Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Review (PS5)

For many fans, Yakuza 3 would have been their gateway to the series when it first released back in 2010 for the PS3 — but returning to it now, or even booting up the PS4 remaster, highlights loads of older design elements that have aged rather poorly.

And so this classic Yakuza experience has been handed the Kiwami treatment; Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a heavily modernised remake, rebuilt in the Dragon Engine.

It features a reworked combat system that falls in line with the faster, flashier action of Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It's got new cutscenes and boss battles in a bid to flesh out various parts of the story. And it's stuffed with additional, optional activities that'll eat away at your free time before you know it.

It also bolts on an entirely new expansion called Dark Ties — but we'll get around to that later.

Broadly speaking, we think Kiwami 3 is one of the best-playing Yakuza games yet... But it's also going to go down as one of the most controversial.

If you haven't played Yakuza 3 before, then we dare say that the remake's alterations won't bother you all that much. But for the purists, and those who are already heavily invested in the larger Like a Dragon universe, the changes that Kiwami 3 makes may seem questionable at best — and deeply disappointing at worst.

Let's start with the plot, which retains one of the series' strongest storylines, up until a point.

After the destructive events of Yakuza 2, face-of-the-franchise Kazuma Kiryu finally tries to distance himself from Japan's criminal underworld, and takes over an orphanage down in sunny Okinawa.

He's living and loving his most peaceful life, helping an adorable group of kids find their way in the world. One of the narrative's greatest strengths is it shows a truly caring, human side of the stoic protagonist, and Kiryu's relationship with his dear orphans is nicely realised.

Kiwami 3 expands significantly on this idyllic existence by introducing a full side campaign made up of fun minigames and interactions that'll pull at your heart strings.

Not only are the kids given more room to breathe as characters, Kiryu's whole orphanage arc is allowed to move along at its own pace, separate from the main story. This means that the game's infamously slow opening is no longer a threat to the overall pacing, and you're free to indulge in the quieter side of the game whenever you like.

But as you might have guessed, Kiryu's era of peace and quiet doesn't last, and it's only a couple of chapters until he's thrust back into the murky politics of his beloved Tojo clan.

His reputation as a legendary yakuza now coming back to haunt him, he's caught in a government-level conspiracy that contrasts perfectly with his newfound life at the orphanage.

The wider setup and the establishment of Yakuza 3's key players was and still is fantastic. The game's first half is packed with intrigue and outstanding introductions, as Kiryu hops between the delightfully sunny shores of Okinawa and the grimy, well-worn streets of Kamurocho.

However, the second half of the narrative does begin to stumble. To Kiwami 3's credit, its new cutscenes, while few in number, do bring some valuable context to the table — but they can't quite stop the latter chapters from feeling a little rushed and, at times, anticlimactic.

Still, it all leads up to a strong, typically barnstorming finish, complete with some of the most iconic brawls in series history.

Unfortunately, though, this is also where fans may take issue. We won't spoil anything here, but some pretty significant changes have been made to the core story. In truth, we're a bit torn on them; the changes can feel unnecessary, but at the same time, they're not totally out of place given the scope of the remake.

But what about the recasts? Well, several main characters have been stripped of their old looks, and essentially remade with new actors.

First up, there's Rikiya, a young Okinawan yakuza who endears himself to Kiryu early on. He's now portrayed by Show Kasamatsu, who puts in a fine performance — but we just found ourselves asking why such a recognisable character had to be recast and subsequently remodelled (other than to involve a relatively popular actor in the project, of course).

The thing is, Rikiya is still Rikiya. He's still a naive and often bumbling sidekick, except now he's got the looks of a much more serious guy. Standing next to Mikio, his comedic partner in crime who hasn't been recast and still looks like a cartoon character, it creates a jarring contrast, especially if you're familiar with the original Yakuza 3.

Then there's the recasting of Hamazaki, one of the game's pivotal villains. This is a far more meaningful recast in that Hamazaki's character has been altered on a fundamental level; he's now downright devious in his mannerisms, shedding his bulkier frame for that of a shorter gangster and master manipulator. He's very much been transformed into the 'brains' behind the bad guys.

We happen to really like this revised take on Hamazaki, who always did seem just a little out of place in the original plot, given his stature.

But these positives are almost certainly going to be scrutinised thanks to Hamazaki's new actor, Teruyuki Kagawa. A famous face in his homeland, Kagawa is great in the role, but it's hard to ignore the fact that he was found guilty of sexual misconduct several years ago, and was still cast in a game that, on multiple occasions, portrays sexual harassment as a truly despicable act.

It's the kind of surrounding controversy that weighs on a piece of entertainment, and some players simply won't be able to look past it whenever Hamazaki's on-screen.

For us, the changes and recasts didn't ruin the experience — but we'd totally understand if you felt differently. It's a huge shame that an otherwise great remake is held back by such questionable decisions — and that's without even mentioning the ridiculous removal of Yakuza 3 Remastered from digital storefronts, outside of expensive collections.

Anyway, let's get back to the gameplay, which again, we think is amongst the best in the franchise.

Combat is easily the biggest glow-up when comparing to the original release. Kiryu now feels like Gaiden Kiryu: speedy, snappy, and packing some hilariously powerful, ragdoll-inflicting blows.

There's a good degree of depth to the system, as Kiryu's trademark Dragon of Dojima style features an array of charged attacks, combo extensions, and brutal finishers. We're tempted to say that this is the most fun Kiryu has ever been to play as, but it's a close call.

And the purists may not like it, but perfect dodges are once again an all-important mechanic, allowing Kiryu to evade just about any kind of incoming attack and retaliate at speed.

Do these modernised dodges make Yakuza feel less like an old school beat-'em-up and more like a generic action game? Probably, but they're still satisfying to pull off and they're clearly here to stay.

What almost certainly isn't here to stay is Kiryu's second and brand new fighting style. Inspired by traditional Okinawan martial arts, the Ryukyu style sees our beefy hero cycle through different kinds of melee weapons to form a slower, more technical approach to battle.

The concept is cool, and giving Kiryu a shield, which allows for super satisfying perfect blocks and parries, is a masterstroke — but the moveset as a whole does feel a bit cobbled together.

Again, different weapon types are mapped to different buttons, and Kiryu's just whipping them out of nowhere. The animations look uneven at times, and although we like the idea of being able to swap between armaments to suit the situation — such as being able to break an opponent's guard with knuckleduster-like tekko — the Ryukyu style never feels as balanced as Kiryu's classic stance.

Having said that, it's still nice to have some variety, and you can do some interesting things by switching styles mid-combo. We're sure that hardcore Yakuza fans will discover all kinds of crazy stuff to play around with.

And it's worth experimenting, because a meaty chunk of Kiwami 3 is dedicated to a combat-focused side activity, hilariously named Bad Boy Dragon.

Introduced in the early hours, the optional quest tasks Kiryu with helping out a local Okinawan street gang. Across the map, you'll find potential recruits being harassed by thugs from a rival group, and you can save them by engaging in a big ol' street brawl.

Progression is simple but very effective: you gather allies through skirmishes or side stories, level them up by accompanying them in combat, and then challenge increasingly difficult opposition in Turf Wars — which are basically giant battles that wouldn't seem out of place in a Dynasty Warriors title.

It's brilliant fun, if a little repetitive later on, and it's a great way to bolster Kiryu's combat prowess for the main story.

So, the good news is that Kiwami 3's a largely great remake, but the even better news is that Dark Ties completes the package.

Essentially an expansion that's bundled together with Kiwami 3, Dark Ties puts the spotlight on Yoshitaka Mine — one of the game's primary antagonists.

Mine's always been a popular villain amongst fans, but we'd say that Dark Ties elevates him to being one of the series' most intriguing personalities. This second campaign starts off before the events of Yakuza 3, and shows us just how Mine managed to force his way into the yakuza life.

It's a reasonably short excursion; just blasting through the main story beats will take you around 10 hours or so, but there's a lot of optional busywork — and some entertaining side quests — on offer if you're eager to spend more time in Mine's expensive shoes.

For what it's worth, we saw just about everything Dark Ties has going for it in around 20 hours — and there is a New Game+ option if you want to do it all again.

Mine's swift but bone-breaking fighting style is an edgy delight, but it's really the narrative side of Dark Ties that surprised and impressed us the most.

As alluded, it gives Mine so much more depth with regards to his motivations and personal struggles; we're not sure it does enough to make him a sympathetic character, but it does a superb job of setting up his role in the main game.

And let's face it, just being able to play as an actual bad guy in a Yakuza game is a dream come true.