Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties – Review

SEGA has started 2026 with an epic and heated game that will test the limits of many Yakuza fans. The one game they recently launched is an all-new remake of one of their classic games, Yakuza Kiwami 3, which has evolved even further and added not only 1 story content, but 2. But is it worth getting it?

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a remake of Yakuza 3, and it takes place after the events of Yakuza Kiwami 2. Kiryu Kazama, the fourth chairman of the Tojo clan, has decided to retire with his adoptive daughter, Haruka, to Okinawa and take up the mantle of caregiver at an orphanage he has set up. However, a closure notice was sent to his orphanage saying that his new home will be demolished and used for the benefit of all of Japan. Wondering why this has happened, he has learned that some dark secrets are behind this plan, and it leads him back all the way to the attempted assassination of the current chairman of the Tojo Clan, Dojima Daigo. Because of this, a power struggle has started once more, and it is up to Kiryu to stop this ongoing war and uncover the truth behind this dangerous incident.

The story content of the game is quite similar to the original, but it has some added scenes and some altered scenes that we did not expect to see. I want to say some of them, but I don’t want to spoil the gamers who are into the series in learning what kind of implications it will have in the upcoming new Kiwami projects that SEGA will have soon. Though I fear that many who wish to stay loyal to how the story of Yakuza should be will not like how they alter some of the scenes, and may question its credibility.

However, what I like about Yakuza Kiwami 3 is that it comes with another game called Dark Ties, and this time the game focuses on how the antagonist of Yakuza Kiwami 3, Yoshitaka Mine, became a dejected former businessman to a rising member of the Tojo Clan who has shown deep loyalty to Dojima Daigo, and what drives him to become ruthless and devoting at the same time. This new game is literally what I expected from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios, and I can see that they are really devoted to expanding the world of Yakuza even further. I really love the fact that they even showed devotion to make 2026 a year that will be centered around action RPG games.

Both games utilize the same combat system used in previous Kiwami, but has unexpected twist. For the first time, the number of Heat actions that can be unlocked has been reduced to the point that this focuses on learning how to perform successful combo attacks, learning how to either dodge or parry incoming attacks, and performing explosive attacks that splatter your enemies to the floor instantly. Between the two characters that I have played, I really loved Mine’s combat moves as it shows his skill, agility, and ruthlessness in this game, and show how far this game has developed. Every move, every attack, and every execution is like what we expect to see in the future game projects that Ryu Ga Gotoku studios will have soon.

Graphics in both games are astounishing especially on the PlayStation 5. But what astounded me more was the fact that this game is even playable on the Nintendo Switch 2. At first, I was skeptical about playing it on a portable console, but after playing the game on both consoles, I was dumbfounded by how accurate and great the visuals were, especially when using handheld mode.

There are many features in this game to try out, especially customizing your cellphone. You heard right, customizing has become a big part of the series, you can customize your cellphones and even your clothes in either a stylish manner or a funny way as well. I personally want to customize Kiryu in a more nostalgic way to bring back some of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s infamous titles and make players remember what other games they have made that made action RPG games a literal mainstream for many gamers.

Another feature that I have enjoyed is the Ryukyu Gal gang. Here,  players manage up to four squads in “Bad Boy Dragon” mode, where each squad consists of a leader and four members, requiring strategic planning and winning territory battles and facing the whole squad of enemies with your allies in an all-out brawl. Customizing your team, recruiting allies, increasing their morale, and their core strength will be the key, especially learning what to spend as well. Among the substories I have played in Yakuza Kiwami 3, this one is probably my favorite one to take on, as it gives me tons of benefits, and I am able to attract an interesting lineup of characters that I never expected to see once more.

Both Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties are both explosive games that I really like. Both emphasize the meaning of what brutality and drama are in the whole Yakuza series. I would recommend those who are new to this series to try out the demo or play the previous Yakuza Kiwami games first and experience firsthand how deep the story is in the series. Afterwards, they can play this game and any succeeding Yakuza games that they can play in the future. Playing this game gives me high expectations that the whole Yakuza series will be remade definitively on any console that players will enjoy.