Yakuza Kiwami Reviews
Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza game, which was released on Playstation 2 nearly 12 years ago, but it may as well be regarded as its own entity. Yakuza Kiwami is a fully done remake – with all new textures, extended stories, and more depth and cohesion than the original Yakuza could have dreamed of – so it’s not to be confused with a general remaster (*cough Sleeping Dogs *cough*).
Sega remastered the original Yakuza in high style. Using an updated engine, the team behind the series added new character models, re-recorded voice acting, and an expanded city of Kamurocho, all in 1080p at 60 fps. Yakuza Kiwami bleeds love for the original game. If you haven't played any Yakuza, this is the release to get. If you have, this is a great remaster of a former cult-favorite. It's not as full-featured as current Yakuza release, but it's still a great time.
Yakuza Kiwami honestly rides on the thin line between remake and reimagining of a classic game. It keeps all of the original story beats and brings the games visuals into the modern-day while incorporating a lot of the newer games mechanics without hampering the original games integrity. This game is honestly the best way to experience the original Yakuza.
For those itching to spend more time with Kazuma Kiryu following Yakuza 0, Kiwami is exactly what you’ve been waiting for and an essential purchase. If you happen to be looking to start the series, it’s hard to recommend Yakuza Kiwami over its immediate predecessor.
Yakuza Kiwami is a polished and exceptionally fun game with a fantastic and moving storyline.
I certainly did enjoy Yakuza: Kiwami as my first visit of the franchise and look forward to hopefully playing more down the road.
Yakuza Kiwami isn't the most innovative game under the sun, but it builds on such a solid foundation it's still definitely worth playing. However, due to the lower budget and slavish devotion to the decade old original game, it doesn't quite hold up to Yakuza 0.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A great game, but one that pales in comparison to Yakuza 0. Still, if you enjoyed Yakuza 0, you'll enjoy Yakuza Kiwami, though the story is different and the gameplay might have taken step back.
Twelve years ago, in 2005 to be more exact, SEGA launched a game on the market based on the fearsome mafias that hit the Japanese slums, it was a game with an excellent story and an impeccable narrative that combined hand to hand combat, excellent graphics and endearing characters in a solid package that started a successful saga that remains in force until now.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Yakuza is a niche series and it’s definitely an acquired taste, but if it hooks you it’s unlikely to ever let you go.