Yakuza series

Higher difficulties just never seem worth it. The combat doesn't ever feel more challenging to me, just more... work. Instead of "oooh, this extra difficulty makes the fights more interesting" it's more "oooh, the fact you fuckers block everything means this just takes longer."

I was playing Yakuza 3 on Normal and still got a lock of blockers tiring me out. With Saejima I kinda expect a few more block-breaking moves in his repertoire since he's the fucking lorry of the playable cast, but maybe I gotta unlock them or something.

Also his second boss fight was fucking Kiryu. Who dealt me my second game over since he was a beast to fight but not a cheapass. Still, massive kudos to Sega for handling Heads I Win, Tails You Lose in a better way than most games. Instead of making me beat Kiryu only for the cutscene to show me not laying a finger on him, the end scene shows them still fighting and its basically a draw. Better than what fucking Tales of Symphonia 2 loved to do to me.

But hot damn Saejima is basically the game lighting a massive fire under your ass. No chance to grind healing items in the first chapter and a bigass prison escape scene with an annoying sniper and chances to get ganged like mad, then the second chapter you fighting the motherfucking Dragon Of Motherfucking Dojima who gives it to you hard.

EDIT: Saejima just said he's not interested in hostess clubs. He is now my favourite Yakuza protagonist now because instead of having to deal with Hostess Bullshit extensively, he doesn't have to deal with Hostess Bullshit at all.

Edited by MightyKombat on Jun 16th 2020 at 7:03:16 PM

... have you done any Revelations with Saejima? Because that is easily the best aspect of him.

Nah I've only just gotten to Kamurocho with him, been exploring the place just for his reactions to things that are new to him.

It is a delight.

So I've heard. I'll play a bit more tomorrow. Still, getting the Double Finisher perk for Akiyama then switching to Saejima meant I felt really off when I had to reobtain it for him...oh god its gonna happen again with Tanimura isn't it

YEP

Ah okay

I'm just glad Yakuza 4's level up and skill system is the way it is.

I don't like Date-san after he slapped his daughter for behavior that's his fault, and I like Kiryu a lot less for slapping Haruka for behavior that's his fault.

It never comes back but, yeah, it's pretty lame. I don't remember too much about Date to recall if he's a bad father but Kiryu lashing out at a kid for any reason feels completely antithetical to his character.

J-drama loves its dramatic slaps.

Kiryu did look ashamed of himself when he did at least.

EDIT: Okay the latter parts of Saejima's chapter just plain suck once the cops come out in force. Not only is there a mild stealth segment but by the end they'r ein places where Saejima will automatically turn around and nope right out of that route making free roam as him a pain in the ass and you gotta take some wackyass routes to get to anywhere you wanna go.

Edited by MightyKombat on Jun 18th 2020 at 1:39:49 PM

Yeah, game mechanics like that where you're forced to run away and/or take alternate routes when you just wanna do some exploration or get to a goal is a pain, especially if they never go away. I get it makes sense story-wise, but it's just not fun gameplay-wise to have it go on for a long time, and if I remember right this doesn't even go away in postgame?

(5 also has something similar, but the difference is Saejima just automatically slowly sneaks around the cops instead of having to run away)

Edited by Zanreo on Jun 18th 2020 at 6:09:49 PM

And the less said about the Kaihin gang from Judgment, the better.

Oh yeah, playing through the game now and already sick of then

Yeah. I'm almost glad I got to Tanimura's bit and he gets to run about the city freely. Almost since, well, he's a cop.

Also fucking hell I heard he was fragile but his starting health bar is teeny tiny.

You know what was missing from 0? Cocaine, lots of cocaine. It would explain a lot.

Serious explanation: Drugs are a pretty massive deal in Japan last I checked. It'd cause a huge outcry if drugs were involved in the plot of a Yakuza game and the only mitigation possible would be if the plot was hugely anti-drug with Kiryu/Majima/Akiyama/Kasuga taking down a drug ring or cartel.

Funny explanation: This series is already on a drug its called Goro Majima

Anyone read the article where a bunch of RL Yakuza play Yakuza?

One of things they comment on is the lack of Kiryu's opponents doing copious amounts of crystal meth.

(Which goes a long way to explaining their suicidal behavior)

https://boingboing.net/2010/08/10/yakuza-3-review.html

Kiryu is the way yakuza used to be. We kept the streets clean. People liked us. We didn't bother ordinary citizens. We respected our bosses. Now, guys like that only exist in video games.

I dunno why but this line really sticks out to me.

My personal favourite line was always this one:

• S: What's with all the fucking gaijin here anyway? It used to just be Japanese, Chinese and Koreans.
• M: Don't say "gaijin", say "Gaikokujin," its nicer.
• S: Right, sorry. What's with all the fucking gaikokujin here anyway?

But yeah I guess real life Yakuza aren't averse to drug-related business, just with how seriously the authorities take it, its pretty more hush hush than most

Also them laughing at how Kiryu still dresses like a regular punk despite being the ex-fourth chairman and how he'd probably get whacked IRL for causing trouble. P Retty sure Kiryu never starts fights on the streets. Though he sure as fuck finishes them.

I was kinda touched by how there was a real life yakuza who ran an orphanage, mostly for tax reasons but he still ran it properly anyway. Can't tell if he just got really into it or was just being as pragmatic as possible.

Edited by MightyKombat on Jun 20th 2020 at 12:54:19 PM

That's the page quote for Yakuza, believe it or not. Or at least it was. Now it's on the quotes page instead, which is fair.

Edited by Weirdguy149 on Jun 20th 2020 at 11:13:20 AM

That page is mostly for quotes about the yakuza in general and not just the series itself but yeah.

Also, starting to not like Tanimura. His parry gimmick tends to go out the window when half the enemies start turning the game into Grab The Piggie or Full Nelsons 4: Hooray For Full Nelsons.

He was my favorite as a character but Tanimura is definitely the weakest to actually play.

You've got to unlock his ability to use heat moves after every Triangle string. It makes him SOOO fun to play when combined with his Parry.

Edited by TheMageofFire on Jun 20th 2020 at 10:23:05 AM

Guess I'll get on that. Currently up to the docks.

As for character, I really enjoyed Akiyama and Saejima clicked with me, but Tanimura...he's kinda there I guess. Trying not to get too attached as he ascends the staircase carrying the basketball after this game.

Edited by MightyKombat on Jun 20th 2020 at 6:23:02 PM