PS3 Fanboy

A brand new PS3 bundle will go on sale in Japan, featuring the upcoming PS3-exclusive Yakuza 3. Available in late February, the bundle will include the game and a specially designed Ceramic White console (pictured, above). Only 10,000 units of this bundle will be made, so expect it to sell out quickly in Japan. Will any find their way on eBay? Perhaps.

[Thanks, diare331]

Yakuza 3 is getting the specialty bundle treatment, much like the last Yakuza game that came out in Japan, Ryugagotoku Kenzan!. While that previous title paired up with the Satin Silver machine earlier this year, Yakuza 3 is making a duet with an 80GB Ceramic White console. Only 10,000 units of this bundle will be produced. The bundle goes on sale in Japan for ¥45,980 ($493) on February 26 alongside the game's official release.

Yakuza 3 is one of the most anticipated games in Japan right now. Looking at the trailer, we can see why. This is one of the most authentic recreations of Japanese urban life we've seen so far -- akin to GTAIV's recreation of NYC. The Yakuza series has been known for its quirky gameplay, and the amount of sidequests and mini-games featured in this PS3 exclusive title is staggering. Hopefully, it won't take Sega too long to bring this title to the US. (Let's not forget that Yakuza 2 has taken nearly two years to localize.)

Famitsu (translation via IGN) has unveiled in its latest issue details regarding the battle system of Yakuza 3. One of the major improvements is seamless transitions into fights. Another note-worthy addition is the foes you encounter may decide to run away from you (and vice versa, if you are chicken) -- you now have to option to engage in a "chase battle" to pursuit the enemy. This "chase battle" involves keeping your enemy in sight with your mini map and avoiding any obstacles that may appear in your path.

A "tag tournament mode" was also shown in the gaming magazine's pages. Your character enters a fighting arena where you must team up with a partner (whether this is a CPU partner or something else isn't clear) to unleash some co-op attacks on your enemies.

The last iteration of the Yakuza franchise on the PS3 sold fairly well over in Japan. Unfortunately, it hasn't received a stateside release (yet) -- here's to hoping Sega will bring both Yakuza games over to the Western market.

[Via VG247]

The upcoming "real" Yakuza 3 will expand upon one of the franchises key selling points: girls. "GAL Magazine" will feature seven top Japanese fashion models: Sayaka Araki, Eri Touka, Rina Sakurai, Shizuka Mutou, Riho Nishiyama, Rina Aikawa, and Nemu. These girls will be featured in a more "advanced" cabaret system in the upcoming game. The game will properly render the fashion and speaking styles of the fashionable girls ... something we're sure many players will be paying attention to.

Check IGN for all the girls.

[Thanks, Gambit07!]

The real Yakuza 3 is on the way according to an interview with Toshihiro Nagoshi in the latest issue of Famitsu. Officially going to have "3" in the title, this game will actually be the fourth title in the series.

We've been billing the previous game Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan (which released in Japan on March 6 this year) as Yakuza 3 for the past year or so because, well, it's easier to write than the original name. We guess we won't be able to do that anymore. The game will be a direct sequel to Yakuza 2. It currently does not have a set release date.

[Thanks Hanson Y.!]

We didn't expect Yakuza 3 to take itself so seriously. A game that features so many quirky mini-games, UFOs, and a very Japanese sense of humor has a pretty heavy handed beginning. When Yakuza 3 launched in Japan, it was able to take the number one spot on the sales charts. Looking at this cinematic, do you want Sega to localize this title for the English speaking audience?

The PS3's install base continues to grow in Japan and with it, its software sales. Sega's Yakuza 3 has taken the top spot in the Japanese software charts -- one of the few PS3 titles to claim such a lofty achievement so far. With 181,000 units sold, it managed to outsell the rest of the top five titles combined. Perhaps the use of clever marketing tools helped this title's sales? Or maybe it was the attractive Satin Silver PS3 bundle?

Regardless, we're sure both Sony and Sega are quite pleased with these numbers. Hopefully, it won't be too long before more PS3 titles climb the software sales charts.

For the rest of the bestsellers, check out Next Gen.

After our initial wave of disappointment dissipated with the announcement that SCEA had no plans of bringing the Satin Silver PS3 stateside, we were actually starting to feel pretty good, that is until we saw the Satin Silver Yakuza 3 bundle. Now our feelings of woe have returned tenfold.

Limited to only 1,000 units, the Yakuza 3 PS3 bundle will be released in Japan on March 6 (the same day as the regular Satin Silver PS3) for about $440 and will include some really neato dragon stickers. However, like the regular Satin Silver PS3, it won't come with a DualShock 3, but who needs that when you can come home with Yakuza 3, right?

What makes this even worse for us is that Sega has yet to confirm a Western release of the game. Sega, can you please end our agony and just tell us when we can expect Yakuza 3?

[Via Kotaku]

The Japanese PS Store currently offers not one, but two demos of Sega's upcoming Japanese adventure, Yakuza 3 (aka Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan). At the very least, the two demos reassure us that there's a large number of things to do in this PS3 exclusive. However, as is typically the case with games of this nature, it seems the Jack of all Trades approach Yakuza 3 is taking means the game does many things well, but nothing stands out as particularly excellent.

For example, the combat featured in the game is simplistic at best. Sword fighting can be reduced to simple button mashing. Unfortunately, we don't see the depth that other games offer in this genre. Even relatively simple fighting systems, like the one found in Assassin's Creed, offers combat with much more finesse. The boss that's included in the demo was easily exploited by simply mashing the Triangle button. This being an early demo reminds us that there's much more work to be done in the game. As it is now, battles aren't quite challenging or interesting enough.

Rumors have surfaced regarding Sega's upcoming PS3 exclusive title, Yakuza 3. The game, whose prior two incarnations dealt with more modern-style gangster brawls, takes you back to the time when swords and skill were pretty accurate measures of your ability to earn respect. We'd love to know how it plays and that's where the rumor kicks in -- Sega may be releasing a demo on the Japanese PlayStation Store sometime this month. Sega hasn't said anything officially, but according to some random source over at Gamefront, it's coming. We'll find out, we guess.

[via CVG]

Despite the fact that Yakuza 3 appears to have little to do with the series' previous installments, we're more excited than ever at the thought of finally being able to play it. And with the game's release getting closer by the day, Sega has released its first commercial for the popular franchise.

While it doesn't showcase the massive amounts of blood and limb chopping that other videos have, it appears to introduce its audience to the game's cast, which we guess is okay. Yakuza 3 is set to hit Japan in March, and we expect an announcement to confirm the game is coming our way in the coming months.