Yakuza Kiwami
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Action, TPP, gangster, beat 'em up, remaster/remake, Japan, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A complex remake of the first installment in the Yakuza series. The original title debuted on PlayStation 2 in 2005. The game takes place in 1995, eight years after the events shown in Yakuza 0. Kazuma Kiryu, the main protagonist, is a high ranked member of the criminal clan Tojo. He takes the blame for the murder of the patriarch of Dojima family, who was responsible for kidnapping his friend Yumi.
Yakuza Kiwami for PS4 is a complex remake of the first installment of Yakuza series. The original version of the game debuted on PlayStation 2 in 2005. All titles in the series were developed by Sega. For many years since its debut the series gained many fans and is especially successful in Japan (where it is known as Ryu ga Gotoku). It even received comic and movie adaptations. Ten installments of the series were released until 2016, including a few spin-offs. Yakuza Kiwami offers not only completely new visuals, but it also introduces changes to gameplay mechanics and previously unavailable story sequences that link it stronger to the prequel released on PlayStation 4.
Plot
Yakuza Kiwami for PS4 takes place in 1995, eight years after the events of Yakuza 0. Kazuma Kiryu, the main protagonist of the series, is a high ranked member of Tojo clan. One night, the patriarch of Dojima family (that works for Tojo) kidnaps a friend of Kazuma named Yumi. A close colleague of the protagonist, Akira Nishikiyama, joins Kazuma in the chase. He reaches the girl as first and he kills Dojima, thus shaking the foundation of Tokyo’s criminal underworld. Kazuma takes the blame for the murder, allowing Nishikiama to escape from the crime scene. All he asks him is to take care of Yumi.
After ten years the protagonist leaves prison. He finds himself in a completely unfamiliar world. The Tojo clan is at the brink of a civil war caused by 10 millions of yens gone missing from the organization’s vault. The situation is somehow related to Kazuma’s friend, who also cannot be found. The protagonist decides to get back into the yakuza world, rebuild his position in the “family” and find Yumi.
Mechanics
Yakuza Kiwami for PS4 uses improved gameplay and combat systems from Yakuza 0. The title is an action-adventure game, in which the action is presented from a third-person perspective. Although the series is frequently called the Japanese answer to Grand Theft Auto, in fact both series are very different. Yakuza Kiwami, similarly to other entries in the series, is more linear and it doesn’t offer a large sandbox city or the possibility to drive cars. Instead of that, the player can explore a few smaller locations based on Tokyo streets that offer many attractions and were created with great detail.
Kazuma defeats his opponents by using fists. Four combat styles are available, each of which has unique moves and spectacular special attacks. The player can also use improvised weapons like bottles, traffic signs or bikes. The protagonist develops his skills by unlocking them on a special ability wheel.
In addition to main plot missions, there are many side quests available as well. The title also offers various minigames and optional activities in places like casino, karaoke bar, hostess club or amusement arcade. Goro Majima’s challenges are a novelty in the series. Majima is one of the greatest rivals of Kazuma and he appears in various places, frequently in a funny way. Then he challenges the main protagonist.
Technical aspects
Yakuza Kiwami for PS4 was built from scratch on a new graphics engine that supports 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second. The developers recorded anew all dialogues and they created new cutscenes. For the first time ever the Western players can enjoy the original Japanese voice cast – Yakuza for PlayStation 2 was released only with English dubbing outside Japan.
Last updated on April 27, 2017
Videos and Screens
[0:39] Yakuza Kiwami Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer
[3:04] Yakuza Kiwami Yakuza Kiwami for Nintendo Switch - 'Play It Together!' Trailer
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 86% of Critics. There are 134 Critic Reviews.
WayTooManyGames: 7 / 10 by Leonardo Faria
Don’t get me wrong; at the end of the day, this is still Yakuza Kiwami, and that means you can have a lot of fun with. I loved revisiting it, for instance. The great writing, characters, music, everything is here. But the Switch just isn’t the best place to enjoy this kind of game. From the unstable framerate to the short battery life, this immersive narrative brawler needs to be enjoyed on a big screen, with great visuals and framerate. Which you can do, if you play it on a PS4, PS5, or Xbox.
PC Gamer: 74 / 100 by Phil Savage
Suffers in comparison to Yakuza 0, but is still a compelling drama and an important part of the series as a whole.
Nintendo Life: 6 / 10 by Oliver Revolta
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.
GAMERS Score
Average score from 1286 votes. 178 players anticipated the game.
27
GAMES
in Like a Dragon / Yakuza Game Series
Game Series
Like a Dragon / Yakuza Series
Yakuza (Japanese. Ryu ga Gotoku - Like a Dragon) is a series that began as TPP action adventure games, while in 2020 began a love affair with the jRPG genre. The essence of gameplay in productions under this banner are spectacular clashes, in which we mostly use our own fists, white weapons such as clubs or samurai swords, as well as elements of the environment, such as trash cans or bicycles. Firearms are present, but usually do not play a major role. The protagonists have numerous fighting styles, which we can upgrade. Of great importance are impressive finishers, in which opponents are eliminated in a particularly impressive way.
27 video games
Yakuza Kiwami Summary
Platforms:
PC Windows February 19, 2019
PlayStation 4 August 29, 2017
Xbox One April 22, 2020
Nintendo Switch October 24, 2024
Yakuza Kiwami System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2 GHz / AMD FX-6300 3.5 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTX 560 / Radeon HD 6870 or better, Windows 7 64-bit
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