Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Reviews
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is yet another excellent installment in a saga that has now spanned more than twenty years. The remake of the ill-fated third chapter in the adventures of Kazuma Kiryu reworks the gameplay, story, and content to make it a fresher and more appealing product. Not only is the main campaign now more fun and fluid to play, but the brand new appendix dedicated to Yoshitaka Mine adds a touch of extra variety to an unquestionably solid package. Much has been said about the controversies surrounding the title (mainly related to narrative and casting choices, as well as new content that in some cases has replaced older content), but honestly, it seems to us that they are talking about everything except the validity of the title itself. The saga will inevitably have to deal with the near future and all that it entails. But returning to the Morning Glory orphanage after all these years couldn't be more comforting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a safe and superficial remake that's just another way for SEGA and RGG to release their anual Yakuza/Like a Dragon game. I do not recommend buying this its lackluster Dark Ties expansion, but, if you've never played Yakuza 3 before, this is not a bad way to do it, even if it's growingly clear that when Toshihiro Nagoshi left the studio in 2021, the series' creativity left with him.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
“Even an unambitious Yakuza can be trusted.”
Review in Finnish | Read full review
I’m somewhere in the middle, I’m curious as to what the team will be doing moving forward, but a tad weary at the approach. Like a Dragon as a franchise will likely continue indefinitely, but Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties will probably be remembered as an inflection point amongst the fanbase.
"A Remaster That Respects the Spirit of the Original" Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties succeeds in delivering an enhanced version that retains the essence of the original experience while significantly improving combat and side content. The Dark Ties chapter adds a new narrative dimension that expands understanding of the game world, while the open world and diverse activities bring a sense of life and interaction. However, the remaster suffers from visual inconsistencies in some technical elements and occasionally inconsistent voice acting.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 delivers a polished return to familiar settings, with improved combat and presentation, but it also suffers from pacing issues and content cuts. Dark Ties, meanwhile, struggles to justify its inclusion, offering a filler‑heavy side story that adds little to the overall package. Still, there is plenty of fun to be had, even though some odd decisions dampen the mood.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Despite the controversy and the plethora of missing content, I still had a pretty great time during my nearly 40 hours with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides. It makes some unnecessary changes, that’s for sure, some of which are quite disappointing (including the needless retcons at the end that will have serious ramifications for Yakuza 4‘s story), but the combat’s so much better than the original’s that it’s hard for me to be too cross about it.
Kiwami 3 is a complicated homecoming; while the Dragon Engine overhaul finally fixes the original's sluggish combat, it sacrifices a wealth of legacy side content in the process. The "Dark Ties" prequel adds needed depth to Mine, but uneven visuals and significant cuts make this remake feel more like a lateral move than a definitive upgrade.
The substories and main story were what made me keep playing Yakuza 3 Remastered, as after playing Yakuza Kiwami 2, the gameplay felt somewhat like a slog to me. Yakuza Kiwami 3 changed both of these reasons in ways that I mostly disapprove of, plus the character changes, but it made the gameplay considerably better, and added a lot of side content that was enjoyable, so it balanced it out. In short, Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a decent game for both newcomers and returning players, but I’d advise the former to play the original before this version.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 on Xbox Series X is a brilliant remake that preserves the tone and atmosphere of the franchise, whilst modernising the experience. If you’re a die-hard Yakuza fan like myself, then you’ll love this one. Having this as a double release with two different angles shows just how talented and strong Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are. Kiwami 3 will offer you a huge feast of content with an engaging storyline, plenty of action, turf wars, and more. Dark Ties is a shorter campaign, which will take around 15-20 hours to finish, which is a welcome addition when Kiwami 3 takes around 60-70 hours.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a much-needed remake in the Yakuza series, offering the fans a boatload of new content and streamlining some of the most controversial sections of the original game. With the addition of richer visuals and the excellent Dark Ties expansions, and despite some overly aggressive cuts and mandatory pace-breaking side activities, the final result is definitely a game that the series' fans shouldn't miss.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties should have been a much better experience, given the studio’s ability to reform and rebuild so much of what worked in the original. However, with poorly implemented pacing, a ton of cut content, and an awful casting choice, the title only succeeds in any real way due to the main story. Kiryu’s journey to find that normal life is one worth seeking, as well as diving into the criminal mind of Mine, should you be able to put up with a host of various issues, and that Yakuza elephant in the room.
With Yakuza 3 Kiwami & Dark Ties, RGG Studio has made a decidedly divisive choice, once again reshaping what was never the most beloved entry in the series. Their decision to alter or remove original content in favor of new interactions won’t please purists, but it does make the experience fresher and less predictable, even for longtime fans. The Mine-focused expansion is a welcome addition: not essential from a gameplay standpoint, but effective in enriching the narrative context. In the end, it remains a polarizing chapter—now as much as back then—but unquestionably the best and most modern way to experience Kiryu’s first adventure in the waters of Okinawa. As for me, the changes are more than welcome; if I wanted the PS3 version, I’d just dust off my 2009 Blu‑ray.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is an overall great package that retains or expands on most of what made Yakuza 3 great while also adding a welcome new story from Mine’s perspective. Some of the cut content and added content can be just a little bit puzzling, and I’m a little nervous about the altered story content, but otherwise, this is a brilliant way to revisit one of the most underrated Yakuza titles.
Yakuza Kiwami 3: Dark Ties is a successful modernization of a misunderstood classic. By fixing the combat frustrations of the past and adding the meaningful "Dark Ties" campaign, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has turned a "black sheep" into a must-play. While the early story pacing is a bit clunky and the handheld resolution could be sharper, the heart of the game is bigger than ever.
The original Yakuza 3 was already a great game with an emotional story, but Yakuza Kiwami 3 adds so much more with new story elements that make Kiryu’s relationship with everyone more personal ever, upgraded gameplay and loads of side activities. Dark Ties explores the motivation behind the main antagonist of the main game and what led him to leave his successful business behind and enter the seedy underbelly.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is an impressive package that successfully brings an outdated classic into the modern era, and whilst a questionable recast, some stiff facial animations, and cut-down side activities might hold it back from perfection for purists, the sheer amount of heart on display makes up for it. Between the fantastic combat overhaul, the addictive orphanage management, and the surprisingly deep Dark Ties prequel (as well as the insanely addictive ‘Hell’s Arena’), Kiryu’s island getaway has never been better.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a distinctly unambitious game. It is utterly uninterested in functioning as a faithful remake of Yakuza 3 or pushing the series forward in any meaningful way. RGG Studio has created a Frankenstein’s monster of thrown together mechanics from past entries that wears the skin of a flawed, but significant and in many ways beloved legacy title, and bundled it with an ultimately meaningless spin-off that only escalates growing concerns with the franchise’s future.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties delivers emotional character depth and strong value, but its structural age and uneven pacing prevent it from reaching the heights of the series’ best.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is divided between new and old fans, but it still delivers a wonderful story and takes on the task of expanding the title's content to an unexpected size.
Review in Spanish | Read full review