Yakuza: Dead Souls

Critic reviews

• GRGames Radar+

  GRamber · Jun 25, 2012

  6.0

  As a third-person zombie action game, it’s awkward and clumsy, and therefore, a difficult recommendation for gamers looking for a post-Dead Rising quick fix. As a Yakuza sequel, the shooting mechanics don’t jibe with anything you’ve done in the series since 2006. Yet, there’s still some fun elements with big payoffs for gamers who’ve invested dozens of hours in Kamurocho.

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• GRGame Revolution

  Kevin Schaller · Mar 23, 2012

  7.0

  For what it is, though, a non-canon romp through some authentic-looking Japanese streets filled with zombies and ammo is damn fun. The shooting and main story might be bland, but the mini-games offer a nice break to the action... if you want to gamble or hit on maid cafe girls, anyway. The game is still graphically polished and offers a lot of the same open-world moments the last Yakuza game did, but it's an amusing way of exploring the same territory over again.

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• GTGame Trailers

  Game Trailers · Mar 22, 2012

  6.8

  Yakuza: Dead Souls feels like a semi-serious experiment. There’s plenty of evidence that the developers care about the characters and the overall quality of the experience, but it has some difficulty justifying itself as a full-price game. There’s fun here, but it comes with some unavoidable roughness. It’s tough to get excited about a zombie game that’s only decent, but whether it’s Yakuza’s special history or inimitable blend of drama and absurdity, there’s something here that might be worth biting into.
• GGameSpot

  Carolyn Petit · Mar 21, 2012

  5.5

  Unfortunately, the problems with the combat, which makes up the majority of the game, cannot be ignored so easily. At its best, that combat is inoffensive but unremarkable. At its worst, it's tedious and infuriating. The game's four heroes radiate charisma but get too few opportunities to shine, and the recycled attractions of Kamurocho provide little incentive to visit these crowded streets.

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• GIGame Informer

  Phil Kollar · Mar 19, 2012

  7.8

  The clever script provided many laugh-out-loud moments, and the monster variety and leveling system made me feel powerful even against hundreds of opponents. Like a slightly more presentable Deadly Premonition, Dead Souls mimics B-horror movies. It has a blemished, blood-soaked face that’s going to scare off some gamers, but there’s a lot of heart and fun to be found by those willing to dig beneath the ghoulish surface.
• JJoystiq

  Kat Bailey · Mar 16, 2012

  6.0

  Mostly, I see Dead Souls as a fun curiosity. Having lived in Japan for three years myself, I've always enjoyed the Yakuza series for the nostalgia; and with a few major exceptions, Yakuza: Dead Souls is more of the same. It's just as raunchy, absurdist, and most importantly, Japanese, as always. And that makes it a welcome addition to the marketplace, warts and all.

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