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Yakuza 5

Started by Consignia, December 30, 2012, 10:10:16 PM

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Consignia

Or Ryuu ga Gotoku 5, or whatever you want to call it.

After two games of hideous reuse of old assets, Sega have really pulled the stops out with this one. There's 3 new cities to explore, another which hasn't been used since the second game, on top of the usual Kamurocho. They've also added quite a bit of variety to the game giving some unique tasks for each protaganist.

The first chapter follows series hero Kiryuu, trying to live out a meager existance as a taxi driver in Fukuoka. This bit features for the first time in the series described[nb]incorrectly, of course[/nb] as GTA in Japan actual driving bits. But they are unfortunatly rather poorly implemented, but luckily you don't have to spend much time doing if you don't want to. The story for this section is rather standard affair for the series, but is also a nice prologue.

The second chapter brings back one of protaginists from the 4th in the series and mass murderer, Saejima. It's largely set in Hokkaido, as you make your way down a snowy mountain to a part of Sapporro, but with a couple of frankly surreal bits on the way. Because of this there are quite a bit of variety this chapter, and you don't get a totally free run until the very last bit, but you do get up to such hijinks as hunting and snow mobile riding. It also features some really silly side quests, including dressing up as Santa and violently beating up some thugs with a toy sled. I won't spoil it either, but it also features a boss battle that trumps the tiger fight in the second game.

I'm only a little bit into the third chapter, but it starts off with the series' damsel, Haruka, trying to make it big as an idol in Osaka. It's probably the lightest the series has ever been, what with playing as a young girl rather than a battle hardened gangster. No running into street thugs for Haruka, she doesn't even engage in random battles, but can challenge girls to dance battles. This section is surprisingly well implemented but, from what I can tell, it's short because no one comes to this series to play "Pop Idol".

As well the main attractions, there's all the side bits and bobs you can do. The arcades in this installement are surprisingly well stocked, including a full version of Virtua Fighter 2, and a Taiko no Tatsujin unit.

So far, I'm really enjoying it. It shows more ambition than the fourth main title, and it's nowhere near the mess that was "Of The End". I'm going to reserve judgement until the end, but so far it's probably my favourite installment of the series to date.

Consignia

Ah, finished it last night. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

The latter half of chapter 3 is a bit strange, as it's still about Haruka, but Akiyama is really badly shoe-horned[nb]I can't even remember if they've ever met on screen before[/nb] into plot to the bits that require punching. It's still a whole load of fun though, as situation turns a bit more violent.

The fifth chapter is the whole new bit, as it deals with a seemingly unrelated character, Shinada who looks like a dishevelled Ryo from Shenmue, in a seemingly unrelated city, Nagoya. He's an ex-pro-baseballer down on luck, and having to deal with odd loan shark who keeps pestering him. His play style is a bit quirky being baseball themed, which doesn't seem to work well as a brawling style.

The final sixth chapter is the series standard shit comes down in Tokyo. All characters get pulled together in the finale, although some (Haruka and Shinada) have less to do than others (Kiryuu and Saejima). Twists and turns all over the shop and it ends on somewhat of cliff hanger, although leaving it there wouldn't hurt either.

Overall, I really loved it. It's hard to say it's the best thing ever, since it's so rough around the edges, but it's easily the most cleaned installment of the lot. I'm actually compelled to do some of the after game finishing of side quests this time, as opposed to just leaving them after the end credits. And since the world has been expanded so much this time, both narratively and in design, I look forward seeing them do the inevitable sequel.