Sega’s very first Yakuza game launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Who would have thought that this unassuming open-world, action/adventure RPG, beat-em-up, would still be around more than ten years later, let alone have spawned seven main franchise entries and a number of spin-offs. Even more so, who would have thought the bulk of these Japanese gangster crime dramas would be so amazing.

Despite being popular in Japan, the Yakuza titles had a hard time gaining traction in the West. While gaining a firm user base they were always relegated to niche titles that few seemed to care about. Marking the Tenth Anniversary of the series, Sega decided to give the franchise the time they deserve by releasing two titles this year, along with Yakuza 6 announced for a Western release next year.



Despite been an amazing game, the original Yakuza suffered from serious technology and design issues. The game utilised a fixed camera perspective and Kamurocho, the district in which it was set, was broken up into sections. Loading times when moving between areas could become interminable as they lasted upwards of 20 seconds. The combat system had issues of its own, from the difficulty in lining up certain moves to staying focused on oa particular enemy. You couldn’t change up fighting styles on the fly either. It was a sign of the strength of the story then that I completed the game and was, blown away by it.

The remake is running on the Dragon Engine, the same one powering 0 and the upcoming 6 and as such has done away with the bulk of the aforementioned technical problems. Keeping in line with the new games of the series, the fixed camera angles are ditched in favour of a proper controllable camera which only suffers when you’re in confined locations. Fights in the world still pop up title cards depending on who you’re fighting and the loading is practically seamless.

Staying focused on enemies, still feels a little broken and left me taking attacks to the rear more than I cared to. The satisfying, bone-crunching combat still remains a cathartic delight as you switch between fighting styles on the fly, build up your HEAT Gauge and unleash devastating finishers with Kiryu’s fists, feet or the general environment. There's nothing like taking down a group of six gangsters while barely been touched and slamming a car door on at least one head.



Kiwami looks fantastic with higher polygon models and environments, better textures and special effects. Kamurocho, a lively, neon-filled environment looks crisp as sales people stand around on corners trying to entice you to accept more Pocket Tissues than you can have a use for while strange and bizarre individuals get you involved in their enticing and ultimately entertaining woes for item rewards.

Minigames are all over the place, from baseball at the batting cages to pool and darts in a bar and RC car racing which has its own questline. The choice is all yours. A certain selection of mini-games can be accessed from the menu for two players. For those bemoaning the removal of the Hostess Club sidequests from the last game, they’re here for you to get your romance on.

The game’s dialogue has been re-recorded with returning voice actors as well as new talent. There is no English track but that’s hardly recognisable when the Japanese voice cast so enthusiastically give it their all.

Kiwami once again places you in the shoes of Kiryu Kazama, an up-and-coming Yakuza member with a heart of gold. His personal ethos makes him more a samurai than a gangster. Taking the fall for a murder he didn’t commit, Kiryu spends ten years in jail, banished from his clan, before been released. His return to Kamurocho is marked, not with a man trying to find his way in a world that has moved on without him, but by violence, murder and deep-set betrayal. The city and family he left behind have changed for the worst and trusted friends have now become deadly enemies. Kiryu sets out to investigate what has happened, with only his fists to right the wrongs present on the Kamurocho’s street corners.

Yakuza Kiwami keeps the same story without ever been a complete shot for shot take on the original. To keep the game in line with the subsequent entries in the series, especially with the prequel, a wealth of new story content and scenarios have been seamlessly integrated into the remake.

Most notable is the inclusion of series favourite villain, Goro Majima, into the narrative outside of his original participation. He takes a larger part as someone invested in Kiryu returning to top form, if only to fight him. You’ll encounter Majima on the streets of Kamurocho in various guises or simply as a random fight designed to unlock more moves in your Dragon fighting style, one which didn’t exist in the original game. You’ll encounter Majima ranging in forms from a policeman searching you for illicit items, to him setting up a fake zombie outbreak that feels like a nod to Yakuza: Dead Souls.

The game has a host of scenes depicting the downfall of Nishikiyama, Kiryu’s best friend and brother in the clan as he goes from a well-meaning Yakuza to a ruthless killer intent on taking down his former best friend. These are some of Kiwami’s most powerful and emotive scenes where the voice actors shine through along with the strength of the games writing. Nishiki isn’t a protagonist that suddenly went straight up evil from the opening act, but rather a broken, looked down upon man whose loss of the tenuous ties holding his life together, finally breaks him. Powerful stuff indeed.



Kiwami takes place after the events of 0 and use Kiryu’s imprisonment as a way to reset his abilities while keeping the game in line with the rest of the franchise. He returns from incarceration less than he went in. The Dragon of Dojima needs to get his groove back through random fights that pepper the world and the various subquests around him. You’ll earn points to put into your abilities that unlock health boosts and new fighting moves.

Everything you do in the game earns you Completion Points. Talk to a number people, defeat so many opponents with a particular style, eat enough items from one restaurant; all of these and add up. Completion Points can be traded in for further stat boots, defensive items and items to help you locate side-quests in the world.

It’s been a long time since I played the original Yakuza and there’s a lot about it I don’t remember. On one hand, playing Kiwami was like returning to visit an old friend, on the other it was like playing it for the first time. Scenes that made an impression and stuck with me, such as my breathless escape from a funeral gone wrong, thrilled me as much now as it did the first time.

Yakuza Kiwami is an excellent game that both fans of the series and newcomers should play.