall in price a bit. There's just too many other games about atm.

  • telboy007 #60 2 years ago

    I still think Shenmue III is wishful thinking, I still remember that day. With the rain. And that black car. Sob... but if B&GE2 ever comes out then hey, there must be a slim chance!

  • Garfy #61 2 years ago

    I am a big fan of Shenmue and so I tried the first Yakuza game, what a mistake!

    Crappy combat, bad graphics and shoddy design (early stealth section I'm looking at you).

  • Salato #62 2 years ago

    What Retroid said.

    I picked up Yakuza 1 a couple of years ago after reading the Eurogamer review, really enjoyed the game and just got round to finishing Yakuza 2 last Christmas, which was also great.

    I was glad when I heard Sega decided to finally release Yakuza 3 here, but I just can’t bring myself to buy Yakuza 3 right now at full price with the cut content. I know it might be seen as a small issue, but I just don’t want companies like Sega to get the idea that it’s okay to shaft fans and cut content like that in case it encourages it further. I’ll probably get round to buying Yakuza 3 at some point later after a price cut, but right now I just don’t have the same enthusiasm for the game as I would have, which is particularly a problem at a time with so many other great games released for the PS3.

    Tip to Sega – announcing a free DLC release of the cut content for some time in the next few months would change my mind very quickly.

  • Bluetooth #63 2 years ago

    Japan is only "polite" on the surface, and especially to Westerners (whites). See how they treat other people - Chinese, Koreans, blacks (who aren't American), Asians - and you won't be calling them polite. There is also a massive underground gang culture, with Yakuza making deals with corrupt officials and buying up large apartments and buildings whilst having gunfights with rival gangs. It does happen, don't let your idyllic view of Japan as electronic heaven and those femboys with blue hair cloud your judgement. It is a nasty place behind the scenes.

  • bladdard #64 2 years ago

    I missed yakuza 1 & 2 so tried the demo and it seemed old fashioned with poor combat, cheesy narrative and street paths unfeasibly blocked forcing you down linear paths to get from a to b with pointless spats in between. Games have become far more sophisticated these days so could someone tell me if I've missed the point?

  • Charlie_Miso #65 2 years ago

    'hilarious erotic massage mini-game' 'groom hostesses in cabaret bars'

    Oh no, how will I jack off with this game now?

  • The_Inquisitor #66 2 years ago

    @ bladdard

    I wouldn't say you've missed the point, just the good bits. It's an RPG in many ways so the fighting improves as you start to level up and buy more moves. I didn't play the demo so I don't know what you experienced with the city, but it's just like any other RPG town, except with GTA proportions.

  • Darren #67 2 years ago

    I tried the Japanese demo about 18 months ago I think from memory but being non-English (the game that is, not me!) I didn't have a clue what was going on or what I was supposed to do. So I tried the recently released UK demo a week or so back which at least let me understand what the game was about.

    Sadly for me though I found the game a bit dated with a framerate that kept going up and down distractingly and reams of excruciatingly dull non-voice acted dialogue to wade through and even skipping it all was tedious. It looks and plays like a three old game IMO, something that would have impressed as a launch title for the PS3, but having not played any of the previous game there's nothing there that grabbed me and said "BUY ME NOW!!!". The combat seemed OK though but nothing special. Definitely one for the fans I think, at least on the basis of the demo.

  • sibley1 #68 2 years ago

    got this today...and the redeem code isnt working for the downloadable content. not a good start! :(
    should be good though:) the first 2 games were a couple of the best on ps2.
    has a killer 5gb install...
    Edited by 2 at 10/03/10 @ 13:19

  • bladdard #69 2 years ago

    @The_Inquisitor

    Thanks for the response, I probably will pick this up when it's in a bargain bin and there aren't quite so many fantastic new releases around. It definatetly looks the part and combat upgrades coupled with cool (crazy) mini-games it sounds like quite a fun destraction.

  • harhol #70 2 years ago

    Being a pretentious git I played Assassin's Creed 2 in Italian all the way through, and I'm looking forward to playing this with subs too. Removing the hostess bars was surely a huge mistake, though.

  • The_Inquisitor #71 2 years ago

    @bladdard

    Yeah, the mini games are worth hunting out, I also heard the demo was linear so from experience of the previous games, I'd expect the city to open out. Eventually you'll be able to go anywhere you want.

    I can't quite remember why I kept playing the last game for 20+ hours, there's just something so compelling about exploring the city.

  • sibley1 #72 2 years ago

    anyone played the asian version?

    got to the dates with girls...but i only have to get them to 2 hearts...and then i get the ending to their stories?
    when you get the text from them saying they love u....is that it?
    seems they have cut a lot if it is!

    also...ive found 3 girls so far....all in the same burger bar? whats with that?
    Edited by 1 at 10/03/10 @ 22:44

  • varsas #73 2 years ago

    @Snidesworth: With modern games routinely having every line voice acted? No, not really.

    Is this true of all RPGs? I've only recently bought a PS3 and I wasn't aware of RPGs all being fully voiced.

  • Nightbite #74 2 years ago

    I'm a bit confused, this sounds awesome, exactly my kind of game (I dont care that the pathetic saucy bits were taken out) but when I played the demo I thought it was awful, crap fighting may be accounted for an improved as you level, but what would they do about the incredibly dated graphics? It's like playing a late PS2 game or an early 360 game at best.

  • byakuya83 #75 2 years ago

    I like the visual style, it's classic Sega - bright, vivid colours and not so intricate that it spoils the smoothness of it all. The demo didn't really do it for me, the fighting seemed like a simple case of button-bashing. Does this improve as you unlock new moves and begin using the blocks and dodges?

    Not sure I understand the negativity surrounding the removal of all the saucy bits - especially when Dead or Alive Paradise got such a hard time here. Still, you've always got the ultra pervy Bayonetta Climax to satisfy you!