Question, do I need to play Yakuza 1 and 2 to understand Yakuza 3?

Well, we are on a console oriented website... so... it is expected.

only possible on ps3 for sure. however i am suspect to the really blurry background in the face shots, meaning the ps3 only has to render the face one.

Anyhow the blurring of the background i know is done just to ad emphasis to the faces as the picture of the scenery looks stunning.

Well, at the very least, it is argumentatively pointless to be that narrowly viewed when discussing gaming topics.

Not to mention a few close up shots with barely any environment, obviously from cut scenes where camera angling can allow for much more detailed character models, are no indication of what the game will look like in game, and running.

Finally, I guarentee some developers would be able to reproduce something very close to identicle to that on 360 hardware (ie Capcom)

Color me unimpressed and skeptical.

This will be the graphical standard on the PS3 two years from now. Altough I think the first one is CG, the ears are just too well defined for this generation, even MGS4 had ugly and flat looking ears.

awesome graphics interesting this yakuza 3

dude, this game has Sega written all over it. Ever played Shenmue?  Well this is Shenmue, but with japanese traids, more brutal fighting and a deep Japanese Yakuza narrative. 

This game is sooo gonna f'ing rock! Yakuza 1 was madness and i just bought it again to play through the story once more. Can't wait to get Yakuza 2 and 3! This is what GTA should play like!

Those aren't CGI are they? If not they blow MGS4 away. Amazing.

I doubt they are "CGI" (as in prerendered, as all graphics are "CGI",) if they are they should look better...

so thats why Yakuza didn't move PS3 units in JAP this year..

I always thought Yakuza Kenzan was Yakuza 3