Yakuza Kiwami Reviews
An entertaining but slightly unbalanced remake whose biggest draw is a regular distraction from one of the series' best stories.
Yakuza Kiwami makes great strides in updating the classic original Yakuza game to modern standards. But while it adds better combat, bizarrely charming side quests, and a gorgeous graphical revamp, it also ignores some of the original's biggest problems in pacing and storytelling. And because of its relatively short length, Yakuza Kiwami's fun trip through the tangled web of Japan's criminal underground feels like a prelude to something bigger and better to come.
Suffers in comparison to Yakuza 0, but is still a compelling drama and an important part of the series as a whole.
Yakuza Kiwami remains one of the best stories that RGG has ever told, and showing its age a smidge doesn’t diminish that. Showcasing Kiwami on another platform to welcome new fans into the fold can only be a good thing, and it’s impressive just how well it runs on Switch. Most importantly, now Majima Everywhere can really be everywhere as he just became portable.
Yakuza Kiwami is a sprawling adventure, but – as enhanced as it is – it's clearly a foundational entry in the series
Yakuza Kiwami picks up where Yakuza Zero left off, upholding its dramatic storytelling, offbeat humor, and flashy yet frustrating combat.
Yakuza Kiwami makes it clear just how far the series has come, and just how far it still has to go. It's keenly designed to bring newly minted Yakuza fans more firmly into the fold by providing all the contemporary comforts they might expect, while also giving longtime fans more to chew on than a shot-for-shot remake ever would have. It's a patchwork, for better and for worse, and as much as I enjoyed my time with it, there's no denying that some of those patches are looking more tired than others.
Kiwami has a much smaller scope than something like Yakuza 0 but I think that also gives it a lot of focus. While the series is now famous for side quests and random activities, Kiwami has a focus and drive to it that I really enjoyed by the end.
Yakuza Kiwami remakes the original game in a near-perfect way.
But besides all this, it is simply a good time. And there is an unmistakable, open-hearted joy to fixing problems for people as an intimidating agony uncle. Even if it usually involves hitting them with a bike first.
No matter how significant the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series might have become, this first instalment is a mixed bag. At times Yakuza Kiwami is full of life and ambition. At other times it's as frustrating and seems too willing to draw things out in a slightly over-indulgent way. Experimenting with the battle system is satisfying for as long as the game gives you space to do it. But the game's pace-killing negatives, the difficulty spikes and the quickly diminishing returns of wandering the Tokyo streets, marred by random battles and fetching items, hold it back from being an easy recommendation. You may well enjoy yourself during your playthrough, but we'd bet a few thousand yen that some of the less-streamlined elements will test your patience.
This newcomer thinks that Yakuza Kiwami is a blast. I can't speak to how different it is from the first game, but the sheer amount of content and personality makes it worth checking out. Though the fights could get repetitive at times, the combat system kept things interesting on the whole.
Yakuza Kiwami on Switch is a good port of a great game, and while it shows its age in certain areas, it's still a lot of fun to play.
The start was always the best, and this extreme edition is a reminder of how fantastic this series has always been.
Until then, I will keep my fingers crossed, because the only thing better than a fantastic remake of a beloved game, is two fantastic remakes of two beloved games. Yet, whether the sequel will come or not, Yakuza Kiwami will go down in history as one of the best remakes ever created, for a game that was already great on PS2.
Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect game for those who never played a Yakuza before. The new graphics and control are a nice way to enter in the life o Kiryu.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I enjoyed my time with Kiwami despite its flaws. The story kept me up for hours on end, the sub-stories were interesting with hilarious characters and great writing, and the combat felt incredible to master by the end. It can't be ignored that they had a chance to massively improve the story, but chose to just try and maintain the status quo, but the package is fantastic nonetheless
Some signs of aging are inevitable counting the 12 years from the original game, but nowadays few remakes are well done like Yakuza Kiwami.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Really, you can't go wrong with Kiwami. I would have liked it if every aspect of the game had been fully redone, but we don't see remakes like this come along often. I can deal with a few stumbling blocks when the core quality of what makes Yakuza so unique and engaging remains untouched. At least now more people can have a chance to experience this classic, which is the best thing about Kiwami's existence.