Summary
- Don't overlook the Black Panther games - they offer a unique and refreshing experience.
- The Black Panther series introduces a new protagonist, Tatsuya, who brings a different angle to the Like A Dragon story.
- The Black Panther games feature an overhauled combat engine and unique gameplay mechanics that set them apart.
The number of killer Japanese games that never came westward is staggering, and all Western gamers have ‘the one that got away’. With the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Like a Dragon series, everyone knജows what game that is: Kenzan. Ha, you read the title and thought you knew what was coming, eh? Fools!
While fans are aware of the Black Panther games, the PSP titles have never drummed up much interest or desire. If I had to guess why, I’d probably say it’s because they’re portable experiences, and most people assum✨e they’re just pared-down Yakuza games. I know I did. Well, I’m here to correct the record. Not only are both Black Panther games quite good, they may just be some of the most interesting games in the series.

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Let’s start at the bedrock - Ukyo Tatsuya, the duology's protagonist. Remember how Kiryu in Yakuza Zero is basically the same old Kiryu, but maybe a touch more brash? Remember how he was accu🥂sed of committing manslaughter? Well, Tatsuya parallels this version of Kiryu in some very interesting wayꦇs. Instead of being a little brash, Tatsuya starts his journey as an intolerable, thin-skinned jerk. And instead of being accused of manslaughter, he🐟… just does it.
Don't worry, the above happens super early in the game. We made sure not to spoil the story of the Black Panther games for you as we sincerely want you to play them.
Tatsuya beats a man to death after getting carried away in the opening minutes of the game. And as he stands over his body he laughs maniacally. That isn’t me editorializing either, he throws his head back, his arms wide, and lets out a laugh so unhinged it would make 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the Mad Dog himself blush. For those at home keeping score, remember, Tatsuya is the one who isn’t a Yakuza.
Not convinced our rough-and-tumble Tatsuya really adds anything new to your typical Like A Dragon story? Just wait until one of the villains starts talking and he tells them to shut up before they can get started monologuing. It all feels very intentional and is super refreshing. Tatsuya’sꦯ not interested ꦕin your life story, bro.
Not only does this petulant pummeler give us a whole new angle to tell a Like a Dragon story, but it also gives our man room to grow in a meaningful way. And grow he does! By the time you hit the second game, Tatsuya is a different character. He still has elements of who he was, but the events of the first game have changed him for the better. I’d argue that outside of seeing Haruka grow ove𒁏r the course of the first fi✤ve games, it is the most m♛eaningful deꦉvelopment we get from a character in the entire canon.
But despite having a surprisingly unique story, with a great protagonist heading it, ther🌳e is so much more to love about the Black Panther games. Because this isn’t the typical PSP port experience that we all suspected it would be. We aren’t talking about a hamstrung version of the Like a Dragon games here, nearly every element commonly found in the series has been tinkered with to deliver a more original experience. This is especially true when it comes to the overhauled combat engine.
The Black Panther fights are never mashy. Generally, you fight far fewer thugs, but they put up more of a fꦏight. You will need to time your 🥂attacks, dodge, catch strikes, and utilize space effectively. You also start with a pretty complete suite of tools, and it expands to a shocking degree, spanning multiple styles that you can pick and choose from.
There is a greater emphasis on stamina management. You have a powerful counter, and your dodge gives you a bullet time-style effect. And to top it all off, there is no UI. You will need to judge your current level of damage by looking atꦦ Tatsuya. If he is slumped over, and every jab floors him, he’s probably not doing so hot. It feels like a more intense, intimate, and gritty version of Yakuza. This extends to the bosses as well, who all feel unique, and consistently present a legitimate challenge.
The random street thugs being so much ha♋rder for Tatsuya serves to further reinforce the Dragon of Dojima’s legendary strength. Tatsuya isn’t Kiryu, so it makeꦍs sense that he wouldn’t be clearing out goons as easily as he does.
Even though these games were designed to run on pretty outdated hardware, the world being composed of pre-rendered assets, and the cutscenes all being in a motion comic style, means that it has aged fairly gracefully. And if you aren’t sold, all the side stuff is here too. There are tons of unique side missions, minigames (including hostess bars, batting cages, and bowling), and even a massage side activity to help remind you that, yes, these games can get uncomfortably horny.
No one ever mentions these games, and fans never pine for them, so why am I talking about them now? We all know that these titles never left Japan, so you can’t play ‘em unless you speak Japanese, right? Well, I’ve got some great news for you, bucko, fans have translated both titles. It isn’t particularly hard to figure out how to get both Black Panther games running on a modern PC. You should buy original copies of both games too, of course, and can find copies for cheap on eBay. Bu🌞t more than anything, play them. I can’t stress this enough, Like a Dragon fans are sleeping on some real hidden gems here!

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