GAME REVIEW:Latest brutal crime game more than a GTA ripoff
What do you get when you combine the well-worn milieu of a Grand Theft Auto knock-off with the Eastern influenced, culturally immersive sensibilities of Bioware’s “Jade Empire” and the Dreamcast cult hit “Shenmue?”
Something surprisingly fresh, thankfully. Straight from the neon-lit streets of Japan comes a vulgar, hard-hitting brawler/RPG hybrid about that infamous Eastern-based organized crime network, the “Yakuza” mafia.
With an engaging, yet simplistic four-button combat system and a complex, foul-language filled storyline that authentically explores the various crooked nuances of the Japanese underworld, “Yakuza” proves that there is still plenty of life left in Sony’s aging Playstation successor.
Players assume the role of Kazuma Kiryu, a noble Yakuza initiate with ambitions of starting his own crime family. Things begin rather well for the dignified hit man until he must take the fall for fellow Yakuza associate Akira Nishiki (voiced by Michael “Lex Luthor” Rosenbaum) and his childhood friend, Yumi Sawamura.
After emerging from prison nearly a decade later, Kazuma becomes embroiled in a search to find Yumi and must piece together the details of the last 10 years while finding the whereabouts of a missing 10 billion yen.
An intricate yarn woven by famed Japanese crime novelist Seishu Hase, “Yakuza” offers gamers a crime saga of considerable depth and hardboiled intrigue, revealing narrative potential the likes of which this era of mindless, open-ended criminal outings has yet to tap. And while “Yakuza” remains ahead of its guilty pleasure themed brethren in terms of story material, it also provides more crude, bleep-worthy language in its first cinematic than an entire curse-heavy episode of “Deadwood.”
Be warned, this game is not for those who are sensitive to language that not even a crew of foul-mouthed sailors would approve of.
The game’s unique format should seem familiar to the four people that enjoyed Yu Suzuki’s “Shenmue” saga, as “Yakuza” features the same dynamic combination of standard role playing elements and classic “Fists of Rage” inspired fisticuff action. After the game’s introductory tutorial, players have the option to traverse the glittering cityscape of Tokyo and engage in randomly generated combat sequences ala your average turn-based RPG.
Combat in “Yakuza,” however, is real-time. When the brawling begins, players will have a variety of simple punching, kicking, and grappling combos at there disposal in addition to stage-based weaponry. Kazuma can wield everything from a bicycle to a baseball bat, depending on what is available during the combat sequence.
The game’s randomly generated and story-based battle sequences are engaging and offer plenty of variables to ensure that fighting does not become tedious or repetitive. The game’s storyline progresses as players obtain more mission objectives.
And while the game is far more linear than the gradually expanding overworld map would have you believe, “Yakuza’s” true strength lies in its enveloping plotline and knuckle-cracking, no-holds-barred combat system.
Mack Perry is the reviewer of all things video games for the Utah Statesman. Comments questions and suggestions can be sent to mackp@cc.usu.edu.