The Yakuza franchise has been going strong lately. Yakuza 3 was well-recieved in the states, Yakuza 4 is already out and successful in Japan, and a new zombie-filled installment, Yakuza of the End, is in the works. But that doesn't mean SEGA is ready to sit back and relax. Handheld gamers will soon be able to experience the dark and dangerous world of Japanese gangsters, too.
First, a word of warning. I know only enough Japanese words and phrases to get myself into and out of trouble. So fumbling my way thorugh the Yakuza PSP demo at SEGA's Tokyo Game Show booth was a bit of a crapshoot. A helpful SEGA booth attendant got me started and saved me when I floundered, though, and I was able to get a feel for the basics.
The first thing that struck me is the cool look of the opening cutscene. It has a gritty comic-book vibe that oozes style without skimping on detail. I'm not sure what was being said in the opener, but I'm assuming our hero, Tatsuya Ukyou, has his back up against a wall and has to build himself up in order to both survive and prosper. Just a guess.
As any good gangster game demo should, Black Leopard started me off with a fight. Despite my Japanese deficiency, the controls were instantly understandable, and I was brawling like a pro within seconds. Tatsuya can kick, punch, block and grab his opponent. The latter move instantly became my favorite – it's fairly easy to pull off, and the payoff is great. The animations are smooth, and it's quite satisfying to grab a fool from behind and slam him onto the ground. Oh, and kicking him while he's down? That's just a given.
Tatsuya can also pick up objects (bottles, pipes, etc.) and use them to pummel his foes. Fairly standard fare for a game like this, I thought. Until I picked up the umbrella. When I grabbed this anassuming-looking weapon and hit the attack button, I was expecting Tatsuya to bop his opponenty on the head. But no. He plunged it into the poor guy's abdomen. And that was pretty much the end of the fight.
I'm not entuirely clear how it works, but at the end of some fights, you have the choice of executing your defeated enemy, recruiting him to your side, or essentially just telling him to buzz off (which may or may not involve some sort of payment to you). Although I don't know what the story progression is like, I can report that it's not just a series of staged fights. I was actually moving Tatsuya around in the world, checking things out. When it's time for a fight, a short cutscene pops up and you enter a closed-off fighting area.
From the very limited glimpse I got at this upcoming Yakuza PSP game, it looks like it could be a kick to play. The fights are fun, the art is hot, and the Yakuza games are legendary for their depth. So if Black Leopard upholds that tradition, this could be one to watch. Unfortunately, it's unclear when or if this one will be coming to the west.
