I've been waiting for new footage of Yakuza 3 the moment I started playing through Yakuza 2. Originally, I'd seen trailers where the game took place way back in the time of samurais. I thought that was a pretty cool way to go with the franchise. Seeing this new footage from the Tokyo Game Show not only has me even more stoked for the game (whenever it actually comes out in the US), but shows the game taking place in the current era. I hope they haven't ditched the samurai storyline entirely, because I thought that direction would have added some interesting backstory to the legacy of Kiryu and the rest of the Tojo clan.

I have to warn you, this video is 20 minutes long, and all of it is in Japanese. The good news is you get a great look at the amazing graphics Sega is getting out of the PS3. In addition, you'll get looks at many of the new mini-games like karaoke, darts, and the upgraded hostess management. After watching this whole thing a few times, I can honestly this is the game I'm looking forward to most for 2009. If the last two games are any indication, Sega has another Yakuza hit on their hands.

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