Yakuza 3 for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

I'm usually a review reader not writer but this game deserves praise! It reminds me a lot of GTA and Heavy Rain But centered around the Japanese culture. The story is very good and I never really seemed to run out of side missions.... I'm so glad I had the opportunity to play this. I REALLY hope that Yakuza 4 does come to the USA.

One of the things that stuck out most for me is the game doesn't worry about being 'politically correct' like a lot of games in the west..... You can see many differences in cultures.

So anyway, you definitely shouldn't pass this one up if you enjoy an awesome plot, cool fighting moves, and unforgettable characters! I clocked 50 hours easily. Plus you can play gambling games, casino games, darts, pool, bowling, batting cages, and many other mini-games. You owe yourself to play this gem!

First off, I've never before played any other the other two Yakuza games and the only way I found out about this game , was by random passing by in forums. I enjoy RPGS, RTS, and I love games with large stories.

Overall:
This game will roughly bring you through 35+ hours easily, through a quick game play. It's your type of beat'em up game in the context of, "somewhat" random battles, experience points, semi-button mashing, and upgrading of abilities and attributes. If your a type of person that wants to run through a game 100%, this game'll be quite a challenge.

Story:
This one of my favorite parts of this title, and as well as one of the most annoying. As I have never played either of the previous ones, there are options to watch the skinny of both 1 & 2. Which is absolutely great! Each are about 15-20 minutes long but after, I felt pretty versed in the story. The story, as basic as I can tell it, is simply a retired gang leader comes back to the gang to clear up a mystery of an attempted murder of the new leader.

Gameplay:
The game starts out EXTREMELY slow. Which has seemed to turn of many people who have tried it. The game play is simple in the task of beating up bad guys who start Trouble with you and taking down gangs/gang leaders. There's alot of running around, and fighting in the streets, as well as the story progressing. I personally found the combat extremely gratifying, although seldom does anyone die. There are plenty of special moves and finishers, that just make you wish you could do those things to people you don't like.

Content:
A huge thing besides the story of Yakuza 3 is all the extra things you can do. Fishing, Golfing, Errands, Darts, and taking girls out to karaoke, are just a few to name the list. Unfortunely the only draw back is certain missions or side quest are completed in chains, meaning there can be a lot to miss, if you don't use a FAQ.

Final Note:
I loved the game and recommend to anyone who likes JRPGS. Be ready for the 4th!!

I think people go into this game, knowing it's about Japanese crime lords and gangs, and think it's gonna be a GTA clone or something. It's not. Yakuza actually has a STORY. A good one, too. And the best part of the game isn't walking around killing people, it's listening to the dialog between the characters, and watching the story unfold.

The biggest mistake you could make is try to skip through the dialog to get to some action. The dialog is what makes the game. You have to read it, every word, or it won't be interesting. And don't complain about the subtitles, if there were voice actors the dialog would've been butchered just like every other game.

Outside of the story there are tons of things to do like go golfing, fishing, throw darts, etc. The fighting system is pretty awful, so don't expect much there unless you like pressing square, and triangle repeatedly.
Overall great game though.

I had not played a "Yakuza" game before so didn't really know what to expect. There's a lot of good here, but there's also a LOT of excess. The combat system is great - the RPG elements bring a lot of fun to a pretty frequent game mechanic (Sometimes, you'll get into a random fight every block or two - Which is annoying, but beating up street thugs is so easy and so fun it doesn't get THAT old). There are 100+ submissions as well as Hitman missions if you're all about substories and if that's your thing, you'll be psyched.

The story is pretty good overall, but good God, does it slow to a crawl at times. Beware, it's ALL subtitles. The excess part I mentioned previously really applies here - For all of the excitement this title brings to the table at its high moments, the low moments are horrible. If I wanted to play with kids, go grocery shopping, and go on dates with fake girls, I'd play the Sims (And let's be real, nobody REALLY wants to play the Sims).

I think the biggest issue of the game is that it just tries to do too much. For everything it does right with combat and story, it just tries to do EVERYTHING. Want to play pool or darts? Want to go bowling or hit the batting cages? How about hitting the bar for a date or going out to a fancy restaurant? All of these things are good and put a lot into the cities to make them thriving, but it's just all too much. It's really a completion-ists nightmare. I finished the game, did all Hitman missions, 70+ substories, and only had a 34% completion rating and did this all in 30 hours. That's a LOT of time for only having completed 34% of all the things you can do in this game.

Final Word- Pick it up if you're looking for a unique take on an open world action title. That said, if you REALLY want a great open world action game with amazing fight mechanics, gunplay, and high speed chases with a better story than this one, check out Sleeping Dogs (Reboot of the True Crime series). You won't be disapp

Im never going to japan, apparently you get accosted by random thugs hooligans and yakuza.. every 30 seconds.

Yakuza 3 is a great continueation of the series. Yakuaza 4 was just released this week in Japan btw. The game starts off a little slow but it was done this way for new players to the series to catch up on what is going on. This game is more like a movie series but with better sequals. The graphics are fantastic and the mini games are ever more challenging. One of the main points of this game is about the mini games and side quests. If you are looking to diversify your gaming perspective globaly then you should really give this game a shot and see what other gamers are playing on the other side of the world.

The US almost did not get this game. Players had to petition Sega to bring it over. Yakuza 3 does what many games cannot do in this current generation and that is allow you to totally immerse your self into another culture while telling an incredible story. The streets that you roam are based off of actual places in Tokyo, and Okinawa Japan. Just give this game a chance and you will love it.

Either rent and buy, or just buy it, what ever you choose you owe it to your self to at least experience this game!!

This game is unique and very good. It has a splendid sense of humor and the action is fun. It's packed with at least 50 hours of gameplay, easy. I played for the first 20 hours without even noticing how long it had bee since I moved. This game will suck you in and you'll have a blast with it no doubt at all.

I must admit, I wasn't a big fan of the first Yakuza on ps2 but it entertained me enough to warrant purchasing the second game. However, I didn't touch Yakuza 2 for a good year and it collected dust under my other ps2 games. One late night, I decided to give it a spin. Immediately I was enthralled by the new characters, the relationships between them, and improved scale. Unfortunately, Yakuza 2 didn't sell well and a localization of future Yakuza games seemed impossible.

Yakuza 3 was released in Japan a year ago and it was a smashing success. Sega did the US fans a huge service by localizing the game. I understand your frustration about the cuts. I personally spent a good 5 hours doing the hostess club section in Yakuza 2 myself and was very upset that it was cut in part 3. But I am mature enough to understand that any Yakuza is better than no Yakuza and the only way we'll see Yakuza 4 (apparently the best in the series thus far) with no cuts is strong sales for Yakuza 3 in the west.

People like to call something like God of War 3 "epic". That term is used loosely nowadays. I scored GoW3 a 10 but underneath the amazing set pieces and huge boss battles, the game is very linear with no outside exploration involved. You will see everything in your first play through. I understand I am cross-referencing genres but it must be understood that Yakuza 3's scale is much larger.

The story is much more fleshed out than before and involves many characters, different motives, and intense scenes of drama. Outside of the fighting lies many many side quests and mini-games. Golf, casinos, karaoke, bar hopping, bowling, baseball, darts, billiards, poker, oh boy. The fighting is as tight as ever, the graphics are excellent, and the game is a sheer joy to play. I really have no gripes about this title. Only thing I can say is that I wish the relationship between Kazuma and Kaoru was explored further but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

and oh...Yakuza 3>>>>>>>GTA4

Yakuza 3 is unlike other games of this genre I have played. Usually, I can beat this kind of game in 16 hours or so. Yakuza 3 took much, much longer and that was without doing a large majority of the substories. This games takes character development to a new level. You get to know and genuinely like (or dislike) each character, from the orphan children to the Yakaza bosses. There are some very emotional scenes during the gameplay that will force you to display some real emotion. I spent nearly 10 hours just getting to know the characters and was ready to stop playing because it was getting to be somewhat tiresome. I am truly glad I didn't. After that point the game began to pick up and you start getting into the action sequences more often. If you like traditional Japanese or Chinese movies (the really long ones with subtitles), you'll probably understand and enjoy this game. If you don't like subtitles or films like that, you probably shouldn't rent this game. This is almost entirely in Japanese with some excerpts of what I believe is Cantonese Chinese, some intermittent Japanese Engrish, and some actual American English (albeit only from the villain). Overall, I was pleased with the game for the following reasons: intensive immersion into the culture, bonding with each character, positive message despite the violence, enjoyable fighting sequences (aside from the rather annoying street punks), and a very well written storyline. I gave this an 8 out of 10 for those reasons. I deducted points for the long time before you really get into the game, but the second half more than made up for it.

First i would like to say stop with the talk about the graphics, God did any of you kids even play the game?
Graphics don't make a game, Its how it plays that matters.
Some of the best games ever made had some of the worst graphics ever, So who cares.

Anyways, This game had many of the things the first two had however i wish it was a bit longer. The story was great and you can really get in to it,
And the fighting system is really good, There is nothing wrong with the controls, Unless you suck at games.

The only thing i did not like was the random street fights, I like them now and then but part three had then around ever corner.

I will be buying this game in hopes that part 4 will come to the USA.

Sadly, this game probably won't catch on with the North American market. Americans are too involved with killing each other online to get involved with something that revolves around story and depth such as "Yakuza 3". You don't start blowing limbs off as soon as you finish the opening credits. This game requires some patience and understanding in order to enjoy. Everybody seems to have contracted ADD in the last decade.

In "Yakuza 3" you take the role of Kazuma Kiryu. He's an ex-Yakuza who decided to leave the Tojo Clan and take care of children at Sunflower Orphanage; as he was once an orphan. The game starts off slow. Trying to familiarize you with Kiryu's role as the guardian of these children and the events leading up to the opening sequence. If you've never played the past 2 games, it can get a little confusing at first. But if you give this game a chance, you won't regret it.

While "Yakuza 3" revolves around a great story, it doesn't mean there is nothing else to do. This game is packed with content. There seems to be an endless amount of things to do in the game! And yes, there are MANY fights to be had! From street fights to regulated fights. It's all there.

The gameplay isn't perfect. While "Yakuza 3" still suffers from some irritatingly bad camera angles and a somewhat problematic targeting system, it's nowhere near as bad as the first title was.
Overall the fighting system is great and easy to pick up on. It has that old arcade feel to it and there is a bunch of new fighting moves to be discovered through training. Upgrading is a big part of this title. The enemies progressively get tougher and you have to keep the advantage one way or another. Fighting can vary from melee to weapons such as Katana's or shotguns. There's also usefulness in benches and even street signs.

Bottom line: "Yakuza 3" is an excellent game. It's original, story driven and very entertaining. If you're looking for a change, it's right here.

This game, despite having a slow start, develops very well. The graphics are a bit outdated, which is said to be because SEGA took forever to get this out to the US. The main character as well as sub characters develop over time and seem to work well with each other according to the game/situation type.

The fighting system is very basic...you can gain some new abilities that definitely help out later in the game, but you pretty much have to beat the game and continue a new one to unlock all the abilities.

Weapon/Gear modification options, which i never really saw a good reason to spend my time on. Plenty of mini-games and sub stories to keep you going, assuming you have the time/patience.

I BEAT THE GAME AND IT SAID I ONLY COMPLETED ABOUT 15% OF THE TOTAL GAME.

I think this is one of the funnest games i've ever played. It has everything then some. First I like that you dont have to play the previouse 2 to know what is going on. They added the complete story of the previouse games, and what I thought was really cool about this feature was that it was kinda like a short movie. Where in between chapters you can quit if you want. Second controls are smooth, the graphics look really polished. There is so many side quest its mind boggling. That will keep you busy for days just in itself. Then then comes the mini games. Darts,pool,Karokee,consino's,batting cages,golf course,arcades,fishing,and a theres probably more I cant think of at the moment. And doing certain things will unlock hidden boss fights. I mean the content is enourmas. When playing you should read the online guides before you continue with the story. This game truelly does have it all.

Once I heard about Yakuza 3 I immediately wanted to check things out. Hearing so many things I thought there was no way they would live up to expectations but they sure proved me wrong. The diverse fighting moves keep all the fights from being identical, there's a extremely deep storyline, and even though there is a lot of involvement with children the action and fighting greatly surpass it. Why are you still reading this review rent the game!!!! =)

Good way of saving $500 roundtrip ticket from here to Japan. The game makes you feel like u're in a downtown japan; the traffic, noises, people, building, shops .... awesome

This game practically makes me wanna move to japan and live as a Yakuza well a good one like the Kiriyu :)

You have to love japan culture and their honorable way of life to appreciate this fine art ...

reading these reviews for this game made me skeptical. i loved yakuza 1 and 2, so i wanted to try this out. All and all it was a great game and its definitely worth renting. The story line is amazing. The people that you meet are filled with personality whether it be bad or good. There are even some times like the end where there are tear jerking moments within it. These characters who are closed to the main character, Kazuma Kiryu, make you feel like they are your best friends and you grow a care for them throughout the game. THe gameplay isn't all bad. There are some parts where there are people who have unlimited ammo and are ridiculous to beat and some people like the tedious people you fight on the street who are too easy. There are over 120 missions including the main storyline. There are also little mini games, like taking girls out, bowling, drinking games, and even golf. The graphics are great. The people in cutscenes look life like, though when you have to read the boxes it gets very annoying cause there is at least 10 hours of reading boxes with tiny words in them.
All in All great game and you should try it out. This isn't a buy because of the lack of online play though if you like playing over 100 hours of side quests and mini games you should buy it. If you dont rent this game your missing out on one he!! of a great game.

At the beginning, it's quite irritating because of there are lots of cutscene in Japanese with English Subtitle. The dialog is slow and long. Loading takes time and require getting used to.
Besides all these flaws, this game has a lot of things to do within the game like Fishing, Golfing, Arcades, mini Games, etc. Fighting is fun, running around town and just collecting stuff is fun. This game seems like I can keep on playing and playing...kinda like Fallout 3 but not as good.

If you're into RPG's and never heard of the Yakuza series, then you're missing out on the most unique series ever to hit the US consoles. Unlike traditional RPG's, you can actually relate to the characters, with deep storylines behind each subplot, and loads of content from mini-games including home-run derby, pool, darts, to witty conversation challenges and foot races. The sandbox-style game-play is like a Japanese Fable 3 meets GodFather II with weapon customization elements and subplots similar to those from Fallout 3.

The setting is modern-day Tokyo and Okinawa Japan where you play Kazuma Kiryu, a reformed mafia chairman who's trying to run an orphanage and prevent the government and other chairman from forcing him (and the orphans) off of his land. Cut scenes from Yakuza one and two clarify what you've missed from the prequels (in case you're just getting into the series). As you level up, you get stronger and are able to compete in fighting events, take out wanted hitmen, take out dates, visit Tokyo's restaurants, and even partake in making the best instant Ramen Noodles.

I had Final Fantasy XIII right before this game, and while the graphics wowed me, I was disappointed at the content and overly generic storyline. The cliche's and linear maps were another huge let down. For the game of the century, it seemed more like bad Anime flick. Yakuza 3 filled my need for a casual mid-paced sandlot RPG.

It's apparent that a lot of work and thought went into the development of this game. I've been hooked onto it for the last month, and I'm still nowhere near finished, even with the 2+ hours per day I put in. If you're considering an RPG to play casually and don't mind subtitles, this is the game that will not disappoint.

I think this game must have a few hours worth of cinematics. Maybe if I hadn't been renting it, I'd have been more patient, but probably not. And then, that's not even counting all the silent dialogue they expect the player to read.

The actual gameplay at first seems like a Japanese sort of GTA4, except without the Theft or the Auto. It does feel very grand, though, with all sorts of things to do. Problem is, not only are the minigames all pretty lame and pointless, even the fighting is reduced to a sort of minigame.

You run around the city, from mission point to mission point, unable to attack anyone, or do anything, other than simply run around and talk to people. You do get attacked a lot, to the point of blatant absurdity, but then the game switches to fight mode, where the fighting mechanics are mini-game weak. Spam square repeatedly to perform your strikes, circle to grab and throw, or triangle to do situational special moves, when the right situation presents itself. Meh.

The scenery looks great though. Amazing attention to detail. Seemed worth the rental, just to be able to explore the visuals, but then plodding through the gameplay to see more of the game felt really tedious.

OK, I don't usually write reviews, but I was just so disappointed after playing this game that I felt it was my obligation to leave some feedback.
The animated cut scenes were painfully long, and the dialogue was very non interactive.
You are allowed only one response for most of the conversations, so why do they even present "press X for OK" when there is no other option anyhow??
Another reviewer said that this game looked more like it was created for the PS2, and I have to admit, it's very true.
The movements of the characters looked very stiff and inarticulate, and I don't understand why they insist on using the text conversations over just having the characters actually speaking.
Load times were frustrating, and the fight mechanics were bland and predictable and did not allow for much creativity in so far as fight combos on the part of the player. I played for about 3 hours and just gave up all hope for the game to redeem itself.
If you are just completely in love with Japanese culture and all things Japanese..... not that this is a bad thing ;.).... you might enjoy this game for just that, but if you are looking for action, creativity and a game that will challenge you, I would suggest that you pass on this one.

I'm a huge fan of Japanese games, products and storylines being brought to the US for gaming distribution. I love the different cultural knowledge that brings and shares. With that said, I was looking forward to playing yakuza 3, especially after finding pretty positive ratings for it on many popular gaming websites.

If you enjoy a Hack-N-Slash type gameplay, this is NOT the game for you.

There is a lot of conversations and talking. If you like that stuff, this is your game. Me, I want to actually do something when I play my games. There's just not enough action and, when there is action, the gameplay stops to let you know you're about to fight.

Here's a good example......
Ever play Final Fantasy or Pokemon or a turn-based RPG?
Now, ever play Grand Theft Auto?
Imagine playing GTA but, whenever you wanted to grab a bat and hit someone, a load screen would come up and it would tell you that you're about to fight. YUCK!

The constant disruption in gameplay caused me to not enjoy this title as much as I really wanted to.

The art direction and visuals were incredible. The storyline is certainly intriguing and if I didn't have a job or a life I would put more time and energy into this title just to see it further develop. Unfortunately there are way too many other PS3 games that I see myself enjoying so much more.

DrJMaster1
... And that's my brain on games ...

I rent games, since sometimes it's hard to tell in advance how much I will enjoy playing a game. Some games, I can tell within minutes if I will like it. Yakuza 3 lasted about an hour. It was on its way back less than 12 hours after I received it. I felt like I was watching a movie. Early on, I am given an opportunity to review synopsis movies for Yakuzas 1 and 2 to familiarize myself with previous events, presumably to elucidate the Yakuza 3 experience. Great: more movies. Got bored. Barely got to the game play. Sent it back. NEXT!

I hate to review a game I haven't completed but i just don't have the patience for mundane tasks. Run over there, now run back and talk to so and so now go back to the last place, over and over. The game does a great job at creating a setting and providing a glimpse into Japanese culture but its very slow. The fighting can be fun but comes at random awkward moments, usually when youre trying to complete some minor task. If you have alot of time on your hands and alot of patience, this may be for you.