A little update

So I haven't made it past chapter 4 yet in Yakuza 3. There is a reason for this however. The staggering amount of side quests and items to find. I also spent a bunch of time taking girls out on dates in-game. To date just in the one section I am in I have run 24 side quests. I also have been collecting locker keys of which there are 50 in each of the 2 main regions. Once these are found you can open the lockers and get items. Some of the items are recovery items while others are used to mod weapons.

The mod weapons mini-games are neat to do. What happens is you find a schematic or a movie detailing a specific weapon and an NPC in the game will make the weapon for you if you acquire all the necessary parts to build it. Other than that I have been trying to max my character out in every aspect. I haven't made it to the strip clubs in game yet as they are in the new section and I have seen hostess club but due to playing the US version I can't go in the hostess club. I don't think it takes away too much from the game but it is kind of sad that they left it in the game and it is on your map...but you can't go in.

So far I am very very pleased with the game. I can't say the purchase as I rented the game and due to having only 5 days I am attempting to tear through it as quickly as possible without missing too much. I want to have as much as possible by the time I have to take it back. I have till Sunday...wish me luck. I will also keep updating, possibly daily through the week if I get play time in.

First Impressions: Yakuza 3

So before I get back to playing I think I will say a couple words about Yakuza 3. This game is amazing. It does have a few issues here and there but overall there is a lot in this package. For those who don't know this game is a continuation of the Yakuza series from the PS2. Essentially a Yakuza crime drama in video game form. However in this game you start out as Kazuma Kiryu who is the former 4th Chairman of one of the Yakuza families. In the beginning of the game you see that he has retired from his old life and has taken into his care an orphanage and 8 orphans. This is where the story really pulls at the heart. It does a good job at it however and some of the scenes are trying to get the tears flowing. From this point you see one of the other Yakuza bosses murdered and it seems you may have to enter back into the fray. This is as far as I am at the moment and I don't want to ruins any sub-plots for anyone who may want to play the game.

The game-play is sandbox style but it has a few more limitations than most standard sandbox games do. You cannot jump and are limited where you can run and the game makes sure you know this. This doesn't hinder the game as it is still very large and the pure amount of things to do is astounding. I haven't made it too far in just now making it part way into chapter 4. I can say that I love all the mini games and things to do and my only complaint is there is no real easy way to mark these places than by going to them. This also becomes an issue when not everything is open at night or during the day making a large part of the game trial and error. While none of these are deal breakers I just wanted to get that out there.

The fighting game-play in Yakuza is amazing. The controls, while very simple, can be chained to do some pretty neat combos along with a lot of cool weapon based finishers. As you upgrade your character you can also put more experience towards one technique if you like how they work, similar to a skill tree. Another neat thing about Yakuza is the pure amount of things to collect. It is very reminiscent of Shenmue and Badass Rumble in that aspect. The collecting alone in the Sega Arcade could eat up hours of playtime to get every item and the in-game games in the arcade are fun as well.

The last thing I want to mention is the fact that all the audio in the game is Japanese. They haven't dubbed any of the voices over and it makes for a very clean feel to the game. You honestly get pulled in more because there isn't a shitty dub done where the lips are off on the words. Everything flows very well and it all feels like it is supposed to be together. The game, overall in this still early stage I am at is already proving to me that the 4th game needs to come stateside and it's proving how good Sega is at telling a story. No score at this time as I want to get more into the game but keep an eye out later this week for updates.

BONE-THUGS-N-HARMONY - CD Review - Uni5 The World's Enemy

So I have been waiting for this for sometime. I was talking to my friend the other day and his cousin is Wishbone from Bone-Thugs...I shit you not...and I asked him when would we see a new album. His response made me want to cry...not for awhile Flesh-N-Bone got another felony charge. Not 3 days later I am sitting up at about 4:45 AM and what do I see on TV...Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony...Rebirth. 7 minutes later I see the album title...Uni5 The World's Enemy...a new album due out May 4th. Needless to say I found the tracks and have been listening to them all day...here is my review.

From the moment you start this album you can instantly tell who it is. It is all 5 original members and it sounds amazing. The album starts with an intro then into song 2: Rebirth. This is the first song I heard on the album and it left an imprint. I have had it stuck in my head all day and I have listened to it about 6 times and it has yet to get old. It is everything you remember and more. They haven't slowed down in the slightest and it is easy to get lost in the fast flow when Bizzy-Bone goes into any of his verses.

Everyone is in top shape and sounds just like they did on earlier releases. All production has taken to a lot of the newer sounds used in current production. It doesn't have the old school hip-hop feel you would usually associate with Bone Thugs or early Snoop, Dre, etc. I do like how they work with it though and they don't sound out of place at all. The songs due all tend to be on the long side with Rebirth topping out at almost 8 minutes in length. I don't think this detracts too much for me but I have heard people who say this turns them away.

The songs have shifted away from being as violent as earlier releases due to a few of the members religious beliefs. This however does not detract from the overall ferocity of some of the lines on the album. There is still a lot of marijuana talk on the album which is as to be expected. Once again the album is made up of pot anthems, ballads, and songs of personal growth. From beginning to end this album is Bone Thugs. The album is everything I could have hoped for. If you like Bone Thugs, love them, or are just looking for a new great hip-hop album, check this out. Pick it up on May 4th...I know I will be getting it.

9.7 out of 10