Yakuza members review Yakuza 3

[Gondolin]

Boingboing has a review of Yakuza 3, done with three Yakuza members.

As a game for katagi (yakuza slang for "civilians" or "non-yakuza"), it's tremendous fun — but what do the yakuza think of this game? How do they rate it? I was able to get three reviewers from the major crime groups who do not want to be identified by their real name. (While yakuza fan magazines do exist and the yakuza are not a hidden part of Japanese society, due to recent crackdowns by the police, the "reviewers" here choose to remain anonymous.)

M: The corporate yakuza guys get a thumbs up for realism. Nice suit. Smart. Financially savvy. Obsessed with money. Sneaky and conniving. Ruthless.
S: There are a lot of guys whom I feel like I know. The dialogue is right too. They sound like yakuza.
K: Braggarts, bullies, and sweet-talkers. I agree — it feels like I know the guys on the screen.
M: Kiryu is the way yakuza used to be. We kept the streets clean. People liked us. We didn't bother ordinary citizens. We respected our bosses. Now, guys like that only exist in video games.
S: I don't know any ex-yakuza running orphanages.
K: There was one a few years ago. A good guy.
M: You sure it wasn't just a tax shelter?
K: Sure it was a tax shelter but he ran it like a legitimate thing. You know.

 

[Lesifoere]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Midoriyama points out that the stereotypes about the yakuza are more or less correct, with the exception of their alleged prowess in martial arts.

Dunno why, this made me lol.

That's what a woman yakuza cop dresses like.

...yakuza cop?

 

[anus_pounder]

I'm more interested in the codex's opinion of the series. I for one enjoyed the 1st and 3rd games, never played the 2nd though.

 

[Luzur]

cop on the payroll of the yakuza, perhaps?

 

[SCO]

Reviews at a blog from the weboo site i lurk at (hardcore gaming 101 for their adventure game reviews), say it's extremely dumbed down in the american release. Lots and lots of things cut from the japonese one - it doesn't seem fatal (useless shit mostly) but they are araging.

 

[laclongquan]

organized crime branch, cop?

 

[treave]

K: The CIA part of the story, I don't buy though. Too nutty for me. What do you think Adelstein? You used to work for them right.
A: I never worked for the CIA. Well, not directly.
M: The Mossad. You're Jewish.
K: He'll never admit it.
A: I'll admit it. I'm Jewish. You overestimate the CIA. The CIA is not nearly as competent an organization as the Yamaguchi-gumi.

 

[Gragt]

Interesting, but too bad it's for consoles.

 

[Satori (original)]

I thought Yakuza now dress in Niggerish street clothes now since they stand out too much in their high quality business suits or so says the documentary that I watched.

 

[denizsi]

Ironically, the sections that Shirokawa seemed to enjoy the most were cut out of the US version: mahjong, the sexual massage parlor, and the hostess clubs. After I explain to him what Sega cut from the US version, he said: アメリカ版を買った奴がかわいそうだ。セガＵＳＡが最低だね.(Translation: I feel sorry for the people who bought the American version. SEGA USA sucks.)

Why do they even bother cutting stuff out?

 

[Hobo Elf]

Ironically, the sections that Shirokawa seemed to enjoy the most were cut out of the US version: mahjong, the sexual massage parlor, and the hostess clubs. After I explain to him what Sega cut from the US version, he said: アメリカ版を買った奴がかわいそうだ。セガＵＳＡが最低だね.(Translation: I feel sorry for the people who bought the American version. SEGA USA sucks.)

Why do they even bother cutting stuff out?

Less shit to translate, I guess. Most of the stuff that was cut out was done so "because americans and europeans wouldn't get them / like them anyway". Bullshit is bullshit, but whacha gonna do?

 

[I.C. Wiener]

The shit that was cut out was mostly a bunch of minigames. Yakuza 3 isn't a very good game anyway compared to Yakuza 2.