Yakuza

Yakuza‘s Producer May Hate GTA, But He Certainly Respects It

Yakuza series producer Toshihiro Nagoshi has previously stated that he hates Grand Theft Auto. You wouldn’t think so when he was asked which one of last year’s games impressed him the most. Japanese gaming blog 4Gamer recently asked 151 game developers this question: “Of games released in 2013, what title impressed/amazed you the most?” Among…

Japanese Cats that Look Like Yakuza Are Frighteningly Cute

Some cats are cute. Some are ugly, but still cute. These cats look like Japanese gangsters. They are scary in the most adorable way possible. If you’ve ever seen any Japanese yakuza movies or have played any of Sega’s Yakuza games, then you probably know what the gangsters of the Japanese popular imagination look like.…

What Yakuza‘s Producer Hates about GTA

Hold on. Don’t start sending hate mail to Sega just yet. Let’s hear the man out. Yakuza series top man Toshihiro Nagoshi was at the Otemae University in Japan for a special lecture back in 2011. During that Q&A session a student asked him what he thought about the Call of Duty series. Nagoshi replied,…

The Best Cutscene This Generation Was A Shootout For The Ages

Let me tell you what I think makes a good cutscene: it’s got to be something you want to watch over and over and over. Something that stands out from the routine of general gameplay, sticks in the mind and elevates a piece of story-telling from text in a bubble to something genuinely cinematic. These…

Japan’s Great Developers Discuss the PS4

I got a chance to handle the PS4 at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. The graphics definitely look prettier than I’ve seen on the PS3, but otherwise, it handles pretty much like it should. But I’m looking at it from the player’s side. That’s the output. What about the input? That’s where you have to…

The last historical Yakuza spin-off never made it to the West, so don’t expect Yakuza Ishin to either. Meaning these sweet videos might be as close as you’ll get to Sega’s PS3/PS4 game.

Yakuza: Ishin Is a PS4 Launch Title in Japan

Check out this trailer for Yakuza: Ishin, which will hopefully get a release outside Japan. The game will be released in Japan on February 22 for the PS3 and the PS4. An international release hasn’t been announced. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East…

Why Is There a Tattoo Stigma in Japan?

Public pools. Gyms. Resorts. It’s common to see “no tattoos allowed” signs at establishments like this. In Japan, there is certainly a stigma towards tattoos. But why? The easiest explanation, of course, is that Japanese gangsters (the yakuza) traditionally mark their bodies with tattoos. But not everyone who has tattoos in Japan is in organized…

Be Two Historical Figures For the Price of One in the New Yakuza Game

The latest chapter of the Yakuza series, Yakuza: Ishin!, is a trip back in time. Much like in Yakuza: Kenzan!, the game will feature series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as a famous historical character. However, this time, Kiryu will be two historical figures instead of one. Featured in this week’s Weekly Famitsu, Yakuza: Ishin! will have…

The New Yakuza Game Takes You Back in Time

Sega unveiled a new Yakuza game. It’s called Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin. Here’s a first look. “Ryu Ga Gotoku,” of course, is the original Japanese title for the Yakuza games. “Ishin” (維新) means “restoration” as in the Meiji Restoration. This led into the Meiji Period, an era of rapid modernization and industrialization in Japan. It…

Why I’m Avoiding One of the Main Features of Valhalla Knights 3

After over ninety hours, I’m still uncomfortable with Valhalla Knights 3. “What is Valhalla Knights 3?“you ask. Valhalla Knights 3 is an RPG for the PS Vita. The basic gameplay is very much similar to an MMORPG, except without the Massively Multiplayer Online part. You have a central base of operations in a large map…

This Yakuza Ad Is Awesome Even if You Don’t Speak Japanese

Everybody from Kotaku East is asleep right now. So I don’t have the benefit of their multilingual skills when it comes to translating this advert for the HD re-master of Sega’s first two Yakuza games. The language barrier is no real obstacle here, however. I can tell that things start off sweet and then get…

These Games Were Missing From E3

Now that we’ve had a weekend to recoup from the bright lights and pulsing music of the world’s most elaborate video game marketing circus, it’s time to take a quiet moment to reflect on the games we didn’t get to play at E3 2013. Jade, Samus, Drake — where were you guys? Now this isn’t…

Yakuza Series Developer Offers His Opinion On the New Consoles

As seen from thephotograph, the well-tanned Yakuza series developer, Toshihiro Nagoshi was walking among the crowds at E3 this year. Hopefully basking in the saturated spectacle of upcoming consoles and games. Nagoshi wrote on his blog about the Sony conference and the announcements from Microsoft and Sony (Unfortunately, due to flight delays, he was unable…

Video Game PR Issues Beautiful “No Comment” In Haiku

The Yakuza games are some of the very best on the PS3, so Sega’s silence on a possible localisation of Yakuza 5 is killing me The publisher has since broken that silence, however, responding to a Yakuza fansite. In haiku. Like every single Japan-related PR communication should be. The poem, sent to Yakuza Fan, reads:…

Yakuza on the Wii U Is an “Experiment” and Not Happening for the 3DS

Yakuza 1 & 2 HD is coming to the Wii U. But what about future Yakuza games? Are they headed to the Wii U? And how about the 3DS? So many questions! In a recent interview, Yakuza producer Toshihiro Nagoshi described the Wii U release as “an experiment” to see how many Wii U owners…

Hey. Sega. Yeah, you. We’re still waiting for our Yakuza 5 localisation.

This Wii U Game Doesn’t Seem as Polished as Its PS3 Version

The first Yakuza game debuted on the PlayStation 2. Last fall, an HD version of the game hit the PlayStation 3. This summer, it’s coming to the Wii U. How does it stack up? Today, the first screenshots for Yakuza 1 & 2 HD Edition for Wii U hit the internet. Via 4Gamer, there were…

Yakuza 1 & 2 Coming to Wii U in HD for Japan

Sega and Nintendo just announced that PlayStation 2 crime saga Yakuza 1 and its sequel Yakuza 2 are headed to the Wii U in Japan. The games are getting HD makeovers, and will take advantage of the Wii U GamePad via in-game maps and GamePad only play. This is the first time the series has…

Former Yakuza Injured in Shooting at an Osaka Game Center

In the afternoon of March 31, a shooting broke out at game center in Osaka. According to Jiji Press (via The Tokyo Reporter), a former high-level yakuza was grazed in the left part of his chest. He was taken to a local hospital, and he is expected to recover. The wounded man was apparently a…