Following last week’s shock revelation that the latest entry in the Yakuza series – dubbed Of the End – will feature a full-scale zombie outbreak, SEGA has lifted the lid on a heap of fresh information surrounding the PS3-exclusive undead blaster.
As reported by the chaps at andriasang, Yakuza: Of the End takes place in the neon city of Kamurocho in the spring of 2011, where chaos has descended upon the metropolis as a result of a zombie pandemic.
The Japanese defence initiative has blockaded the city as a result, leaving the few remaining humans survivors to fight off the undead cannibals without any outside assistance. It’s here that players take control of one “four men of great fortitude,” namely Shun Akiyama, Goro Majima, Ryuji Goda and Yakuza series staple, Kazuma Kiryu.
Gameplay-wise Of the End sees the introduction of the “Gun Shot Battle” system, where the characters adopt a familiar third-person shooter perspective in order to unleash a barrage of hot lead against their zombified adversaries. Furthermore, each of the main players is proficient in specific firearms; for example, Kazuma is pretty nifty with a rifle, while Goda wields a Barrett Wallace-style Gatling Gun arm.
Gamers will be able obtain a host of other weaponry including grenades and machine-guns, and can also procure an assortment of vehicles to facilitate maximum undead carnage, including a mighty tank. Those of you who prefer a more precise method of killing foes can enter Aiming Mode, allowing you to pick off your enemies with greater accuracy – a feature that is particularly handy for Kazuma’s rifle.
Elsewhere, players will be able to team up with other survivors in the game’s newly implemented Partner System, can will be train them up courtesy of a feature known as ‘Gary’s Boot Camp School’, staring familiar face Gary Buster Holmes.
Long time Yakuza fans needn’t worry though, as there’s still plenty of familiarity to be had in Of the End. For one, Kiryu and co will still be able to indulge in an assortment of mini-games and sports, including ping-pong, mahjong, fishing, golf and darts. The hostess component will also make a return, a feature that formed an intrinsic part in SEGA’s marketing of the game at the recent Tokyo Game Show 2010.
In fact, series director Toshihiro Nagoshi took the time at TGS to quell any fears fans might have surrounding the drastic shift in premise for the sequel, reassuring Yakuza followers that the Of the End will still maintain the same focus on “human drama.”
"It will be different from typical zombie or panic games," he said, adding, "It didn’t necessarily have to be zombies. However, zombies are a popular motif in the panic action genre, so we decided to include them."
Furthermore, Nagoshi was keen to point out you don’t need to be especially skilled in shooting games to enjoy Yakuza: Of the End, adding, “The gameplay is being made so that even those who aren’t good at action games will be able to enjoy themselves."
"The hurdles will definitely not be high, so take ease."
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