Yakuza: Dead Souls: hardest-difficulty preparation and boss fights

Yakuza: Dead Souls: hardest-difficulty preparation and boss fights Dead Souls mode starts fresh. Extra Hard can use Premium New Game, but the highest difficulty does not let you import that same developed save. That is the first thing to plan around. The second is how aggressive the ordinary zombies become. Their repeated tackles and knockdowns can be more dangerous than one large enemy whose attacks you can see coming. I'd spend early resources on surviving a bad position: useful defensive gear, head-targeting abilities, escape options, inventory space, and a weapon that clears the immediate crowd. Do enough side content to keep your level and weapons moving. You don't have to repeat every optional activity, but skipping all of it leaves you with fewer Soul Points, less health, and fewer materials. The character substory rewards unlock the final signature-weapon designs. Majima's underground completion also provides the Dragon Flak Vest design. Keep a shotgun or grenade launcher available for groups. Keep a stronger aimed weapon for mutants. Bring healing before a story lock-in, and make separate saves instead of saving over the one place where you could still shop and upgrade. Full boss spoilers below. ARAHABAKI, AKIYAMA'S CHAPTER 4 Give yourself distance when it stretches its arms or climbs into the ceiling. The room's pillars help you break the attack line. Move away from the spots where its arms come down. When it exposes itself after an attack, shoot to bring it down and hit the weak point. Its pounce can also provide a Heat Snipe counter. Don't remain under it trying to force damage while the next ceiling attack is starting. ONRAKI, FIRST FACED IN MAJIMA'S CHAPTER 1 Strip the armor from the chest, then focus on the red weak point. It can throw objects, charge, and attack at close range. Dodge the committed attacks and use the Heat Snipe opportunities on the objects it holds or throws. The tank available in the initial encounter gives you a useful opening burst before fighting with your ordinary loadout. ARAHABAKI A This version is more aggressive and can turn invisible. Keep the shotgun ready for its close recovery windows. The transition into or out of invisibility gives you time to attack, but don't let the broad arm sweep trap you at the edge of the room. Counter the pounce if you have the gauge and timing. TSUCHIGUMO, MAJIMA'S CHAPTER 4 Watch the scythes for the attack tell, dodge the jump and charge, and aim for the exposed underside when you get an opening. Akiyama can take some of its attention, but don't count on him to protect you from every attack. Shooting it during the rolling action can knock it over. The finishing QTE matters. On Dead Souls difficulty, the input window is very short. Missing it causes damage and forces you to weaken the boss again. Enter with enough healing to survive more than one attempt rather than treating an almost-empty enemy health bar as a guaranteed finish. YATSUKAHAGI, RYUJI'S CHAPTER 3 In the first phase, target the glowing weak points on the tentacles. Keep out of the strike paths while working through them. Once the fight moves to the holes in the floor, watch where the next attack is coming up, dodge the tentacles, and shoot when the boss exposes itself. You must land the finishing Heat Snipe when its health is low and it emerges. Ordinary gunfire alone doesn't complete that last step. Helpful Links: Dead Souls difficulty preparation: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps3/998171-yakuza-dead-souls/faqs/79387/dead-souls-mode Full story and boss walkthrough: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps3/998171-yakuza-dead-souls/faqs/79387 THE PINK STREET CROWD IN RYUJI'S CHAPTER 2 This isn't a named boss, but on the harder difficulties it deserves the warning. Flying enemies, Fatties, and aggressive soldier zombies can catch you as you come out toward Pink Street. Have the crowd-control weapon selected before you enter the pileup. Break space, move, and heal. Getting knocked over repeatedly while trying to switch from an unsuitable gun is how the situation gets away from you. BASAN, KIRYU'S CHAPTER 3 Use Children's Park's railings to limit the ordinary zombies reaching you while you attack the flying boss. A rifle is useful when it holds still, and an automatic weapon gives you more flexibility as it moves. Keep checking the ground-level enemies after its call brings more in. Don't leave the protected position just to stand directly under it with the camera pointed straight up. THE ARMORED-VEHICLE SECTION, KIRYU'S CHAPTER 4 Save beforehand in Chapter 3, before telling Akiyama you're ready. Equip your strong defensive gear while you still have the chance. During the ride, clear the enemies and explosive hazards in your path. When Onraki appears, remove the chest armor and attack the exposed weak point. Shoot incoming projectiles. As it plants its hands to prepare the slam, concentrate fire on the weak point to interrupt the attack, then give the turret a chance to cool. During the chase portion, keep trying to interrupt its approach rather than firing blindly into its armored body. The camera movement makes the target difficult, so saving before the entire sequence is a practical precaution, not just a completionist habit. THE FINALE Before going up Millennium Tower, upgrade the anti-materiel rifle and bring both ammunition and several strong healing items. There are multiple fights ahead. Preserve a separate pre-finale save. Itsuki, the transformed Hayashi, moves quickly and can take Ryuji's gun. Use the grenade Heat Snipe opportunities to knock it down. If it is attacking Ryuji, reposition to shoot the exposed weak point rather than standing beside him in the same line of fire. Against Arahabaki Kinro and Ginro, keep track of both. One uses fire and the other oil, and they can redistribute health when one falls much lower than the other. Work their health down reasonably evenly, dodge the pounces, and use the counters to expose their undersides. Nikaido attacks quickly and can grab you. Keep moving, let Ryuji draw some attention, and focus damage during the vulnerable heart-form phase. Find that form promptly instead of spending the entire opening chasing the small zombies it spawns. Oikazuchi Omega uses large sweeping and slamming attacks. Watch which side is threatened and move out before the impact. Follow the scripted finishing sequence carefully: the grenade, missile, and final shot each need their opening or prompt. Save healing for those late mistakes too. A long boss run is not over just because you've reached the last cinematic-looking phase.