Yeah why play racing/driving games when you can just go out and drive a real car? Why play shooting games when you can go to a shooting range to fire real guns? Why play fighting games when you can go to an instructor and do it for real? Why play a game set in another country when you can just go travel there and experience the real place? Oh wait.. isnt that what videogames are for? To do things you might not have the ability, means or skill required to do it in real life? :lol: Time to look into another hobby, maybe. But I guess with you guys, constantly bitching about games has become one.

I don't know about you, but the only "gamers" I know in real life are people who exclusively play madden games. (With some Bloodrayne & Halo thrown in the mix.) I feel that these types need to broaden their horizons a bit. However most people I know refuse to because gaming other than sports simulation & a handful of FPS's are considered nerdy by the majority. Sports games are different, because they are treated as more respectable than other genres. Even though playing a sports game is pretty much like playing any other game. You just press a bunch a buttons with a controller in your hand while you're sitting in front of a tv. Sports games are just a waste of time to me, because the time you wasted could've been put to perfecting your real life skills in foot ball. Playing real life football is a realistic goal. Trying to save the land of Hyrule is not. Yeah why play racing/driving games when you can just go out and drive a real car? That's exactly what I would say if I saw somebody playing Gran Tourismo. However it's going to be somewhat hard to recreate the experience of Super Mario Kart, Burnout, Wipeout in real life. Need for Speed could be done in real life, but it depends on how much your willing to risk. Why play fighting games when you can go to an instructor and do it for real? Name me at least one fighting game that could be considered realistic. Then you've got yourself an irrefutable argument. Fighting games tend to lie on the domain of fantasy. More than they do reality. Most fighting games use made up/custom made martial art disciplines. The only games that come to mind where every single character used a real life martial art was Bushido Blade & the Kengo games. Though you won't see me talking shit about BB, because you can't exactly walk around the streets of New York with a katana in hand. Oh wait.. isnt that what videogames are for? To do things you might not have the ability, means or skill required to do it in real life? I play them to be entertained. I couldn't care less about real life simulations such as sports games, or "The Sims". The sims, imo is a really pointless game. I don't need to take a leak inside a game. I do enough of that in real life. But I guess with you guys, constantly bitching about games has become one. I'm constantly bitching about the shitty ass writing in games. In which I agree I should find another hobby. I even said that myself many times in other threads. The writing in games is only going to get worse. The problem is that its hard to drop gaming, because I grew up with it since I was 5. The writing was actually quite respectable back in the 32 bit era & the early to mid last gen. Now in days it seems like games are trying way too hard, and they should stick to just being games. Either that or try to increase the quality of writing back to where it was at during the 32 bit era. The 32 bit era was an era of ambition, but the technology that they had was way too inferior to fulfill those ambitions. Many experimental games were released back in the 32 bit days, which is why most 32 bit games suck. Although they usually made up for it with the decent plots at least.

And there's no way that you can talk taste into American gamers Top, sorry. To clarify... Let me get to the point. What I was trying to say. Is that I wish that American localizations of games would stay more true to the originally intended theme of the games that they are localizing. What bothers me about the American localization of "Yakuza". Is that they are over glorifying the Yakuza. The in game content remains mostly un changed, but the cover & presentation looks drasticaly different from the way ryuga gotoku is portrayed in japan. The japanese games "Like A Dragon" are games that revolve around the yakuza, but they do not actually glorify the Yakuza. Instead the japanese games emphasize more on honour, brotherhood & all that bullshit. So really when I said class. What I was referring to was the "class" that the game Yakuza already had in its original form, before it was marketed as another run of the mill crime game where you play as a criminal. While Vision does raise a good point when he said this... It wasn't really Sega trying to market Yakuza as GTA and Shenmue, it was people who had never even played the game yet. Back when it was a Japan-only title, people were assuming it was like a cross between Shenmue's exploration(I guess because it had a modern Jaoanese setting?) and GTA(since thugs and crime are a theme, yet NO car jacking). These were assumptions mainly made based on screenshots and promotion videos. Those of us that imported the game, though, knew what was up. Like was mentioned before, it was kind of like a Streets of Rage beat em up with sort of RPG-like battles that you run into on the "field". Couple that with stat/skill progression and it sort of is like an RPG. What bothers me is that the game was renamed to Yakuza ("Like a Dragon Among Men" or "A Dragon walks among us" would've been a more fitting match.), & the logo was written in blood. I wouldn't mind if Yakuza had a little strip of blood to underline the title, but no, the entire title is written in blood. That's just hilarious when you stop to think about what the game is really about. Yakuza basically revolves around a man who embodies a lot of favourable old fashioned values that are not common place in our world today. You can actually feel the sense of brotherhood & chivalry in the japanese covers of yakuza. yak2 strategy guides yak 1 Western version What really ruins it for me is the name. WHile one could say that the covers are basically the same. They tend to give off different vibes to me based off of first impressions. The difference in titles alone is enough to clue you in on the actual content of the game. Most people who would be interested in the actual contents of the game Yakuza. Would probably pass the game up due to how self glorifying the name "Yakuza" sounds. Whereas a game with a title such as "A Dragon walks among us" would stand out. That title sets a sense of intrigue in your mind. It gives you the impression that Like a dragon among men (yakuza) may be more than just a simple crime game. You'll want to try it out, because you want to know what the title is referring to. Best of all that title "Like a dragon among men" coincides with the themes of the game perfectly. Whereas a title like "Yakuza" gives me the impression that it's just another crime simulation game. I know it sounds like pointless nitpicking, but the difference in a game that sales off of no prior knowledge, and a game that stays on the shelf & into the bargain bins. Can easily be decided just based on the contents of the title, logo, & packaging alone. Note: "A Dragon walks among us" is just some random title I came up with, because it sounds similar to the original title "Like a Dragon" Which basically means the same thing.

i know akido and karatedo , top most belt cinc childhood , Damn, I wish I knew akido. I don't know any martial arts at all. The thing I like about the Yakuza games is that Kiryu fights like a real yakuza. He's undisciplined, & doesn't use an actual fighting technique. Killyu Kazuma just brawls. Although his linear form does resemble karate a bit. Mostly the swift high, & roundhouse kicks that he dishes out. His punches are sloppy as hell. Although that pretty much reflects his thug background. Kiryu also does some judo style shit sometimes. sparring is snough real fight NO, why = dont want to leave comfort zone. I never really saw a fighting game that accurately portrayed the psychology of a real life fight. I mean fuck, in most fighting games you can get by just by sweep kicking your opponent to death. Try that in real life, and you'll just get stomped on. Most fighting games seem to be based off of kung fu movies. The Bushido blade games are the most realistic in my opinion, when it comes to trying to duplicate the psychology of a fight. (In the sense that every move counts, & the next move could either break your arms,legs, or potentially be the last move that you ever make.) but sports is not about leaving comfort zone, its physical thing, makes you fit, no death defying shit or anything, its a game. its meant to played in real, however if one has some problem like leg injury or something then it s ok to sit at home and enjoy the sports but other excuses of not trying sports in real. i mean it doesnt take death, fatalities or death injurires, money, or resources, go out join club gather friends thats it. it doesnt take shit to play sports. That was basically my point when I said that sports games are pointless. Sports games were meant to be played in real life, with real people. You just can't emulate the same sense of accomplishment by playing a sports video game. I don't laugh at people who play Chess video games, because you can legitimately train yourself through chess video games, because Chess is payed the same exact way in real life. Except you use your hands to move the pieces. Rather than a controller. Whereas football requires more than just your brain power. If you have passion for the sport, than it just feels like a waste of time to me. To have it be wasted in front of a tv. As you said. Sports videogames are only reasonable to me if you have a legitimate disability. (As in the player has no legs or some shit.) Now granted I will play a sports videogame if they add a twist to it. Such as Mutant league football, nba jam, or even Kunio Dodgeball. I need a semblance of fantasy or make believe in order to immerse myself in something that's as common & everyday as a sports game. It's for that reason why I don't understand games such as the Sims, or Guitar hero. The argument could be made that you are reenacting the fantasy of being an actual guitarist, or.... fuck I don't even know what to say about the Sims. Other than get a life. ---------- As for myself I often play war simulation games like Nobunaga's Ambition. Those games show to I how complicated war is when you throw in economics, diplomacy, officer & villager loyalty, provision supplies, domestic & foreign politics into the mix. To top it off you can even influence the emperor of Japan to label your enemies as a traitor. I'd gladly put the game down & just do that shit in real life, but 16th century japan no longer exists. Sure, I could try to enter real world politics, but its mostly just old crusty White guys in suits. (Since I'm Ameircan I'd be entering american politics.) That's no place for me. I'd be more at home with a mob style organization. That, and I have no formal education so I'm already exempt from a position in government. I can't get into war games that are popular in America such as Age of Empires, because they're way too simplistic imo. Politics in AOE games basically amounts to bribing people so they won't attack you. I prefer the Nobunaga games because you actually feel like you are forging long lasting relationships with foreign territories. Which will only complicate matters more once you & your ally are the only two kingdoms left standing. Do I marry my daughter off to the clan, and stall the inevitable for 30 more years, will I secede my position & join their ranks, or will I kill my former allies & become the unifier of Japan.

yeah fantasy or anything, game provides endless possibilities thats why i always debated in favore of more creativity in shit, than limited shit. games should keep on expanding and keep experimental. but he rasied a good point, lots of debate i had on this games/sports vs v.games v.games are actual mental sport for some? i had always treated games as software with interactivity. there were games like majestic which involves just typical windows interface, emails, browsing net and shit but its also was a game lol.

Maybe people play sport games because how competitive they are on real life. When we used to play sports at school, everybody was really competitive, almost to the point of starting a fight (I really had fun enraging them with words while i wasnt playing at all); if you dont play that good enough better not play at all. Besides, haven't you seen all those fat guys in the crowd with no shirt and their faces painted? I bet they love football and such but they cant move their fat asses at all, and thats why they pick sport games instead. I dont like sport games at all, not because they are meant to be playing in real life, but because each new game brings the same crap all over again.

Seriously I have no idea wtf I said was so wrong. This is the comment that started the entire argument. Exactly. That's one aspect of gaming life that I could never understand. What's more hilarious is that most of these people who play Madden & the like are just wannabes. Who could never hope to be drafted into the NFL. Which is prolly why sports games sell so well. To me those wannabes are the same as socially defunct asswipes who play dating sim games just so they can interact with an actual woman. (Or at least a digital simulation of one.) That may be what games were originally made for, but that doesn't stop I from laughing at them. I disagree that games were originally meant to be simulation that supplements the skills that we lack in real life. People didn't play Pac Man, because they couldn't eat ghosts in real life. At least I hope not. They played Pac Man for the high score & the competition. (bragging rights.) Games were originally a form of escapism & entertainment. At least that's what I perceive when I look at all those old ass Coleco Vision games. ----------- Back on topic http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25314 Story details While we already know the game will be an immediate sequel to the second, featuring the same characters and the same storyline, what we didn't know was that the game's going to be taking a pleasant break from the streets of faux-Tokyo. While the game will still be based around Kamurocho, it'll be adding a "second city": island getaway Okinawa (or, at least, a fictional take on Okinawa). Toshihiro "Brown Man" Nagoshi talks up the addition, saying the addition of the island's resort lifestyle and touristy atmosphere - coupled with its "darker side" - will stand in stark contrast to the gritty, urban atmosphere of Kamurocho, and as far as the story goes "fits the bill perfectly". No doubt the location -*test*-('")ing will also fit Nagoshi's sun-bathing bill perfectly, so it's a win-win situation for all involved. Ah sweet, I was hoping for Yokohama just to see how well it would compare with Persona 2's take on Yokohama. (Sumaru) Okinawa imo is a far better location. (Final Fantasy X & X-2 were also based off of Okinawa.) I remember when Yak2 first came out. A lot of people were speculating that Killyu kazuma would either take a vacation to Hong Kong, or America. Both of which sounded far fetched imo, but at the same time Kiryu going abroad would be the logical progression of the story of the dragon. KillYu is a family man now. Adopted daughter Haruka, and his new woman Kaoru. Hopefully Yak3 will be two player now, since Kaoru is a capable fighter herself. I either see Kiryu trying to help out the people of Okinawa, or something happens to Kaoru & Haruka during some vacation to Okinawa. (It hasn't been explicitly stated that Kiry actually is going on vacation, but it's Okinawa. That pretty much says it all right there.) Okinawa fills in this role nicely, because Okinawa is considered exotic to most Japanese. (Okinawa looks like a typical Asian country, with tropical weather, palm trees, beaches & shit. Modern Japan usually resembles LA & New York.) I like to see how the Okinawans would be portrayed. They're far more fiery when compared with the main land natives. I'm not sure how gangs are structured in Okinawa, because I've only been there for a day or two. One thing that I did notice is that Okinawans seem to be far more upfront & the gang mentality I perceived was more "Americanized" for lack of a better word. This is good news. I was kinda worried that Nagoshi would go with a typical prequel approach.

wow she said badass twice :D http://www.gametrailers.com/player/37223.html?type= thats pretty good marketing term for this game, sept 9 confirmed, and in oct TGS we probably get first video of yakuza3.... yakuuuuza fever ftw :)

I like how she kept bringing up the authenticity of the game, because it's true. Yakuza 2 explores more into the Korean connections of the Yakuza. (Hell, The only yakuza affiliated people I'm acquainted with are all Korean.) The most realistic depictions of Japan inside a videogame that I've seen are from Persona 2 & the Yakuza franchise. (Which is why I'm so disappointed with Persona. It used to be a game set in a realistic world talking about real world shit that actually does exist in real life.) Of course you don't actually get people trying to pick a fight with you every you go. She does raise a good point how some people will try to -*test*-('") your balls if you have that "tough guy" look though. It happened to me a couple of times when I was in japan, because I look yakuza myself. I never actually gotten into a fight with Japanese though, because I'd weird them out by speaking in English with my westcoast gangsta accent. That shit confuses people out, because I look more like an American influenced national rather than an actual American. (I mainly got into shit with American g.i.s who mistook me for a Japanese national.) Thinking about it, how come there aren't any Military gi's in the Yakuza games? Marines started shit with me all the time in Japan, & I'm American. Imagined what it be like if they messed with somebody like Killyu Kazuma. Course I already know the reason is because Sega doesn't want to seem like they're vilifying the west. Everytime I'm on the internet. I always see all these fools acting as if Japan is racist of outsiders for no reason. (Especially the peepz at shoryuken.) A lot of marines actually do act like they own the place. I know because I dealt with it constantly. I can't wait to see what Yakuza 3 looks like. I was disappointed with the announcement of Kenzan, but thank the lords that was just a spin off.

To much of evrything spoils the shit, kenzan is really good for refreshing abit, and giving samurai world fix with full dramatic emotional story. Anyways , really are japanese hostile in anyaway to outsiders? Do yakuza guys threaten or shit like that to foreigners or you conciously got into shit with them? well i love to go to japan for reason i put on music thread.

Yakuza usually don't bother anybody who's not Japanese/Korean. They will however, fuck you up if you try to mess with them, or meddle in their business. Which is normal behavior from any country. Yakuza typically only pick fights with other yakuza or people who look yakuza. (I look Yakuza.) Why would I start shit with marines? Why the fuck would I do that? I'm an American, and I'm not exactly a liberal. It just so happens that not all Americans consider me American. This is one of the many down faults of melting pot societies such as the United States. We discriminate based on differences yet we're supposedly united as one. The only reason that people believe that Japan is the most racist country in the world. Is because most of the people saying that shit are actually White, and they hail from a melting pot society. Most White/Caucasians have never experienced racism before, so they have no idea that the way Japanese treat them in Japan is the same way minorities get treated in most Occidental based countries. So in a sense it's not actually racism. It's classism. It's a classic case of the haves, and have nots. In Japan, Japanese natives or people who are labeled as Japanese are considered the 1st class. Everybody else is a tier lower. (This includes Japanese people from abroad. IMO, I've rarely ever seen a Japanese American who actually felt like a Japanese person. They feel more like Asian Americans instead. AKA people who are wannabe African American stereotypes. I believe that japs from Brazil get along fine though, because most Brazilian Japanese actually do feel, & resemble Japanese natives.) People believe that classism is racist yet they don't seem to realize that they do the same exact shit in their own countries. I've yet to see a Western country where Middle Eastern people weren't treated as the bottom of the food chain. It all comes down to hypocrisy, imo. People like to make fun of Japan, because Japan can't do anything back. (Bound by that article.) To much of evrything spoils the shit, kenzan is really good for refreshing abit, and giving samurai world fix with full dramatic emotional story. Kenzan isn't the only Yakuza Samurai drama period piece with a dramatic emotional story either. It's just the only one that you know about. Hissatsu Ura-Kagyou http://www.genki.co.jp/games/urakagyou/ http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-43-49-en-15-Hissatsu+Ura_Kagyou-70-q8i.html Ninkyouden: Toseinin Ichidaiki http://www.genki.co.jp/games/ninkyou/index.html http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-r-49-en-70-13q6.html Seriously almost everything that's considered unique or innovative about Yakuza has already been done before. The difference is that Yakuza is one of those games that were made by japs, for japs, that some people overseas have actually taken an interest in. As a result us foreigners think Yakuza is fresh, because it's the first of it's kind that we have seen. Similar to how people think Persona 3 is unique when it's just a shitty knock off of Sakura Wars. (Another Japan only game.) Not this change/stagnation argument again. This argument never makes any sense to me. It like saying that we need to change the way Football is played, because it's growing stagnant watching people form strategies in order to reach the touchdown line. Why change, what doesn't need to be changed? I don't understand why Persona needed change, and I really don't understand why Yakuza needs change in order to stay fresh. There were only two Yakuza games. How the fuck is that too much? Yakuza 2 didn't even feel like a true sequel. It was just Yakuza 1.5 with a new story. So in a sense Yakuza 2 was like the Persona 2 Eternal Punihsment to Persona 2 Innocent Sin. Name me one other game that was even similar to Yakuza. The only game that comes to my mind is Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines. Vampire used a gothic victorian L.A. nioght scene setting, instead of Shibuya like Yakuza & Yokohama like Persona 2. LOL, you do realize that the Samurai era is about as over saturated as they come in Japan? It's basically the Japanese equivalent of WW II games. How the is Kenzan a refreshing change when Japan constantly releases movies, games, anime, manga, tv dramas, about Musashi, Tokugawa, & Nobunaga almost every single day of the week. Oh yeah, instead of making a game with a unique modern day Yakuza setting. Maybe we should, I don't know. Release a new game set in feudal Japan. That's never been done before....... Hana No Keiji Guwange Kabuki Warriors Kengo: Master of Bushido Shinsengumi Kengo 3 Fuun Bakumatsuden Hissatsu Ura-Kagyou Demon Chaos/Ikusa Gami Ninkyouden: Toseinin Ichidaiki Kengo: Legend of the 9 Inindo: Way of the Ninja Taikou Risshiden Nobunaga's Ambition Nobunaga no Yabou: Zenkokuban 1 Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden Nobunaga no Yabou: Returns Taikou Risshiden II Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshoki Nobunaga no Yabou: Zenkokuban Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengouku Gunyuuden Nobunaga no Yabou: Sho Hoshi Hasumi Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengouku Gunyuuden Oda Nobunaga Den Nobunaga no Yabou: Bushou Fuuunroku Nobunaga no Yabou: Shouseiroku with Power-Up Kit Nobunaga no Yabou Game Boy Han 2 Taikou Risshiden III Kessen Nobunaga no Yabou: Ranseiki with Power-Up Kit PlayStation 2 Nobunaga no Yabou: Soutensoku Nobunaga no Yabou: Soutensoku with Power-Up Kit Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power Sengoku Musou Kouryaku Box Taikou Risshiden V Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends Samurai Warriors Nobunaga no Yabou Online: Tappi no Shou Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenka Sousei with Power Up Kit Kessen III Nobunaga's Ambition: Revolution Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshouki Samurai Warriors: State of War Nobunaga no Yabou: Shouseiroku Nobunaga no Yabou: Kakushin Nobunaga no Yabou: Reppuuden Nobunaga no Yabou: Reppuuden with Power Up Kit Pachi-Slot Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenka Sousei Nobunaga's Ambition DS Taikou Risshiden IV Nobunaga no Yabou Online: Haten no Shou Samurai Warriors 2 Empires Samurai Warriors 2 Samurai Warriors: Katana Nobunaga no Yabou: Kakushin with Power-Up Kit Nobunaga no Yabou Online: Souha no Shou Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends Kunitori Zunou Battle: Nobunaga no Yabou Samurai Warriors 2 Mobile Nobunaga Nobunaga no Yabou Online: Haten no Shou Samurai Spirits Samurai Spirits 2 Samurai Spirits 3 Samurai SPirits 4 Samurai Spirits 5 Samurai Spirits 5 Special Samurai Spirits Edge of Destiny Samurai Spirits RPG Samurai Spirits 64 Samurai Spirits: Tenkaichi Kenkakuden (Samurai Showdown 6) Last Blade Last Blade II Sengoku Sengoku II Sengoku III Ninja Master Ninja Combat Kiki KaiKai Kiki Kaikai 2 Samurai Michi Samurai Michi 2 Samurai Michi 3 Sengoku Basara Sengoku Basara 2 Sengoku Basara X Musya Madara II Shonen Ninja Sasuke Goemon Ganbare Goemon: Sarawareta Ebisumaru! Mystical Ninja starring Goemon Goemon's Great Adventure Ganbare Goemon: Hoshizorashi Dynamites Arawaru!! Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Sugoroku Ganbare Goemon: Tengu-to no Gyuakushu! Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2 Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ougon Kiseru Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuu Ganbare Goemon: Kurunarakoi! Ganbare Goemon: Ooedo Daikaiten Ganbare Goemon: Uchuu Kaizoku Akogingu Goemon: Shin Sedai Shuumei Ganbare Goemon: Kirakira Douchuu Soreyuke Ebisumaru Karakuri: Meiro Kieta Goemon no Nazo Heian Fuuunden Kuon Onimusha Onimusha II Onimusha III Onimusha Dawn of Souls Onimusha Tactics Onimusha Blade Warriors Genji Dawn of the Samuri Genji Days of the Blade Shinobido Imashime Shinobido Takumi Shinobido Homura: Soul of the Ninja Shinobido Akatsuki Tenchu Tenchu II Tenchu III Tenchu Z Tenchu Time of the Assassins Tenchu Fatal Shadows Red Ninja Bushido Blade Bushido Blade II Soukaigi Soul of the Samurai Hungry Ghosts (There's plenty more, but the list would get ridiculously long had I continued on. Even Sega has made a series of samurai games that have only been released in Japan.) If anything releasing a game during the Samurai era is called playing it safe with regards to the japanese domestic market if anything else. To top it off, Kenzan was just a samurai era retelling of the original Yakuza game. Story wise ,did that game even need to be made? No, it was just fluff. I believe the only reason Kenzan was made. Was to -*test*-('") the PS3's capabilities. I'm sure I'll be blown away by Yakuza 3, because the story details so far sound pretty kick ass. _______________ Now here's a list of games set in a modern urban Japan setting. Yakuza Yakuza 2 Kenka Bancho Kenka Bancho 2 Kenka Joutou Yanki Bancho The World Ends With You Persona Be Your true mind Persona 2 Innocent Sin Persona 2 Eternal Punishment Devil Summoner (The original Sega Saturn game.) Princess Maker 6 Silver Case Silver Case 25 Ward Goemon New Age Shutsudou! disaster report Disaster report II (Raw Danger) Moonlight Syndrome Twilight Syndrome Twilight Syndrome: Kinjiratera Toshi Densetsu Twilight Syndrome Omen: Tansakuhen Twilight Syndrome Saikai Twilight Syndrome Special Twilight Syndrome: Kyuumeihen (Well actually there's probably zillions of dating games that take place in modern Japan, but does anybody actually consider that pos genre as games.)

How the is Kenzan a refreshing change when Japan constantly releases movies, games, anime, manga, tv dramas, about Musashi, Tokugawa, & Nobunaga almost every single day of the week. ______________________ Ofcourse , if you looks at that way evry other rpg feels same too specially all bioware ones, its the actualplot and twists that matter, not to mention presentation. If you look at genki, acquire and spike even nextgen way3 looks shit graphcially, so its better for topnotch developers with proper nextgen engine to make game on japanese setting. I dont thing even nextgen game of genki can surpass kenzan gfx, presentation an gameplay. some proof watch these video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8VkKA2C4L8 and this is just tip of iceberg Remember i posted one thing back , that i wanted to have nextgen samurai world with as much detail and aesthetics it can nail, and i think only big producers like nagoshi can do that, and he did. kenzan is offshoot of yakuza series, i think it was really good decsion for following reasons change< not immedialtey make nextgen real yakuza game , specially when the installbase is low> now install base is enough for yakuza3 to do good profits , might as well boost sales of ps3, ppl will get more ps3s just coz of ffxiii demo in march and then they will go for yakuza 3 so its win win situation. maybe nagoshi wanted to -*test*-('") nexgen power now he can move much smoothly, avoiding mistakes. And its totally personal opinion but all yakuza cutscenes are really nicley directed, animations, motion captures emotions and all. I loved that genki game and hated it for not being localized, that game i didnt know about this game and seriously is anytime better than way of samurai2, tenchu and all recent acquire, spike shit. and i am feeling it can even shit on kenzan story , there is drama, brutality of japanese back then, sensleaakillings, authentic culture and whatnot those videos on site were super cool, even the game had bad gameplay i wld play it, atleast finshers are detailed and models look way better than recent tecnhu shit>, but seriously i am hating u for pointing that out since it isnt in english i am feeling shit as always, shit like tenchu and way gets localized , and ppl overlooked this gem, maybe the game is too brutal, but cutscenes and story feels fucking intriguing. you can go with kenzan for gfx,music, and expressions telling more story, but with this genkie shit its so text heavy that i wont even dload it, coz only thing that it offers is something i wont get or enjoy at all, that is story.

yeah yakuza is overated but only to japanese ppl who know what yakuza is but to a typical gamer, they don't even know, so it is overrated just in japan :P