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All Articles: Yakuza
Yakuza Kiwami will be released for the PC on February 19
Sega has announced that they’ll bring Yakuza Kiwami, the enhanced and updated remake of the first game in the long-running series, to the PC on February 19:
Yakuza Kiwami, the franchise’s very first original title, tells the tale of Kazuma Kiryu, an up-and-coming yakuza who takes the fall for the murder of a crime boss, only to emerge from prison ten years later to a changed world. Take a trip through the twisted world of Japan’s criminal underground, where alliances will be tested, and blood will be shed. Players will encounter “extreme” battles, a wide range of minigames, refined side missions and lots of other fun distractions.
With enhanced gameplay, an expanded cinematic story, the return of thrilling battle styles and re-recorded audio by the series cast, Yakuza Kiwami is the ultimate version of the original vision of the series, now optimised for PC with 4K resolutions, uncapped framerates, and customisable controls.
Yakuza Kiwami will be available to download through Steam for $14.99. Fans who pre-order the game will receive a 10% discount and a Bonus Content Pack (a Digital Manga, Exclusive Wallpapers, and Avatars).
A new trailer promoting Yakuza Kiwami’s PC debut has been embedded above.
PS Store This Week: Life Is Strange Before the Storm, Yakuza Kiwami, Resident Evil Revelations, more
The first day of school is right around the corner, but you can fill your Labor Day Weekend with new games as the PlayStation Store is back with a massive new update.
Leading the way is the first episode of Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, a prequel to Dontnod’s award-winning adventure game. This time, PS4 players will follow Chloe Price as she navigates Arcadia Bay before the return of Max Caulfield.
PS4 owners will get to experience several grand returns this week as six games will make their own to Sony’s latest console for the first time. Sega will re-release their open world gangster game, Yakuza, as Yakuza Kiwami. Obsidian will bundle together Pillars of Eternity and all its add-ons as Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition. Capcom will give a fresh coat of paint to Resident Evil Revelations. Nicalis and 34BigThings will race for the finish line in Redout. The creators of Myst are back with Obduction. And the classic visual novel White Day: A Labyrinth Named School will makes it PS4 debut.
Elsewhere on the PlayStation Store, Koei Tecmo will launch their crossover brawler, Warriors All-Stars, for the PS4. And Sony themselves will bring back the Everybody’s Golf series on the PS4 for the first time.
You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases) after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PS4, Vita
Tagged Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, Resident Evil Revelations, Yakuza
New Retail Releases: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Yakuza Kiwami, Everybody’s Golf, More
The Summer is coming to a close this week, but it looks like game publishers are getting a jump on the avalanche of new titles planned for this Fall for more than a half dozen new retail releases this week…
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle caps off Nintendo’s “Summer of Switch” with a colorful and crazy tactical battler. The game was developed by Ubisoft, and Mario and friends will fight back against the invading Rabbids with a unique arsenal of weapons and “humorous fun.”
Also set to launch this week is Yakuza Kiwami for the PS4. Players will get the chance to relive the first adventure of Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, in this “Extreme” remake of the original Yakuza.
Several other games will make their way to new platforms this week including Obsidian’s expansive RPG, Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition (PS4 and Xbox One); Capcom’s seaworthy spinoff, Resident Evil Revelations (PS4 and Xbox One); and 34BigThings’s futuristic racer, Redout (PS4 and Xbox One).
Finally this week, Sony and Clap Hanz will bring back their wild and wacky golf simulation, Everybody’s Golf, on the PS4. It’ll be joined by Koei Tecmo’s Warriors crossover, Warriors All-Stars, and zombie-themed shooter Dead Alliance (PS4 and Xbox One).
That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with an in-depth look at the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.
Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, New Hot Shots Golf, Pillars of Eternity, Redout, Resident Evil Revelations, Warriors All-Stars, Yakuza
Sega and Atlus announced their E3 2017 lineup
Sega originally acquired Atlus in 2013, but the two companies continued to operate separately in the years that followed. But they’ve been growing closer in 2017, and this year’s E3 Expo marks the first time that Sega and Atlus are presenting a joint booth to the industry.
As you might expect, the Sega half of the booth will be anchored by Sonic the Hedgehog… more specifically, this Summer’s Sonic Mania and this Fall’s Sonic Forces. Both games will share space with two upcoming Yakuza games (Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Yakuza Kiwami), as well as Total War: Warhammer II and a bevy of Atlus-branded RPGs.
“We’re really pleased to see Yakuza and Sonic back on the biggest stage for video games, and having the first public hands-on for Total War: Warhammer II underlines a really strong showing from Sega and Atlus this year,” said John Clark, the Senior Vice President for Sega Europe. “We look forward to welcoming trade visitors but we’re especially looking forward to having the public come and see our line-up this year, it’s great for E3 and it’s great for publishers. We’re confident there’s something for everyone on the Sega stands this year.”
The 2017 E3 Expo opens its doors this Tuesday, June 13, and you can find Atlus and Sega’s full lineup after the break. (more…)
Sega will release Yakuza Kiwami for the PS4 on August 29
Sega has announced that Yakuza Kiwami will be released for the PS4 on August 29.
Yakuza originally launched for the PS2 in 2005, and Sega is billing Yakuza Kiwami as an “Extreme” remake of their gangland tale. In addition to the expected graphical bump, the PS4 re-release will also include re-recorded Japanese audio, nearly 30 minutes of brand new cutscenes, and loads of other bonus features. In another bit of good news, Sega tagged the game with a wallet-friendly sticker price of $29.99, and players who purchase the game during its initial printing will receive a special Steelbook case.
Yakuza Kiwami Features
A Family Patriarch’s Ransom of New Content – “Kiwami” literally translates to “Extreme,” and the game was named that for good reason. Not just a simple graphical upgrade, Kiwami adds nearly 30 minutes of cutscenes alone, providing all-new insight into the game’s plot and creating common threads with series prequel Yakuza 0. There’s also added distractions (Pocket Circuit car racing, MesuKing: Battle Bug Beauties, new hostesses, and more), side quests, combat updates, re-recorded Japanese dialogue, and more to bring the original Yakuza game into the latest console generation. A Place for Newcomers and Veterans – Yakuza Kiwami is the ultimate bridge in the series. Newcomers or those whose Yakuza experience started with Yakuza 0 will have familiar, exacting controls, top-notch Sega localization, and a solid starting point for entering the Yakuza franchise fresh. Veterans will experience a familiar Kamurocho and plot, but with new levels of story depth and graphical polish. But It Was Me! Majima! – Completely new to Kiwami is the “Majima Everywhere” system, where the series’ deranged, one-eyed maniac will constantly surprise and challenge Kiryu to combat when he least expects it. We’re talking “popping out of a goofy costume” levels of surprise, so players must stay on their toes and be ready to defend themselves from Kiryu’s chief rival. Extreme Revitalization – Kiwami is rebuilt from the ground up with all new HD assets, optimized for the PlayStation 4 and running in 1080p/60FPS. And following suit with Sega’s commitment to the Yakuza series, the game will release in both physical and digital formats in the west.
If you’re unfamiliar with Kazuma Kiryu’s story, Sega also launched the Yakuza Experience website today, and you can learn more about the franchise’s history with an interactive timeline and character map, as well as the first issue of a 10-part digital comic series.
Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will slice and dice onto the PS4
The 1980s-set prequel Yakuza 0 will be heading to the PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe on January 24th, but a remake to 2005’s Yakuza is also heading for western shores. Titled Yakuza Kiwami (“Yakuza Extreme” in Japanese), the remake will be published by Sega in North America, while its publishing partner Deep Silver will be handing those duties in Europe.
Yakuza Kiwami was originally released in Japan in January 2016, and its more than a simple remaster. The gangster saga has been rebuilt from scratch to output in full HD resolution at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. The combat system has also been retooled to match the more furious pace of the prequel, while some of the more obscure side quests have been better highlighted so that players can actually find them and experience the loose threads that branch from the main story line.
If you’re already familiar with Yakuza, then think of Kiwami as the super-deluxe Blu-ray Edition, with over 30 minutes of new cutscenes that add a critical level of depth to the characters, and also help to tie in with some of the stories unearthed in Yakuza 0.
In addition to all of these features, the eye-patch wearing villain Majima will appear more often, and without warning, fulfilling the game’s extreme label. There are also new street activities to enjoy, including Pocket Circuit car racing, Battle Bug Beauties, and fresh new hostesses.
But Sega also had more Yakuza news up its sleeve at this weekend’s PlayStation Experience. According to the PlayStation Blog, the publisher also confirmed that Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will get a localised version for western gamers. The sequel will hit Japan this week, but players in North America and Europe will have to wait until sometime in 2018 to get hold of the English version.
However, with both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami to keep us busy, I think we can be patient.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged PlayStation Experience 2016, Yakuza, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life