Currently Playing: Yakuza 3

My first Yakuza experience doesn't seem to have been held back by not knowing what went on in the previous two. The starting menu does have the option for an over view of the earlier installments but following Eurogamers advice I got stuck straight in. After all 'Reformed Gangster tries to go straight but gets dragged back into the shady underworld' (I'm assuming the later part as I'm still happily running my orphanage in hawian shirt and fetching cream slacks but more on this later.) is as old a story as boy meets girl.

I really shouldn't like it. It's chock full of old school text conversations, Starts off a bit slow and unlike most video game enthusiasts I have no interest in Japan..

However the story really does drag you in.. It goes to show that you don't have to divorce game play from the experience or feature nude shower scenes to have the player bond with the characters or generate emotion. What you need is well written characters and involving situations. David Cage could learn a thing or two here.

Of course orphans are always going to tug the heart strings but there's something strangely compelling about investigating the every day problems of a bunch of small kids mixed in with a large dose of kicking ass and taking names.

As interesting as the main story is though the real depth and enjoyment comes from actually exploring and living the life. I've drunk the best whisky the town has to offer and then spent the afternoon getting in fights because of it. I've taken girls out on dates doing everything from darts to eating out. I've played some golf and soft ball with the kids and enjoyed wandering around just seeing what's to see. It's a very interesting change of pace from western games and I'm appreciating that sometimes the more you put in the more you get out.