Yakuza 3 Heads to America, Much Rejoicing

Not sure why this is a huge deal, but Yakuza 3 is coming to America, exclusively for the Playstation 3, in March 2010, and gamers are stoked. This is the first Yakuza game for current-generation consoles, and while it’s almost two years old in Japan, North American and European Yakuza fans were left out in the cold. No longer, according to Sony and Sega, who says this was one of the most requested titles for localization among Sega Europe’s online community. Localization will leave the game’s Japanese dialog intact, using English subtitles instead of new voice actors. Makes sense, as the game takes place in Okinawa and Tokyo.

You can check out a Japanese story trailer here. Yeah, I can’t understand it either, but I like the art style. The game stars Kiryuu Kazuma, who runs an orphanage on the land of a Yakuza clan boss. When the government tries to sell the land and create a resort in the orphanage’s place, it creates problems for Kiryuu. Sounds like a mature storyline, but the gameplay is full of cracked skulls and severed limbs. Eurogamer’s review of the Japanese version says Yakuza 3 “charms you into forgiving it for being so set in its occasionally awkward ways. It’s so amazingly well-crafted, and though nothing it does is particularly original, it’s unique in the way it brings JRPG, 3D brawler and a host of disparate mini-games together into a cohesive whole.” Worth keeping on your radar, at least. [via Playstation.Blog]