Yakuza 7 - We're turn-based RPG brawling now!

[CLWheeljack]

I don’t think I can play JRPGs non-portable anymore, but damned if I don’t want to try for this one.

[Kolbex]

I have very high hopes for this one, because although I’ve loved all the ancillary stuff about the previous games I’ve played (setting, tone, etc.), I found the actual combat-based gameplay pretty boring, so I’m all over the new core gameplay. Plus, no offense to Kiryu, but Kasuga just seems more like my kind of main character.

[wisefool]

Ichiban Kasuga

Number 1 finally gets to be a protagonist.

[Kolbex]

Japanese names crack me up. I think my favorite in terms of low-effort naming is 次郎, “next son”.

[wisefool]

Mom was an avid gamer and didn’t have no time to come up with any original names.

[Misguided]

@Rock8man

This could be my first Yakuza game. I really hope I love it.

Same. It will be on gamepass, so no reason not to try it anyway, but the timing…

[Kolbex]

@Misguided

It will be on gamepass

Oh shit, really? I missed this somehow.

[Misguided]

I don’t think I’m making that up… anybody confirm?

[Thraeg]

@Misguided

I don’t think I’m making that up… anybody confirm?

I know Zero and Kiwami 1 and 2 are on there. Don’t recall hearing anything about 7, and a cursory search isn’t turning up anything. But that would be great if it is.

[Misguided]

I feel like I did, but couldn’t find it either which is why I asked

[Rock8man]

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/yakuza-like-a-dragon-pc-hands-on-impressions

This sounds appealing to me.

As with the primary cast, these adventures are all driven by folks that Japanese society has largely written off. One side-quest sees Ichiban helping a homeless man find his confidence in order to woo a young woman manning the local food bank. Another involves collecting scraps to help another homeless fella build a bookshelf for a young boy he’s befriended. In still another sidequest, a pawn shop owner who lost his wife has let his shop fall into disuse, and Ichiban has to convince him to honor his wife’s memory and reopen the store. All three stories hammer home what seems to be the main theme in Yakuza: Like a Dragon: you might not have money, a home, or friends, but you always have worth. Ichiban stands up for that worth, partially because he’s one of those castoffs as well.

[Ginger_Yellow]

Man, this is sounding really promising. From RPS’s preview:

Yokohama’s a grand departure from Kamurocho – Yakuza’s depiction of Tokyo – which the series hasn’t really strayed from until now. I was immediately struck by Like A Dragon’s scale. Yokohama is vast in comparison to the tightknit streets of Kamurocho. But it’s not so vast large portions of it become forgettable. It hits that sweet spot of near constant discovery every time you take to its streets, but, much like Kamurocho, you’ll still be able develop a feel for the city, a sixth sense which’ll guide you to objective markers without the need for a map.

My only real concern is that constantly getting dragged into fights is going to be even worse with turn based combat. Hopefully they’ve toned down the random encounters.

[CLWheeljack]

@Ginger_Yellow

My only real concern is that constantly getting dragged into fights is going to be even worse with turn based combat. Hopefully they’ve toned down the random encounters.

Have you found random encounters to be an issue in Yakuza? In my experience, the drunken-ness mechanic means that you can usually tune it pretty well outside of storyline segments where the streets are on alert for you.

[Ginger_Yellow]

If I make a real effort to avoid them, I generally can, but if I’m just trying to get from one end of Kamurocho to the other, that usually involves 4+ fights. If I could make it so there were no fights at all outside of quests/story missions, I would.

[Ginger_Yellow]

Aw yeah, killer lobster summons:

Yakuza: Like A Dragon's RPG Combat and Crazy Mini-Games | Yakuza: Like A Dragon Gameplay & Impres...

[anonymgeist]

I really need to finish up Judgment so I can start on this…

[JD]

Skill Up enjoyed his 10 hours as well.

Yep, Yakuza: Like A Dragon Is Gonna Be Great (Impressions)

[Misguided]

When is the release?

[Malkael]

Unless something changes, should be releasing in exactly a month on the 13th of November.

[Kolbex]

Excited! The actual gameplay has always been my least favorite aspect of these games, and actually also Kiryu himself as a character. This one appears to fix both problems!