For its third entry, the Ryū ga Gotoku series (Yakuza for us) retains its violent style on an island which is transformed into a chaotic warzone between rival gangs. On the menu are extreme gunfights, street fighting and crude dialogues. Not to be confused with Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! which is a spin-off taking place in the samourais era with Miyamoto Musashi, a master of the katana, also destined for the Playstation 3 but not related to the japanese mafia.

Yakuza 3, which is supposed to hit stores February 26 2009 in the country of the rising sun, while North America is still waiting for a release date, is a bit different than its predecessors since it does not take place in Tokyo. Developers rather chose another environment, the tropical island of Okinawa, a southern japanese prefecture. Main character Kiryu runs a center for orphaned children there with his adoptive daughter Haruka. Problems arise when Shigeru Nakahara, owner of the land, wants him to sell the place. Of course, our muscle hero will answer with punches.

Melee combat specialist, Kiryu will defend his business with his life. The same dark humor of the series will return in a production that will attempt to overshadow the few technical problems of its former iterations.

  Michael Bertiaux