Sega has posted a new video for Yakuza Zero that focuses on showing the game’s story and characters. Most of the footage featured in this promotional video is new and showcases new dialogue exchanges. You can watch it below:
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The Yakuza Zero video series continues with a video focusing on the game’s characters. The cast looks to be fairly large, if at least the official website is any indication. There will be new and old faces spread amongst Kiryu and Majima’s campaign.

Interestingly enough, early on the video we see comparisons between Akira Nishikiyama’s likeness in Yakuza 1 (in all his PS2 glory) and his graphically spruced-up and younger look. In fact, around the first half or so of the video covers previously-introduced characters, while the latter half shows off newer characters. There are short dialogue clips for the characters shown off.

Be sure to continue reading to check out the video!

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Yakuza Zero is set to release in Japan in around two months. Ahead of its looming release date, Sega put out Yakuza Zero’s first commercial, also viewable through the Ryu ga Gotoku Youtube channel. It’s quite short (15 seconds!) but it does signify that Sega should be escalating their advertising for the game. As it stands, Yakuza Zero is already receiving some interesting and nice promotion with their weekly video series and Sega has generally advertised Yakuza well in Japan, in my opinion.

No word on Yakuza Zero’s localization prospects yet, but sales of Yakuza 5’s European and American releases could catch Sega and Sony’s attention.

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After a break last week, the Yakuza Zero video series continues with a focus on money. This is the video to watch if you want to be a Money Master, as the awesome intro to the video shows. Seeing as how Japan’s economy is currently in a recession, perhaps printing some yen bills with Majima and Kiryu faces on them may be the key to boosting consumer spending?

Money is given more focus in Yakuza Zero than previous Yakuza games. When enemies are defeated, they “bleed” money that players use to level up their characters. Besides that, Yakuza Zero is a prequel game that takes place in the late 80’s in Japan: a time noted for Japan’s asset bubble economy, or a period of economic boom preceding the Lost Decade of the 90’s. Viewers can expect to see coverage of Kiryu’s Money Island sidequest and Majima’s Cabaret Club sidequest here too. In fact, they take up a rather large portion of the video, so if you’re looking to familiarize yourself with how the sidequests may operate, be sure to take a look!

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Gematsu reports that the weekly Yakuza Zero video series continues with a video on various aspects of the game featuring women. Kazuhiro Nakaya returns, and the video opens with a Merry Christmas from the speakers. (I hope all of our readers are enjoying the holiday season!)

The video is focused on women in Yakuza Zero, whom you’ll be able to interact with in various ways. There is a minigame where the player chooses their responses to calling a woman over the phone, and there is another minigame where players can bet on the winner between women wrestling in swimsuits. At around 8:30, Kiryu has a chance encounter and chat with a woman in front of Club Sega, but you’ll have to watch to see how it unfolds. Towards the end of the demo, one of the gravure videos are briefly shown off. Do note that this demo video is NSFW and take care in deciding where to watch it. The video for this week can be seen if you continue reading.

Also, fellow Segalization staffer Draikin has alerted me to the fact that Dualshockers has published an article with a gallery of new screenshots. The images are all new and showcase interesting content, whether it be new characters or some still images of Majima and his baseball bat. Be sure to check it out.

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Sony is producing limited edition variants of the Playstation 4 console themed after the upcoming Yakuza Zero game. Fans can choose between a Jet Black or Glacier White version, with each featuring a stylized Eastern dragon design etched by laser, meant to evoke series lead Kazuma Kiryu’s iconic dragon tattoo. Both versions run for ¥41,980 apiece.

A preorder page with preview images can be seen at this Japanese Sony online store link. When preordering a Limited Edition Playstation 4 here, customers have the option of bundling a copy of Yakuza Zero with their order for another ¥6,480. The page also offers other service options such as warranty packages for different lengths of time. These special Playstation 4’s are set to release on the same date as Yakuza Zero itself will hit shelves: March 12, 2015.

It’s an interesting move. Personally, it seems that almost by coincidence Sony has been offering a couple of assists to Sega as of late, what with the localization assistance being provided to Yakuza 5 and the production of limited edition Phantasy Star Nova-themed Vita hardware.

Credit for the featured image and information go to this SegmentNext article.

The Yakuza Zero video series continues this week with the “Battle System” video. Gematsu posted the second of the weekly Yakuza Zero video series here. The article explains that each character will have three battle styles. Kazuhiro Nakaya, voice of Akira Nishikiyama, returns for this video and even plays the game for a bit. He checks out the game at around 10:45, after being “gifted” with a controller. When Nakaya starts to play, he gives both characters a try (starting with Majima) and I thought it was fun to watch a voice actor play a game.

Kiryu’s styles can be seen a little before 2:30, and are as follows:

• Chinpira/Yakuza-in-training is defined as a standard battle style. Fight pose and movement should feel familiar.
• Rush seems to place more emphasis on dashes (they are longer-distanced) and techniques with more hits.
• “Damage Shop” seems to be an unusual style that focuses on using items to attack and sacrificing a bit of mobility or defense. While Kiryu has access to regular physical attacks, they tend to be short and powerful.

Majima’s styles can be seen at around 6:45, and are as follows:

• “Fight Master” is as conventional a style as can be expected from Majima, as his techniques are almost all flashy and unorthodox. It’s worth noting that Majima is able to dash twice in succession; this could be helpful since his combos in this style seem short, and dashing can help him get out of danger.
• Dancer channels Majima’s inner breakdancer. The attacks are flashy and elaborate, hit all over the place, and can last for a long time. This is the style often shown off in promotional videos in the past.
• Slugger makes use of Majima’s iconic baseball bat. He attacks much faster than you might expect, and the baseball bat gives him a lot of range.

You can check out the video below! It is worth noting that the end of the video features promotional content that can be considered NSFW, so watch wisely. Be warned also for the HEAT finisher at 19:00, which is perhaps the most elaborate and crazy finisher that I’ve ever seen. In a good way.

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Leading up to Yakuza Zero’s Japanese release on March 26th, 2015, Sega is producing a weekly series of videos on Yakuza Zero. Today’s inaugural video features a look at the worlds of Kamurocho and Sotenbori with the flavor of the late 80’s. There is no combat – only exploration. Kazuhiro Nakaya, the voice actor for Akira Nishikiyama, is a special guest for this video.

The video is twenty minutes long, and please be aware that it is not subtitled. The first couple of minutes feature some words from Nakaya and Yakuza Zero’s Chief Producer Masayoshi Yokoyama. Skip to about 3:55 to start watching game footage of Kamurocho, and look for the 15-minute mark to check out Sotenbori. Be sure to skip to 13:30 to check out a demo of the disco minigame!

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Not too long ago, we wrote about Kiryu’s major sidequest, Kamurocho Money Island. Siliconera recently produced a writeup describing the major sidequest in Majima’s campaign – the management of the Sunshine cabaret club. The objective here, is to become the premier cabaret club in Osaka. It seems both Kiryu and Majima’s sidequests will have a focus on micromanaging elements.

The army that helps you win this sidequest is certainly different compared to Kiryu’s army. In managing Sunshine, the women make the club and it’s therefore important to choose well. You are provided with a variety of hiring options: women of different body types, personality traits, and more. However, the salaries they ask for vary too. And, do note that such “stats” aren’t always fixed and can be adjusted by talking to the hostesses in classic Yakuza fashion. This has the added benefit of opening up fun bonding activities between Majima and the girls, like karaoke. Other girls can also be found by scouting for them around Soutenbori and by making progress in the Sunshine management sidequest.

It will be important, as club manager, to keep an eye on operations on the ground from time to time. Occasionally you may deal with rowdy customers, and you’ll be servicing both the rich and the poor. It may be possible that Majima will be forced to clean up disturbances in the club if customers become too…undiplomatic. It’s also important to keep an eye on the stamina levels of the working girls. Being overworked means that they will struggle with their jobs, and will in turn produce dissatisfied customers, so be sure to give them a break once in a while.

Success in this game is not merely about staying afloat – Majima’s Sunshine club is competing against other clubs. If Sunshine turns better profits than the competitors, it will boost the club’s reputation (more customers!) and attract new girls interested in working at the club. Eventually, Sunshine can reach a level of success whereby it will drive out competing clubs altogether.

Credit goes to the above-linked Siliconera article for the translated information and the featured image.