Yakuza: Sega's Next Big Japanese RPG Since Shenmue

Yakuza, the title of Sega's next big Japanese RPG since Shenmue on the Dreamcast. Just as the doesn't imply to all those who don't speak Japanese, it's all about the Japanese Mafia.

The game does deliver on it's 18 certificate with profanity galore but what about the actual game play? Well its very good but strange and a bit disappointing at the start. For the first hour or so of playing this game most will think they're playing a Pokemon game with all the in game dialogue not spoken but rather just displayed. The gamer actually has to read in game dialogue! Luckily these subtitles are completely under your control so there is no rush.

There is spoken dialogue in the games cut scenes but it is rather disappointing despite a stellar cast doing the voice overs including Michael Madsen and Mark Hamill. The fact that all the voice overs are done by English speaking actors is also a bit strange, I myself enjoyed the total immersion Shenmue offered with everything being in Japanese, you could almost learn the language just by playing Shenue. Sega perhaps should have went down this road to give Yakuza total authentication.

All the bad points said the game play itself and the storyline are excellent and well worth money spent for only £10 this game has kept me entertained for hours with a brilliant narrative and very good game play features. There are things to do on the side apart from main story missions but don't be expecting Shenmue here it really is just simple things like spending time in hostess bars and searching for lockers keys etcetera, nothing too elaborate.

The game is also all about fighting and it does this very well, the combat system is extremely simple yet enjoyable with good elements such as levelling up skills, picking up objects to fight with such as chairs, bins, bicycles. The fights take place in both the main story and while out roaming about. When roaming the fights occur similar to that in the Final Fantasy games and reward you usually with money if you win as well. The game is very enjoyable and quite easy to progress through while providing hours of entertainment. I give this 7/10 for overall entertainment value.

Good but it ain't no Shenmue or GTA.