Extra Punctuation: How Yakuza 4 Grabs You

fanklok

Legendary Table User
Jul 17, 2009
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Infernoshadow211 said:
So far, I think every Yakuza game has ended with a shirtless fight atop a high building.
Then they'll have to vary it up for the next one, a pantless brawl in a basement.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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I got the same feeling with Saint's Row 1 and 2.

Same city, but undergone a pretty big overhaul for 2.

I still remember that spot where I killed that one guy with the thing in SR1 every time I pass it in 2.

Odd to get emotionally invested in Saint's Row, isn't it?
 

Micalas

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Mar 5, 2011
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Seems Yahtzee hangs out with Josef Fritzl

captcha: INSTA gotiva
As opposed to a long, drawn out gotiva.
 

darthotaku

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Aug 20, 2010
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I guess thiss is proof that a ton of backtracking can be a good thing if it's done right.
too bad it hardly ever is.
 

Midnight Crossroads

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Jul 17, 2010
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You have the same thing happen as in SH4 with Project Zero 3. At the start of the game, your home is safe, but as time goes on more and more spirits start to bleed into the real world.

I remember in WoW I got attached to Moonglade. For the longest time, it was the special place for druids. We had an easy teleport straight there for training where most characters could only get there at a very high level by traveling through a tunnel. With no real quests, it wasn't popular for non-druids with the exception of the festival each year.
 

ccesarano

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Oct 3, 2007
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I think this helps make the Metroid-style of game really awesome. You start out in certain areas having to struggle against these weak foes, and continuously return to uncover new power-ups while tearing the formerly troublesome foes a new one.

I also know it's unpopular with the Escapist columnists, but the back-tracking in the first Halo gave me this same impression in truth. I'd recall a map where I grabbed an over-turned Warthog, driving to the surviving marines so they could hop on board and then drove around taking out Ghosts and a tank. Later in that game I returned to that same canyon, only this time it was night, I was alone and there was still a tank and squad of Covenant on the other side.

Guess it's partly based on delivery as to how this sort of thing grows on (or annoys) a player.
 

WaReloaded

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Jan 20, 2011
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That was extremely well written, almost touching (for lack of a better word) in a way. It made me realise just how important the location and setting of some games can be and just how much they can impact the way we think and feel.
For example, I often have a tune running through my mind, when I recall where it's from (usually the amazing piece of music that plays in Elwynn Forest) I think of Elwynn Forest, Level 3 Mages, Gold farmers (yes, I'm even using them in this example) and World of Warcraft, and how much I truly appreciate what that game has done for me.

All nerdiness aside, I think that games can greatly impact our lives, and leave positive impressions on our characters and who we are.
 

Alakaizer

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Aug 1, 2008
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Onyx Oblivion said:
I got the same feeling with Saint's Row 1 and 2.

Same city, but undergone a pretty big overhaul for 2.

I still remember that spot where I killed that one guy with the thing in SR1 every time I pass it in 2.

Odd to get emotionally invested in Saint's Row, isn't it?
I think I'd be more worried about somebody who wasn't emotionally invested in the SR games.

OT: As nice as that kind of experience can be, it's still no excuse for nine out of every ten sandbox games having you retread NYC over and over again(We're looking at you, Rockstar).
 

megs1120

Wing Commander
Jul 27, 2009
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It's interesting, I hadn't picked up on this argument exactly, of subtle change over time creating a greater sense of place, but if fits into my big gripe about Final Fantasy XIII, that nothing in the game had any sense of importance. For the vast majority of the game, you run through supposedly-meaningful, instantly-forgettable hallways that you will never see again. Why am I fighting for this?

Final Fantasy VI's world map, Final Fantasy VII's Midgar, Final Fantasy VIII's Balamb Garden, pretty much every location in Final Fantasy IX, they all went through drastic changes as the story progressed, and they were all far more meaningful than anything in Final Fantasy XIII's endless hallways.

Anyway, it's nice to hear you liked Yakuza 4, let's hope some more people go out and buy it.
 

RA92

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Jan 1, 2011
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First the Japanese vote a Western FPS shooter as the <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.278165-According-to-the-Japanese-the-most-satisfying-game-last-year-was-Halo>most satisfying game last year, and now Yahtzee loves a Japanese RPG.

Wow.
 

mjc0961

YOU'RE a pie chart.
Nov 30, 2009
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Onyx Oblivion said:
I got the same feeling with Saint's Row 1 and 2.

Same city, but undergone a pretty big overhaul for 2.

I still remember that spot where I killed that one guy with the thing in SR1 every time I pass it in 2.

Odd to get emotionally invested in Saint's Row, isn't it?
Not really. I'm still rather pissed with Ultor over what they did to our church. And that mansion used to be mine after I stole it from the Rollerz, and that one too after I stole it from the Los Carnales (I said that just so Dex would be annoyed wherever he is, the bastard).
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
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Khushal said:
I'm especially thinking about the level in Mass Effect 2 where your ship is being attacked by the collectors, in which you are controlling Joker and moving through familiar surroundings that you have established as ''safe'' 15 minutes into the game.
Ninja'd!

This was the first example that popped into my mind while reading his article. I remember while playing the first Mass Effect I wished there was a level where your ship would get boarded. I was glad to see one in ME2.

Although I think it would have worked better as a combat mission. Forcing you to suddenly think of all those nice familiar spaces in terms of cover, lines-of-fire and so on.

Oh well, the Joker scene was still pretty cool. I appreciate that it would kill you if you did anything particularly stupid.
 

Steve the Pocket

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Mar 30, 2009
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Well, well. All I can say is, if you liked the backtracking through the now-ruined labs in Half-Life, you're gonna love...

the first chapter of Portal 2
 

sketchesofpayne

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Sep 11, 2008
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I love it in games when you come back to a place you've been or completed a quest and find that it has changed, or talk to the characters and their dialogue reflects that time has passed. It seems like to few games do this. You often return to a place you left several in-game months ago and it is still the same as it was the moment you left it.

Anything that increases the feeling of verisimilitude of a game world is a welcome addition to me.
 

Harker067

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Sep 21, 2010
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Oh gods do I want characters i can get attatched to... I just recently gave up on an icon of a videogame (hint it was number 7) all because halfway through I just didn't feel anything for the characters.