Yakuza Kiwami Reviews
Yakuza Kiwami is everything a proper remaster should be. Instead of just plainly expanding ratios, this 10th anniversary version of the adventures of Kazuma Kiryu is a success in every aspect, with a complete rework visual and audio, new activities and minigames, a modernized combat system and more than 30 minutes of new cinematic features, Yakuza Kiwami is what other publishers should follow when trying to revive their old icons.
There are two kinds of players that Yakuza Kiwami should interest — existing Yakuza fans that want to give the first game a visit, and the gamers who’ve heard great things about Yakuza but never gave it a chance. When it comes to these two audiences, Sega hit it right out of the park with this remake especially with the game’s $30 price point.
And a frustration-free Yakuza Kiwami experience means more time spent at one of the many hostess bars.
Yakuza Kiwami follows hot on the heels of the prequal and save for a much more compact narrative nothing is drastically different and that's perfect. Yakuza is still the undisputed king of punching bad people in the face very hard and with more Yakuza games potentially on the horizon, it's never been a better time to flex Kiryu's muscles.
For fans of the series Yakuza Kiwai delivers a high class adventure, with crazy story telling and colorful characters. For everyone else? It's Yakuza – and if you haven't played it before Yakuza Kiwai is a good one to start with.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami is an excellent point of entry for newcomers and an awesome follow-up for those that played Yakuza 0, and it is also the best way to know how everything began or to relive how Kiryu's saga started. Kiwami is a tighter experience when compared to other Yakuza games, since it focuses in its crime story. Kiwami doesn't level up to Yakuza 0, however, it is an excellent game within the series and a must-play for any player.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Yakuza Kiwami is a stripped-down, basic version of a winning formula, but there's no denying it still wins.
Yakuza Kiwami is a solid remake that has the misfortune of being released in the same year as the predecessor from which it recycles most of its content. Yakuza 0 is just a better game in almost every way. Kiwami's story is plenty of fun, and the writing and side content remains as hilarious as ever. It just feels too familiar. Those looking for more Yakuza will find a lot to like here, but even at a budget price of $30, it's difficult to feel excited by any of it. Give it more time to breathe, and it'll be a fun way to re-experience Yakuza, but anyone who dives in immediately after Yakuza 0 is going to have a very severe case of déjà vu.
With Yakuza Kiwami, SEGA have brought the series starting point up to a modern standard and created the perfectly jumping in point for the series.
Yakuza Kiwami is a worthy follow up to Yakuza 0, and a top-notch remake of the entry title into the Yakuza franchise. Majimi Everywhere is a great inclusion, adding substance and random elements to just running around the city to the narrative waypoints. Side stories feel a bit dated, but there are more than enough worthwhile ones that you'll enjoy.
For the most part, Kiwami is a good retelling of the very first game and arguably has the best story out of the entire series.
An entertaining but slightly unbalanced remake whose biggest draw is a regular distraction from one of the series' best stories.
While the narrative isn’t as clear-cut as it was in Yakuza 0 and the fact that this is a true-to-life remake of the original game will mean it may not be as exciting as some of the more recent outings in the franchise, the classic re-telling of how everything came to be and the addictive gameplay is enough for fans of the series to give this a go. If you haven’t played Yakuza 0 yet, I strongly suggest starting there. But if you have played 0, what are you waiting for? Continue Kiryu’s story and let Sega know we want Yakuza Kiwami 2 localized as quick as possible in English after it releases in Japan at the end of this year!
Yakuza Kiwami is an exceptional game with exceptional action and exceptional stories. There are so many things to do and experience here that $30 for Yakuza Kiwami feels almost like highway robbery. Throw in Yakuza 0 and you are set for about 100 hours of great gaming.
Yakuza Kiwami is a perfect example of a remake done right. The news graphics and added content give longtime fans of the series more than enough reasons to dive right back in Kamurocho's seedy underworld. And for new fans and curious gamers, Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect way to discover Kazuma Kiryu's first misadventures.
Review in French | Read full review
As a relatively new fan to the franchise, Yakuza Kiwami offers another fantastic journey in the life of Kazuma Kiryu. From the serious to the outright wacky and perverted, I loved every second and thoroughly look forward to the next chapter in the experience.
Temper your expectations and take on board that Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of a game that's over 10 years years old and you'll enjoy it for what it is – more of the same, only not quite as polished and with less to do on the side.
Yakuza Kiwami is a welcome retelling of the original that helps bring in new folks to the fold while giving fans another opportunity to enjoy the game that started it all. Some aspects of the game haven’t aged quite as well even with the new coat of paint. A compelling story and setting, however, combined with memorable characters and an affordable price to boot makes Kiwami a welcome blast from the past that arrives just in time.
However, for the asking price of thirty dollars, I did get a lot more out of it than what I was expecting. It is a much needed entry point into a series that has made its own mark in the industry as a more melancholic and measured crime experience. A game that ate up forty hours of my time and had my attention, even when I was having conversations with a club hostess, picking up spares, or smashing the teeth out of some punk with a baseball bat. If you've wanted to get into the series before but didn't know where to start, this is the game you've been waiting for.