All Articles: Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

God of War slays all comers and emerges as the best-selling game of April 2018

Posted on May 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

You might say that Kratos returned with a vengeance last month, and that’s because Sony’s God of War reboot climbed to the top of The NPD Group’s list of best-selling games for April 2018. According to the NPD (via GamesIndustry.biz), God of War was also the “best ever launch for a PlayStation exclusive.”

Sony and Kratos weren’t done setting records, and the former “Ghost of Sparta” helped sell a lot of PS4 consoles too. Thanks to a push from the newly-available PS4 Pro 1TB + God of War Limited Edition Bundle, Sony’s console was propelled to the top of the NPD’s Hardware Chart for both “units sold” and “dollar sales.” The PS4 also set a new record for console sales during the month of April, besting the previous mark set in April 2008 by Nintendo’s Wii.

While Nintendo lost out on one record, they almost stole Sony’s thunder by placing six games in the NPD’s Top 20 last month, including the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit (#4), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (#5), Mario Kart 8 (#6), Super Mario Odyssey (#9), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#13), and Kirby Star Allies (#19).

You can find the full list of The NPD Group’s best-selling titles for April 2018 after the break. (more…)

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God of War, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, more coming to PS Store this week

Posted on April 18, 2018 by John Scalzo

This week’s PlayStation Store update doesn’t offer a deep bench, but it includes possibly the best one-two punch of the year.

The first swing comes from Sony Santa Monica, and that’s because they’re bringing Kratos back for his first appearance on the PS4. But this isn’t the same rage-filled Kratos that we all know and love. The God of War must protect his son as they explore the unfamiliar lands and unexpected threats of the Norse pantheon.

While Kratos gets a new start this week, another unlikely hero from the PlayStation era is riding off into the sunset. Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, will take on the Japanese underworld for the last time in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, which is now available to download for the PS4.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store after the break. (more…)

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New Retail Releases: God of War, Nintendo Labo, Yakuza 6, More

Posted on April 16, 2018 by John Scalzo

Kratos lives again as Sony Santa Monica brings God of War to the PS4 for the first time this week. The reboot promises a new beginning for the Ghost of Sparta, as Kratos (and his son) are transported to the harsh realm of Midgard. In his quest to earn the respect of his son, Kratos will be forced to battle the gods and monsters from the Norse pantheon.

Nintendo Switch owners will be able to take part in a different kind of epic battle this week with the release of the Nintendo Labo: Robot Kit. Using the included cardboard cutouts, and combined with the Joy-Con’s motion controls, players will be able to build their own robot suit and fight it out with other mechanized monsters.

On the other side of the spectrum, Switch owners will be able to flex their creative muscles with the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit. Six cardboard contraptions are featured in the Variety Kit, including RC Cars, a Fishing Rod, a House, a Motorbike, and a Piano.

Also available this week will be the swan song for Kazuma Kiryu, as Sega brings Yakuza 6: The Song of Life to the PS4. And Klei Entertainment will launch the Don’t Starve: Mega Pack for the PS4 and Xbox One. The Mega Pack includes Don’t Starve, as well as the Reign of Giants and Shipwrecked expansions, and the Don’t Starve Together standalone spinoff.

Finally, Natsume will release Wild Guns Reloaded, a “fast-paced gallery style shooter mixing the Wild West with steampunk,” for the Switch.

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at all the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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The Games of April 2018

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Warp Zoned Staff

After the end of a long Winter, things usually start bursting to life in April thanks to the fresh Spring air. This adage used to apply to the game release calendar too, but only a handful of new games will make their way to store shelves in April 2018. And an even smaller handful of titles will rise above the rest.

Nintendo will launch their latest experiment, the cardboard-powered Nintendo Labo kits, for the Switch this month. They’ll be joined by a new beginning for Kratos in Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, and the end for Kazuma Kiryu in Sega’s Yakuza 6: The Song of Life.

You can find out why the Warp Zoned staff is looking forward to these games, and view the release schedule for all of this month’s new games, after the break. (more…)

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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’s launch delayed to April 17 by Sega

Posted on February 2, 2018 by John Scalzo

It looks like Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will miss its previously-announced launch date of March 20. Today, Sega confirmed (via Twitter) that the game has been delayed, and it’ll now be released on April 17:

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is in development exclusively for the PS4, and according according to Sega, the game will mark the final appearance of main character Kazuma Kiryu.

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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will be released on March 20

Posted on August 22, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sega has announced that Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will be released for the PS4 on March 20, 2018. The Song of Life will be the final game to star Kazuma Kiryu, and he’ll get to go out with a bang in the first game in the Yakuza series built from the ground up for new-generation consoles:

In Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu will find out exactly how much people are willing to sacrifice for family – be those ties through blood or bond – when he investigates a series of shadowy events that involve the ones he holds closest to his heart. Fresh out of a three-year prison sentence, an older and weathered Kiryu comes to find out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing from the orphanage he looks after. The trail leads him to his old stomping grounds in Kamurocho, where he discovers that she has been struck by a car and now lies in a coma.

To make matters worse, Kiryu learns that Haruka now has a son that he must look after. With baby in hand, Kiryu journeys to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima to unravel the truth about Haruka, her son, and a sinister secret that the Hiroshima yakuza are harboring.

Sega has also announced a plan to offer Yakuza 6: The Song of Life in a special After Hours Premium Edition. Priced at $89.99, the After Hours Premium Edition will include a copy of the game, and everything you need for an evening of entertaining:

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – After Hours Premium Edition

  • Hardcover Art Book – The intense human drama and magnetic world of Yakuza 6 will be on display in this stunning art book.
  • 2 Bar Glasses (280 ml) – Designed with Kiryu’s ferocious dragon tattoo, these bar glasses are the perfect receptacles for your beverage of choice.
  • 2 Ice Stones – Cool down your drinks with a pair of heat action branded ice stones! One features the flame heat action icon, while the other has the Japanese “kiwami” heat action icon. Chilling has never been so… extreme.
  • 2 Coasters – A true yakuza knows how to relax with class, so coasters are a must have when lounging after hours. Protect table surfaces with style by placing your glasses on top of official Tojo Clan branded coasters. Plus, you won’t need to play the “is this my drink?” game because of their inverted colors!
  • An Outer Box – All of these essential tools will be housed within a collectible outer box.

A new Gamescom 2017 trailer for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life has been embedded above, and you can get a closer look at the After Hours Premium Edition after the break. (more…)

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Sega and Atlus announced their E3 2017 lineup

Posted on June 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sega originally acquired Atlus in 2013, but the two companies continued to operate separately in the years that followed. But they’ve been growing closer in 2017, and this year’s E3 Expo marks the first time that Sega and Atlus are presenting a joint booth to the industry.

As you might expect, the Sega half of the booth will be anchored by Sonic the Hedgehog… more specifically, this Summer’s Sonic Mania and this Fall’s Sonic Forces. Both games will share space with two upcoming Yakuza games (Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Yakuza Kiwami), as well as Total War: Warhammer II and a bevy of Atlus-branded RPGs.

“We’re really pleased to see Yakuza and Sonic back on the biggest stage for video games, and having the first public hands-on for Total War: Warhammer II underlines a really strong showing from Sega and Atlus this year,” said John Clark, the Senior Vice President for Sega Europe. “We look forward to welcoming trade visitors but we’re especially looking forward to having the public come and see our line-up this year, it’s great for E3 and it’s great for publishers. We’re confident there’s something for everyone on the Sega stands this year.”

The 2017 E3 Expo opens its doors this Tuesday, June 13, and you can find Atlus and Sega’s full lineup after the break. (more…)

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Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will slice and dice onto the PS4

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Andrew Rainnie - UK Correspondent

The 1980s-set prequel Yakuza 0 will be heading to the PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe on January 24th, but a remake to 2005’s Yakuza is also heading for western shores. Titled Yakuza Kiwami (“Yakuza Extreme” in Japanese), the remake will be published by Sega in North America, while its publishing partner Deep Silver will be handing those duties in Europe.

Yakuza Kiwami was originally released in Japan in January 2016, and its more than a simple remaster. The gangster saga has been rebuilt from scratch to output in full HD resolution at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. The combat system has also been retooled to match the more furious pace of the prequel, while some of the more obscure side quests have been better highlighted so that players can actually find them and experience the loose threads that branch from the main story line.

If you’re already familiar with Yakuza, then think of Kiwami as the super-deluxe Blu-ray Edition, with over 30 minutes of new cutscenes that add a critical level of depth to the characters, and also help to tie in with some of the stories unearthed in Yakuza 0.

In addition to all of these features, the eye-patch wearing villain Majima will appear more often, and without warning, fulfilling the game’s extreme label. There are also new street activities to enjoy, including Pocket Circuit car racing, Battle Bug Beauties, and fresh new hostesses.

But Sega also had more Yakuza news up its sleeve at this weekend’s PlayStation Experience. According to the PlayStation Blog, the publisher also confirmed that Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will get a localised version for western gamers. The sequel will hit Japan this week, but players in North America and Europe will have to wait until sometime in 2018 to get hold of the English version.

However, with both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami to keep us busy, I think we can be patient.

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