Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Reviews
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties brings quite a lot to the table in terms of a remake, with its refined combat mechanics along with new story content and mini-games. While the pacing and visual changes might be offputting to veteran fans, this is a sleek and modernized way to play this entry.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties trims content, adds recycled ideas, and delivers uneven additions, leaving its strong combat to carry an otherwise shaky remake.
Even with its weaker combat compared to its predecessors, the fights remain incredible to watch. Despite the questionable character model changes and the inclusion of a non-grata voice actor in the cast, its story is even more engaging, its characters remain amazing, the exploration is even more immersive, and above all, Yakuza maintains its strong and admirable spirit.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a mostly competent remake of an original that needed an update. The combat and upgrade changes are welcome, though those in the ending and its attempt to justify the expansion are not.
If there’s one remarkable thing I can say about Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties it’s that it truly made me empathize with its protagonist more than any other game in the series, as just like Kiryu, I spent the entire experience wishing I were sitting on a beach with my loved ones.
Overshadowed by a very troubled production and awful casting choices, Kiwami 3 is still a worthwhile expansion of the Yakuza saga.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties makes plenty of necessary improvements, but some of the changes make it hard to recommend over the original.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is another fun game in the franchise, now arriving on the Nintendo Switch 2 along with other platforms. This new version of the 2009 title boasts good gameplay and plenty of additional content that expands on what was once a short game, bringing it a bit closer to what's expected from a title in the series.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a successful remake of the third instalment in the Kazuma Kiryu saga, modernising the experience without betraying the spirit of the original. The narrative alternates between dramatic and intense moments and lighter, more touching situations, especially in the relationship with children, which is one of the emotional cores of the adventure. The remake expands and improves many side activities, including the management of the orphanage and the Bad Boy Dragon minigame, as well as adding the extra story Dark Ties, centred on Yoshitaka Mine. From a technical standpoint, the game performs well, despite occasionally uneven graphics, especially in the cutscenes. Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a really good remake: it retains the strengths of the original, corrects some of its flaws and enriches the experience with new content.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The remake offers a lot of new goodies in the form of side content and a whole new story starring antagonist Yoshitaka Mine as he moves up the ranks in the Tojo Clan. However, the game ends up feeling quite bloated, the main story’s pacing takes a huge hit, and a lot of the changes made for Yakuza Kiwami 3 simply don’t land.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is recommended because it is a remake that respects and updates the classic. It offers many hours of fun and a solid narrative experience. The combat system has been revamped and still includes a wide variety of missions/activities. It also includes a new story featuring Yoshitaka Mine. Without a doubt, it is an excellent opportunity to delve into this chapter of the saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s hard not to feel conflicted about Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, because while it plays smoother and looks cleaner, many of its story changes and cut content weaken what originally worked. The remake still has solid moments, especially with Dad Kiryu, but combat, pacing, and Dark Ties often feel shallow or stretched out. It’s not a bad time, just a messy step forward that doesn’t fully honor what makes the Yakuza series work.
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Review in Italian | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties delivers a refined take on one of the series’ most emotional entries, modernizing its storytelling, combat, and character depth while introducing a compelling prequel that expands the lore. With a heartfelt focus on Kiryu’s role as a father and a meaningful expansion in Dark Ties, this package solidifies its place as a worthy revisit for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties brings one of Kiryu’s most personal chapters back with smoother combat, stronger pacing, and a clearer sense of place. The remake respects what made Yakuza 3 different, while Dark Ties adds context without pulling focus away from the main story. It isn’t flawless, but as a complete package, it’s an easy chapter to return to and play through.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the complete package. You get not one, but two fully-contained campaigns, with all the violence and drama you’d expect in any Yakuza story. Having both games unlocked from the start is great for anyone who’s played the original Yakuza 3 and just wants to get to all of the new stuff, though any players new to Yakuza 3 will probably want to play Yakuza Kiwami 3 first to get more familiar with the story. Playing either game is guaranteed to be a good time.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties has no interest in the source material other than trying to adapt it to the tired formula of mass appeal that Masayoshi Yokoyama perfected when he took over as head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. In the process, the game forgets everything that made the original story a landmark of the franchise and replaces it with a thick coat of corporate varnish. Unfortunate associations and certain narrative decisions also make the experience hard to swallow. A true disappointment in the franchise, of the kind that has, unfortunately, become more common over time — perhaps it's time for the end of the annual format.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is more than just a graphical update to one of the series' most human classics, it's an expansion with lots of fun new content, but the combat leaves a lot to be desired while Dark Ties is totally unnecessary.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is, above all, a celebration of what the series does best. The package strikes a smart balance between nostalgia and modernization, revisiting a key chapter in Kazuma Kiryu’s journey while expanding the universe with an original story that adds depth to one of the franchise’s most compelling antagonists. It’s not a revolutionary game, but it is a very welcome refinement of a formula that still works.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a reinvention of a classic entry in the franchise, but it's far from being its definitive version. (Review written in Portuguese for Entertainium Brasil)