For those who have played it, I would like to hear some of your feedback on it. I've never played any Yakuza game, plus my ps3 is buried deep in the bowels of my basement.

FYI, I went to Tokyo and stayed in Shinjuku this year for 2 weeks and absolutely loved it. Wonderful city and culture. I hear this game is semi open world set in Japan which is the main reason I'm interested in it.

Thanks for any feedback!

its really hard to say. even as a huge fan of the series, i can admit that the game feels pretty outdated. In a lot of ways it still feels like a ps2 game. if that stuff doesnt turn you off, Yakuza games have a ton to offer.

this latest one has added just a ton of new minigame and side mission content. I'm still only on the first character, but he has this whole taxi-driving side game where you work for a cab company but also battle a street racing gang. that part alone has like, and upgradable car, three different mission types, and a hours of unique content if you want to see it, but you can also just totally skip it as well which is cool.

the games are also super funny. there's a lot of that uniquely Japanese quirk and humor that has been increasingly hard to find lately as the Japanese game market has started shifting toward mobile free-to-play stuff. If you're looking for something set in japan that will remind you of the time you spent there, the yakuza games will definitely deliver. I've never been to japan, but my friend who lived there for a few years was impressed that in past games, he could walk to arcades and convenience stores from memory in the game.

Yakuza 5 takes place in multiple cities across japan, so if you really want to relive your time in Tokyo, maybe check out Yakuza 4? its a little cheaper on PSN and the whole thing pretty much takes place in Kabukicho, Shinjuku.

Yea its a pretty solid recreation of the area,

the core main gameplay is like a brawler with some light RPG elements. the draw with those games for me has always been about the story and the characters which are usually good japanese drama

I'm looking at getting this myself (with a small bit of experience playing I believe Yakuza 3). One thing I wanted to ask was about how this game transitions to combat. Isn't that a seamless thing now? Personally that was something that could go a long way for me but maybe most people don't care. Just wondering about that aspect for people that have played it? I believe that's in this game (kind of hard to keep track with each release).

All of the Yakuza games are AMAZING, and 5 feels like they are close to perfecting their formula. Its jam packed, with a lengthy story and TONS of side stuff to do. If you like Japanese culture, even better. Its very over the top, but captures Japanese culture extremely well, with so many attentions to detail.

After all, unpacking your PS3 isn't really a huge ordeal, and just how good I think the game is I think its definitely worth it.

What about Yakuza 0? Will it be worth the wait so we can play a Yakuza game on the PS4? And should I give up on Yakuza Ishin (the old Japan one)?

Thanks for the all responses. I enjoy a good story and definitely like the Japanese culture.

Downloading it as we speak!

@artisanbreads: It's pretty seamless into battle. Occasionally there's a small scene with dialogue but there like 5 seconds. No loading screens or clicking through text like the other games. I personally didn't mind but it feels a lot smoother.

Thanks. Yeah looking at the Quick Look it's way better than what I remember 3 being like for me. Might not be a big deal to some but it was seriously like a deal breaker for me. Really helps with the sense of place and pacing Anyways, really interested in grabbing this game.

@artisanbreads: there's another thing that i thought you should know about random encounters. You can equip an accessory that will decrease the chance of them happening to you, so you won't be pumping into bad guys as often.

The accessory can be obtained pretty early in the game.

@giant_gamer: Nice I will probably search that out. I think the fighting looks better than ever and it's cool you start pretty strong from the get go. I know everyone who has played these games says you fight a lot and it can be a grind though. I can like a brawler/beat em up (long time Dynasty Warriors fan among others) so if it's good and snappy to get into the combat could click for me.

Thanks for the tip.

Dust it off. Just hope your hard drive can take the 23GB download. I'll quote my review:

Ultimately, Yakuza 5‘s mild iteration feels very welcome after the long hiatus. Sega manage to continue to cater for this glimpse into Japanese culture and it helps that the gameplay remains compelling after five instalments within nearly a decade. The shine has yet to fade ...

the rest of it

I remember playing 3 and 4 back to back and feeling content. Had this arrived along with the Japanese release I might feel differently. That slice of Japan coupled with the long wait for localisation does the series some favours. Absence, heart and fondness, etc.

Im only onto the 2nd character and id say this could be my game of the year but i havent finished it yet so maybe goty 2016