Yakuza 3 introduces the series to the West with its deep story, likable characters and unique blend of Japanese drama, action and mini-games. Kiryu in Okinawa delivers moving storytelling. A series pillar on PS3.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Semi-open world action by SEGA, 3 entry of Yakuza franchise. Published by SEGA, released in March 2010 in Europe and North America. Kazuma Kiryu retired from Tojo clan running orphanage in Okinawa before being brought back to Yakuza conflicts to protect children, action gameplay mixing semi-open exploration of Kamurocho and Okinawa Ryukyu, brutal Heat actions street combats and numerous mini-games including karaoke, baseball and hostesses, over twelve narrative chapters, over fifty side stories, Japanese voice-over with Takaya Kuroda as Kiryu, soundtrack by Hidenori Shoji.
Yakuza 3 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Retired to an orphanage in Okinawa, a former yakuza is caught up by a plot that threatens the children in his care. The tale combines family gentleness and the violence of the underworld in a poignant contrast. This more intimate plunge confirms the deeply human soul of a saga unlike any other.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Roaming the streets of Kamurocho between street brawls, a dramatic plot and a myriad of zany side activities sets up a world so dense that one detour always calls for another. Following the story and trawling the mini-games reward curiosity. Its combat repeats a little, but the attachment to its district and the profusion of activities hold you for the long haul.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Following Kazuma Kiryu through his district and island refuge opens an adventure where the main story is just one door among many: arcades, street brawls and side stories teem on every alley corner. Exploring Kamurocho, lingering at the diversions and wrapping up the substories stretches the length, and this entry stays cherished for its urban density.
