The revelation of Yakuza Kiwami 3 at the recent Ryu Ga Gotoku Summit has thrilled long-standing fans, surpassing expectations and confirming its existence after much anticipation.
Having played the original Yakuza 3 chronologically after the stunning Dragon Engine remakes of Kiwami 1 and 2, the technical limitations of the 2009 title became starkly apparent. Its gameplay felt broken and dated; boss fights often featured unfair difficulty spikes leading to frantic button-mashing, and general navigation felt sluggish. Despite wanting to immerse myself in Kiryu`s peaceful moments in Okinawa, drawn-out interactions and primitive character models from the early 2000s, especially for children, detracted significantly from the overall enjoyment.
Yet, the game was redeemed by its deeply emotional narrative, which stands as one of Kiryu`s most poignant sagas, featuring beloved characters that resonate with fans even today. While my playthrough had its frustrations, the quiet, touching interactions Kiryu shared with the orphans and his bonds with unique Yakuza 3 characters remain standout moments across the entire series.
After completing it, I yearned for a Yakuza 3 remake, convinced that updated graphics and gameplay would transform it into a personal favorite. Experiencing the demo brought me to tears, as Yakuza Kiwami 3 not only receives the much-deserved Dragon Engine overhaul but also boasts significant new content, underscoring RGG`s dedication to its remakes.
Yakuza Kiwami 3: First Impressions
Though brief, the demo offered crucial insights into Kiwami 3`s anticipated changes. It began with an early scene: Kiryu, having left the Yakuza, resides in Okinawa with Haruka, managing the Morning Glory orphanage, his childhood home. Persistent eviction threats from the Ryudo family lead Kiryu to their city office, where he confronts Rikiya and Mikio, who were observing the orphanage. This confrontation directly transitions into a combat tutorial.
As a remake, the game revisits its foundational beat-em-up mechanics, retaining Kiryu`s iconic Dragon of Dojima fighting style while introducing a new Ryukyu Style, drawing inspiration from Okinawan martial arts. This new style grants Kiryu access to eight distinct weapons, each featuring a charged attack. Combat largely mirrors prior Kiwami titles, but experimenting with the Ryukyu style`s new weapons and combos was enjoyable. Naturally, Kiryu`s classic move—using a bicycle as a weapon—remains a personal favorite.
Following the combat, a brief free-roam segment allowed exploration of the newly rendered Okinawa streets, evoking a sense of nostalgia. The demo offered limited activities beyond basic karaoke and dining. However, I spent significant time customizing Kiryu`s `Razor` phone, a delightful returning feature. Kiwami 3 introduces options for charms, jewels, and background customization. I personally adorned his phone in pink, complete with jewels and a heart charm, which promises to enhance the charm of future `Revelations` moments.
A particular alteration in the remake that gives me pause is Rikiya`s updated facial model. The original Yakuza 3 depicted Rikiya with a youthful, almost innocent look, perfectly suiting his naive character and Okinawan background—a softer, more casual appearance compared to standard Yakuza figures. This has now been replaced with a likeness based on his new voice actor, Sho Kasamatsu, resulting in a more rugged, handsome Japanese actor aesthetic. Adapting to this new look will be unusual, but I hope the dynamic, often humorous interactions between him and Kiryu, his `aniki,` retain their emotional impact. I`m especially curious to see how a specific hotel scene will be presented. After this preview of the remake, attention turned to the studio`s major reveal: Yoshitaka Mine receiving his own standalone game, titled `Dark Ties`.
Dark Ties: First Impressions
At last, a Yakuza game starring a genuine yakuza protagonist! Beyond the complete remake, Kiwami 3 includes an entirely distinct game mode centered on Yoshitaka Mine, the main antagonist, detailing the events preceding Kiwami 3`s narrative. Akin to the Majima Saga in Yakuza Kiwami 2, this is a full-fledged, accessible story from the main menu. It`s truly astonishing that RGG has granted a villain from over 15 years ago his own expansive playable storyline, continually demonstrating their commitment to delivering substantial content and heartfelt exposition for fan-favorite characters.
Within `Dark Ties,` Mine is depicted as a businessman striving to forge connections within the Yakuza underworld. An opening cutscene showed Mine grappling with an existential crisis post-resignation from his enterprise. Inspired by the unwavering loyalty of Tojo Clan members to their chairman, Daigo Dojima, Mine resolves to align himself with Daigo at all costs. A private investigator then tips him off about a newly released yakuza with influential ties: Tsuyoshi Kanda, the arrogant and depraved antagonist from Yakuza 3. My immediate thought during this scene was how striking Mine looked. While his facial design slightly diverges from his appearance in Yakuza Isshin, I anticipate Mine enthusiasts, myself included, will flood social media with fan edits.
Immediately following the cutscene, we engaged in Mine`s combat tutorial. His fighting style is a distinct fusion of aerial attacks and `shoot boxing,` capable of activating his `Dark Awakening.` This powerful state is unlocked by filling `shackled hearts` below his health bar via combos, significantly boosting his strength. The humorous name `Dark Awakening` amused me, perfectly suiting Mine`s jokingly `emo` persona and adding a thematic edge to his moveset.
Post-tutorial, we were given free rein to explore Kamurocho. Like other Yakuza protagonists, Mine can partake in various minigames, including golf, baseball, and gambling. Hearing Shido Nakamura reprise his role as Mine was a joy, prompting my immediate dash to karaoke during free-roam. Whether RGG`s tradition of having voice actors sing karaoke is a bonus or a burden, Mine`s rendition of `Bakamitai` was stunning, even if directed at Kanda`s photograph—a slight letdown for MineDai shippers.
The demo concluded on a tantalizing cliffhanger with Mine`s encounter with Kanda, leaving me eager to discover the full extent of his story and its connection to Kiwami 3. With a comprehensive backstory unfolding for Mine`s relationships with both Kanda and Daigo, witnessing their eventual fates in Kiwami 3 promises to be captivating. Crucially, I`m particularly excited for the reactions and memes from Mine and Daigo enthusiasts once the games launch. Among all recent RGG releases, this is the one that sparks my greatest anticipation.
I deeply anticipate spending time with Kiryu at the orphanage, experiencing his tranquil moments in the stunning Dragon Engine, alongside enjoying the humorous side content and interactions with beloved Yakuza 3 characters. Typically, I`m indifferent to video game remakes, as they rarely offer more than graphical updates. However, RGG consistently delivers beautifully reimagined titles packed with fresh content. As the studio steadily remakes its entire catalog, these Kiwami releases, despite occasional minor or debatable changes, clearly demonstrate RGG`s commitment to its fanbase and its desire for new players to fully appreciate Kiryu`s complete narrative.