Jack Black has made it clear he is keen to jump into another video game adaptation, and this time he has his eyes set on Sega’s Yakuza series, also known as Like a Dragon.

In a recent interview with ScreenRant, the actor openly said he is “throwing his hat in the ring” for a potential role, even acknowledging he may not be the most obvious fit for the franchise’s typically grounded, Japan-focused cast.

Jack Black Pitches Himself For A Yakuza Role

Speaking during promotion for his latest projects, Jack Black directly called out Sega with a light-hearted pitch.

“So I’m going to throw my hat in that ring. I don’t know if there are any parts for me, like a portly American, but talk to me. Sega, give me a jingle,” he said.

It is not the first time Black has leaned into gaming-related roles. He has already starred in adaptations tied to major franchises, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Minecraft Movie, building a reputation for bringing comedic energy into established gaming worlds.

The Yakuza Franchise Continues To Grow Beyond Games

The Yakuza series, known internationally as Like a Dragon, has been around since 2005 and has grown into one of Sega’s most recognisable properties.

With more than 30 million copies sold worldwide, the franchise blends serious crime drama with eccentric side content, often following deeply personal stories set within Japan’s organised crime scene.

That success has led to multiple attempts to expand the series beyond games. Amazon MGM Studios previously released a live-action project, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, which ran for six episodes in 2024. However, it was described as a loose adaptation and did not continue beyond its initial run.

Multiple Yakuza Adaptations Are In Development

Black’s comments come at a time when Yakuza is seeing renewed interest in live-action formats.

Recent reports point to a growing slate of projects, including a newly released miniseries in March 2026, alongside a feature film and additional streaming productions currently in development. This signals a broader push to bring the franchise to a wider audience outside of gaming.

The direction of these adaptations is still unclear, particularly around casting choices. Industry observers suggest decisions may depend on whether producers aim for global appeal or remain closely tied to the series’ Japanese roots.

Casting Remains Unconfirmed For Now

Despite Jack Black’s enthusiasm, there has been no official casting announcement tied to any Yakuza adaptation.

His interest highlights how popular video game adaptations have become in recent years, with studios increasingly tapping recognisable actors to bring these worlds to life. Whether Black ultimately finds a place in Yakuza will likely depend on the creative direction of the projects currently in development.

For now, it remains a case of an actor publicly putting his name forward, while Sega and its production partners continue shaping what the future of Yakuza on screen will look like.

The post Jack Black Wants Yakuza Role As Sega Expands Live-Action Projects appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

NetEase Games and developer Naked Rain have turned up the volume on open-world chaos with Ananta, formerly Project Mugen, and its latest gameplay trailer is a dizzying spectacle of action, humour, and anime flair. If you thought GTA, Spider-Man, or Yakuza could stand alone, prepare for a world that throws them all into a blender.

Set in Nova City, Ananta lets you control four distinct characters, each with unique roles: a hacker, a courier, a police officer, and a streamer. From swinging between skyscrapers like Spider-Man to spying on NPC phones in Watch_Dogs fashion, the game offers a surreal variety of activities. You can deliver packages, investigate crimes, join street brawls, or even engage in absurd minigames like beach antics, basketball, skydiving, and a Power Slap-like showdown.

Combat draws clear inspiration from Sleeping Dogs, featuring freeflow-style dodges, counters, leg sweeps, and environmental takedowns. And if guns aren’t your style, a golf club, sledgehammer, or tennis racket will do just fine. Vehicles abound too, letting you tear through the city streets on motorbikes or sports cars, and character swapping—à la GTA 5—adds an extra layer of chaotic strategy, even in the middle of a gunfight.

The trailer, nearly eight minutes of relentless pop music, city mayhem, and over-the-top anime moments, reveals a parody-laden world reminiscent of Saints Row, yet uniquely anime. Expect skyscrapers, giant mechas, robotic toilets, and fictitious shops so detailed you might believe you could actually step inside.

While Ananta doesn’t have a release date yet, pre-registration is open. It’s in development for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android, and will be playable at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Whether it becomes the anime GTA fans have been dreaming of, or just the most absurd mashup in recent memory, it’s certainly impossible to ignore.

The post Ananta: Absurd Anime GTA Meets Spider-Man, Yakuza, and More in Wild New Gameplay appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Just announced at Inside Xbox, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, an explosive new entry point in the acclaimed Yakuza series, will be releasing as a launch title on the next-gen Xbox Series X.

SEGA are also excited to announce that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery immediately on release, ensuring players only have to buy the game once and will be able to play it on either Xbox One or Xbox Series X when both the console and that version of the game are available.

Cross-save functionality between Xbox One and Xbox Series X is also supported, so no matter when players decide to upgrade, they never have to start over from rock bottom.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is, at its core, an underdog story about fighting for what you believe in, even when you’re at rock bottom. Our new main protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family, takes the fall for a crime he didn’t commit in order to protect his patriarch and father-figure, Masumi Arakawa.

After serving an 18-year prison sentence, he returns to society to discover that the clan he once belonged to has been destroyed, its few remaining members are being hunted in the streets and learns that his former patriarch may be the man responsible for it all. Facing an unimaginable sense of betrayal, loss, and confusion, he sets out to discover the truth. This is where Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s story begins.

Along with the all-new cast and setting, Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces a new dynamic RPG combat system that takes the genre somewhere it’s never been before – present-day Japan. Ichiban is a diehard RPG fan, so to help him stay focused in fights, he imagines the battlefield as if he was living in one of his favourite games. In Yakuza: Like a Dragon, players will level up 19 different ‘Jobs’ far from traditional RPG fare – not Warriors or Mages, but Bodyguards and Musicians, with completely unique strengths and skills. Get ready to step into Ichiban’s shoes and crack some skulls in style!

Even with so many changes, Yakuza: Like a Dragon still retains the core Yakuza experience and a large part of that is the seemingly endless supply of hilarious minigames and substories spread throughout the city. Over 50 substories and a collection of never-before-seen minigames, as well as the return of fan-favourites like Karaoke and SEGA Arcades will ensure players enjoy their time in Yokohama to the fullest.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is everything that fans know and love about the series, with several over the top twists for the next generation. Featuring an entirely new cast of characters and taking place in the brand new and beautifully-realized setting of Yokohama, players can jump right into the drama, action, and hilarity Yakuza is known for.

Stay tuned in the coming months for more information about the release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, including more gameplay details, classes, skills, recruitable party members, and more players will encounter on their journey through Yakuza: Like a Dragon!

The Xbox Series X and Xbox One X of Yakuza: Like a Dragon will release simultaneously in Western territories only. Details on the Asian region Xbox Series X and Xbox One X releases of Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be announced at a later date.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon will also be available as simultaneous release on the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4. Yakuza: Like a Dragon Day One Edition physical pre-orders are available now at retailers, with details to be revealed at a later date.

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The post YAKUZA: LIKE A DRAGON LAUNCHES DAY 1 ON XBOX SERIES X appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

SEGA Europe have announced to us here at STG that the saga returns with Yakuza Kiwami launching digitally on PC via Steam on February the 19th, 2019.

Get ready to embark on a journey with the legendary Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, to experience the extreme action and drama of the Yakuza series, now fully optimised for PC.

One of SEGA’s most beloved Japanese franchises will be launching yet another great classic on PC next month. Yakuza Kiwami brings a unique and enjoyable experience for veterans, as well as newcomers to the series. With the successful PC release of prequel Yakuza 0 in 2018, fans will soon be able to continue the popular story about Japan’s criminal underworld, set 17 years later. Yakuza Kiwami is now available for digital pre-order on Steam, including a 10% discount and exclusive bonus content, like avatars, wallpapers and a digital manga.

Yakuza Kiwami, the franchise’s very first original title, tells the tale of Kazuma Kiryu, an up-and-coming yakuza who takes the fall for the murder of a crime boss, only to emerge from prison ten years later to a changed world. Take a trip through the twisted world of Japan’s criminal underground, where alliances will be tested, and blood will be shed.   Players will encounter “extreme” battles, a wide range of minigames, refined side missions and lots of other fun distractions.

With enhanced gameplay, an expanded cinematic story, the return of thrilling battle styles and re-recorded audio by the series cast, Yakuza Kiwami is the ultimate version of the original vision of the series, now optimised for PC with 4K resolutions, uncapped framerates and customisable controls.

The post THE DRAGON OF DOJIMA IS COMING TO STEAM appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Still wondering what to get for the gamer in your life this Christmas?

STG has you covered. From retro classics to driving tractors, this year has a game for everyone.

Old timers and newbies alike will enjoy either a trip down memory lane or a glimpse of how we used to game with Sega Mega Drive Classics. This neatly curated package of fifty gaming gems from the 1990’s offer a museum-like presentation of such pieces of gaming history such as Golden Axe I, II and III, Space Harrier II, Virtua Fighter 2 and, of course, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Available on PS4, Xbox One and now also Nintendo Switch, this massive collection of games from the Sega vault should be on every gamer’s Christmas list.

Things take a somewhat darker turn in DontNod’s Vampyr. In this action RPG, players step into the shoes of Victorian doctor and newly-turn vampire, Jonathon Reid. As the good doctor fights his bloodlust, he must scour the smog-choked streets of London searching for the creature responsible for his predicament.

Steeped in atmosphere, and beautifully rendered, Vampyr offers up macabre tale that requires both quick reflexes and an inquisitive mind. The game is available on Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Keeping with the horror theme, H. P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos come to life in Call of Cthulhu. The game is based on the 1980s pen and paper role-playing game of the same name. Set in the 1920s, French outfit, Cyanide’s Call of Cthulhu follows private detective Edward Pierce as he uncovers clues pertaining to a case that heralds the arrival of the elder god, Cthulhu.

The game combines the usual RPG elements, with players also following leads to further unlock the mystery. As with Vampyr, Call of Cthulhu is out on Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

And now for something completely different. If hellish adventures are not your sort of thing, perhaps a trip down on the farm is what you are looking for. GIANTS Software’s Farming Simulator 19 has broken the franchise record in selling more than a million copies worldwide in the first 10 days of release.

Bringing a welcome break from the blood-soaked carnage that seems to be gaming’s mainstay these days, Farming Simulator puts players in charge of running a farm and, more importantly, in the driving seat of a variety of farm equipment. With licenced John Deere vehicles added to this year’s roster, joining the likes of Massey Ferguson and New Holland, players can put themselves behind the wheel of over 300 meticulously modeled farming equipment.

Players can choose from US or European environments in which to build up their farm, tending to needs of livestock and crops. Farms can even be taken online to have them prosper with the help of other players.

Farming Simulator 19 is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Mac.

If you think tending to farm animals is a little too pedestrian for your gaming loved ones, perhaps managing the dinosaurs of Jurassic World is more their thing.

Jurassic World Evolution is a strategy game that ties into, and expands upon, the dinosaur movie franchise. Players must not only manage their own Jurassic parks, but also research and breed new dinosaurs.

As well as keeping the park financially afloat, things like keeping on top of the electrical supply and security also need to be considered. Dinosaurs need suitably secure pens- separating herbivores from the carnivores, and the visitors need viewing platforms.

Hopefully players maintain their parks more effectively that the park management in the movies. Jurassic World Evolution is available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Managing a park full of dinosaurs in one thing, surviving on an island infested with them is another. Studio Wildcard’s action-adventure survival game, Ark: Survival Evolved. has enjoyed success from PC to Xbox One and PS4. Players can now, also enjoy the game on Nintendo’s Switch.

Switch version does lack some of the fidelity of it’s console and PC counterparts. This is offset, somewhat, by that ability to take the game with you and play on the go.

Ark has players choosing to play on either an online server with other players, or locally on their own. After customising your survivor, you awake on the shore of a strange island. Around you dinosaurs of all type roam and fly in the air.

Players start with nothing. Resources such as stone, wood and twine need to be gathered to make tools, clothes and shelter.

As players progress, they gain experience unlocking stat points which in turn can be used to buy engrams: the plans required to craft new items. Player progress from using rudimentary tools to high tech equipment.

As well as hunting the island’s dinosaur population for food, players can also tame the wildlife. They can them be used as mounts or used to assist in harvesting materials.

The main goal of the game is to survive. But the island has many secrets that can be uncovered as players explore the huge landscape.

Ark: Survival Evolved is available on PC, Xbox One and now Nintendo Switch. The Switch version allows players to take the incredible, immersive world of the Ark with them.

Next, we go from survival adventure on a mysterious island to survival adventure under an alien ocean, with Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s, Subnautica. This is another survival game that cut its teeth, to widespread acclaim, on PC, before making the recent jump to console.

The game starts with a harrowing decent from orbit in a life pod, before crashing on an ocean planet known only as 4546B. On exiting the pod, you find yourself alone floating on a vast ocean, in the distance the wreckage of your huge star cruiser, Aurora, burns. After a while it disappears beneath the waves, leaving the player, the ships only survivor, alone.

As is the case with survival games, players need to scavenge resources, this time from the seabed. With limited oxygen, at least at first, dive depths will be limited. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of debris from the crashed space cruiser, sitting in the shallows.

Players must develop equipment and vehicles to extend their exploration and unlock more blueprints. In time underwater habitats can be built to use as bases and submersible vehicles constructed in which to further explore the planet and uncover its secrets.

The beautiful undersea world makes exploration exciting and never dull. There are plenty of surprises and mysterious places for player to find in order to piece together why the ship crashed and how to get off the planet.

Subnautica is out for PC, Mac and as of December this year, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Taking a break from escaping with your life, Saber Interactive have just bought their Mudrunner – American Wilds 4×4 truck simulator to the Switch. Having enjoyed a great reception on PC, Xbox One and PS4, the Switch version of this entry into the Spintires franchise comes complete with the original game plus the American Wilds DLC.

The game features huge wilderness environments for players to traverse using a variety of 4×4 vehicles. Missions have player collecting logs and other deliveries and transporting them across some of the muddiest terrain every seen in a videogame.

The terrain is unforgiving and features an impressive reform-able landscape. Anyone that has done any off-road driving will immediately recognize the feeling as your truck’s wheels start to burrow into the mud. You see the mud building up on the tires.

The mud will have you engaging diff. lock, turning the wheel full lock and rocking the truck to get free. If it all gets too much, thankfully some of the vehicles come with winches to pull them out of trouble. The vehicle handling and the game’s physics all feel spot on.

The game looks great. It’s a credit to the developers to have squeezed the game onto the Switch with barely a compromise.

The package features a load of tutorial and challenges, as a campaign mode that’ll test even the most dedicated off-roader. Mudrunner– American Wilds is available on Switch, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Sega’s Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of the 2006 third-person action-adventure game, Yakuza 2. The game follows ex-yakuza gang-member Kazuma Kirya as he travels around open world environments across the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka.

Following the death of his former leader, Kazuma must find avert an all-out gang war whilst replacing the head of the Tojo Clan. The story is heavy-hitting, but with elements of quirky Japanese humour.

The remastered visuals look great, but the original game didn’t look too bad, either.

The Yakuza series has been popular in Japan for years but has fast been gaining fans in the west. The game is packed with mini-games, including the opportunity to revisit Sega arcade classics, Virtua Fighter and Virtua On.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is available on PlayStation 4.

All the above gaming experiences are worth picking up, but for the gamer that has everything, a great audio solution may the gift that you are looking for.

Turtle Beach are pioneers in the realm of computer audio. In recent years that same expertise has created some of the best gaming headsets PC and console owners.

The Turtle Beach Ear Force Atlas One wired gaming headset is one of the most versatile on the market. It is compatible with PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and most mobile phones.

The compact design and lightweight construction hide a robust metal-reinforced headband and great-sounding 40mm memory-foam encased speakers. There’s a volume control on the left side of the headset for easy adjustment.

The headset has a snug fit that never feels too tight. I wear glasses, which Turtle Beach have accommodated with a softer foam just where the arms of your glasses are.

The discrete microphone picks up your voice, without having it hover in front of your face. It also flips back, flush with the headset, muting your voice as well, when not in use.

The Atlas One has a 3.5mm connector that will fit a PlayStation 4 controller, the newer Xbox One S and X controller, into the top of a Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita and compatible mobile phones. For PC owners there is a Speaker / mic splitter cable.

Older Xbox One controllers will need the Ear Force Headset Controller, available separately. Similarly, PC players wanting to connect the headset via USB will need to purchase a suitable USB audio controller with a 3.5mm socket.

Versatile, compact, lightweight and well built, the Ear Force Atlas One is a great headset. For gamers that use multiple devices, it’s a great all-in-one headset solution. And at only $90 AUD it’s particularly great value for money.

We hope that the above guide helps you decide on what to get the gamer in your life this Christmas. Be sure to come back in the new year for more gaming goodness on STG.

The post Gaming Gifts for everyone this Christmas appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

With an emotionally gripping action-packed story, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life delivers a fitting finale to the epic Kazuma Kiryu storyline. This action-adventure game focusing on the organised crime syndicates known as the yakuza isn’t without its flaws however.

Despite being the final chapter in the 7-game long story, Yakuza 6 is greatly accessible to both newcomers and series veterans alike. Although the game builds upon the story of its predecessors, it doesn’t rely on you having knowledge of the previous games. The few essential tidbits of information required are communicated early on. You can also read through the story developments of the previous games through a ‘Memories’ section of the main menu. The amount of reading in this ‘Memories’ section is a bit overwhelming and I feel would have been better suited to a series of cutscenes.

The game follows Kazuma Kiryu, a much respected former high ranking member of a major yakuza clan. Following a 3-year prison sentence, Kiryu is released only to find his adopted daughter, Haruka, is missing. While on the hunt to find her, Haruka suffers an incident which leaves her in a coma. To make things more complicated, she was clutching a baby at the time. With Haruka incapacitated, Kiryu then sets off to uncover the truth about the incident, the baby and where Haruka has been for the last three years.

It is one of the most captivating stories I have encountered in a video game for many years. The characters are interesting and well developed, the pacing is superb, and it is one of those stories where you never know what will happen next.

Despite the story heavily centring on the yakuza, the game doesn’t feel too action-orientated. Instead a good mixture of of intense action and slower emotion evoking sequences are strung together to form the story.

To facilitate the telling of this excellent narrative, the game relies heavily on cutscenes. I never found this to be an issue however it may not be for everyone. It feels as if the story was created first then the gameplay and world crafted around it.

While the story is superb, the open-world gameplay does feel lacking. There is a whole bunch of side missions and minigames to play however they aren’t very well developed or entertaining. I found myself tending to stick to the main story rather than getting distracted by the side missions and events.

There is a distinct difference in tone between the stories in side missions and the main stories. While the main story has a serious tone, the side missions are often light hearted or absurd in nature. The side missions aren’t fun or satisfying enough for this contrast to work. They feel more like a time waster more than anything else.

The most noteworthy side mission to do is the clan creator minigame. In this you complete side missions to unlock more people to add to your clan. You can then take on a rival gang in what plays out basically the opposite to a tower defence game whereby you slowly spawn your units to attack stationary enemy units. Although I liked the concept, the gameplay isn’t deep or enjoyable enough to warrant playing it.

The game features two main areas that serve as the setting for the story and your playground to roam around in: Onomichi and Kamurocho. Kamurocho is the red-light district in Tokyo that has served as the main backdrop of the series. In welcome contrast to Kamurocho, Onomichi district is a small port town located in the Hiroshima Prefecture.

Both Kamurocho and Onomichi feel very small in size. If you are stringing together main story missions, you won’t really notice this. It is only when you go to explore the world that you realise how small the districts are.

The game features competent yet basic fighting game mechanics. Stringing together combos and taking down enemies never ceases to feel satisfying. My biggest gripe is the inability to transition from an attack to block or dodge. Because of this, you will frequently get hit in situations where there was no reasonable opportunity to prevent it. This is only a minor annoyance though and it doesn’t significantly detract from combat.

The leveling up system in the game is impressively deep and versatile. As you complete missions, eat food or take down enemies, you gain experience points. The experience points you gain are categorised. You spend these experience points on different upgrades to your character. There is a plethora of upgrades you can choose ranging from new moves to increased stats. I enjoyed how much freedom I was given to upgrade my character how I wanted.

Despite some flaws, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life proves to be an excellent video game export from Japan. The wonderfully crafted story is the true drawcard of the experience. Fortunately, the aspects that the game falls over with, namely the side missions and minigames, can largely be ignored.

The post Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If an intriguing plot about crime syndicates set in Japan piques your interest, then look no further than Yakuza Kiwami. This action-adventure game is a remake of the cult classic original Yakuza game that launched on PlayStation 2 way back in 2005.

The Yakuza, for the uninitiated, are the organised crime syndicates in Japan, generally known for having surprisingly higher moral conduct than their international counterparts. This criminal organisation is the focus of the game, in particular, one rather likeable member, Kazuma Kiryu.

The game begins with Kazuma nearing a breakthrough in his Yakuza career, much respected amongst his clan and on the verge of starting his own family. Tragedy strikes though with a series of unfortunate events in combination with Kazuma’s selfless ways ending up with him in the slammer for the murder of his boss. Things change while he is locked up and he soon finds himself back into thick of it with murder and mystery afoot.

The main story is both engrossing and entertaining with many likeable and memorable characters. I think a good way to measure the quality of a plot is to imagine how it would go as a movie or tv series. I could easily imagine the plot in Yakuza Kiwami holding up well as either of these.

In stark contrast to the serious and sombre tone typically featured in the main story, the side missions are oft times comedic, featuring the very absurd Japanese styled humour. From been duped into collecting a bag of a used woman’s underwear to a rock-paper-scissors mini-game featuring overly sexualised part-bug women, the side missions can get very absurd. The humour doesn’t always hit the mark though and it is then that the game begins to lose you.

While blending the serious and ridiculous is staple among many exports from Japan, I found this blend didn’t quite gel well together for me. Rather than complimenting one another, I found they actually took away from each other. Part of the reason for this is that they felt too isolated from each other. The super serious main plot made the less story focused and more comedic side missions feel out of place and somewhat meaningless to the whole game. Consequently, doing them felt unengaging and more of a chore. This then led me to be less engaged in the whole universe which took away from the main story. You can’t just focus on the main story though, the side missions are the major source of experience points in the game.

The voice acting in the game is entirely in Japanese but don’t let that put you off. The Japanese voice acting is top notch and the English subtitles read well. I never found reading the subtitles too distracting to a point where I couldn’t take in what was happening onscreen.

The game is very narrative driven, with the gameplay serving to supplement both the main and side stories as required. With this in mind, the gameplay does an acceptable job.

For me a sign of a good remake is me not being able to tell it is a remake. Yakuza Kiwami falls into that category. From the smooth combat to the beautiful streets of Tokyo, the game feels right at home among modern Japanese games. The narrow streets of Tokyo and combat being constrained to certain times does at time feel restrictive but that feels more like a stylistic choice.

Most of the game will see you moving about the narrow streets of a small section of Tokyo. While the world is open, I wouldn’t really call it a sandbox game. Outside of running between mission objectives and finding the odd item on the ground, there really isn’t anything to see or do.

Combat is restricted to when a fight starts either in the story or when random thugs run into you in the main world. When you do get into a fight, the game suddenly becomes a simplistic 3D fighting game. There are four different fighting styles to choose from which adjusts the power and speed of your moves however there isn’t very much depth to it beyond that. Attacks and movement do feel very smooth however things fall over a bit when it comes to defence. Blocking and dodging are more things you think about in advance rather do reactively. Once you are in the flow of a combo, it doesn’t flow into a block or dodge very easily.

There are two main attack buttons, one continues the combo and one ends it. Realistically you will want to maximise your damage by doing the longest combo you can so you end up just doing the same combo over and over again.

While the idea of four combat styles to choose from sounds impressive, there isn’t a need to cycle between them too often. I found myself sticking to two combat styles, a high speed one and a high damage one, which seemed to cover all situations and enemies well. Combat styles can also be upgraded which encourages specialisation rather than diversification.

Visually, the game looks good, held up mostly by a visually interesting setting. Graphic detail isn’t up to the level you would expect from a modern AAA western game however that is not what this game is. I really enjoyed the late-night streets of Tokyo with all its unique architecture and lights.

Yakuza Kiwami is not a game for everyone. At its best, Yakuza Kiwami is an intriguing narrative driven game centred around the Japanese organised crime syndicates known as the Yakuza. The game isn’t always at its best though and most of the game will you will be wandering the streets of Tokyo completing absurd side quests featuring humour that too often misses the mark. Still, if you can put up with or even enjoy this humour, you may find yourself hooked on Yakuza Kiwami.

The post Yakuza Kiwami (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

SEGA and ATLUS have announced a bumper line-up for E3 2017 across two neighbouring stands in the West Hall, showcasing a diverse selection of games in the publisher’s biggest E3 showing since 2013.

“We’re really pleased to see Yakuza and Sonic back on the biggest stage for video games, and having the first public hands-on for Total War: WARHAMMER 2underlines a really strong showing from SEGA and ATLUS this year!” said John Clark, Senior Vice President for SEGA Europe Ltd. “We look forward to welcoming trade visitors but we’re especially looking forward to having the public come and see our line-up this year, it’s great for E3 and it’s great for publishers. We’re confident there’s something for everyone on the SEGA stands this year.”

“From a bleak story about 13 heroes and their mechs in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, to the emotional, final story arc of Kazuma Kiryu in the Yakuza series as he goes from a lone fighter to a loyal, protector, to nostalgic gameplay from titles like Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux, and longed-for sequels such as Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, SEGA and ATLUS are positioned to deliver a very gratifying line-up for all E3 attendees this year,” said Naoto Hiraoka, President and CEO of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and Senior Vice President of Publishing for SEGA of America, Inc.

“We’re thrilled to have not just one, but two great Sonic games coming out this year for all the major consoles plus PC,” said Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Brand Officer for Sonic the Hedgehog. “Both games will be on the E3 show floor for everyone to try. Sonic Mania, which we recently announced is available for pre-order, will be showcasing new demo stages while Sonic Forces will have its first ever hands on experience. Come by and see why this is the year of Sonic.”

Attendees will be able to reacquaint themselves with the legendary Kazuma Kiryu in a double header of hard-hitting Yakuza action, playable on the show floor: Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, the latest entry in the long-running series and Yakuza Kiwami, a rebuilt-from-scratch HD remake of the original 2005 PlayStation 2 hit, Yakuza. Those who visit the booth will also have the opportunity to receive special Yakuza-themed swag (as long as supplies last).

If breakneck speed is more your thing, SEGA will feature playable stations for the ultimate celebration of past and future with Sonic Mania, an all-new 2D adventure with stunning HD retro style graphics running at smooth 60FPS and featuring all your favourite classic characters. Sonic Forces, from the development team behind Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, will be your second dose of speedy Sonic action where you will get to experience fast-paced gameplay as Modern Sonic, thrilling platforming as Classic Sonic, and powerful gadget action as your own custom Hero Character! Those who come by to play Sonic could receive a special Sonic E3 giveaway item.

ATLUS will have an exclusive new trailer for the hotly anticipated Western release of Vanillaware’s 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, a story of battle-ready youths, humanity and… giant mechs. Plus, those that take a photo with the 13 Sentinels mech stand to receive a poster featuring Vanillaware’s signature flair (while supplies last).

For Nintendo 3DS gamers there will be three titles showcased.

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth which begins with the creation of your party to explore the uncharted labyrinth of the Yggdrasil Tree, Beyond the Myth is all about choosing how your own adventure unfolds. Practice your map-making and FOE slaying skills with the playable hands-on demo on the show floor.

Secondly, Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology once again allows players to take the reins of Alistel operative Stocke as he unlocks the power of the White Chronicle relic and gains the ability to travel between two alternate timelines in this enhanced retelling of a JRPG classic.Watch a live demo of Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology, only for show attendees.

And lastly Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. Demon aficionados can look forward to a new Redux trailer. New story content, additional endings, a new dungeon to explore and more await those who wish to brave the spatial distortion known as the Schwarzwelt.

In a neighbouring booth, Creative Assembly are unleashing the Lizardmen on the public for the first time in Total War: WARHAMMER II. The second game in the Total War: WARHAMMER trilogy is set in a whole new part of the Warhammer world, introducing four new playable races in an epic narrative campaign. In a spectacular quest battle taken from the game, E3 goers can seize control of a Lizardmen army as they march against the High Elves, who they’ve caught meddling in the dormant ruins of an ancient Lizardmen portal. Additionally, there will be playable stations for Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania at the booth.

If you are attending E3 2017 (like us at StG) we would love to hear your opinion!

The post SEGA & ATLUS Announce E3 2017 Line-Up appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A joint venture with Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom and Sega Interactive Co., Ltd./ Sega Games Co. Ltd bring us back for some more with Project X Zone 2 for the Nintendo 3DS system!

The second episode of this ultimate cross-over tactical RPG, created by Monolith Software Inc. will hit digital & physical shelves in the in Autumn 2015.

With more than 400 000 units, the first episode of this Tactical-RPG series surprised not only fans but also press thanks to its massive line-up, stirring gameplay and unique humour.

Among the famed returning licenses, Project X Zone 2 will feature TEKKEN, Tales of Vesperia, God Eater or .hack// series (Bandai Namco Entertainment), Devil May Cry, MEGAMAN X and Resident Evil series (Capcom), Sakura Wars, Yakuza: Dead Souls and Virtua Fighter (Sega Interactive Co., Ltd./ Sega Games Co., Ltd).

“Working hand-in-hand with renowned publishers such as Sega and Capcom is a blessing. Exchanging ideas and working towards making fans happy is the ultimate goal behind this cross-over. With dozens of famous characters and licenses, unique humour traits and highly tactical gameplay; Project X Zone 2 presents itself as a serious contender to be a critically appreciated Tactical RPG!” said Herve Hoerdt, Vice President of IP Strategy, Marketing & PR at Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe.

Gamers and fans of the series can expect a heightened degree of gameplay with the addition of several characters, in-game features yet to be officially announced.

The post Project X: Zone 2 Releasing in Australasia – News appeared first on Shane the Gamer.