Yakuza: Dead Souls
- June 9, 2011
- Sega Corporation
Yakuza: Dead Souls doesn't reinvent the zombie shooter with its simple combat scheme, but mowing down the walking dead in their hundreds and executing some neat special moves provides some frantically-paced arcade-styled thrills.
Yakuza: Dead Souls is an action-adventure/survival horror video game, developed and published by Sega exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is the sixth installment in the Yakuza series. The game's concept and keyword is "destruction"; a promotional image for the game showed the series' main locale, Kamurocho, in ruins. Leaked scans of the Famitsu issue released on September 16, the first da…
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Reviews
- Great value and well thought out game that offers a fun experience for Yakuza fans.
- The game features returning characters and emotional moments, making it a valid addition to the Yakuza series.
- The gameplay is enjoyable with fluid camera control, and it retains familiar Yakuza systems like side quests and mini-games.
- The game can become repetitive and boring after completion, often feeling like a grind.
- The shooting mechanics and camera controls can be frustrating, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- The story is weaker compared to previous Yakuza titles and may not appeal to all fans of the series.
- story33 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story diverges from traditional realism by incorporating a virus that affects people's minds, set against a backdrop of yakuza themes, which some find cliché yet refreshing. Emotional depth is noted as the narrative unfolds, particularly through Kiryu's extended storyline, while side quests enhance the experience. Although it is a spin-off, the storytelling is integrated into the broader Yakuza timeline, offering a mix of humor and engaging character interactions, though some players feel it lacks the depth of previous entries.
“Maybe a bit cliché considering how popular survival horror is, but this game breaks away from the cliché by mixing this with a story centered around the Yakuza.”
“Although this game is a spin-off and can easily be brushed off as non-canon, the storytelling elements actually can fit into the Yakuza timeline since everything works out in the end.”
“The change from just a crime story to becoming a zombie-fighting crime adventure blew me away, so trust me when I say you won't find anything else like this out there.”
“This game drifts from realistic storytelling by introducing a virus that can mutate and inject morphine into people's minds, then those now infected are made to share that virus with others.”
“There are emotional moments as you get deeper into the game, although the story mainly begins to pick up once you reach Ryuda's story.”
“[weaker story than previous games, lacking in self-awareness, gets old fast, narrative structure interrupts open world elements, control can be stodgy]”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring fluid camera control that enhances navigation in tight spaces and during combat. While the new shooting mechanics are solid, they lack depth, and the narrative structure detracts from the series' traditional open-world experience.
“The gameplay is good; it actually works nicely, and the camera control is fluid, which is helpful for navigating narrow corridors or when you are surrounded by zombies.”
“The gameplay changes from what Yakuza is mainly about—fighting.”
“The new shooting mechanics are robust but lacking in depth, and the new narrative structure unfortunately gets in the way of the series' awesome open world elements.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are consistently praised for being impressive and visually appealing, contributing to an overall positive experience alongside its engaging story and gameplay. Users highlight the robust visuals as a standout feature, enhancing the game's immersive qualities.
“This game has a good story, good graphics, good gameplay.”
“[Fun concept, robust leveling system, accessible gunplay, huge amount of content, solid translation and voice acting, impressive visuals].”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that the game features impactful emotional moments, particularly as the narrative progresses and reaches Ryuda's storyline, which serves as a pivotal point for deeper engagement with the characters and their experiences.
“There are emotional moments as you get deeper into the game, although the story mainly begins to pick up once you reach Ryuda's story.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highly praised, with players finding the story amusing and the characters, particularly Majima, to be endearing and entertaining. This combination contributes significantly to the overall enjoyment, leading to high ratings from users.
“The reason I have given this a 5-star rating is not only because the story is funny, but because I love the characters, especially Majima.”
Critic Reviews
Yakuza: Dead Souls Review
A fresh direction for the Yakuza series, Dead Souls sadly seems to take one step forward and two steps back. The new shooting mechanics are robust if lacking in depth, but the new narrative structure unfortunately gets in the way of the series' awesome open world elements
60%Yakuza: Dead Souls Review
Yakuza: Dead Souls doesn't reinvent the zombie shooter with its simple combat scheme, but mowing down the walking dead in their hundreds and executing some neat special moves provides some frantically-paced arcade-styled thrills.
75%DualShockers
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