Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties Review: A modern remake that is neither perfect nor terrible
For over twenty years since they released the very first game for the PlayStation 2, SEGA and RGG Studio’s Ryu Ga Gotoku series has grown beyond its initial premise of exploring the Japanese criminal underworld and fictional representations of Tokyo and Osaka. These titles feature heavy hitting protagonists with their own senses of honor and justice.
Better known to the western world as “Yakuza” and later on the literal translation of “Like A Dragon”, the franchise has evolved into an eclectic selection of sequels, remakes, and spin-offs. Each game had their own unique brands of gameplay, storytelling, karaoke singing, and appeal that has charmed players through the years and continues to do so to this day.
It comes as no surprise then that a brand new game has been released just after the series’ 20th Anniversary – one that remakes one of the most beloved entries in the saga yet is surrounded by controversy and bad decisions that have left fans very concerned for the future of the series.
Released this month just before Valentine’s Day and Lunar Year celebrations, Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties is the latest installment in the long running Yakuza/ Like A Dragon franchise and a remake of 2009’s “Yakuza 3”. Sharing the same main storyline as the original yet containing a significant number of changes and additions, Kiwami 3 centers once again on longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu.
Kiryu is an ex-member of the Tojo Clan who has retired to Okinawa in order to run an orphanage and raise children alongside his adopted daughter Haruka. Unfortunately, trouble rears its ugly head once again when a land deal threatens his new home and allies are targeted. Leading to trouble with the Tojo Clan and more dire situations that put his loved ones in danger, the Dragon of Dojima is forced to once again be involved in the criminal underworld he left behind so long ago.
New to the saga, however, is “Dark Ties” – a new standalone and playable storyline that places the focus on Yakuza 3 and Yakuza Kiwami 3’s main antagonist himself, Yoshitaka Mine. Taking place sometime before the events of the main game, Dark Ties serves as Mine’s origin story. The tale shows how he becomes the cold, cynical, and calculating member of the Tojo Clan who remains absolutely loyal to its sixth chairman, Daigo Dojima.
The game chronicles the betrayal and isolation Mine experiences from his own startup company, with fate leading him to a chance encounter with Daigo. The meeting awakened his curiosity to find out more about the yakuza that eventually led him to joining them in the process.
As with previous modern day entries in the series, RGG Studio utilizes the Dragon Engine for Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties – which allows for near seamless gameplay in guiding the protagonists through recreated Japanese settings and locations, as well as having the ability to save anywhere and anytime you choose. Players control Kiryu or Mine as they navigate through chapters related to their respective storylines and progress by completing objectives and quests that are laid out by the game. This can be done by interacting with different people and battling opponents, using a number of different fighting styles and tools that are unique to each character and with more skills unlocked as you earn experience points and progress through the game.
Utilizing his experience as a former yakuza and fighter, Kiryu returns primarily using his Dragon fighting style – which includes heavy hitting brawler moves and actions that deal painful damage to opponents. New to Kiwami 3 is the “Ryukyu Style,” emphasizing weapons like the sword and spear in an attempt to add variety to Kiryu’s arsenal.
Beyond that, most moves are earned via a skill tree that players can navigate through and customize to their choosing. While it’s not difficult to use, it’s unfortunate that some of the basic moves Kiryu had in the original Yakuza 3 have to be unlocked through this method so it’ll be a tedious process to go through before you can dish out more of the impressive skills at your disposal.
Navigating through the better part of Kamurocho and Okinawa requires having access to the latest trends, and Kiwami 3 plays into that cellphone aspect by adding LaLaLa Mobile service. The in-game phone has a unique set of social networking and subquests that players can reap rewards from by making friends or finding boxes scattered throughout the game. Players can also change Kiryu’s attire with the returning outfit customization mode.
By collecting or purchasing via DLC different wardrobe options, players can dress up the Dragon of Dojima however they want – whether he looks cool or stylish in a suit or dresses down with that Hawaiian shirt looking loose and comfortable.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Yakuza/ Like A Dragon game without the various minigames, activities, and substories to play and explore. New games have been added to Club SEGA such as the Game Gear versions of Sonic Chaos and Streets of Rage, and you can sing to your heart’s content “Baka Mitai” and even the new track “Pararirai -Happiness Blooms-“ over at the karaoke.
Kiwami 3 adds a number of new minigames too – with Kiryu’s Morning Glory orphanage hosting new activities such as playing with the kids, catching bugs, sewing, and cooking dinner to test out Kiryu’s “Dad of the Year” skills. Replacing the cabaret and hostesses activities, however, is the new Ryukyu Gal Gang mode – where Kiryu leads and manages an all-girl biker gang to help safeguard Okinama via turn-based battles and turf wars.
Controversies behind the release
While all of these modern gameplay changes and additions add a fresh coat of paint to a 15 year old game, Kiwami 3 has had a number of controversies around it leading towards its release that have given the game and RGG Studio significant backlash and negativity.
Chief among these is the decision to recast some roles – most notable of all Japanese actor Teruyuki Kagawa as Goh Hamazaki. Kagawa has admitted to committing sexual assault, and has left many fans divided. The game has also been labeled as soulless for a number of design choices and omissions – with many fan favorite elements from the original Yakuza 3 absent or changed, such as the removal of substory characters such as Kiryu’s longtime master, Komaki, in favor of a younger martial arts instructor named Miyazato.
System requirements to run the game
For comparison purposes and before you buy the game for a specific platform, the PC version of Kiwami 3 will require the following minimum and recommended specs to run and play according to systemrequirementslab.com
MINIMUM SPECS:
- CPU: Intel Core i3-8100,3.6GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 2300X,3.5GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650,4GB or AMD Radeon RX 6400,4GB or Intel Arc A380,6GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4 GB (Intel 6GB)
- OS: Windows 11
- SHADER MODEL VERSION: 6.0
- FREE DISK SPACE: 58 GB
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8700K,3.7GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X,3.6GHz
- RAM: 16 GB
RECOMMENDED SPECS:
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce RTX3060,12GB or AMD Radeon RX 7600,8GB or Intel Arc A770,8GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 8 GB (NVD 12GB)
- OS: Windows 11
- SHADER MODEL VERSION: 6.0
- FREE DISK SPACE: 58 GB
The current generation releases of the game run beautifully at 60 FPS, with no noticeable long loading times especially with the PS5 version. Due to the limitations of the hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game is locked at 30 FPS.
Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties delivers a modern remake that is neither perfect or terrible, but it remains controversial to longtime fans of the series for very valid reasons. A lot of elements from the original Yakuza 3 were changed or removed entirely to modernize the experience, but understandably this makes the game a very different offering from the 2009 game.
Arguably, this makes Kiwami 3 a very different experience that should entice newcomers to play the original, but even if you wanted to buy that or recommend that to a friend it has become increasingly more difficult to get older Yakuza/ Like A Dragon games digitally. Yakuza 3 Remastered has been delisted as a standalone purchase in digital storefronts, with the only option being that you can purchase it by buying the Yakuza Collection bundle.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties is now available to play for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/2, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
