I know I read that the next Yakuza game was a zombie game, but every time I tried to process that information, my mind blanked out, unable to even comprehend the concept. Now that I've seen Sega's TGS presentation thereof, I've retained enough coherence to type this post, aided by the trailer you see above.
For starters, the game is still set in iconic Kamuro-cho (a fictional version of Tokyo's Kabuki-cho nightlife district), though now it's mostly ruined thanks to an outbreak of the living dead. Series protagonist and half-man-half-stone-golem Kazuma Kiryu must now brave the zombie-filled streets with Ryuji Goda (of Yakuza 2), Shun Akiyama (of Yakuza 4), and Goro Majima (Kazuma's rival) to...do things.
Yeah, do things. The presentation wasn't too clear on the overarching plot, though cutscenes and high-profile talent casting at least some of the series' characteristic drama.
Check below for some more details about the gameplay.
Combat is now concentrated on shooting, with the four using characteristic weapons to mow down the hordes, such as Goda's cybernetic transforming gatling gun. Yup. Footage was shown of players cooperating with other characters, though I couldn't tell if it was some form of online multiplayer. If it was, this could be the result of someone asking series director Toshihiro Nagoshi to make his version of Left 4 Dead.
Kamuro-cho isn't an empty, zombie-filled wasteland, though. That other quirk of the Yakuza franchise, the copious, exhaustively involved minigames, are making a return. Between dramatic cutscenes and gunning down undead, Kazuma and crew can go to batting practice (with grenades), fish for undead tuna, play Pachinko, sing karaoke, and visit hostess bars. Yeah, hostess bars are back, though their staffers are now armed and politely confirm if players are human before letting them in.
A man in a videogame asked "Can love bloom on the battlefield?" The big question for Yakuza Of The End would probably more like "Can gritty urban crime drama full of Mahjong and hostess bars unfold in the middle of a zombie apocalypse?"
The game is apparently going for a resounding "yes", though it's unlikely that real Yakuza will be able to call it "surprisingly accurate" anymore.
Contest:
3:00 AM on 09.16.2010 | 
Who knows? It'll probably still be good. It's just such a...deviation...not that that's necessarily a bad thing. :)
jk.
Zombies make everything 307% more awesome.
Am... am I in heaven?
around min 17 they show tons of gameplay
well i hope its a spin of, but really SEGA u want to face Deadrising2?
although the style is good and the plot is not well explained because its a trailer.
When I read this title, which confirms yesterday mornings story, this is how I reacted.
Then, after seeing the tape of what this game is going to be, this is my reaction. It actually melted my fucking face off, it was that cool. Goro Majima stuck a gun in a fucking zombies brain, the blonde gentleman from the second game has a chaingun arm, and Kiryu looks like he was about to fight zombies hand to hand! I assume all four will be playable, which means I can finally be Mad Dog Majima! Holy smokes, unless I get laid today, this seriously made my day and is all I want to talk about. Fact, melted!
And upon realizing I'd have to wait at least two years to play this in English, if at all, this is how I reacted.
Yes, I have a real laser beam and am black and happened to be wearing a Star Trek uniform.
Every now and then, its fun to be a little blasphemous. I think every franchise needs a "What if" or "WTF entry every now and then.
Wow, now this is going to sound ironic coming from me, but....
Completely irrelevant fanboy bullshit much?
I mean seriously. Wow dude wow. i go out of my way to praise Sony and the PS3, and that often involves badmouthing the competition.
But at least i do it under the guise of praise for one company.
You sir are packed full of too much hate for Sony, it cannot be healthy I would prefer that you vent it on here a bit, because if you dont, you're gonna asplode.
What is the opposite of a fanboy? Because I can't tell which console/company you're "backing" all i see is pure, unadulterated, thick, sticky HATE flowing from your brain -> your fingers -> your keyboard -> you computer -> the interweb -> Dtoid -> my eyes.
Oh I remember, the opposite of a fanboy is just a HATER.
You keep justifying your butthurt friend. Put some cream on it, it'll get better in no time.
As i say, no matter what consoles you owned in the past, all i personally see in your comments is that sticky black HATE towards Sony. All I'm saying is at least dress it up in some relevant positive view of something!
Sure, I come across as a fanboy, and i'll admit it, i am a fanboy, have been for 15 years! But you just come across as a pure hater dude.
Nah... it's Sega, it's gonna suck.
This game looks awesome surprisingly. Yay more yakuza! Even if it's a really odd spinoff direction, like kenzan!, I know it'll be good!
You know I didn't see Sony's conference but I've been hearing a lot of people say similar things. People who you and I both know aren't fanboys. I mean you can just have a difference of opinion sometimes ya know. You don't have to be so overly defensive and condescending at that.
...wait what's this thread about? A YAKUZA WHAT!?
Its a Yakuza game ... with Zombies! What. could. possibly. go. wrong?
Oh yeah ...
Please come to the West, Please come to the West, Please come to the West ...
English subtitles are okay as well.
I suppose...
I'm a big fan of Noboru Iguchi's films and this looks like one of his crazy, insane movies in video game format. You must see Machine Girl and RoboGeisha.
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1175724/
While I kinda hope this is a spin-off, I don't really care because it looks outstanding.
WTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTF??... My brain is not working, I can't process this!... Why!!...
Fact: I love zombies.
Fact: The very idea of Yakuza of the End makes me happy. In my pants.