Yakuza 5 was released in 2012 in Japan, the 5th main part in the Japanese open-world game. It continues the story of Kazuma Kiryu, along with four other protagonists in their conflicts in the underbelly of Japan's underworld mafia - the Yakuza. The game features five Japanese cities, venturing through on a life of crime on the newer graphical engine for Yakuza 5 compared to its predecessors.
Yakuza 5 features more minigames then previous games in the series, and has a new modified battle system. It introduced enhanced customization for that, as well interactions in the hostess bars that the series is well known for. The "Another Drama" feature was one of the bigger additions, a series of side stories that focuses in-depth on each protagonist, away from the main story letting you get to know them better.
Speaking on the matter, Producer Masayoshi Yokoyama had the following to say
“Yakuza 5 is the largest and most definitive version of the Yakuza series. The game is filled with depictions of the Japanese way of life, culture, trends, social issues and dreams. You will play as 5 different main characters with a range of different ages, genders and professions and experience their challenges through a variety of character focused, in-depth stories. I hope you can immerse yourself in our rendition of modern time Japan. ”Also speaking on the announcement was Executive Director, and General Producer Toshihiro Nagoshi
“After receiving so many requests from fans of the series, we have decided to bring Yakuza 5 to the US and Europe. This title was enjoyed by over one million gamers in Japan. I’m looking forward to seeing how Yakuza 5 will be received by the gamers in the U.S. and Europe. ”Yakuza 4 and Yakuza: Dead Souls are also getting released on the Playstation Network as of today, where they weren't previous available.
According to the Playstation Experience announcement, Yakuza 5 will be released in 2015, likely the third quarter for Playstation 3 only via Playstation Network. You can view a trailer of it below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHYncsmasQ
What do you think of Yakuza 5 getting an international release next year? What do you think of the series as a whole? Are you surprised to see the PS 3 get another exclusive that late in the year?
