The Sega Addicts Podcast

Audio version of Yakuza 0 First Impressions

Text script:

Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for.  Yakuza 0's release is on the horizon, with Kiwami and Yakuza 6 following not far behind.  In this incredible Year of Yakuza, we've all been waiting with bated breath to see just what Sega of Japan has in store for us, so let's cut right to the chase, shall we? 

Kazuma Kiryu is back and reliving his golden days as a fresh young Dojima Family grunt in his newest adventure. Starting from the very bottom of the food chain, Kazuma finds himself working as hired muscle collecting delinquent payments (i.e. beating the living tar out of debtors) for local loan sharks.  Everything changes after one such collection, when his target winds up dead and the Family's none too happy with the prospect of having a murder pinned on them as a result of Kiryu's actions.  It's up to Kazuma to tackle the seedy, fluorescent-colored underbelly of Kamurocho in order to prove his innocence and get to the bottom of what really happened to this seemingly random businessman.

Don't let those neon lights dazzle you, though- there's plenty to do in 1980s Kamurocho.  Between Club Sega, bar activities like darts and karaoke, learning new techniques and fighting styles, and sampling the lovely ladies that the hostess clubs have to offer, players will have their work cut out for them trying to complete everything there is to do.  This is, of course, on top of running a successful racket of your own, which already promises to keep your hands full. Not enough, you say? Fortunately for you, Yakuza 0 isn’t limited to just one character or even one city!  Goro Majima joins the fun and has a manic city of his own to manage in the form of Sotenbori, where there's yet another racket to run and even more on the side to keep you occupied.

By now, you may be wondering how it is that running successful businesses could be important in a brawler game.  What would you say if I told you that the success of your business could be vital to your survival and success in the main game itself?  "That makes no sense," you might say, but it's true- the amount of money you're able to earn determines how powerful you become and, more importantly, how quickly.  No more earning experience to beef up your characters- now, instead of spending skill points, players will spend their hard-earned cash to invest in themselves and unlock new skills and abilities.  No business sense?  No problem! Our heroes can earn their fortune by how well they do in fights as well, earning potentially large sums of cash by putting on a flashy, destructive show of dispatching the local hostiles.  Sure, money can't buy happiness, but it comes pretty close when it's used to directly impact how quickly and brutally you're able to destroy your enemies.

Let's not get so wrapped up in this world of fast money and faster women that we forget about the story, though.  I won't be spoiling anything in this piece or in the full review, but I can say for certain that Yakuza 0's story is shaping up to be stronger than Yakuza 5's was.  Every two chapters, players will switch between Kiryu and Majima, two young, relatively unknown grunts hoping to make it big in the Yakuza underworld, each with their own problems and power struggles to get swept up in.  As it doesn't build on any of the existing story surrounding our heroes, Yakuza 0 has the special privilege of serving as a perfect jump-off point for anybody contemplating trying the series out, and it makes a great opportunity to get to know some very important characters before Yakuza Kiwami, the HD remake of the very first game in the series, comes out in the West later this year.

Yakuza 0 releases for the Playstation 4 on January 24th.  Check back here on January 19th for our full review of the latest title in the well-beloved Yakuza series!

Direct download: Yak0First.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Awwwww yeah, we're partying like it's Episode 99...  because it... is.  YEP.  NAILED IT.

We'll hitting episode 100 and causing some utter pandemonium on January 9th at 9:30EST with a LIVE PODCAST TWITCH STREAM where we will be playing Anarchy Reigns on PS3, and we want YOU to be a part of it! We will have an open lobby and answer all the listener questions you can throw at us LIVE, along with others you can Tweet to us right now using the hashtag #SegaAddicts100. Dare I say it will be... ANARCHY?

This week, Brett, Scotty, and Elle discuss the latest Phantasy Star Online game to be prolific in the Americas, Phantasy Star Universe for XBox 360!  We ponder whether or not we live in too instantaneous of a world, with the proliferation of social media and the like, to be able to take the time to enjoy a game at our own pace, and Elle drops some relevant knowledge on how to avoid spoilers on Twitter, and to top it all off, we play second fiddle to those McGriddles.

Direct download: Ep99.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

Woah we are up to episode 98 (degrees) already?! That's right! We are hitting episode 100 with a bang on January 9th at 9:30EST with a LIVE PODCAST TWITCH STREAM where we will be playing Anarchy Reigns on PS3 and want you to be a part of it! We will have an open lobby and answer all the listener questions you can throw at us LIVE, along with others you can Tweet to us right now using the hashtag #SegaAddicts100. Dare I say it will be anarchy?

This week, Elle, Nick, and Pocky X discuss the first game Nick played on the Dreamcast: Omikron The Nomad Soul, which explains so so much. *coughsonicshufflecough*

After discussing how much Nick loves David Cage, the gang mentions some Yakuza news and million-dollar video game companies whom receive government funding now. This is 2016, folks - horse prince and all.

Finally, everyone discusses whether or not developers can actually pull off a cinematic video game experience at the risk of gameplay quality suffering. You may be surprised by the resolution - because who wouldn't want a "German sausage-making" video game?

Direct download: 98.mp3
Category:video games -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

This week we tackle another game no one asked for: NHL All-Star Hockey for the Game Gear. Elle and Brett spend almost as much time torturing Scotty with Gex puns as it takes to actually discuss the "game of the week." Everyone Gex what they ask for eventually, right?

Our news section is exceptionally exciting this week as we talk about a whole lot of Yakuza announcements, vinyl records and even a brand new physical Genesis game! What decade are we in?!

The gang also discusses how sequels have come close to destroying entire game series for them in the past, but how they have also grown beyond blindly judging future releases. Or have they? HAVE THEY, CAPCOM? But I jest. We have definitely learned to save our mobians for safer purchases. Give a listen to how much we have been burned, as well as Shigidy's continued quest(ions) to make us more and more uncomfortable.

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Looking to complete your Atlus collection now that they have joined forces with Sega? Trying to grab that crazy Hatune Miku arcade controller?  Consider doing so through our affiliate link at PlayAsia!  Don’t even wanna buy anything?  Not a problem, princess!  It still helps us out if you so much as click on the link!

Don't forget that you can still help raise more money for our ExtraLife campaign!  We beat our $500 goal during the Dreamcast Marathon but we are still going strong! Want to donate? Find out how right here!

Direct download: Episode97.mp3
Category:video games -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

 

This week on the podcast, Elle, Brett and Scotty discuss an unsung Sega Saturn classic: Three Dirty Dwarves. Why haven't more people played this game?

Our apologies for the sound issues this episode. Some of us are working out kinks, and Scotty is crying over his new microphone.

Along with the Game of the Week, we discuss our views on episodic games, lengthy games, and a whole lot of listener questions, because you guys are awesome to send 'em in! Everything from furries and Panzer Dragoon to our now-sorta-decided Sega Addicts staff-representitive mixed drinks. What have we done? What have you done? Find out now!

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Yakuza 6 hitting shelves soon!  Thinking about pre-ordering it?  Consider doing so through our affiliate link at PlayAsia!  Don’t even wanna buy anything?  Not a problem, princess!  It still helps us out if you so much as click on the link!

Don't forget that you can still help raise more money for our ExtraLife campaign!  We beat our $500 goal during the Dreamcast Marathon but we are still going strong! Want to donate? Find out how right here!

Direct download: Episode96.mp3
Category:video games -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

Direct download: elpstysdoinc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

As much as we didn't want to admit it (well everyone except Brett), this discussion was inevitable. One of the most infamous games in a Sega Addict's library, Sonic the Hedgehog from the year 2006, better known as Sonic '06 claims us as its victims this week. Nick, Brett, and Scotty discuss Sonic '06 in great detail and disdain, while Brett tries to convince Scotty that it is actually a good game in what may be one of our most emotional episodes to date.

We also talk about games and series we believe should die better deaths, be brought back from the dead, or just die - and actually get into a lengthy discussion about that as well! This whole show is a great length for any holiday traveling over the weekend!

Because we felt we discussed Sonic '06 enough in the main portion of the show, we took the extra talk of the plot and threw it at the end of the recording for anyone interested in that 25 minutes of laughter, pain, and confusion. Spoilers: Scotty was continually baffled over every decision involving Sonic, Elise, and whatever the heck Solaris is. Help us.

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Yakuza 6 has been announced with a Japanese release date!  Thinking about pre-ordering it?  Consider doing so through our affiliate link at PlayAsia!  Don’t even wanna buy anything?  Not a problem, princess!  It still helps us out if you so much as click on the link!

Don't forget that you can still help raise more money for our ExtraLife campaign!  We beat our $500 goal during the Dreamcast Marathon but we are still going strong! Want to donate? Find out how right here!

Direct download: Episode95.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

This week on the Sega Addicts Podcast, we welcome Chris and Marcin from SegaNerds.com to introduce their brand new digital-interactive magazine, Mega Visions! This brand new magazine is a Sega-theme love letter to magazines of old and technology of new, but don't take our word for it - listen to the creators passionately explain all the love and excitement that is going into this amazing project. After listening to the show, don't forget to swing by MegaVisionsmag.com, check out Issue Zero, and then sign up for a subscription!

Outside of that, we have our usual insanity discussing the game of the week, Jurassic Park for the Game Gear and answering our pensive Questionarium. And for some reason, the wheel of fate and universe wants to torture us, so we will be playing Sonic The Hedgehog, better known as Sonic '06, for next week. No you are not hallucinating. We will be play Sonic... oh.... six.

Direct Download

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Yakuza 6 has been announced with a Japanese release date!  Thinking about pre-ordering it?  Consider doing so through our affiliate link at PlayAsia!  Don’t even wanna buy anything?  Not a problem, princess!  It still helps us out if you so much as click on the link!

Want to still donate to our ExtraLife campaign to raise money for the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital?  Find out how right here!

Direct download: Sega_Addicts_Podcast_Episode_94_Mega_Visions_Radical_Takeover.mp3
Category:video games -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

This week on Sega Addicts, we play yet another wonderful (?) licensed movie game, Thor: God of Thunder for the Wii!  We share some collective hype over Sega Nerds' new Mega Visions magazine, Sonic Mania, and other cool Sega stuff on the horizon, and- wait.  How long's it been since we've been able to say THAT?  Holy HELL.  We also discuss reference points in media that we compare new shows or games to and come to the realization that we're all really, REALLY weird people.

Direct download: Episode93.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

This week on Sega Addicts, we do something a little different with the first edition of the newly-dubbed Sega Addicts Book Club to celebrate Halloween!  In this edition, we perform for you the beloved (?) fanfiction Sonic the Hedgehog: World War 2 Dragon.  I... Don't even know what else there is to say about this.  Enjoy!

Direct download: Episode92.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT