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Toshihiro Nagoshi Yakuza series general director: “I’d like to change the game drastically”

Mista

Banned
Yakuza-PS4_03-20-19.jpg


At the beginning of the Yakuza Fan Meeting stage event at Sega Fes 2019, Sega chief creative officer and Yakuza series general director Toshihiro Nagoshi commented on the new Yakuza game starring Ichiban Kasuga for PlayStation 4.

Given that the game is in the action adventure genre, I’d like to change the game drastically. We’ve tried changing things in past titles, though our audiences often claimed it to be “minor changes.” This time, we want our change to feel like an online game would become from version 1.0 to 2.0, not just another big patch. This process takes time.

We released Judgment a little while ago, and that too was part of the experimentation for this change. The energy we’re pouring into this is on par with how hard we tried to make the first Yakuza. We’re looking forward to the day you can be surprised by that change.

Switching the main character from Kiryu Kazuma to Kasuga Ichiban also was a good idea for this change. If the personality differs, the objective changes, if the objective changes, the game itself changes. They speak differently, and they think and act differently.

Changing the main character would open up new paths and help change the notion of “it’s a Yakuza game right? You just walk around a city right?”,that many have.

We want to use this change of main characters in the best way possible. When it comes to the story, before we had many scene that we’re teary or made you and the main character infuriated at something. This time, we’re thinking about putting in more comedic and goofy scenes that connect into the end, which has an impact of the player’s emotions.

Gematsu
 
I wasn’t really introduced to the Yakuza series until Yakuza 0 came out on Steam.

I really loved it.

If they can refresh and change up the formula moving forward that would be cool as long as they maintain the same spirit
 

Mista

Banned
I wasn’t really introduced to the Yakuza series until Yakuza 0 came out on Steam.

I really loved it.

If they can refresh and change up the formula moving forward that would be cool as long as they maintain the same spirit
You're in for a ride mate. I just wish you play them in order
 

Dunki

Member
I like the idea of putting more comedy into the game so I am all for it as long the story is connecting really well together. I can not wait for a new Yakuza game^^
 

TLZ

Banned
I'm so used to the formula. I hope they don't break or ruin anything with this. As long as it stays fun.
 

Aren117

Member
Co-op for this series would be nice. Hell, give me a mode with co-op and procedural Action Stages, with some SEGA themed variations like Streets of Rage and Golden Axe. I want brawler RGG back!

I wasn’t really introduced to the Yakuza series until Yakuza 0 came out on Steam.

I really loved it.

I'm gonna be very honest with you: don't expect the same kind of game in the other iterations. Yakuza 0 and Kiwami have a very different "vibe" from the others., so you may get disappointed if you go expecting more of 0.
 
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sublimit

Banned
I'm not feeling the main character at all. I hope we will still be able to play as Kiryu or any other of the old characters. Even Haruka.
 
Cool. My first yakuza was Kiwami, then I played 0 (best one I think) and am making my way through kiwami 2.. While I love the series I can't see myself playing 3 and 4 remastered, as they're all pretty similar.

Looking forward to a fresh take, but if its 30fps with a focus on animation at the expense of responsiveness (Kiwami 2 feels a bit GTA like) I might pass on this as well.
 
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Dunki

Member
I'm not feeling the main character at all. I hope we will still be able to play as Kiryu or any other of the old characters. Even Haruka.
No their story is over and they made it very clear that it is over. And I think Kiryu deserves his rest. He never did overstay his welcome that is why he will be special.
 

Mista

Banned
No their story is over and they made it very clear that it is over. And I think Kiryu deserves his rest. He never did overstay his welcome that is why he will be special.
Well said! Unfortunately people who haven’t experienced the whole series wont understand 😔
 

JohannCK

Member
I was there and the last question during the Q&A session was about the possibility of Kiryu getting a "happy ending", and they started by saying that it depends on what you mean by that but in any case “we never said that there would be no more sequels, or that Kiryu would never appear again.”
 
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Humdinger

Member
The humor in Yakuza is great. Yakuza 0 made me laugh more than any game, ever. I'm in favor of them increasing the humor. I like the idea of the new character and taking it in a new direction. It's exciting.

I'm going to have to play Yakuza 6, so I can wrap the series up, before the next one starts.
 
interesting but I'm not seeing anything special in ryu ga gotoku online which is what they are talking about right? If I told some rando "make a phone yakuza game" their design would probably be the same as this game, especially if they played atlus' liberation. The main character is not like kiryuu though. He has a very similar background but he is more like a strong fool. Due to being a phone game and the game plot being released once a month the pacing is bad and the "humour" is mostly enemies making fun of his hair.

Judgement, on the other hand, has more sexual humour like in zero. Gonna be interesting to see if the game gets a pass again in the west, especially with the twins related quests.
 
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Mista

Banned
I was there and the last question during the Q&A session was about the possibility of Kiryu getting a "happy ending", and they started by saying that it depends on what you mean by that but in any case “we never said that there would be no more sequels, or that Kiryu would never appear again.”
Hopefully they don’t milk him. Kiryu deserves some rest
 

xrnzaaas

Member
I don't mind changes, but I hope that humour and goofiness will still be featured primarily in the substories and that the main story will remain serious (for most part).
 
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Fbh

Member
Good.
The franchise is great but with the amount of recycling they do it has started to feel rather stale after 7 entries IMO.
Keep the engaging stories and humor but go to another city and make some big changes to gameplay
 

Javthusiast

Banned
After so many good but formulaic games I think it would be a nice refresher to change things up more significantly, especially if the new character won't be a total goody two shoes like Kazuma was and maybe is going to be more of a criminal. Reflecting that in the story and gameplay would be welcomed.
 
At this point, I trust the creatives enough on the Ryu ga Gotoku team that "change" means trying to evolve the franchise and not creating a product that suddenly isn't meant for the existing fans. I look forward to what they'll have on offer, once they really take the wraps off their new title.
 
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Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
It's been the same game for over a decade, it would be nice to see them try something new. As long as you still get to beat the shit out of people, I think the spirit of the game is the same.
 
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