Whether you’re a fan of the titular manga and anime, the Yakuza series, or just fun and silly games, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise will serve you just right. The upcoming game adaptation shares a lot of similarities with the Yakuza series since it’s developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios and built using the same engine as Yakuza 0 and Kiwami; combat and movement feel very familiar. This adaptation gives you a post-apocalyptic open world to explore, plenty of bad dudes to beat up, and side missions for absurdly comical stories. However, in true Fist of the North Star fashion, over-the-top moves that often result in exploding heads means death is everywhere and brutality is abound.
But Lost Paradise isn’t all about fisticuffs. As you’ll see in the gameplay footage above, captured at Gamescom 2018, protagonist Kenshiro is a man of many talents. In the bartending minigame, you’ll serve up drinks to patrons through various button inputs or gestures with the DualShock 4 controller that have to be done under a time limit. What’s not to like about Kenshiro frantically shaving down a block of ice to form the perfect ice sphere in a cocktail, or furiously stirring a mixed drink to perfection?
That’s just one of the many treats Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise has in store. Much like Yakuza, bad guys will pester you across the open world looking to pick a fight, and you’ll deliver justice using the deadly martial art style Hokuto Shinken. Button prompts and QTEs are part of pulling off these stylish and brutal moves in addition landing light/heavy attacks and dodging aggressive enemies.
You’ll be able to get your hands on Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise launches for PlayStation 4 on October 2, 2018 and unravel this alternate timeline to a beloved manga/anime series. Be sure to check out our Yakuza Kiwami 2 review or watch our discussion on why you should play all the Yakuza games. There's a lot in store at Gamescom 2018 so treat yourself to new Devil May Cry 5 gameplay, our hands-on impressions of Hitman 2, and our talk on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.