BLOG -- Recap of June

Some things happened in June, but I don't want to talk about them (sorry). Other than that, I'm still working away on my resolutions as well as now watching a bunch of movies. My birthday. is coming up next month I hope I get to celebrate it!

Also, a reminder that the PSP digital store closes very soon! So get whatever you need before it's gone. I still have a bunch of PSP games to play through...

"Outings" / Events in June:

- Attended Hatsune Miku's Online Concert Stream. It was fun, but I still think a live concert experience is best. I just want to be waving my glowsticks with others xD

- Started to use the Toronto Public Library's online streaming service (Hoopla) to watch some movies for free (8 titles max a month). The video quality isn't the best but I'm fine with it. I'm just glad I have legit access to some movies (I'm being a bit lazy with subscribing to more streaming services).

- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn achievements / news: 
-My subscription's still expired.

Exposures:

- Nothing this month.

Finished...

Watching:

- (Movie): Legally Blondes -- I think with this I've watched all Legally Blonde movies in existence. I'd recommend just watching the first movie and forgetting that the sequels exist.

- (Movie): Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction -- Too similar to the first movie, but not as good.

- (Movie): The Descent 2 -- Pretty bad. The first movie was way better.

- (Movie): Species II -- It was okay.

- (Movie): Species III -- Not that good.

- (Movie): Funny Games -- It was really well-done, but I think the original intent was lost on me, 'cuz I wasn't looking for entertainment with this movie -- I was wondering if I'd get some thought-provoking experience (since it was by YMS guy's favourite director [Michael Haneke]). I definitely got an experience -- not a feel-good one, though. A caution for anybody who's curious about watching this.

- (Movie): Buffalo '66 -- Some of the camera shots were interesting, but I wanted to punch the main guy so badly.

- (Movie): Amore Perros -- This was hard to watch. I didn't really enjoy it either. Partway through I thought, The overall feel makes me think of 21 Grams. Little did I know...

- (Movie - Anime): Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: The Beginnings -- I know that this movie is pretty much a recap of the first half of the anime series. It was a good refresher. Overall, it was a good movie.

- (Movie - Anime): Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 2: Eternal -- Same with this one. Very good movie and refresher.

- (Movie - Anime): Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 3: Rebellion -- It was really good. Homura is still my favourite.

Playing:

- (PS4): Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut -- For an old game, it was pretty fun and challenging. Don't underestimate it just 'cuz it looks cute and features a female character.

- (PS4): Cafeteria Nipponica -- I spent way too many hours playing this. I've already beaten it two times, but I want to go through it one more time with all the recipes and jobs maxed out.

Reading:

- Nothing for this month.

Currently... 

Playing (not all at once):

- (PS4): Dark Cloud 2

- (PS4): Skyrim
- (PS4): Yakuza 4 Remastered
- (PS4): Secret of Mana
- (PS3): Borderlands 2

- (3DS): Tomodachi Life
- (3DS): Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
- (GBA): The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition   
- (Wii): Fortune Street 
- (PC): UnEpic  
- (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend
- (PC): Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)

Watching:

- (TV Show): The Walking Dead (Season 7 - Episode 7)
- (TV Show): Criminal Minds (Season 15)
- (TV Show): The Strain (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The IT Crowd (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The Office (Season 8)
- (TV Show): The Goldbergs (Season 4)
- (TV Show): Huff (Season 1 - Episode 10)
- (TV Show): Legend of Korra (Season 3)
- (Anime): Log Horizon (Season 3)
- (Anime): Attack on Titan (Season 4)
- (Anime): Food Wars (Season 5)
- (Anime): Pyscho-Pass (Season 3)
- (Anime): Carole & Tuesday (Part 1 - Episode 5)

- (Anime): Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (Episode 9)

- (Anime): Gintama (Episode 13)
- (YouTube): StephenVlogs (Day 954)

Reading:

- (Manga): One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volume ?? -- Chapter 1010)
- (Manga): Platinum End by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata (Volume 5)
- (Manga): Berserk by Kentaro Miura (Volume 2)


That's it for June. Here are couple pics I took this month plus a YouTube video.

Some macarons I ordered for Pokemon's 25th anniversary.
That Pikachu was delicious.

This is the first time ordering an actual meal after the pandemic started.
The shrimp was really good.

A screenshot of the Hatsune Miku Online Concert Stream.

I bought this class in SINoALICE. Their 1st year anniversary is
coming up very soon! :D

This character showed up in the SMT Dx2 game.

I just find this so amusing. Sonic is a demon in the SMT Dx2 game. XD

"150-Hour Chocolate Cake" by Alvin Zhou. This is so soothing to watch.
I wish I had the time and tools to try this out.

Thanks for reading! 

As usual, if you have any questions / comments about anything, feel free.

If you celebrate it, Happy early Canada's Day / Independence Day!
Take care, stay safe, and until next time! :)

BLOG -- Recap of May

This was a month of working on my resolutions. When I took my vacation, I played a lot of video games and also worked on a lot of my resolutions. I really want to try to finish them all this year!

Also... I really can't wait for the pandemic to be over. Despite enjoying myself at home for most of the time, I really miss restaurant food and hanging out with friends. I haven't even seen my sister during this whole time ><'

"Outings" / Events in May:

- Had a 2-week vacation using up the rest of my vacation days that were carried over from 2020. I still have 20 more vacation days left to use this year, haha...

- Had a voice-chat with a few friends via LINE. This time we tried to baked some brownies. I used a brownie mix and it turned out okay.

- Got my 1st dose vaccination for COVID. It was a very smooth experience. It was the first time in a long time that I was out of the house and I took advantage of that... by buying more potato chips for myself! Hehehe :3

- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn achievements / news: 
-My subscription's still expired.

Exposures:

- (Oculus): Beat Saber -- It's okay. As a workout thing, it's pretty light so far since I've been doing most songs in Normal/Easy difficulty.

Finished...

Watching:

- (Anime): Demon Slayer -- Animation is very nicely done. I'm just waiting till I can watch the movie.

- (TV Show): Nodame Cantabile Live-Action -- Finally I finished it. There were some nice moments. When I find the time I'll update my review blog with my thoughts.

- (TV Show): Nodame Cantabile New Year Special in Europe -- This is the "second season" to the Live-Action. Just like in the Live-Action, there were some moments.

- (TV Show): Nodame Cantabile Movie I & Movie II -- Ditto here, although I personally preferred how this season was handled in the anime.

Playing:

- (PS4): The Walking Dead: A New Frontier -- I re-played this fully two times just to make a different choice at the end. Overall, it was okay, though I didn't like how some of the choices didn't properly reflect what would happen when you choose them.

- (PSP): Patchwork Heroes -- This was a pretty fun but tough game. I ended up switching to Easy difficulty halfway and I still often found it quite difficult.

Reading:

- (Manga): Voices of a Distant Star by Makoto Shinkai (art by Mizu Sahara) -- I think the manga took more liberties than other manga adaptations of Shinkai's works. I'd have to re-watch the anime to say which one I prefer. Right now, I say the manga and the anime complement each other in a way, even though slight details go in a different direction (I think).

Currently... 

Playing (not all at once):

- (PS4): Dark Cloud 2

- (PS4): Skyrim
- (PS4): Yakuza 4 Remastered
- (PS4): Secret of Mana
- (PS3): Borderlands 2

- (3DS): Tomodachi Life
- (3DS): Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
- (GBA): The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition   
- (Wii): Fortune Street 
- (PC): UnEpic  
- (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend
- (PC): Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)

Watching:

- (TV Show): The Walking Dead (Season 7 - Episode 7)
- (TV Show): Criminal Minds (Season 15)
- (TV Show): The Strain (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The IT Crowd (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The Office (Season 8)
- (TV Show): The Goldbergs (Season 3 - Episode 15)
- (TV Show): Huff (Season 1 - Episode 10)
- (TV Show): Legend of Korra (Season 3)
- (Anime): Log Horizon (Season 3)
- (Anime): Attack on Titan (Season 4)
- (Anime): Food Wars (Season 5)
- (Anime): Pyscho-Pass (Season 3)
- (Anime): Carole & Tuesday (Part 1 - Episode 5)

- (Anime): Gintama (Episode 6)

- (YouTube): StephenVlogs (Day 954)

Reading:

- (Manga): One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volume ?? -- Chapter 1010)
- (Manga): Platinum End by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata (Volume 3)
- (Manga): Berserk by Kentaro Miura (Volume 2) <-- may he rest in peace *bows*


That's it for May. Here are couple pics I took this month plus a YouTube video.

Some brownies I made a couple days ago.
The edges were a bit burnt -- just how I like it.

Pic of me wearing the Oculus. I think this covers my face well enough to post.

A commercial for the BTS Meal in McDonald's. I find this amusing.

Thanks for reading! 

As usual, if you have any questions / comments about anything, feel free.

Take care, stay safe, and until next time! :)

BLOG -- Recap of April

What a month... sorry I don't want to talk more about it.

"Outings" / Events in April:

- "Attended" an online concert stream for Phoenix Wright. The Japanese voice actor for Miles Edgeworth was the host and other voice actors popped up here and there. It was really nice, though I didn't recognize some of the tracks.

- Had a voice-chat with a few friends via LINE. This time we tried to cook some spam. I didn't have any spam at the time so I cooked some... boxed stuffing, hahaha... ^^;

- I saw this link on Reddit (below), and got excited. Then I remembered it was April 1st... :(
https://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/mhv2iu/the_day_has_come/.

- I won an Oculus Dream 2 from an online raffle draw at work. It was very surprising! I know nothing about the Oculus, except that Beat Saber is on it.

- Spent a couple weekends organizing my shelves.

- I tweeted Adam Johnston (the YMS YouTuber) a Happy Birthday. Later that night, I popped into his Twitch stream and gifted 10 subscriptions anonymously while he was out picking up a package. Psst, don't tell anybody! :)

- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn achievements / news: 
-My subscription's expired. I probably won't re-subscribe for a long while.

Exposures:

- Nothing this month.

Finished...

Watching:

- (Movie): Joker -- Nicely done, but it was very dark and brutal.

- (Movie): Nobody -- Some nice action scenes, but the premise was very weak.

- (Anime): Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story -- Way too rushed. The mobile game gave more care to the story in fleshing out the main characters. If a second season ever came I would give it a shot.

Playing:

- Nothing this month.

Reading:

- (Manga): No Longer Human by Junji Ito -- This is based off the novel by Osamu Dazai. Quite horrific, surreal, and explicit. Don't think I'll ever re-read it.

- (Manga): The Garden of Words by Makoto Shinkai (art by Midori Motohashi) -- With the time I  spent reading this manga, I could have watched the 40-minute animated movie and had more enjoyment. If you could choose between watching the movie or reading the manga, watch the movie.

- (Manga): She and Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai (art by Tsubasa Yamaguchi) -- This was kinda cute. I'd like to check out the animated version if I could.

- (Comic): Bodie Troll by Jay Fosgitt -- I took my sweet time, 'cuz I knew I would enjoy it too fast if I didn't.

Currently... 

Playing (not all at once):

- (PS4): The Walking Dead: A New Frontier

- (PS4): Yakuza 4 Remastered
- (PS4): Dark Cloud 2

- (PS4): Skyrim
- (PS4): Secret of Mana
- (PS3): Borderlands 2

- (PSP): Patchwork Heroes
- (3DS): Tomodachi Life
- (3DS): Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
- (GBA): The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition   
- (Wii): Fortune Street 
- (PC): UnEpic  
- (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend
- (PC): Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)

Watching:

- (TV Show): The Walking Dead (Season 7 - Episode 7)
- (TV Show): Criminal Minds (Season 15)
- (TV Show): The Strain (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The IT Crowd (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The Office (Season 8)
- (TV Show): The Goldbergs (Season 3 - Episode 15)
- (TV Show): Huff (Season 1 - Episode 10)
- (TV Show): Legend of Korra (Season 3)
- (TV Show): Nodame Cantabile Live-Action (Episode 7)
- (Anime): Log Horizon (Season 3)
- (Anime): Attack on Titan (Season 4)
- (Anime): Food Wars (Season 5)
- (Anime): Pyscho-Pass (Season 3)
- (Anime): Carole & Tuesday (Part 1 - Episode 5)

- (Anime): Demon Slayer (Episode 8)

- (YouTube): StephenVlogs (Day 954)

Reading:

- (Manga): One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 98? -- Chapter 990) <-- 10 more to 1000! xD
- (Manga): Berserk by Kentaro Miura (Volume 2)


That's it for April. Here are some pics I took this month plus a couple YouTube videos.

A screenshot of the Phoenix Wright Orchestra online concert stream.
On the left is the Japanese voice actor for Phoenix Wright,
and on the right is the Japanese voice actor for Miles Edgeworth.

Quite excited when this got delivered. I hope I get to read it soon!

One of my cleaned shelves.

This got delivered today. Hopefully I can clean up my room soon.

"Adam gives life and time management advice", clipped/edited by YMS Highlights. 

I admire Adam's strong work ethics, but I really hope he gets to take a break soon!

"YMS: The Walking Dead Season 1&2 (Part 1) by YourMovieSucksDOTog.

I've re-watched / re-listened this video series so many times during the pandemic.

Very insightful and observant. It spoils Season 1 and 2 of The Walking Dead,

so keep that in mind!

Thanks for reading! 

As usual, if you have any questions / comments about anything, feel free.

Take care, stay safe, and until next time! :)

BLOG -- Recap of March

I can't believe three months have already passed in the new year. It's also now been a year since the pandemic started. Sadly, even with vaccines now developed and slowly being distributed, Toronto doesn't seem to be doing any better. Another lockdown will be happening tomorrow. I'm anticipating still staying home for probably the rest of the year.

"Outings" / Events in March:

- Started setting some daily / weekly tasks for myself to push myself to finish my resolutions on time.

- Had a voice-chat with a few friends via LINE. We tried another cooking activity. This time it was poutine. I decided to make Japanese curry instead of gravy.

- The headaches I was having since February 18 stopped around March 7. I theorize that I likely consumed too much sugar in a short timeframe, and my body was trying to process / break it all down. I'll definitely be more careful about my sugar consumption from now on (if that really was the cause).

- I streamed a couple times on Twitch for a friend while I tried out Skyrim. So far I'm not using a mic nor webcam. If I ever feel comfortable in the future, I'll try connecting a mic. 

- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn achievements / news: 
-My subscription's expired. I probably won't re-subscribe for a long while.

Exposures:

- Nothing this month.

Finished...

Watching:

- (Movie): Sonic the Hedgehog -- Better than most video game adaptations. I can't say how faithful it is to the video game series, though.

- (Movie): Bill & Ted: Face the Music -- It was okay and surprisingly surreal at times. Out of the three, I enjoyed the first movie the most.

- (Movie): Synecdoche New York -- Very trippy and thought-provoking. I'd like to blog about it one day.

Playing:

- Nothing this month.

Reading:

- (Comic): The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn -- I've been reading this series on and off for more than 10 years. Can't believe I finally finished it. I didn't agree with some of the directions the comic took but overall, I'd say it was a good series.

Currently... 

Playing (not all at once):

- (PS4): The Walking Dead: A New Frontier

- (PS4): Yakuza 4 Remastered
- (PS4): Dark Cloud 2
- (PS4): Skyrim

- (PS3): Borderlands 2

- (3DS): Tomodachi Life
- (3DS): Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
- (GBA): The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition   
- (Wii): Fortune Street 
- (PC): UnEpic  
- (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend
- (PC): Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)

Watching:

- (TV Show): The Walking Dead (Season 7 - Episode 7)
- (TV Show): Criminal Minds (Season 15)
- (TV Show): The Strain (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The IT Crowd (Season 3)
- (TV Show): The Office (Season 8)
- (TV Show): The Goldbergs (Season 3 - Episode 15)
- (TV Show): Huff (Season 1 - Episode 10)
- (TV Show): Legend of Korra (Season 3)
- (TV Show): Nodame Cantabile Live-Action (Episode 7)
- (Anime): Log Horizon (Season 3)
- (Anime): Attack on Titan (Season 4)
- (Anime): Food Wars (Season 5)
- (Anime): Pyscho-Pass (Season 3)
- (Anime): Carole & Tuesday (Part 1 - Episode 5)

- (Anime): Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story (Episode 4)

- (YouTube): StephenVlogs (Day 954)

Reading:

- (Comic): Bodie Troll by Jay Fosgitt
- (Manga): One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 93 -- Chapter 940)
- (Manga): Berserk by Kentaro Miura (Volume 2)


That's it for March. Here are some pics I took this month plus a YouTube video.

Fixed up some Japanese curry (from a box) and dumped it on some fries.
This was my "poutine".

A bunch of games cluttered on my bed while I organized
my shelves one weekend.

A new class in SINoALICE.

I just had to have it, after reading the story behind it.

I tried out League of Legends: Wild Rift.
This was the first champion I chose.

I prefer playing League of Legends on the PC, though.

"Python Tutorial for Absolute Beginners #1 - What Are Variables?" by CSDojo. 

I'll be going through this video series to help me learn some Python.
I'm #6 so far, and it's been really helpful.

Thanks for reading! 

As usual, if you have any questions / comments about anything, feel free.

Take care, stay safe, and until next time! If you celebrate Easter, Happy Easter! :)

REVIEW/THOUGHTS [VIDEO GAME] -- Yakuza 3 Remastered

Playthrough Status: Beat the main story on Normal, spent some hours in Premium Adventure picking up remaining trophies I was willing to get
Approx. Length: 120+ hours
Language: English (Cutscenes are voiced in Japanese with English subtitles)
Played on: PS4
Also Available for: PC, Xbox One
Type of Game: Open-world Action Adventure, Mini-games, Skill-building
Overall Impression: Good overall, but...

NOTE ON SPOILERS!!

Just like with my past reviews, I'll keep a non-spoiler section (the section you're at right now), and a "Spoiler Talk" section at the end to go into more detail on certain things and to let loose with any extra thoughts.

BUT... even though there won't be any spoilers for Yakuza 3 Remastered in this section, there could be spoilers for Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. In fact, this blog is structured as if you have already played those Yakuza games. If you haven't beaten those Yakuza games yet, I'd highly recommend you do before reading this review!!

PRELUDE: KEEP YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN CHECK

Before I started playing Yakuza 3 Remastered, I kept telling myself this: "Yakuza 3 is a remaster -- NOT a remake." Why did I tell myself this? Because I didn't want to start playing Yakuza 3 Remastered with completely unrealistic expectations.

Yakuza 3 Remastered was going to be played after Yakuza 0 (a game created in 2015), Yakuza Kiwami (a remake released in 2016), and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (a remake released in 2017). But Yakuza 3 is a remaster of a game released in 2009. The difference between a remaster and a remake is in what could be updated. A remaster generally updates existing graphics and audio whereas a remake can add and re-work elements from the ground up. That means that gameplay mechanics generally stayed the same in Yakuza 3 Remastered, whereas those elements were updated in Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. With so many years between the release dates of Yakuza 3 and the other Yakuza games, and with the understanding that Yakuza 3 is a remaster and not a remake, I started playing Yakuza 3 Remastered expecting some downgrades.

If I kept to the same level of expectations I had after playing Kiwami 2, I'd likely be very disappointed in Yakuza 3 Remastered. In my opinion, it would also be very unfair to have those kind of expectations -- expecting a 2009 game to be on par with a 2017 game. So... before jumping into Yakuza 3 Remastered, I'd recommend having an understanding that despite it being the 4th entry in the Yakuza series, it will be a jump back in time -- back to a time when the latest and greatest games were released on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and whatever PC model was the best at that time.

With that said, though...

FIRST THINGS I NOTICED

Below are some of the downgrades I noticed when I started up Yakuza 3 Remastered:

Graphics: There's no nice way to say this, but after playing Kiwami 2, the graphical differences in Yakuza 3 Remastered stuck out very much and not in the most positive way. It's not a deal-breaker, but I can understand how it could turn some off, especially after coming from Kiwami 2.

A shot of Kamurocho in Kiwami 2. Definitely trying to push graphical limits 

with all those details.

A shot of Kamurocho in Yakuza 3. It's just different.

This isn't really a knock against Yakuza 3 Remastered, but I found it amusing
that most goons were dressed in "ugly" sweaters.

Stat-building system: This system is closer to Yakuza 1 on the PS2, where you are allocating experience points to three different categories. I consider this a downgrade because each category has their own levelling tree, but I can't see what it is, so it's often a shot in the dark of where to spend my experience points if I hope to unlock a certain skill.

Fighting mobs: I was playing the game on normal difficulty and fighting the normal baddies was a bit annoying. They block wayyy too often.

Ordering food: This is a nitpick. In Yakuza 3 Remastered in a restaurant / food place, you can only order 1 food item each visit. Gone are the memes of Kiryu downing 8-10 burgers in less than 1 minute. ;_;

Below are some elements that were in Kiwami 2, but aren't in Yakuza 3 Remastered:
-Can't buy drinks from vending machines
-Can't pocket weapons during battle
-Can't take selfies

I wouldn't say that any of these are deal-breakers for me, but they could lessen the overall gameplay experience.

OTHER PET PEEVES

I'll just talk a bit about some more pet peeves I had while playing Yakuza 3 Remastered.

Hostess Maker minigame / substory: This is nothing like the cabaret club minigame in Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2. This minigame is tedious and not very fun. And you don't get to keep any of the money that you make in there! It's optional, but be prepared if you are like me and want to complete as much as possible.

Golf minigame: Maybe it's because I don't know much about golf, but I found the golf minigame overly complicated. Maybe it has to be? I didn't find myself enjoying the minigame all that much because of its complexity.

The controls for playing golf.

Some substories locked behind minigames: For somebody who likes trying to complete all the substories in each Yakuza game, I had to accept that it'd be near impossible to complete all with Yakuza 3 Remastered. Some substories require a certain amount of skill in certain minigames to unlock, one of those minigames being golf... sadly I don't have time to get good at golf to unlock that substory.

Too many girls to woo in the hostess clubs: Some would find this a good thing -- I found it a chore. There were sets of hostesses to chat up at three different clubs. Some of them were nice and decent, while others were a bit annoying.

Not enough Majima: Let's just say I was very Majima-deprived in this one. When the story finally gave some focus on him, I ignored everything and ran straight to him. I recall running past a kid crying about a balloon, and I thought 'I don't care about your balloon! I gotta get to Majima!'.

THE STRENGTHS

Despite all these downgrades and nitpicks, Yakuza 3 Remastered still has some saving graces.

Emotions in the main story: Just like in previous Yakuza games, the main story is definitely one of its strengths. Although the pacing could be a bit slow at times, the emotions and the main themes are very much on point.

Some good substories: Also like in the previous Yakuza games, there are several entertaining and feelgood substories. Sometimes they would address more sensitive topics like gender identity and suicide, which surprised me (in a good way).

An amusing line in a substory.

Characters I care about: Yakuza 3 Remastered doesn't disappoint in introducing cool, likeable characters. One even almost tempted me away from Majima (*tsk tsk!*). Having good characters will always keep me engaged to continue playing, just to see what happens to them.

Staple fun minigames are still there: Karaoke is still around, and so is the UFO game. That's all that really matters to me, hahahaha. Other staple games that are still present are darts, pool, batting, bowling, Mahjong (you just can't escape from Mahjong, hahaha), and Shogi. Many of the casino / gambling games are still there as well.

"Kamurocho Lullaby". My favourite karaoke track in Yakuza 3 Remastered.

The flukiest win in pool. I wasn't intending that shot at all 

but I'll take it! :)

Another location immersion: While part of Yakuza 3 Remastered still took place in Kamurocho, it also took place in Okinawa. I've never been to Okinawa so it was really neat to get exposed to a new environment. After Google-imaging Okinawa, it looks like Yakuza 3 Remastered succeeded in capturing some essences of the place. Assuming that the Okinawan lifestyle was captured as well, it was interesting to observe the differences between Okinawa and Kamurocho. 

STANDALONE-FRIENDLY?

I'm going to say "no" here, and let's move on.

THE DISCLAIMERS (IF ANY)

This is where I list any things that could make you think twice about trying the game out with family or friends (depends on what they are okay with, I guess). They're not exactly bad per se, but more for your own awareness of it (and so you don't blame me for not saying anything!). 

I can experience these elements in a video game and get through more or less unscathed, but your mileage may vary, so I figure I should mention them.

-Just like in all the previous Yakuza games, the fights can be pretty violent and bloody. Unlike the previous Yakuza games, there is no option to reduce the blood level so you're stuck with it.

-There is a massage minigame that features a female making provocative poses while you're trying to keep some meter from falling to the bottom completely or shooting to the top completely. If you fail to last through the whole session, it almost feels like an allusion to "climaxing" too early. Aside from trying this a couple times to get a trophy and to trigger a substory, this is completely OPTIONAL.

-There is a club that you can visit to see a female dancing on a pole. This is completely OPTIONAL.

MY RATING

So far, Yakuza 3 Remastered is my least favourite in terms of gameplay and graphics and some minigames. But, in regards to story and character development, it's not the worst. If you can forgive the shortcomings after coming from Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3 Remastered won't fail in offering a Yakuza experience. At its very core, it's still a Yakuza game.

If Yakuza 3 ever receives a remake treatment in the future, I'll play it and then properly revisit how well it'd stack up against Kiwami 2!


Rating: 82 / 100


Thanks for reading!

If you have any questions / comments about anything, leave a comment or send via the Contact Form. :)

So I'll do the scrolly thing and the "Spoiler Talk" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more scrolly things after the "Spoiler Talk" section in case anybody wants to comment, but not see the spoilers.

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SPOILER TALK

So this will be a little different from the "Spoilers" section in my other review blogs. I kinda want this section to be a place where I can unload any extra thoughts I had about Yakuza 3 Remastered, even if I didn't mention it at all in the non-spoiler section. I may have already talked about some of these in the non-spoiler section but I'll go into more detail here.

THOUGHTS ON REVELATIONS

This was an odd yet amusing minigame. I wasn't a big fan of the Quick Time Event (QTE) parts of it, but it was often fun to see how a situation played out. Usually not what you'd expect to see.

One of the more ball-punching Revelations. ;)

A screenshot of the aftermath of one hilarious Revelation.
For context, the kid wanted to go into that shop for a toy,
unaware that it was an adult toy shop. The kid's dad kept saying no.

GORO MAJIMA

*sigh* Ya always gotta test my faith in you, don't you? *angry pout*

When the story made it look like Majima was in cahoots with the baddies, I doubted him again -- for a slight second. I'm so sorry! DX *bows*.

Sadly, Majima didn't get a lot of chances for development in Yakuza 3 Remastered. We got to see some of his caring nature in the beginning but after that, he was kinda just there to move the plot along. Also to still show that he's ultimately on Kiryu's side.

Fingers crossed we'll get to see some more of Majima in the next Yakuza game!

RIKIYA

My god -- what a sweetheart. If I wasn't already 510% loyal to Majima, Rikiya would have melted my heart. He is all-round an awesome guy. A bit hot-blooded at times, but caring and considerate. I also like how he's willing to get goofy when he has to (that love hotel scene and dressing up as a wrestler come to mind).

A scene with Rikiya and Kiryu. It's hilarious to think how much Rikiya can eat. 

Definitely a formidable eating rival for Kiryu. :)

I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU...

Decided to have a section just to honor those who passed... :(

Rikiya -- you were gone way too soon. Your desires to be a real man were misguided... 'cuz you were always a real man from the start. You will be sorely missed.

Kashiwagi -- I was hoping you'd be one I'd see through to the end of the Yakuza games. I liked your level-headedness and your willingness to help Kiryu and Majima. I always had tons of respect for you.

MISCELLANEOUS

Here are some miscellaneous thoughts that didn't fit into any of the above topics, and a couple more screenshots and videos I wanted to share.

-I didn't particularly enjoy any thing (story / substory / minigame) that had a chasing segment. That darn dine-and-dasher substories were a bane, haha.

-I loved the main story part where Kiryu reprimanded each child for not appreciating Ayako. Kiryu can really lay down the law when he has to.

-Boxcelios was a very pretty-looking game in the arcades, but I had no idea what I was doing in it, hahaha.

-Just like in my previous Yakuza reviews, here is a funny Yakuza-related meme I saw on Reddit. I thought it was a clever use of that Revelations animation. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/lcm68q/sad_dragon_noises/

-Here's another meme. This is so cute. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/j0v07r/various_ways_to_hold_your_allies_feat_kiryu/

And here are the screenshots and videos!

I kinda agree with this thought.

I named all the girls I recruited for the hostess maker substory as Goromi. 

It was an homage to the great Goromi in Kiwami! :)

I loved that this was a dialog option.

Hilarious misunderstanding in a substory.

And the misunderstanding persists.

We meet again, Kana! Sadly, she doesn't remember Kiryu at all.

My final stats when I beat Yakuza 3 Remastered. I played for much longer than I thought.

A clip of Kiryu bumping into somebody and that person getting up 

and giving the evil eye before walking away.

A clip of a character calling Kiryu and then magically appearing at the meeting point. I thought that was kinda funny, how she just appeared like that.

A very, very quick fight!

If you read this section, thank for reading! Now to finish with more scrolly things. Feel free to comment if you wish :D

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