Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Review – A Familiar Fight

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has emerged as one of Sega’s top dogs over the last decade. For more than 20 years, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Japan-set crime-action franchise has delivered gripping narratives with stellar gameplay. Its latest effort, Yakuza Kiwami 3, a remake of the often-overlooked 2010 original that includes a new narrative side-story called Dark Ties, continues the momentum. While not perfect, it delivers the fun and fury of previous entries and features a plot that doesn’t pull punches.

Returning to the crime-riddled streets of Kamurocho and, now, the sunny townscape of Okinawa, protagonist Kazuma Kiryu is thrust back into the yakuza scene after his new life as an orphanage owner is threatened. For newcomers, Kiwami 3 isn’t as action-oriented as the original game or even Yakuza 0, but focuses on the drama and familial aspects, with questions of morality and trust at the forefront.

As a result, Yakuza 3 has one of my favorite narratives in the series, and Kiwami keeps it mostly intact, apart from some missed opportunities and plot changes. Characters like Mine and Rikiya shine, with this entry’s more dramatic flair bringing out the best from the actors. However, some flaws from the original story, like pacing, are noticeably untouched in this release, which proves even more disruptive in 2026.

Fortunately, the game’s fist-to-face combat is still top-notch. One of the original’s biggest gameplay issues was its impossible-to-hit foes, and Kiwami 3 fixes that mistake while keeping the challenge. Plus, with the new Ryukyu style, you get more options in your street fights, like area-of-effect attacks and guard breaks. While 0 and Lost Judgment have Kiwami 3’s combat beat, this modern remake still delivers the brand of high-octane combat that made the series what it is. Plus, nothing beats using a bicycle to slam hooligans in the middle of traffic.

I just wish those satisfying fight sequences looked more consistent, as the visuals deliver a mixed bag. Sometimes, the crowded cityscapes and engaging cutscenes look great. Other times, textures and combat can feel a bit muddied. It starts to lose that seamless cutscene-to-gameplay transition the franchise often prides itself on, especially with recent titles like Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

That aside, everything fans want in a Yakuza game is present, including mini-games and karaoke. While still fun, some aspects of the side content are a bit contrived. A few of the new activities are little more than minor rebrands of content from Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, like the new Bad Boy Dragon missions, which is disappointing for a mainline title. While managing your orphanage via minigames and substories are fun ways to experience the story and world, its forced inclusion into the main narrative often impedes the momentum of the plot if not actively engaged with.

The biggest addition is, of course, the new narrative arc Dark Ties, which follows antagonist Yoshitaka Mine on his rise to power in the Tojo Clan. While only a few chapters, akin to Kiwami 2’s Majima Saga, it does a great deal to show off Mine and his mysterious psyche. In a brains/brawn style matchup, both he and Kanda, the hotheaded leader of the Nishikiyama Family, are fun to watch bounce off each other. We also get some excellent back and forth between Mine and Daigo Dojima, otherwise absent in the main game 

Unfortunately, Dark Ties’ combat falls well short of the highs achieved by the main game. Mine’s style is too simplistic, and his move variety leaves much to be desired. His Rage system is a neat concept, as each charge makes attacks more powerful, helping against tougher enemies and leveling the playing field. Compared to Kiwami 3’s main game, it’s underwhelming, but the fun story is worth tolerating the underbaked gameplay.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 continues the solid streak for Ryu Ga Gotoku and the series. The gripping narrative and fun combat deliver on what players enjoy. It doesn’t raise the bar in any way, but newcomers and returning fans will find it a thrill ride from start to epic finish.