You can summon an army of lobsters to fight your enemies in Yakuza 7. No, really.
The seventh numbered installment in the infamous Yakuza series was revealed last August along with a new Yakuza Remastered Collection, which includes remastered versions of Yakuza 3, 4, and 5. Yakuza 7, however, was going to be a big departure for the series. Instead of the classic brawler fighting system that every Yakuza game has used, Yakuza 7 would switch things up by becoming a classic turn-based JRPG.
Why the switch? We’re not sure. This could all be part of a possible rebranding effort to get more players into the franchise. Yakuza has always been a bit of a niche title outside of Japan, and swapping over to a more familiar battle system might convince more people to try it.
Sega dropped some more details in a Famitsu article that showcased Yakuza 7’s new battle mechanics and revealed two of the game’s new characters. Each character has their own weapons, but they also can use improvised weapons if they attack an opponent that has something like a chair or a garbage can sitting in between.
We also learned that Yakuza 7 will follow the JRPG formula to the letter by introducing its own “summon” system. But whereas games like Final Fantasy summon terrifying angels, demons, and monsters to fight opponents, Yakuza 7’s summons are a little more… bizarre.
Footage revealed at last weekend’s Tokyo Game Show showcase Ichiban Kasuga’s ability to summon lobsters at the press of a button.
“Summoning” looks to involve the character taking out their phone, stylishly dialing a number, and then holding it up to the sky in a dramatic pose. Then, lobsters fall from the sky. Why? Nobody knows. Perhaps Ichiban is dialing a seafood restaurant he likes and they just throw a bunch of lobsters into the air.
Regardless, these lobsters mean business. After powering-up Goku-style, they launch themselves at opponents and gouge out their eyeballs.
Yakuza 7 arrives in January of 2020 in Japan, with a Western release expected to come sometime after that.
(via Gamerant)