Japan has a unique underworld where, allegedly, honor rules and back tatoos are a mark of  power. I’ve even heard that the Yakuza families have contributed manpower and money to helping victims of Japan’s horrible quake/tsunami one-two punch. So, I guess there can be honor among thieves. Yakuza IV is a game, and in this game you don’t help ANY victims. Instead, like any crime game, you have to navigate an epic tale of… shooting lots of virtual people.

The game could be called Grand Theft Tokyo. While the murder and bad words are here, it’s the sex stuff that’ll interest parents. There are strippers, there is no real nudity, the sex is more referenced and present in the forms of underworld seediness. Again, these offensive things ARE NOT what the game is about, they provide context and background and realism and… well, saying nudity/sex in videogames is what the games are about, then The Sopranos was a show about a fat guy who hangs at the Bada Bing.

It’s a terrific game for Dad, but I say to children under 15, NO!

Tags: Game Reviews