Yakuza is very close to establishing itself as an annual franchise. Similar to your Sports title's and Call of Duty type, one a year formula games. This is the second Yakuza game to hit these shores in as many years following on from the mild success of the first two to hit the Playstation 2. After much fan badgering Sega finally decided to release Yakuza 3 last year, they 'westernised' the game by taking out much of the quirky Japanese tastes (hostess bars, massage parlours etc) that made the first two unique. But thanks to solid sales and an unhappiness at what was left out in Yakuza 3 the sequel arrived fully intact with all Japanese shenanigan's and without the need for a brisk internet campaign from loyal fans.
So now that it's here what makes Yakuza 4 different from previous iterations of the series? Well to be truthful not a lot really. It's still the same Kamurocho town that we've been to in the last three games, still the same random battles in the street's and still the same convoluted plot story with massive twists and murder 24/7. But just because it's the same doesn't mean that goes in the negative column. Yakuza 4 differs itself by taking control away from series protagonist Kiryu Kazuma for most of it.
Instead you control four different characters from different backgrounds. Akiyama, a loan shark, Saejima a convict, Det. Takimura a rookie cop and finally everyone's favourite ex-Yakuza turned orphanage owner Kiryu Kazuma. Each individual story starts at different time periods throughout the games setting of March 2010 while at first I was extremely sceptical as to how all of these individual stories would link up in the end, they eventually came together quite spectacularly. At time's the story in the middle of the game seems to get very complicated with enough threads to knit a wooly jumper. By taking control of the other three characters we see Kazuma as the true legend that he is in Kamourocho. Much like what Kojima did in Metal Gear Solid 2 with Raiden and Snake. By taking control away from the player of Kazuma it really let's his character develop in a way that you couldn't by controlling him.
While of course a good story is Yakuza's main selling point the fighting comes a close second. Now don't get me wrong the fighting in Yakuza is good, it's the exact same as 3 save for a few new moves for the new characters. All the heat mode finishing moves are identical to what we see in 3. The finishers are still as fun and brutal as ever but I feel it was just sheer laziness to leave the exact same mechanics in. Do we really need to see these again, I must have hit someone round the head with a baseball bat about 70 times in Yakuza 3 and it's the exact same now for 4. The fighting system will probably need a bit of refreshing when the inevitable Yakuza 5 comes round (I'm ignoring Yakuza: Of The End) as it's the only bit of the game that feels old. The lock-system doesn't quite work all the time and blocking can be a bit hit or miss but smashing someone's head into the wall never gets old, ever.
In summing up Yakuza 4 it does feel a bit dated at times, especially if you're right up to date with the series. But being dated isn't always a bad things, the thing's Yakuza 4 does well it does fantastically and kept me hooked right up until the finish. There are hundreds of hours you could lose with many many side-quest's including running a hostess bar, training up rookie karate kid's and even playing in a Sega arcade. If you haven't delved into a Yakuza game before I would start with 3 to learn a bit about the back story, if you enjoyed 3 then I see no reason why you shouldn't come back. Look past the ageing fighting system and you'll find yourself a great game and a great world to be in.
8/10
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