SEGA's third Yakuza game may not actually be called Yakuza 3, but there's no denying that it's a true follow-up to the first two games in the series. That's the feeling we got as we viewed a new multi-part trailer of the game today at SEGA's Tokyo Game Show booth.
Yakuza 3, or Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! as it's known in Japan, appeared in trailer form in SEGA's booth. Geisha girls waited near the line to lure a couple dozen viewers into a closed theater, where the ten minute trailer footage was shown.
We've already shared the basics of the storyline with you, about how a young girl called Haruki asks our hero, Kiryu, to kill a man named Musashi Miyamoto. The conundrum (always wanted to use that word!) is that Musashi Miyamoto is actually the name Kiryu used in the past. The first of five sections of the new Gotoku trailer gave a look at this part of the storyline, as Kiryu is approached by Haruki for the first time.
Judging by the cinematic sequences shown in the trailer, it's clear that SEGA is using an updated visual engine for Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzen! While the game's models are a bit lacking in terms of detail, SEGA has apparently placed the emphasis on faces; the effect is eerily realistic, especially now that the characters have been made to resemble their voice acting counterparts. Backgrounds are now full of expansive detail, with depth of field effects used to make things look even more movie-like.
The one surprising impression I got from this trailer is that, from its visual style alone, Kenzan looks like a next generation Onimusha. Certainly, SEGA has done a few Onimusha-like things with the game, including the inclusion of real people and places. The trailer showed in-game recreations of a few Kyoto temples.
Subsequent parts of the trailer provided first clues as to what we can expect for the gameplay side of next generation Gotoku. We were given a first look at the adventure part, where you walk around and explore a city. The game brings the camera angles in a bit closer, for a more immersive view. It appears to be behind the back like Shenmue, but moved back just a bit.
Even with the slight change in perspective, and the huge jump in detail, you'll recognize this as a Ryu ga Gotoku game, from the way townfolk react to you as you move around, down to the font used in shops and menus. Some of the quirkier aspects of the series have also made a return. We've already shared details on the mini games, including dice and shogi. Add to that competitive turtle racing! The hostess club sequences are also back. Unfortunately, they once again seem to lack voices; presumably, the game will have the same mix of voiced and non-voiced sequences.
The trailer also provided a glimpse at the game's battle system, which keeps the camera slightly overhead aside from cinematic cut-ins for special moves. The new battle system looks like an evolved version of what we saw in Yakuza 2, with the ability to switch attacks between nearby enemies in tact. SEGA seems to have made things even more over the top as far as finishing moves are concerned. The combat also seems bloodier.
When first introducing the game last week, producer Toshihiro Nagoshi said that as new details were revealed, we'd slowly come to realize the scale of the title. This trailer certainly hinted at a large scale. Kiryu will be travel to many different towns this time around. We were given a glimpse at a few of the locals, and some looked like a nice change of pace from the seedy locals that we've come to associate with the Yakuza series so far.
We had some initial concerns at the rapid production schedule for these Ryu ga Gotoku sequels, but based on the TGS showing, Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! looks like it's coming along just fine and will be one of the first real reasons for gamers in Japan to pick up a PS3 come Spring. The lingering question, of course, is if the game will ever actually be known as Yakuza 3 somewhere in the world.
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