Yakuza Dead Souls for PlayStation 3

GF Rating

8

Very Good

Surprisingly Solid, Variety with Zombiecide

posted by Vhashaar (Puyallup, WA) May 19, 2012

Member since Mar 2012

3 out of 3 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

This title is meant to be a continuation and spinoff from the Yakuza series on the PS3. The characters are mostly returning faces from the series, living out a sudden zombie outbreak in the fictional district of Kamurocho in Japan.

The selling point of the game is gunplay with zombies of all kinds. This takes place in the hostile 'quarantine' area of the game, and the killing is plentiful. Graphic yet cartoony enough to be palatable. Good enemy variety, solid weapons. One major hitch is the way the lockon and camera systems behave. It's certainly workable, just not exactly a precise shooter.

There is a surprising amount of sidetracking one can do within the game. Exploring the alleyway shops in the safe zones, going through sidequests and multipart stories of minor characters has depth - as well as reward in money and items.

The story is broken up between four different characters, each with a specific weapon and very distinct character flavor. The cinematics and dialogue are detailed and have a movie feel. The dialogue is all in Japanese, however, so subtitles will be constant.

The main scenarios can be rushed through in about 6 - 8 hours, though I derived about 45 hours during exploration and other activities - and I barely dabbled with the minigames. From playing bowling, darts and casino games to building relationships with Hostesses in social clubs, the amount of minigames here is nearly alarming.

The game environments have real character and sense of presence. The city is the game's main location and changes throughout the main scenario as the quarantine spreads.

There is no multiplayer, but the game offers multiple difficulties and item carryover into subsequent plays.

I went into this expecting a shallow shooter made from a brawling game. I was very pleasantly surprised by the foreign-yet-familiar charm of the game and solid zombie splatter.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Poor mechanics spoil a decent story

posted by tjsmoke (NORTHAMPTON, PA) Mar 14, 2012

Member since Dec 2008

7 out of 12 gamers (58%) found this review helpful

"Yakuza Dead Souls" had the potential to be a fun entry into the Yakuza franchise, introducing zombies into its tale of gangsters in the various districts of Tokyo. Split into four parts, each one highlighting a different character from the series, the story is set up decently. Graphics and voice acting also meet with the series standards, and there is quite a bit of humor interjected throughout. Sadly, that's where the good seems to end. Bad camera angles intrude, at times obscuring enemies. There are no save points as in the other Yakuza games, though checkpoints are placed decently, so if you die you may not get set back too far. The shooting mechanics are downright awful, so it's a good thing you at least have unlimited ammo. Using anything other than bullets seems to have no effect, and the enemies, even the low grade ones, are bullet sponges. Chances are these mechanics will annoy you enough that you won't even bother to finish this game, which is a shame. A rental only, unless you're an absolute die-hard fan of the Yakuza games are you have to own the complete collection. Casual fans may just want to give this one a pass.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

the more i played

posted by steveninga (SAVANNAH, GA) May 15, 2012

Member since Jun 2011

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

the better i liked it. sloppy movement hurt the game for me but over all it was pretty good

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

zombies!

posted by bladezz13 (LAS VEGAS, NV) Apr 30, 2012

Member since Feb 2012

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

FUN FUN FUN FUN!!!!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

8

Very Good

Yakuza with guns.....FINALLY!!

posted by nibroc2112 (DULUTH, MN) May 23, 2012

Member since Jul 2009

1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

I have played Yakuza 3 & 4.....what I mean to say is I tried to play them. I loved their story and the opportunity to explore a little slice of Japaneese culture...but I could never finish them because of the brawling combat, which was a button-mashing mess. Both instances I thought they could be great games if the combat was gun based. So when I heard about Dead Souls...my prayers were answered...somewhat. I should have expected the Japaneese to get the aiming mechanics wrong! Moving the crosshairs with the left stick?Really? Have people in Japan never played a western shooter of any kind in the last 10 years? Bad mechanics aside, this is a really entertaining game. Thats why this is the first Yakuza game I've ever finished...and played again! Please have gunplay in Y5! Do you think the real Yakuza go around kicking their enemies?! If they did, they would get shot in the face.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Nice idea of a game, but poorly executed

posted by VampyrM (SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA) Mar 18, 2012

Member since Feb 2010

1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

Could have been better if the game mechanics were smooth and fluid, they could have made this game more fun by making it online co-op.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

6

Above Average

Zombies are fun to shoot!!

posted by mars188 (BRISTOW, OK) Mar 16, 2012

Member since Dec 2003

1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

Never was a big fan of these games but they do offer fun- I do agree the controlls take about 2hrs to G.E.T. Things down!! left stick moves your gun sights just Odd choice- I always thought the text stuff is outdated- why are we reading text 2012 game sega?? the Map is awful in my view- Buying and selling stuff is a pain- Zombies are fun the guns are fun - Game is worth about 19-24 bucks- Great Rent- Thanks

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

6

Above Average

meh

posted by popnasty93_nj (NEWARK, NJ) Mar 14, 2012

Member since Jan 2012

1 out of 5 gamers (20%) found this review helpful

fun game...not a great game...worth a rent forsure

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

1

Horrible

Worst game in years!

posted by WHC5 (ATLANTA, GA) May 10, 2012

Member since May 2012

1 out of 6 gamers (17%) found this review helpful

This game is terrible! Any alternative in the zombie genre will be a far better experience. Don't waste a rent on this!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

8

Very Good

fun but with technical issues

posted by mrburnstick (WEST RICHLAND, WA) Apr 2, 2013

Member since May 2011

enjoyed this game very much big fan of the series itself. i honestly cant figure out why the rating on this site is so bad for this game i really believe people just rated it a 1 and didn't even bother to play it. now this game does have some technical issues that for the most part come out during the boss fights. the other issues are some minor frame rate issues and corridors with mini bosses can be hectic and frustrating at times. if there is number 2 i would hope that they take a bit more time ironing out the bugs and make the boss showdowns fill more open. the gun play is very fun and addicting i found myself not being able to blink and didn't want to stop playing till i reach the conclusion . when you beat the game you get a chance to load some of your saved data in to keep your upgrades and such this was very pleasant since i would find a second play through hard if i lost everything i spent the last 12+ hours doing. also ill add once you beat the game it gives you a new game mode adventure mode which is pretty much free roam yakuza style.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Don't be fooled this is not really a Yakuza game.

posted by Astronskas (AUBURNDALE, FL) Mar 2, 2013

Member since Sep 2008

I played this game and enjoyed that it included familiar characters from the previous Yakuza series. Do not expect the same game as previous serious, this is basically just another shoot with the Yakuza name. The targeting system is terrible as well as the button configurations. Camera angles are seriously messed up at times which cause you to become a zombies lunch. If you like Yakuza and shooters then give it a try. Otherwise take a pass and play something else

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

Yakuza with Zombies!?

posted by alexisBeyond (HIALEAH, FL) Feb 19, 2013

Member since Feb 2013

The game is great, but not the storyline. If you're a fan of the Yakuza's series you should try this game out. But don't count with a perfect game. The graphics aren't bad, gameplay is perfect.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Yakuza: Dead Souls Review

posted by VampireJoe (PAW PAW, MI) Feb 2, 2013

Member since Nov 2012

So this is a wild zombie survival game combined with numerous odd minigames, ping pong and Karaoke! You can level up your Yakuza bad guy and the gameplay is also like Dead Rising meets GTA meets some fun arcade style stuff. This game is pretty long into this adventure with side quests and dating. Fun characters, solid gameplay, good humor, the controls get a while to get used to and a cool storyline. This is one of the best games of 2012 and is a rent because there is no online, but you can also buy it too to play the minigames and stuff.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

1

Horrible

Love the Series, Hate this Game

posted by Raijin15 (PANORAMA CITY, CA) Nov 5, 2012

Member since Dec 2011

You know how in the other games of the series you occasionally pick up a gun during a fight? Well it's like that except there are a billion zombies surrounding you. You meanwhile keep shooting the wall. I am so sad they tarnished the name of Yakuza with this sorry excuse for a game. Played up to 1 1/2 hours before deciding that this needs to be shipped back right away.

Can't wait for Yakuza 5 and wash this bitter taste off of my mouth.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

a treat, dont miss.

posted by lusence (OKEECHOBEE, FL) Oct 14, 2012

Member since Feb 2011

If you like zombie games you need this one. has a pretty cool 'side' quest area where you have to clear out zombies for the buisiness to open, and being new to yakuza, i was pleasently surprised at all the details and diff buisines's. cool/clever story and fun mechanics imo, only problem is you cant set difficulty level on the fly, im stuck on easy and its just a cake walk.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

Yakuza Vs Zombies

posted by DumsterChild (GALLUP, NM) Oct 11, 2012

Member since Jul 2012

Good game and just bit funny...

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

really good game

posted by daraweeks446 (FORT BRAGG, CA) Sep 10, 2012

Member since Apr 2012

this is a really good game if you are into zombies ore if you are not. the shooting part is good. the story line is great. its a great game to play its one of those games you wold sit down and not want to get up from

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Not really a credit to the franchise.

posted by BURZUM (TROY, AL) Jul 16, 2012

Member since Nov 2010

I thought it would be fun, but the combat mechanics are difficult. The auto-aim is difficult to maneuver because you'll not always aim at a zombie, a lot of times you end up aiming at the wall or somewhere else. You have to be facing the zombie, and since the camera doesn't follow behind you very well this can be, and is, difficult.

Quite often, they throw tons of running, jumping and all-out brawling zombies at you in small cramped areas which makes combat frustrating. There are even zombies that throw molotov cocktails at you, or swing 2x4's or crowbars at you. Weird.

I still don't understand the side-story missions or how to find/accomplish them, in this Dead Rising knock-off version of Yakuza (with guns) which is also stupid. I still have yet to complete the game, and may not waste my time in doing so. I have gotten through maybe 1/4 of the way so far, but have myself poised at any given time to jump out of the chair and hit the eject button; ready to send the game back in an instant.

Dead Souls is trying to ruin the franchise I previously enjoyed. I think they should take the "Yakuza" out of the title and call it something else. I automatically didn't like it from the start of playing, and 15 hours later I still don't like it any better.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

4

Weak

????

posted by frostey22 (NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV) Jul 2, 2012

Member since Sep 2011

i dnt even no wat was the point in this game....its so STUPID. it killed yakuza for me.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

6

Above Average

Bath Salt

posted by Justin_Bieber (AUSTIN, TX) Jun 11, 2012

Member since Apr 2011

Storyline wise, not as good as it's predecessors. I did continue to play it until the end. Graphics is what you would expect from Yakuza 4. There are moments where the frame rate drops significantly. My biggest gripe about the game is how tedious it could be killing the zombies. They do mix it up with occasional super zombies or prototypes, but there is still much left to be desired. No regrets renting the game, looking forward to Yakuza 5

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

A good solid RENT but not a BUY!

posted by ironhammer6671 (LAUREL, MS) Jun 4, 2012

Member since Oct 2011

I have played all the Yakuza games and when I heard of this title coming out, I thought it was going to be a cheezy and cheap sub-story game. Well I was wrong! This was a great new area for the game series to jump into.

PROS:
1. Story: as good as any of the other Yakuza Storylines!
2. Multi-characters: Some would rather play just as Kazuma but to be the others (especially Mejima for me!) was fresh and had new weapons to get with each new character.
3. Free roam: like GTA and games like it, you can venture off from the story and just go crazy and kill zombies that will help you level up and open up old stores and resturants.
4. Graphics: Great Graphics in this game and really makes you think you are back in Kamochuro.
5. DLC: If you use the PSN you can download alot of FREE stuff for you to use. this includes guns, ammo, perks, and dresses for your waitresses.

CONS:
1. Camera Controls: Very hard to keep camera the way you need it. Once you set it and go into an area that is more narrow or has more obsstacles you basically have to let go of the camera control and then press the button again to regain a look of the initial area, and this gets real frustrating later on when you have more zombies and harder mutants breathing down your neck!
2. No Online PLAY!: One thing about any zombie game is the ability to play with another, even if it is SPLIT-SCREEN and not online. Very dissapointed when i noticed the only thing used for online is DLC and rankings.

Overall the game is very good, just work around the camera angle issues (there very few and far between) but like the Title says the game is worth a rent but with no Multiplayer it stays as a RENT ONLY!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

6

Above Average

Good for a rental.

posted by AtelierRe (VIRGINIA BEACH, VA) May 31, 2012

Member since May 2012

I love the Yakuza Series. This one is an alright addition to the series. The games takes the Yakuza characters and gameplay elements and turns it into an all-out zombie environment. The game has nothing to do with the main story line to Yakuza. The game is actually fun to play. The only downfall to me is the aiming system. It takes time to get used to the aiming and after that, the game is easy to play. Also, they should have added more melee attacks in the game. The guns are good but Yakuza is know for its hand-to-hand combat system. Other than that, the game still has the same interaction and exploration as the other Yakuza game. A great addition to the series but I will have to wait until this goes on sale for a lower price before I buy it.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

4

Weak

GETS OLD

posted by apolak0715 (FARGO, ND) May 25, 2012

Member since Jan 2012

I liked the one previous to this one better. Not much on just killing zombies all the time, gets pretty old quick. Good graphics.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Yakuzzzzzzzz...oh... I fell asleep

posted by scottmcdaniel (CENTERVILLE, IN) May 21, 2012

Member since Mar 2012

Remember Shenmue and Shenmue 2 for the Sega Dreamcast?Well those games were brilliant.lots of talking to characters that you cared about.this game has you talking to lots of characters that you could care less about,kinda like those annoying people that you work with that you try to avoid.
Anyways,this game looks and feels like it came out on the PS2 ten years ago,controls and all.For the action parts either you are stuck to the ground while you are aiming, or you are auto aim running and firing shooting at whatever your guns choose to point at.
Some of you will bash me because I will say this is the first Yakuza I played,but all I could think of was,are these people going to shut up and let me take care of the zombie problem in the city?A couple of hours and that was enough.If you like minigames, bumping into alot of folks who ramble on and be put on side quest after sidequest,and well just cannot get enough of Japanese culture on what seems to be a Sunday stroll of a game,then I guess you might enjoy this.But sad to say the last ten years of gaming has changed.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

Yakuza worth a rent not a buy

posted by SoloAssaszin (DUNNELLON, FL) May 18, 2012

Member since Jun 2011

Graphics are some of the best i have seen,As for the story well if you played japanese games then you know there a little crazy its an ok game the Aiming system is way to slow an don't work well when you need it to,The zombies are a knock off from Resident evil licker looks just like the real licker,Its a shame the game could have been good . Also the sound its not good the music blends in when there talking an you have to read subtitles, There is no way to adjust the sound we are in 2012 there no excuse in todays times.So do to all the down falls to this game i have to give it a 5 out of 10,In the end there are way better games out there to spend your money on.This game"s worth a RENT not a BUY,

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

Yakuza Dead Souls for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

Release Date

GF Rating

Number of Players

ESRB

Compatible With

Buy