True Stories of a Cyber Yakuza: Welcome to Kamurocho!

Welcome to another True Story of a Cyber Yakuza! This is part of a continuing series diving into and dissecting Sega's Yakuza video game series. Check back regularly to follow my progress through the Yakuza games so that I can finally play Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Thinking about visiting Kamurocho soon? If you really want to experience one of Tokyo's finest red-light districts, you must live like a local! Let's have a look at a day in the life of a person who grew up in Kamurocho, so you can get all the tips on the best places the locals frequent in the city.

Kazuma Kiryu is still Kamurocho's resident badass despite not currently living in the city. For the last several years, Kiryu has been running Morning Glory orphanage in Okinawa. He frequently finds himself returning to Kamurocho on business and is fortunate to always be welcome to stay at New Serena Bar in the southwest part of town. While most travelers stay in Hotel District to the north, you may be able to find a room to rent nearby.

Today, Kiryu has a rare break from helping the Tojo Clan maintain their standing in the local crime scene. Even on his day off, Kiryu is no slouch. He has a jam-packed day planned out and will need an early start to fit everything in.

Leaving from Serena, Kiryu stops by the local Poppo for a quick breakfast. On a slower day, many might prefer Cafe Alps around the corner on Nakamichi Street. However, Americans will be especially delighted to know Japanese convenience stores offer a wide range of delicious options for eating on the go.

Poppo - Too Much Good Stuff!
He orders a few rice balls then heads over to the Children's Park on West Shichifuku Street to sit down and enjoy his food. Even though Kamurocho is a bustling part of the city, you'll still find a couple of parks tucked into the neighborhoods.

Once he is done wolfing down his breakfast, he goes to the batting cages in Hotel District for a bit of vigorous exercise. You might be able to win some prizes, but good luck beating Kiryu's high scores!

After finishing up at the batting cages, Kiryu heads over to Kotobuki Drugs on Tahei Boulevard to restock. You'll be able to find everything you need, just be sure to bring your prescriptions! Kiryu is stocking up on Staminans, which he'll need to keep up his pace today.

Next, a stroll over to the Sega arcade on Nakamichi Street for a bit of leisure. Some of Sega's best titles can be found here along with some nice swag in the UFO Catchers. Fans of gaming will find a nice selection of rotating arcade cabinets!

Kiryu has a craving for a nice burger and fries, so he stops in Smile Burger for a nice, filling lunch. There are several more options available for hungry folks while traveling along Nakamichi Street.

Now that he has a full stomach, Kiryu heads over to West Park to compete in a tournament at the underground coliseum. The coliseum is located in the northeast part of town in West Park. Being a master in several fighting styles, Kiryu makes quick work of his oppenents before getting on with his night. Kiryu might make is look easy, but this is no place for amateurs!

West Park used to be taken over by the homeless, but they have been displaced for a new luxury high-rise, Kamurocho Hills

Enter tournaments at your own risk!
Wanting something fancy for dinner, Kiryu heads to Kanrai Korean BBQ on East Shichifuku Street for some fine dining. This place books up quick, so make sure to call ahead for a reservation and dress up nicely for the meal!

While you ladies will undoubtedly want to head to Stardust to be entertained by the hosts, the guys will find they have a few options for meeting hostesses. Kiryu's current favorite hostess works at Club Shine on Pink Street, so he heads there for some much needed pampering after his victory in the coliseum.

As the night goes on, Kiryu sets out to clean house yet again, this time in one of Asia's well-known pastimes, Mahjong. The Orchid Palace Mahjong parlor in Nakamichi Alley is where the locals go to play. This isn't the solitaire-style game westerners are familiar with. Be sure you spend some time at the low-skill tables or you'll find yourself broke in no time. Since gambling is illegal in Japan, gambling parlours give prizes which most people then sell off at conveniently located pawn shops. Kiryu offloads his goods for cash so he can turn his winnings into cold, hard cash.

It's getting late, but Kamurocho never sleeps. Not being one to turn in early, Kiryu heads over to the Champion District to have some drinks at Shellac. As you see, Shellac is kind of cozy. If you're looking for a little more excitement, you might want to visit Earth Angel, also in Champion District. Just don't drink too much. Kamurocho's bartenders are strict about customer conduct and won't hesitate to cut you off!

Having had his fill in more ways than one, Kiryu stumbles back to Serena to have one last drink with friends before sleeping off his adventurous day.

As you can see, there's so much to do in Kamurocho that even when you're done hitting all the must-see locations around Tokyo, you'll never run out of things to do. We hope to see you soon in Tokyo's most vibrant red-light district! Who knows, you may even wind up bumping into Kiryu and me at Shellac.

Join us next time for a post-mortem review on Yakuza 4.

True Stories of a Cyber Yakuza: My Journey Begins

 Welcome! This will be the first of a series on the popular video game series Yakuza. I hope to write quite a few entries diving into and dissecting this awesome series as I continue my journey to Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

 It started on a whim. In November 2020, I had had enough of gaming on my Nintendo Switch and wanted to feel the warm glow of a PlayStation. We won't get into the details of what led to the Switch becoming my primary console or exactly how long it was my primary console. Just know, PlayStation 5 was a week away from launch, I knew I wouldn't get one, and I needed a PlayStation now. I shopped around online and eventually set off to pick up a new PlayStation 4 along with a copy of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Remake. I had fun with my nostalgia for about a week before I felt the need for something more. A new game. Not just a game that was developed specifically for the PS4, but also a game that had been developed/released recently so that it would show off the strengths of my shiny new console.

 I popped into the PlayStation Store to begin my search, but it took no time at all. Right there at the top was the newly released Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Now, Yakuza is a series I've long been acquainted with in passing. I had never played any of the games or even seen them in action, but I was curious about the series and would read about them occassionally when they appeared in popular video gaming blogs. Until this moment, my impression of what the games were was largely what I had read since the first release in 2005, "GTA: Japan." While this did intrigue me, I always drew parallels to Saints Row, which I tried once, but didn't really like. While I usually try to play a series from the beginning, I really wanted to play a new game, so I read around a bit to find out if I could start from Like a Dragon.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Title Screen
 Turns out, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a bit of an evolution from previous games. It features its own cast of characters and exists more firmly in the RPG genre than its Action Adventure roots. "Awesome!" I thought. $60 well spent. I waited for the download, started the game, got to the end of the opening scenes, and promptly quit the game. Turns out I couldn't do it. I simply wouldn't be able to play this game without playing the other Yakuza games. At first, I felt a bit defeated. I had just spent $60 for a game I wouldn't be playing any time soon. I simply had to shell out for another one if I was going to play Yakuza at all. I headed back to the PlayStation store and found that Yakuza 0 was on sale for $5. I didn't know it then, but my gaming life was about to change for the better!

Yakuza 0 Title Screen
 Yakuza 0 originally released in Japan in March 2015. This game is quite remarkable not only in the fact that it plugged and bridged the long gap between the 5th (December 2012) and 6th (December 2016) games, but because it also launched on PS3 and PS4 at the same time. All this, and it served as a prequel to the original games with promises of remakes to come. Exciting time to be a video game. Exciting time to be my video game.

 Upon firing up the game, my ill-conceived notions of GTA: Japan were immediately thrown out the window. I quickly saw that I was stepping into a well-designed neighborhood, roughly a 5x5 grid filled with neon lights and packed to the brim with things to do. Every time I turned a corner, there were more shops, restaurants, arcades, and night-life clubs. Different games also feature other neighborhoods representing other well-known Japanese regions, each with their own things to do. Aside from the lights and venues, you'll run into all kinds of people in Kamurocho. Some people will try to fight you, others will have side missions (called Substories in the world of Yakuze), but most will just be walking in the never-ending crowds. Seeing how Kamurocho evolves across games is also a real treat. You get to see changes big and small as you progress through the games.

Kamurocho, circa 1988 (Yakuza 0)
 Mostly, you'll live you life as Kazuma Kiryu during your adventures in Kamurocho. Kiryu came up in Kamurocho as an orphan, eventually becoming the 4th Chairman of the Tojo Clan. He quickly retired to attempt to live his own life over the course of the first couple of games. As the stories progress, he usually winds up playing a critical role in preserving the Tojo Clan's standing in the wider Japanese crime network. The game story lines play out very similarly to how I imagine a Japanese crime family drama would be on TV. All the plot and intrigue of coming up in a mafia-like family then all of the calamity of what happens after leaving the life.

Kiryu across the games I have played with Yakuza 0's Kiryu on the left and Kiryu from Yakuza 4 on the right.
 While I can see how the presentation of the game might draw lazy comparisons to GTA, the gameplay is where the differences really come through. You'll be spending much of your time running around the streets of Kamurocho rather than driving. Combat is more akin to the beat em ups of yore than the gunplay you're used to in GTA. There are guns, but they're usually fairly weak compared to other options. Confronting enemies, or more often, being confronted by enemies leads to brawls which you beat everybody up with a series of basic combos and attacks from things you can pick up in the environment. Kiryu's moveset and skills can be upgraded through leveling and Heat Actions add some flare in the form of finishing moves. When I'm not beating people up, I'm spending a lot of time with the various side-activities available. All the regular extracurricular activities are available such as fishing, pool, darts, bowling, and even batting cages. There also several distinctly Japanese activities such as Sega arcades, hostess clubs, Mahjong, and gambling dens with Japanese games.

 I am currently playing Yakuza 4. Having started with Yakuza 0, worked through the Kiwami remakes of Yakuza and Yakuza 2, then played the remaster of Yakuza 3, I have found more and more reason to be impressed with the world of Yakuza. Stories overlap games, with character arcs spanning multiple games. Similar objects, locations, story beats, and combat systems really help make the whole series feel like a single whole. With each entry, I feel I have sunk more deeply into the Yakuza lifestyle of Kamurocho.

Yakuza 4 Title Screen
 I can hardly wait to fire up the next game when I am finished with the last. It is so much fun seeing what changes between entries while also getting a look at where PlayStation games were during each era of development. It has been a long road building up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, yet I look forward to finishing playing Yakuza 4 so that I can get to 5 and 6 to see where Kiryu's story ends and the next generation begins. I'll keep diving into the world of Yakuza in a series of posts. Next week, we'll tour the streets of Kamurocho and see what has changed across time!

Postmortem Review: Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One - My View on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Introduction
   Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is the newest entry in the Ratchet & Clank franchise. Most of the over the top baddie blasting platform action is back. Best of all, 4 players can join in for co-op blasting goodness.


The Good
Ratchet & Clank + Multiplayer = Awesome
   My kids, wife, and I have enjoyed Ratchet & Clank since the first times we laid eyes on them. For us, Ratchet & Clank is to the PlayStation what Mario and Luigi are to the Nintendo. Finally, we can all enjoy the great platforming experience together. Ratchet & Clank has great potential as a multiplayer game. At the very least, it is not a kart racer.


Big Booms Sound Good on Big Speakers
   For me, the biggest excitement in R&C came from ganging up on the bigger enemies. When players focus their fire on a single enemy, they get a damage multiplier and a meter on the enemy begins to fill. When it gets to a certain point, the enemy blows up. If you have a proper sound system, the KABOOM! is fantastic. While it was the same boom every time, it never got old to me.


Visually Stunning
   The Ratchet & Clank series has always been one of the most aesthetically pleasing games on the PlayStation consoles. The environments are vibrantly colored, there are all kinds of objects to look at, the character skins and movements are great, and the explosions are absolutely wonderful. This latest entry does not disappoint in the visuals department and reminds us all why high definition and 3D were simply meant to be.


The Bad
Can we fix the interface next time around?
   Insomniac Games has come up with a very intuitive system for selecting weapons in the Ratchet & Clank and Resistance series. Unfortunately, it fell apart in Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One. The player selects weapons and gadgets from a wheel that comes up when the player presses the right analog stick. There are a few different wheels to select from, which can be sorted through by pressing L1 and R1. Pretty straight-forward in theory. When you are playing though, your finger is likely on the R1 button when you bring up the weapon wheel. This can lead to you selecting a different weapon than you intended. Add the frustration of having the game pause when multiple people open the wheel at the same time and you constantly have the wrong weapon selected. I tried to use the hot-key system, but then I found that I was constantly trying to swap things in and out of my four hot-key slots. If it is too much of a pain, it should not be.


Nothing New
   As far as innovation goes, All 4 One is a step backwards in the R&C franchise. Multiplayer is great, but why does it have to be at the expense of great gameplay? The platforming has been oversimplified for this entry; perhaps to make it easier for multiple characters at one time. At the same time, the arsenal is less fun than it has been in previous games. Where is the Groovitron? Why isn't Mr. Zurkon that great of a weapon anymore? The lack of more or new makes this game seem as if it would more appropriately fit in with the oldest entries in the franchise.


I Want Six-Axis Control
   I miss six-axis control. Since the beginning of PlayStation 3, the six-axis has gotten a bad reputation. Now that The Move is out, the six-axis is long forgotten. Our controllers still have the functionality though and Ratchet & Clank was one of the few series to put the functionality to good use. With a little bit of creative thought, we could go back to having segments where the heroes are controlled with six-axis movements instead of directional buttons. Sure, it can take a little getting used to, but cleverly placed six-axis control segments adds to the level of immersion in the game.


The Ugly
Wait a second.....this isn't a Ratchet & Clank game!?
   When the first announcements for R&C: All 4 One came, I wondered to myself, "Why isn't 'Future' in the title?" When we started playing the game, the answer became immediately obvious. All 4 One is not here for the story. It does not bother to follow the Ratchet & Clank storyline at all; nor does it attempt to make excuses for it. At times, I wondered if this were truly a Ratchet & Clank game or just another top-down shooter with Ratchet & Clank character models dropped in.


PS3 Multiplayer Done Wrong
   Game publishers should look to how local multiplayer is implemented in the Little Big Planet games in order to gain a good idea on how to do it right. Most often, when I am playing a multiplayer game in my house, I am playing with my kids whom also have their own profiles on the PlayStation. All of the bonuses we earn for playing together on my profile should also be reflected in their profiles. To be fair, Little Big Planet is pretty much the only game I know of to do this. I understand that implementation of a design could get sticky; but really, we could work a system to allow character progression in the particular player's profile.


Did it Save?
   Especially when just starting to play R&C: All 4 One, it is not obvious when exactly the saving is taking place. After a while, you learn it is after points are counted, but even so, there were times that it seemed like we played the same area over and over again because the game simply did not save. We can fix this easily, but nobody seems too concerned. The text "SAVING" with the icon would be a lifesaver for the fans, but instead we insist on having an icon that looks similar to every other icon that appears in that exact location on screen. Is it saving now? Oh, no, that was the stupid loading icon again.


Conclusion
   For a four player game, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is great fun. Anybody that has played the other R&C games will love to have a shot on the co-op. Unfortunately, fans looking for some new weapons and gadgets and some innovating platforming will have to keep waiting.

Experiment with Ubuntu - Buh-Bye Windows XP

   Recently, a friend of mine has been talking about wanting to switch his operating system (OS) from Windows Vista to a Linux OS. His reason for wanting to switch over is to lessen the memory footprint from Vista in order to be able to run World of Warcraft more responsively. Being the proud owner of a laptop that once ran Vista before it fried its own motherboard, I feel the pain of any Vista user that just wants out; especially the 64-bit users.
   I have also taken a personal interest in the Linux OS currently available, but for different reasons. I have a lot of hardware that is loosely connected in the very much insecure ways of Windows 7 OS. Not only that, but I have multiple monitors hooked up to single machines. Windows 7 only offers a simple selection to either span the screen across the monitors (with much reduced functionality on the secondary monitor), duplicate the displays, or use one or the other display. Most people with multiple monitors hooked to one rig; myself, namely, would actually like to have each monitor work as its own workspace; with functionality that is wholly independent of the other workspace. Linux supposedly offers quick and easy solutions to both network security and multiple monitor support.
   In order to help my friend out as well as serve my own needs, I have decided to switch my Windows XP laptop over to Linux. Most people in America know next to nothing about Linux. The first thing to know is that many major distributions of the OS are free. It is an excellent go to if restoring a paid OS will cost more than it is worth. There are many flavors of Linux, definitely some are worth more than others. I decided to do some research on which OS I might go with. One article I read at Linux.com (click to read) had some great information on different popular OS in the Linux family.
   In the past, I have worked with Red Hat Fedora, which I do not care for much. The OS certainly does everything it is supposed to. It also works with most devices that Windows works with. That is, you really do not need to worry too much if your hardware is compatible these days. Most hardware that came stock in your machine will have a Linux-compatible driver either from the manufacturer or the Linux community. Plug-n-play devices also tend to work very well with the drivers available. The thing I do not like about Fedora though is that it still leaves many of the low-level OS processes up to the end user. This is a great choice if you want a Windows-type environment, but next to no processes running in the background.
   Being a typical end-user type of guy, I am okay with background processes, especially if they do not add up to the footprint left on a machine running Vista. However, I really like the fact that the computer is capable of handling processes itself and seek to keep a lot of that in my OS. After reading the article linked above, I decided Ubuntu would be the OS for me. Ubuntu supposedly offers a great end-user experience and also has strong offerings in terms of multimedia and applications support.
   So the transition begins. Now, anybody looking to do the same should understand something important. The transition will not be seamless, but a 100% rate between hardware and Ubuntu should be very possible. One way to ensure all of your hardware comes online as expected is to go to the manufacturer's website for your computer and write down all of the hardware in your computer. Because Microsoft and Apple want owning one of their products to be similar to being part of an exclusive club, you should expect to have to hunt down drivers for a lot of your hardware when switching from one of these OS. Luckily, the Linux community has gone a long way to making this process painless. Google searches should return quick and reliable results. Microsoft and Apple believe that if they make the process of change difficult, people will not change. For most, this may be true; however, there is no need to be deterred by their bumps in the road.
   In reality, the hardware transition is the easy part if you are accustomed to the application suites offered by Microsoft. Many things do have Linux equivalents, but not all. You should be able to find a productivity suite that provides the same functionality as Microsoft Office and is even compatible with all Office standard formats, but be prepared for the fact that they are simply not Microsoft Office. A bigger concern to some is that many games do not even consider Linux an OS. In some cases, there are workarounds; however, in many more cases, you will have to accept that you simply cannot run the game on your OS. DirectX, a popular format for developing games, is a Microsoft thing. Good luck getting any love from Microsoft on that.
   For those of you still not deterred, I say, give it a shot. So far, I do not have everything set up the way I would like it. However, I am very happy with the look and feel of Ubuntu. Hopefully I will be able to help my friend set up his rig in a similar fashion and his WoW playing days will be better than ever. I do not yet have the multiple monitor support fully worked out. I also do not have the server working yet. However, I will write another post in about a week with an update on how it goes. If it goes well, I may very well become a nothing-but-Linux type guy.

The Rules of Toilet Paper 2011

While sitting on the toilet, I've pondered many things.

One thing that bothers me is the amount of toilet people some people use. I swear, I've seen a girl wrap half a roll around her hand to wipe one time. Seriously, you don't need that much. Toilet paper should be rationed out. The government should literally monitor the amount of toilet paper the people use and tax people like crazy for over-usage. However, in the meantime, I have some simple rules for conserving toilet paper:

1) If it is the nasty fast-food restaurant paper-on-a-roll TP, you must wrap about 2 feet of paper down to a square of comfortable amounts to fit over your hand. The key here is, you want to fold it enough times to not rip during the wipe, but don't just crumple it. A little bit of order never hurt.

2) If it's 2 ply, you must understand there is 2 different types of 2 ply. There is the quilted and non-quilted. Quilted 2 ply is often found in America's residential bathrooms. By far, my favorite TP. Usually with this TP, two sheets folded over once will be good for a nice wipe. For the heavier leakages, 3 squares should be sufficient. Now people who work in office environments need to be careful to spot out the non-quilted 2 ply. Sometimes, this is tricky, because the manufacturers put little prints on the TP to almost make it look quilted. All them blue-collar guys (and gals) should use 3 or 4 squares, to avoid rippage, depending on the situation.

3) 3 ply sucks. Seriously, who uses 3 ply? What's next, grated TP? Wiping with 3 ply will cause cause rug burn and should be avoided at all costs.

4) 1 ply, the lesser known cousin of 2 ply, is sometimes found in peoples homes. Mostly in the homes of parents that don't want their children living at home anymore. (My parents stock quilted 2-ply, FYI) You're on your own with this one. What can I say, I can't do everything for all you people. You live and you learn, right?

5) The absolute worst TP ever? Cottonelle. This stuff has ridges in it that causes it to rip if you hold it one way and come unrolled if you hold it the other. Who designed this stuff? I don't know, but I hope he was awarded a lifetime supply of his crappy TP for doing it.

Free / Indie Game Review: Hobo 4: Total War - A Little Love

Title:        Hobo 4: Total War
Platform:     Flash - Plays in browser
Sponsor:      Armor Games
Site:         http://www.flonga.com/play/hobo-4-total-war.htm
My Rating:    8. Well-Targeted, Short-Lived Fun

   Hobo 4: Total War is the most current entry in a series of brawlers that I have given a beaten to ratings-wise. The Hobo series is a fairly well targeted series of short and easy brawlers that will give any older gamer all the laughs and giggles they need to get through the day. My desire to see something new in this series has clouded my vision to what is really there.
   Hobo 4: Total War, being a true successor to the series, takes place a few days after the events in Hobo 3: Wanted. Now our Hobo has taken infamous to the next level and is being sought by the army. Hobo must punch kick, belch, and crap his way through three different areas, killing everybody that stands in his way.
   While I was not happy with the added guns in Hobo 3, I find the new additions in Hobo 4 to be pretty fun to use. They do go a long way to making the game easier overall, but it is fun to be a powerhouse like that.
   As always, the combos are just hilarious. Hobo's most powerful weapons are his body fluids. By pressing different combinations of 'A', 'S', and 'D', you can release all kinds of body fluids on all of the foes. The whole scene with beautiful graphics, nice sound effects, and facial expressions of the victims is almost too much to bare.
   While I would like to see something new from this series, I can no longer deny just how entertaining the Hobo games are. The game play itself may be a bit easy, but the fighting is too funny to miss out on. If you have five minutes, head over to Flonga and check it out for yourself.

Review: God of War - Super Epic

*********************************************
* Title:        God of War (Collection)     *
* Platform:     PlayStation 3               *
* Release Date: November 27, 2009           *
* Developer:    Bluepoint Games             *
* Publisher:    Sony Computer Entertainment *
* My Rating:    9.7. Excellent              *
*********************************************

   I think I may be the last person in the world that may have an interest in God of War, but had not played it yet. God of War is an epic action game a la Soul Reaver and Prince of Persia that was originally released for the PlayStation 2. God of War already has two successors, and the first and second have been re-released as a high definition collection for the PlayStation 3. On a whim, I decided I would have my wonderful wife pick it up to me. Now, many years after its original release, I understand just how awesome God of War really is.
   The story in God of War is set in Greek mythology. The main character, Kratos starts as a commander of a small army, but eventually leads a legion. During a particularly nasty battle, Kratos turns to the God of War, Ares, for assistance. Ares offers Kratos a gift, the Chains of Olympus. However, the gift is a cursed gift. These chains are permanently affixed to Kratos and Kratos is set off to do Ares' bidding. Kratos, and his army, ravages village after village in the name of Ares. One day, they come to one building and Kratos is given a warning not to slay the people inside. In his fury, he does slay the people, only to realize it was his wife and daughter. At this point, all Kratos wishes to do is seek revenge against the God of War for tricking him into this debauchery. The game, God of War, follows Kratos on his journey to seek his revenge against Ares.
   Most of the game play in God of War can be described as jumping and slashing. You guide Kratos through Hades, trying to find a way back to the surface. This involves running through different underworld environments, solving puzzles to get past certain areas, and defeating epic monsters. The fighting is solid. The Chains of Olympus, and later, the Blade of Artemis, have to be the most awesome weapons I have ever used in a video game.
   God of War really was a showcase game for showing the PlayStation 2's power. Even though I played it on the PlayStation 3, the sound and graphics showed the true power of a system that developers had already had their hands on for many years. I do not believe there is a PlayStation 2 game that looks better than God of War. While there was only a handful of monster types, the bosses were all uniquely amazing. Every bit of playing God of War makes you feel as if you are living the stories in The Odyssey.
   Without a doubt, God of War is one of the best franchises out there if you like action games. If you are truly a Sony PlayStation fan, you have no reason to not have played this fantastic game already. If you are not yet a PlayStation believer, this could be the game that makes it all worth your while. Get your copy and play today!