Sunday, April 20, 2008

Yakuza - soap opera plot x modern day Japan x RPG x brawler

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I had heard about this game on the 1UP podcast - which I am really into - and they really hyped it up to be a great RPG with a kind of GTA 3 feel to it and they were absolutely right. This is a hybrid RPG for sure, a kind of brawler, kind of adventure game mix and with an amazing story and very good voice acting (Mark Hamil and Michael Madsen).

The game takes place in modern day Japan and the city is really impressive right down to the licenced liquor (Ballentine, Bowmore), Japanese noodle and food stands and Sega Arcade complete with Japanese candy cabs.

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Few games delve into the soap opera style of story telling with any success and Yakuza certainly gets it right. The plot is complex as are the relationships, but none more so than your surrogate brother and surrogate sister who are the main focus of the plot. I won't give anything away here, but there is also a long lost sister, her child, 10 billion yen that's stolen from the mob and a homicide detective turned organized crime cop that all tie together with more twists and turns than downtown Tokyo's city streets.

I'm only five or so hours into the game and I'm hooked. I'll be playing this 'till its done.

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