Behold! The Yakuza-
The story of "Kenzan" is very convoluted- but still well written. The audience overseas is very familiar with the traditional story of Miyamoto Musashi aka Kiryu Kazumanosuke. So rather than rehash the same old scenarios again, Sega introduced a brand new storyline. It has assassinations, conspiracy, and political uprising. Famous figures such as the Yagyu, Ittosai, and Sasaki Kojiro appear throughout the story. Musashi is now a bodyguard for the local Tsuru Shop brothel. The visuals are bright and flashy, and the cinematics are long and well voiced. It might be over-the-top, but it makes you wish you could live in the Sengoku era for a month or so!
I will say that I think the game did itself in when it comes to a U.S. release. The story involves a lot of swordplay, and it can get very bloody. Still, what Yakuza game hasn't been? That alone wouldn't prevent the game coming over. But the the thing that I found really disturbing was Oharu's (Haruka) character becoming a consort. The girl is about 12 years old, yet she's propositioned throughout the story on several occasions by grown men! Bleh- Violence is fine and good, but child molesting? Not so much. Its a shame because they could have skipped that portion of the story. Also, the waterfall minigame with the spirits trying to seduce Musashi- Definitely makes the game a Mature rating. But that part is optional.
The main story is always highlighted on your map in purple! I don't recall if that was the case in Yakuza 2, but it's extremely helpful here. Subevents are highlighted in green (I only recall two). I personally translated a guide on how to beat the game, and it was completely accurate. You will rarely, if ever be at a loss for what to do to progress.
Gameplay and fighting is identical to Yakuza 1 and 2. The only thing new is the ability to carry swords that can be accessed during a fight with the D-Pad. You have a large blade, a single katana, duel katana, and fists. Every weapon mode has an advantage and disadvantage. Ex: Fists can't block a sword normally, duel katana can block your front and back, large blades deal heavy damage but slows you down.
The amount of jobs in the game is staggering! There has to be over 100 tasks that you can fulfill. Some are very simple (walk up to a dispute, beat the perp up, get paid). Others definitely need a guide to complete. There are tons of minigames to play for money and experience. Archery on horseback, scarecrow whack-a-mole, geisha dating, the waterfall training I mentioned, watermelon slicing, and Martial Arts Tournaments. The results are staggering! You'll never find the game monotonous.
The bottom line- If you can look past the language barrier, this is MUST for Playstation 3 owners to import. I'm really hoping that very soon Yakuza 3 and 4 will come stateside. If its anything like "Kenzan", the franchise can only continue to go up.