New Yakuza 5 Footage Plays Ball

One of the best things about the Yakuza franchise is the freedom it gives you to explore and participate in completely irrelevant mini-games. The upcoming Yakuza 5 will be no different – as has already been evidenced by the title’s taxi driving and hunting missions.

This brand new trailer focuses on Tatsuo Shinada, one of the game’s five playable protagonists. The character used to be the star of the Nagoya Wyverns baseball squad, but following a gambling scandal he’s cut from the team. That doesn’t mean he’s lost his touch, however, and throughout the course of Yakuza 5 you’ll be able to take the former professional to the batting cages in order to hit a few pitches thrown by one of his high school teammates.

Check out the mini-game in action below. The full title’s due out next month in Japan.