Yakuza: Dead Souls

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 13, 2012
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 95 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 95
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 95
  3. Negative: 13 out of 95
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  1. Jwhite
    Apr 6, 2012
    10
    This isn't just a Zombie shooter; Bowling, darts, dating sim, fishing, karaoke, poker and a whole lot of other things going on.It's a shooter that actually has some personality, charismatic characters, and a villain that actually has a greater motive than just " kill everyone". Calling Dead Souls just another Zombie shooter is an offence because it's so much more.
  2. Genero
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    A great spinoff, all the old Yakuza openness and detail with a straightforward zombie apocalypse story. Even though the engine is showing its age, the city still looks as good as ever, even as it's dying. Storyline is simpler than the previous Yakuza games, but that works to its advantage - zombie apocalypses don't need complexity, and the four player characters all play their part in theA great spinoff, all the old Yakuza openness and detail with a straightforward zombie apocalypse story. Even though the engine is showing its age, the city still looks as good as ever, even as it's dying. Storyline is simpler than the previous Yakuza games, but that works to its advantage - zombie apocalypses don't need complexity, and the four player characters all play their part in the story well. Controls are fine in the western versions. Effective, even. This isn't a dedicated shooter, and should not play like a dedicated shooter. If you take time to use the controls effectively (some pro reviewers seem not to, others make it clear that they didn't) and you'll easily be able to work your way through the infestation while putting the dead back in their place. Unfortunately, easy tends to become boring, and after repeated trips into the quarantine zone you'll want to just ignore as many as you can. There's plenty of things to do, both zombie-related and traditional Yakuza content, such as sidequests, minigames, underground missions, directives, hostess clubs, a well-done postgame mode... it's a Yakuza game alright, not quite as much content as 4 but it's more than could be expected from a spinoff with a somewhat overdone concept. Unfortunately, that overdone concept and lacking professional reviews means that in the west, this will probably be doomed to bargain prices in no time. If you're played the past Yakuza games, this is as good as you could hope it would be, so support it not because the series needs you but because it's a great game that deserves it. If you haven't played the past games, you might want to try one of the earlier games first so you know what to expect, rather than comparing this to another zombie action game.… Expand
  3. Tokyochuchu
    Jun 6, 2012
    9
    Dead Souls once again proves that the Yakuza series is one of the best and most underrated franchise's in gaming. Sure, the game suffers the same niggles as it's predecessors; generally antiquated mechanics, occasional camera issues and text boxes galore... But it also has their strengths; unique lovable characters, a hilarious sense of humor and a grand, epic plot powered by amazingDead Souls once again proves that the Yakuza series is one of the best and most underrated franchise's in gaming. Sure, the game suffers the same niggles as it's predecessors; generally antiquated mechanics, occasional camera issues and text boxes galore... But it also has their strengths; unique lovable characters, a hilarious sense of humor and a grand, epic plot powered by amazing cut-scenes. Yakuza: Dead Souls is a ton of fun. Killing zombies just never got old and I was always interested to see what kind of huge, crazy monster the game was going to throw at me next. For long time fans, the plot and dialogue shine excellently too. There are so many unforgettable scenes (if you don't get a belly laugh out of Daigo's reaction to Maijima's blow-job request, then you must a zombie yourself!). That said, if you love Yakuza for it's more open-world elements such as massage parlors and the like, you should know that the game pushes them further into the background. Getting in a round of karaoke is a bit more bothersome when you have to fight through an entire army of zombies to do so! All in all, Yakuza: Dead Souls is a fantastic game that will make you fall in love with the franchise all over again.… Expand
  4. BaronMonaco
    May 21, 2016
    7
    Dead Souls was a new spin-off for the Yakuza series, a series that is shamefully not very popular in occident (it's a hit in Japan) despite a large number of qualities. For this episode they decided to add zombi in the formula, lets see how it went.

    Technically the game is pretty average, with nice characters but poor textures and a framerate that will suffer a lot when there is a large    Dead Souls was a new spin-off for the Yakuza series, a series that is shamefully not very popular in occident (it's a hit in Japan) despite a large number of qualities. For this episode they decided to add zombi in the formula, lets see how it went.

    Technically the game is pretty average, with nice characters but poor textures and a framerate that will suffer a lot when there is a large number of enemies on the screen (15 or more) but without any bugs. Still under the 2012 criteria.

    Concerning the gameplay I've got pretty mixed feelings, from one side we have the classic Yakuza formula that just make you want to live in Kamurocho dating, eating, playing various games (ping-pong, pool, darts, golf, etc.) and where you can loose yourself for hours and on the other side we've got the shooting, yes shooting in opposite with the traditional fist fighting from the others games in the series, that is the most common thing you'll ever experienced with no challenge at all. So considering the kind of gamer you are, you should already have an idea if this game is meant for you.

    Like in the previous Yakuza games there is a lot of side quests to do , with some of them particularly funny, and if you want to finish all of them the game will last about 45 hours which is very good for the genre. Unfortunately there's still a lot of dialogues without voice-overs that could have made the game more immersing. The main story line is pretty close from the Resident Evil franchise with some yakuza elements in addition (duh), it's far from a masterpiece (and from the rest of the series) but if you like zombie movies you'll feel like watching one of them, with the traditional "prototypes" to spice up the cast.

    In conclusion, I'm not sure but I think it was an attempt to develop the franchise in occident with this universal enemy but in the end, it gave the worst episode of the franchise with an already known story, and a dull combat system. Two faults you'll not encounter in the other Yakuza games (including the two others spin-off that take place in feudal Japan and are very good, I advise them if you know japanese or aren't afraid to do the game with an internet guide).This game is not broken and there's still a lot of fun to have with all the things you can do and so if you've already played and liked a Yakuza game then you should pick this one up, but if you're not familiar with it, please start by another episode (they are all great) to truly understand why this series has a such faithful community.    … Expand
  5. LaLko75
    Mar 29, 2012
    9
    I have been playing this game since the Japanese release, and I recently picked up a copy of the English version. Since then, I have beaten this game 4 times. Although the gameâ
  6. VampireJoe
    Jan 30, 2013
    9
    So this is a wild zombie survival game combined with numerous odd minigames, ping pong and Karaoke! You can level up your Yakuza bad guy and the gameplay is also like Dead Rising meets GTA meets some fun arcade style stuff. This game is pretty long into this adventure with side quests and dating. Fun characters, solid gameplay, good humor, the controls get a while to get used to and a coolSo this is a wild zombie survival game combined with numerous odd minigames, ping pong and Karaoke! You can level up your Yakuza bad guy and the gameplay is also like Dead Rising meets GTA meets some fun arcade style stuff. This game is pretty long into this adventure with side quests and dating. Fun characters, solid gameplay, good humor, the controls get a while to get used to and a cool storyline. This is one of the best games of 2012 and is a rent because there is no online, but you can also buy it too to play the minigames and stuff.… Expand
  7. antiadam666
    Apr 16, 2014
    8
    I feel the need to defend this game as it seems it has been getting a bad rap. Don't get me wrong its far from perfect I am not claiming it is. Its my first time playing a yakuza gane and im glad I picked it up. There are 4 playable characters split into chapters for each with a few crossovers. All the characters have unique outlandish personalities that are very different which I love.I feel the need to defend this game as it seems it has been getting a bad rap. Don't get me wrong its far from perfect I am not claiming it is. Its my first time playing a yakuza gane and im glad I picked it up. There are 4 playable characters split into chapters for each with a few crossovers. All the characters have unique outlandish personalities that are very different which I love. The game play is pretty straightforward, shoot and kill zombies. There are special types of zombies, boss zombies and your normal run of the mill zombies. The gameplay reminds me of dead rising which is a plus in my books. If you care about graphics you will be disappointed they are solid and take nothing away from the game but aren't superb and that bothers me not one bit. The storyline is great and engaging and isn't just kill everyone done there is more depth than that. There are loads of side missions and mini games which boost the gameplay time a lot. You can upgrade your characters and abilities by using souls which further your arsenal and attacks and things such as inventory space and aim. Theres also exploring to be done ala gta which isn't in depth like gta but done very well. There's manual aim aswell as what I use the most which is strafing which lacks aim but increases kill rate. I will definitely be picking up the other games in the series and petioning them to release yakuza 5 in europe. Cant wait to finish this game and find out the full plot!… Expand
  8. Jreilly89
    Apr 25, 2014
    9
    I'm surprised how low of scores this game gets. It is extremely underrated and a ton of fun. The clever writing advances the plot, a decent combat system, and the return of loved characters and environments. I have never played much of the Yakuza series, but am familiar with it, so I picked this up on a whim. This game is a blast.

    The controls are fairly intuitive, and while not as    I'm surprised how low of scores this game gets. It is extremely underrated and a ton of fun. The clever writing advances the plot, a decent combat system, and the return of loved characters and environments. I have never played much of the Yakuza series, but am familiar with it, so I picked this up on a whim. This game is a blast.

    The controls are fairly intuitive, and while not as great as say RE 4, they are nowhere near as abysmal as most magazines have been calling out. The environments are also huge, theres tons to do, and the Heat moves are awesome because of how over the top they are.

    You can usually pick this game up for cheap due to how poorly reviewed it is, but it is more than worth the money I paid, and is just genuinely a good time to play, something I haven't been able to say about most games in the past few years.    … Expand
  9. Ragde
    Oct 15, 2017
    8
    Muy bueno el juego, no se porque le dan tan mala puntuación.
    Recuerda mucho al zombie revenge de Dreamcast, es genial!!!
    Lo único malo al principio es la cámara, pero te acostumbras en seguida, además tiene 3 modos diferentes para disparar según la situación y vos elegís la que te quede más cómoda.
  10. JackKazuma
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    I beat this game twice already. The game is huge,you will def get your moneys worth that's for sure. It's a spin off and also the end of the Tokyo location and game engine..Hence the title "of the end". Part 5 is being developed as we speak with tons of work to be done considering they are making a whole new engine. Now I won't go into heavy detail as I did with my Yakuza 4 review, butI beat this game twice already. The game is huge,you will def get your moneys worth that's for sure. It's a spin off and also the end of the Tokyo location and game engine..Hence the title "of the end". Part 5 is being developed as we speak with tons of work to be done considering they are making a whole new engine. Now I won't go into heavy detail as I did with my Yakuza 4 review, but give my pros and cons.

    Pros:

    Storyline- Can never say more than enough for a STELLAR storyline.. you will not find better from any series including cutscenes.
    Characters- The loan Shark,Dragon of Kansai and Majima join Kazuma into gunning hordes of zombies popping heads like it's going out of style. Can't ask for a better team.
    Graphics- Same as 4,same engine..Love it or hate it, it works.
    Mini games- Are all here..Whether you like to bowl, play slots,arcades,cards,mahjong,hostess bars,batting cages,karaoke,massage parlors tell me when to stop..And many many side missions for each character(One example is saving store fronts and reopening businesses).
    When complete you can have the option to travel around a normal town or apocalyptic town with zombies.

    Cons:

    Sadly the controls are a little problematic at first,but as you play you will be popping heads with a hostess in no time.
    Some Framerate issues at times.

    Overall it's a great end to this engine and the Tokyo location. I hope when 5 is complete they bring it to the West. Sadly other reviewers will sway hordes of people from even touching the series. Thank you Sega for supporting your fans.    … Expand
  11. JPoppaWUSC
    Apr 6, 2012
    9
    In every hardcore gamer's library, there are a handful of slightly clunky titles that are just fun enough that the player overlooks their flaws for the sake of originality and enjoyment. Deadly Premonition, Nier, Sacred 2, and Dead Rising are good examples from the Seventh Generation, for instance. While Yakuza games would typically fall among the more polished releases of their, anIn every hardcore gamer's library, there are a handful of slightly clunky titles that are just fun enough that the player overlooks their flaws for the sake of originality and enjoyment. Deadly Premonition, Nier, Sacred 2, and Dead Rising are good examples from the Seventh Generation, for instance. While Yakuza games would typically fall among the more polished releases of their, an aging graphics engine and a somewhat awkward shift to third-person shooting mechanics place Dead Souls into that "guilty pleasure" category. Reviewers have trashed Dead Souls for failing to conform to the Gears of War standard, which has somehow become the litmus test for a great TPS. In truth, Yakuza: Dead Souls is far more reminiscent of Gungrave, and even that comparison might appeal to some of its potential players. This chapter takes place in an alternate universe, where many of the events of Yakuza 4 have not yet transpired, some previously dead characters are back with altered backstories, and completely new people show up without a lot of wasted exposition. It's all in the name of fun and fanservice, though, and there's plenty of cameos and inside jokes that long-time Yakuza players will appreciate. That being said, it's not a bad way for new players to jump into Yakuza for the first time, either. Like every game in the series, Dead Souls is chock full of mini-games, side quests, quirky Japanese humor, and other quality content to fill 60+ hours. The main story would only take 15-20 hours, which is still above average for an action game, but surprisingly deep representations of golf, billiards, darts, bowling, karaoke, various casino games, batting cages, fishing, and a ton of other mini-games make Yakuza: Dead Souls a one-stop shop for all of your entertainment needs. It also features some of the most disarmingly suggestive (but hilarious) dating sim elements ever to reach our shores, with Hot Spring Ping-Pong and Aromatherapy Massage (complete with a "Happy Ending Bonus") topping the list of activities you can enjoy with Kamurocho's nightclub hostesses. It may seem odd that you can do all of this stuff in the middle of a zombie outbreak, but Yakuza's weird internal logic makes it all seem pretty natural. You'll understand when you play it. And you SHOULD play it. Sure, the shooting mechanics are a bit frustrating when the camera hangs up on a wall or your auto-aim plugs more holes in the wall than in a nearby zombie's head, but it doesn't take much time to get adjusted. Besides, Dead Souls packs in an overwhelming number of ability upgrades, weapons and armor to craft, and items to pick up amongst four respectably varied characters (Kazuma Kiryu, Ryuji Goda, Goro Majima, and Shun Akiyama, all series favorites). Heat Snipes are a fun addition to the gunplay, as they allow potentially massive assaults against enemy hordes, and some of them are combined with the abilities of your current partner. On that subject, dozens of characters, some new and some familiar, will join you when entering the zombie-infested quarantine zones. They'll offer commentary, guide you on mission objectives, and help keep you alive, though you will also need to watch their back in the process. As the game progresses, the quarantine zones will grow to overtake more and more of Kamurocho, so the only real downside to Dead Souls is that if you don't enjoy the gunplay elements, the game could get increasingly frustrating as the story nears its end. Still, when you consider all of the steps that Yakuza's developers took to make it an exercise in fanservice and stupid fun, Dead Souls deserves some serious respect for what it does right. And even with the same graphics engine that serves as a foundation for 4 games (Kenzan, 3, 4, and now Dead Souls), the cutscene motion capturing and accompanying voicework is still pretty staggering, even if all the dialogue is in its native Japanese. The bottom line is this - Yakuza: Dead Souls is a varied and enjoyable piece of gaming entertainment, and if you can get past a few clunky flaws in its TPS mechanics, there is a wealth of content to explore that is unlike anything else on the market... well, unlike everything but Yakuza 3 & 4. Enjoy!… Expand
  12. RUST
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    Had the good fortune of finding a cheap import retailer and I've been waiting to share my opinion. Dead souls does nothing in spectacular fashion, it belittles the series I have come to know and love, it makes no sense, the concept is basic and bare boned and the design is hardly inspired. That said, there is something about Dead Souls that makes it one of the most enjoyable entries in theHad the good fortune of finding a cheap import retailer and I've been waiting to share my opinion. Dead souls does nothing in spectacular fashion, it belittles the series I have come to know and love, it makes no sense, the concept is basic and bare boned and the design is hardly inspired. That said, there is something about Dead Souls that makes it one of the most enjoyable entries in the series. Should you buy it at full price? Hell no! Trust me when I say this will be in all good bargain bins by the time Winter rolls in, and at a discount or rental price Dead Souls can turn out to be money well invested.… Expand
  13. kris2fur
    Mar 18, 2012
    1
    This game sucks. My girlfriend asks me "why are the graphics so terrible?""Bad engine I guess, they most probably just concentrated on the characters and not the backgrounds. The manual aim system is terrible "You look like me trying to play that game"-girlfriend, you every five levels upgrade a single weapon. The slight noises characters make are so annoying and you cannot skip cutThis game sucks. My girlfriend asks me "why are the graphics so terrible?""Bad engine I guess, they most probably just concentrated on the characters and not the backgrounds. The manual aim system is terrible "You look like me trying to play that game"-girlfriend, you every five levels upgrade a single weapon. The slight noises characters make are so annoying and you cannot skip cut scenes, this is a zombie game I do not need to see a montage of pictures of people I met the previous level, I believe I can remember them. Poor camera angles. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME at any price seriously it is terrible unless you like Yakuza 4 or you want to take a trip back in time to when video games where terrible.… Expand
  14. bundykins
    Apr 30, 2012
    3
    Tokyo is under zombie attack and only the Japanese mafia can save it!!
    Good plot, but the game poorly executed.
    When it works, it works well and gunning down hordes of the hapless undead is chaotic fun like Dead Rising. But sadly this ddoesnt last, the clunky camera controls and extremely poor aiming system will leave you as easy meat. I'm really not enjoying this game at all, and just    Tokyo is under zombie attack and only the Japanese mafia can save it!!
    Good plot, but the game poorly executed.
    When it works, it works well and gunning down hordes of the hapless undead is chaotic fun like Dead Rising. But sadly this ddoesnt last, the clunky camera controls and extremely poor aiming system will leave you as easy meat. I'm really not enjoying this game at all, and just want to get to the end and file this away.
    As a zombie slaying game, Dead Rising 2 Off The Record is a much better game, and will probably cost you less money.
    As a Yakuza game, Yakuza 3 and 4 are a million times better than this.
    I love Yakuza, but this is a poor entry into the franchise.    … Expand
  15. darkwraith
    Apr 9, 2012
    8
    A standalone split-off story for the main protagonists of the yakuza series most of youre favorite characters appear in this over the top zombie story. dead souls weighs in with a lot of content and extras like mini games. The main story will keep you busy for over 40 hours if you do all the sub missions for each playable character. the graphics of the game look the best yet in terms ofA standalone split-off story for the main protagonists of the yakuza series most of youre favorite characters appear in this over the top zombie story. dead souls weighs in with a lot of content and extras like mini games. The main story will keep you busy for over 40 hours if you do all the sub missions for each playable character. the graphics of the game look the best yet in terms of the city itself. You do get a little framerate drop when there are massive hordes of zombies on-screen but this is rare. Another review said the camera and shooting mechanics were dodgy. but this isnt correct as you need too upgrade youre shooting ability by gaining xp levels. and the camera is player positioned so after a few hours its fine. with the fun mini games. slot machines, pachinko machines,roulette, poker, baccarat, blackjack, and a range of Japanese betting games that are fully explained plus leaderboards for an endless zombie mode. This game is just full of content. My only downpoint for this game is a point in the final boss battle were you have to throw grenades in the creatures mouth. but you cannot do this unless in exactly the correct spot. after 30 mins of trying i finally did it but it took two or three goes to find the correct spot as you cannot throw from were you would expect.Sorry if slightly vague but i didnt want to put a spoiler in. Overall great if you know and love the series and ok as a zombie shooter for people who have not played a yakuza game before.… Expand
  16. H1s6n
    Jul 4, 2016
    7
    I recommend this game only for YAKUZA's (Ryu Ga Gotoku) series , anyhow its very great game
    the story is amazing and the long of game is great too and there're many good things to do
    the only bad thing is dropping frams while playing
  17. lewdbeat
    Oct 31, 2017
    10
    I'll give a short review about this game: if you like Yakuza series and you like shooting games, play it. Pay no mind to the bad reviews. Seriously, who wouldn't like this game? I want another game like this without a doubt.
  18. Coreyhardie
    Jul 30, 2016
    7
    At first I thought this game was stupid but after playing it gain recently I like it solid story, soundtrack and bosses, the gameplay is fun though it can get old after a while and some mechanics are clunky with frame rate drops, but I still like it.
  19. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Aug 2, 2022
    7
    Fans of Yakuza will like this zombie-themed spinoff despite some flaws. The game has everything you'd expect from the series. Unfortunately, the shooting controls are quite clunky. But the story is involving and there's tons of side-missions and content. Just like the Dead Rising games, it's good silly fun. Overall, I would rate Dead Souls with a 7.4 out of 10.
  20. nahkmiyan
    Feb 7, 2021
    9
    Alot of reviews sayin this game isn't good or worth the play. So strange. This game is really worth playing if you like Yakuza and zombie games. To my surprise the open world still exists in this game and there's just loads of classic Yakuza fun to find. I would not skip playing this. I feel this should be remastered for PS4 and 5 gen. So much potential.
  21. MrIslamic
    Jan 27, 2021
    5
    This game is so boring, they went from the deep and satisfying combat from the previous games and replaced it with watered-down Dead Rising style combat.
  22. FrankCreeper
    Jul 28, 2023
    7
    A funny spin-off ofthe franchise with his all fantastic character of the series.
    The gun play is very mediocre...but with charisma of the main's characthers its still funny to play.
    Its really good and fun to shoot zombie randomly on the game

Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
42
#42 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 55
  3. Negative: 1 out of 55
  1. Thunderbolt
    Mar 6, 2013
    60
    By including zombies and guns, Sega have provided something new to its cumbersome, juggernaut of a franchise; but it’s been done much better elsewhere.
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  2. Gamer.nl
    Jun 9, 2012
    60
    A zombie-outbreak in the Yakuza makes for a fresh change of pace. Unfortunately that really says it all, because Dead Souls misses the nuance and class of previous installments. It's not even the presentation or story, but mostly the game mechanics that disappoint. Shooting zombies is what you'll be doing most in Dead souls and by the end of the game you'll long for the 'regular' Yakuza experience.
    Read full review
  3. RPGamer
    May 24, 2012
    50
    The problem with Yakuza: Dead Souls is that it's a game full of wasted potential. The story is fun and the atmosphere is excellent, but the broken controls and awkward camera make this game more frustrating than fun.
    Read full review
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