Yakuza sequel coming on 12/7/06!

Goonboy_Panzer · 31 August 2006 13:53

Here’s the details…

The latest issue of Famitsu gives the first details of Yakuza 2 (Ryu ga Gotoku 2) on PS2, which is set one year after the original and takes place in Kamurocho, Osaka and other places in Japan. Sega is bringing the same voice cast back (in the Japanese version anyway). And thus Kazuma Kiryu (and others) returns as the main character in the sequel. It?s not just a direct sequel?

The sequel begins with an assassination which prompts Kazuma to head south. A few new characters have been announced for the title. The game?s heroine is Kaoru Sayama, a police officer who?s known as the Yakuza Hunter. Her purpose in making contact with Kazuma is currently unknown. Kazuma will also meet up with an Osaka rival, Ryuji Koda, known as the Dragon of the Kansai area.

The original staff also returns. Toshihiro Nagoshi once again serves as general producer. Seishu Hase is overseeing the title?s scenario. Susumu Terajima and Hiroshi Tachi return as voice actors for the Japanese version.

Speaking with Famitsu, Nagoshi commented on some of his goals with Yakuza 2. In addition to providing a deeper dramatic storyline over what was found in the original, the game also has some themes that weren?t in the original, including an adult love story. The story focuses on a battle between Tokyo and Osaka.

All areas from the original are being improved. The cabaret club, which allowed you to interact with girls in a limited way in the original, now lets you actually go out on dates with girls once you?ve gotten tired of sitting around in the club. You can also manage your own cabaret club now, customizing the interior to your liking.

The number of sub quests/stories, which you encounter by speaking to people across town, has increased to above 100! Included is a quest where you actually become a host and have to do your best to please the ladies and earn the most cash in your cabaret club.

The original also had a number of mini games. Famitsu has details on golf and bowling mini games, which have been added to the sequel. There also seems to be a ?game? of some form where you sit in your home and watch videos.

One of the best features of the original was its battle system. Sega is keeping some elements of this system the same while improving others 200%. There aren?t any changes to the character growth system, through which you build up Kazuma by assigning experience points to three parameters. However, Sega is adding more ?heat action? moves to the title. Heat action moves are pulled off by filling up a special attack gauge, and result in a cinematic attack.

You can also now team up with allies for combo attacks. In one sequence, a restaurant employee gives Kazuma a bowl of ramen to use against his opponents. A bit more down to earth, one sequence features Kazuma and a friend beating up on an opponent together.

Perhaps the biggest addition to the battle system is the ability to direct your attacks in whatever direction you like. In the original, battles became difficult when you were surrounded by enemies. The sequel lets you select the direction of your next attack, allowing you to finish off an attack in one direction, then begin pounding an opponent behind you.

The game sequel is set for release on December 7th, 2006, in Japan. Meanwhile the original game will see an American release in September 5th, and in Europe on September 15th, 2006. The reason Japan is getting part 2 now, is because the original has been out there for a year now.

Translation from Japanese by IGN

great now i have something to look forward too.

Jimkemon · 31 August 2006 23:05

The first one isn’t even out yet in Britain but I have a demo for it and I treasure it, the fighting is a lot of fun, me and my mate are definately buying it. Looking forward to the sequel!

Goonboy_Panzer · 4 September 2006 17:36

I’m not too keen on the news that the translated version being heavy on swearwords. Do westerners view japanese counter culture as being that extreme? I’ll stick to the proper version.

Al3xand3r · 4 September 2006 21:08

Where does it say that? And who says the Japanese version doesn’t have swear words?

Abadd · 7 September 2006 16:22

There aren’t any swear words in Japanese in the same way there are swear words in English (or other western languages). While there are definitely words that are considered rude, and there is a rude way of speaking, there is no word that has the same level of “OMG!” as the f-word, for example.

As for the amount of swearing in Yakuza, yeah… it’s a bit overboard. It wasn’t, however, the fault of the translators. From what I hear, certain people involved wanted it to be more “hardcore,” so to speak, and requested that more swearing be put in.

What can you do? =\

Ehndow · 7 September 2006 17:30

Say no have some pride now and then that’s what!

Abadd · 7 September 2006 21:17

Who are you who are so wise in the ways of game development and Japanese corporate culture?

If it were only that easy… sigh

Ehndow · 7 September 2006 21:38

Some call me Segata Sanshiro…

Pedro_The_Hutt · 11 September 2006 00:00

I want to see you throw a japanese football player at a flying football then!

Either way, sequel, yay! But I still have no PS2, should change that sometime.

Team_Andromeda · 14 September 2006 17:52

Right just been playing the game in English @ long last.

1st I’ll get the bad stuff out of the way, No Pro scan , Loading times and slowdown remain, English dub isn’t the best, . Dubbing isn’t that bad to be fair not has bad as that in 99 Knights or Shenmue 1 and II but its far from the best either. The good thing is that its never enough to take away from the game or spoil the story.

The good. Incredibly detailed world that feels alive, awesome battle modes , superb music , DD 5.1 for the movie parts and DPL II for the game, 16.9 mode , ace story and setting that gets a grip on you and pulls you in, some of the coolest characters in a game , the main character in particular (with side burns like me to match) .

I’m not just saying this becasue its SEGA, but this really is a stunner of a game that pulls you in and doesn’t want to let you go.
The joy and buzz you get of kicking the living daylights of people and seeing thier bodies bounce off objects is insane (more so with the pumping music score) , and the special moves are just brutal , really brutal .I love the way you get a great sense of impact when you smash someone?s skull in (heat mode) .
Also you can?t but help but route for the good guys in this game, this really feels like a interactive film with amount of stuff you can look at and pick up is amazing. The whole game feels alive and you know you playing something special right @ the start, and the game just gets better with every chapater .

The best part this feels like a SEGA game and I haven’t been able to say that in a while

Al3xand3r · 15 September 2006 05:32

Did anyone watch the live action prequel movie? Was it any good (first episode’s half looks decent)? Is it worth the download? Is there any place where you can download all of it at once @ low res rather than have to stream each episode individually (or get the large high res files)?

yakuza.sega-europe.com/en/main.html

Plus, are the four chapters shown there all of it or will there be more (and perhaps already available on an American website)?

Goonboy_Panzer · 19 September 2006 16:31

The original movies were 20 minutes long each and SOE broke those down to ten minutes.

Also Takashi Miike will direct the film adaptation of the video game to be released next year.

Geoffrey · 27 September 2006 17:36

I pulled myself away from WoW long enough to go out and buy this game at full price, which is something I haven’t done in a long time.

Gamespot didn’t seem to think too highly of it, but since I’ve had the displeasure of seeing truly fullfilling games be underrated by the corrupt media before, I’ll judge it for myself.

Complaining about loading times? Considering how much power Sega squeezed out of the PS2 to give us this visual tour de force, no one has the right to complain at all, IMO.

I’ll post some impressions later.

Goonboy_Panzer · 29 September 2006 16:44

[quote=“Geoffrey Duke”]I pulled myself away from WoW long enough to go out and buy this game at full price, which is something I haven’t done in a long time.

Gamespot didn’t seem to think too highly of it, but since I’ve had the displeasure of seeing truly fullfilling games be underrated by the corrupt media before, I’ll judge it for myself.

Complaining about loading times? Considering how much power Sega squeezed out of the PS2 to give us this visual tour de force, no one has the right to complain at all, IMO.

I’ll post some impressions later.[/quote]

I was beginning to think you were trapped in that game.

Yeah i feel that RYU GA GOTOKU was decent enough for a Ps2 game by Sega. I haven’t been too impressed with their current gen efforts since their major Xbox relases and half of their PS2 stuff have been solid but looked pretty dire. HEADHUNTER REDEMPTION being one of the bigest offenders and i really love that game.
I guess this will be the exception rather than the rule for any other sega PS2 releases,SHINING FORCE EXA don’t look too hot, i guess the only game that may top RYU GA GOTOKU is its impending sequel.