I wonder where the series will go next...

The fourth game seems pretty different (plotwise) than the previous ones from what I understand. It kind of seems to me they'd have been better off just going in a different direction with new characters or a new setting.

Thoughts?

i get the feeling this may be a transition game

they probably realised changing protagonist suddenly would not be something the consumer would like

going by the large part the other people in the trailer play, i'm wondering if we'll be playing as more the just as kazuma in this game

i think they just didn't want to lose fans by suddenly going "oh look your now playinig as a young yakuza for no particular reason other then we thought kazuma was looking old"

Yeah...well, they kept the same setting, but they're gonna focus way more on three new dudes than on Kiryû I understand.

If one of the three new dudes ends up being the main focus of #5, I sure hope it's Akiyama! He's rad.

I put up some vids of the demo on my YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ryled

I hate the way YouTube's user pages look now. Anyway, there's a playlist for Yakuza 4 there.

So I agree that this is kinda a transition title and I think they already are focusing on other characters, so that's cool. #3's story suffered because the way #1 ended, Kiryû's story was already sewn up. #2 was mostly about Sayama, actually. #3 was like...they really didn't know what to do so they tried to drag Kiryû into it by making the shock appearance of some mystery man who looked just like Kazama Shintarô, his father figure. And it was kinda confused because he was trying to run an orphanage, too.

I think they need to either go to a point in time where Kiryû hadn't decided to run an orphanage or just make another super-manly dude to follow around

i would like kiryu in some shape or form in the later titles even its just cameos would be a shame to see him go

i thought the yakuza killer guy looked interesting

i'm curious as to what his agenda will be
and seriously that dude looks fun to play as reminds me of haggar and max


also wtf at the size of the heat bar

IMO, the best approach to take would've been to have Kiryu get killed during the first little bit, and then have a "5 years later" type of thing where Haruka is and adult and all trained and ready to go get revenge. Have one of the other orphans as a side-kick (the fat kid looks kind of tough, Taichi is it?).

They would probably have to get rid of all of the romantic/dating type stuff, as the game is made for guys, and normal guys don't want to play a game hitting on dudes and asking them on dates. What would fill the void? BFF's maybe? Go around making friends with other girls and doing fun stuff? At least there'd now be a context for pillow fights

lmao

i could never see them switching it from a main male to a female though considering how its meant to be a game for guys trying to see how to relax in japan or something (patrick would say it better)

i did think about why kazuma never teaches haruka fighting and stuff but i guess its because he never wanted her involved in that kind of life so i can't see that happening much

i think they've been clever here, by using 4 protoagnoists, depending on reception they know exactly who to take into the series latert on as the main lead

The thing that appeals to me about the "4 protagonist" thing is the fact that they are all so diverse, and one is a police detective. SOLD.

I grew up watching detective/PI stuff on TV a lot as a kid (both my parents were really into it, and my dad's cop). Anything along those lines in any way and it grabs my attention.

ThePatrick wrote:

And it was kinda confused because he was trying to run an orphanage, too.

For some reason reading that reminded me of the movie "Over the Top" with Stallone... Where he plays a single-father / truck-driver / arm-wrestling champion. Hardcore.

Only film i ever seen about arm wrestling and suprisingly good

the 4 protagonist will allow us to mix up the fighting styles a lot more

i would love for a game made by sega where we could mix up fighting styles like god hand