Yakuza Kiwami 3 Delivers Intense Brawling and Heartfelt Storytelling

Once again, a retired yakuza and ultimate fighter is pulled back into action to take on crime, but this time he’s doing it for the orphanage he now runs on a sunny Okinawa beach. Yakuza 3’s narrative has always stood out as one of the series’ finest, despite some pacing issues and the clunky combat that can sometimes hinder the experience. Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties brings this story back to life, though minor tweaks don’t quite smooth out all the rough edges. At least the revamped combat delivers some of the most satisfying brawling since 2021’s Lost Judgment.

The brilliance of Yakuza 3 lies in its ability to feel like a grand conclusion to a trilogy, even if we know that Kazuma Kiryu’s journey continues through Yakuza 6 and the seventh installment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as well as Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and ultimately wraps up in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Yakuza 3 dives into a genuinely touching story about a man striving to leave his criminal past behind and figure out what comes next. While later games often depict Kiryu operating from the shadows, burdened by his past, Yakuza 3 boldly has him face the challenges of building a new life and caring for a family of orphans, whether it’s giving them fashion tips or discussing bullying.

However, Yakuza 3 isn’t just a lighthearted beach adventure. The orphanage’s seaside location hints at financial struggles and prime real estate, as Kiryu and the kids find themselves caught in the crossfire of politicians eager to push their agendas and crime syndicates looking to profit from the land. When reason fails, they might just have to rely on the fists of Kazuma Kiryu—the dragon of Dojima.

In the early stages of Yakuza Kiwami 3, Kiryu navigates a compact yet vibrant downtown Okinawan map, a stark contrast to the bustling nightlife of Tokyo’s Kamurocho, with tropical vibes reminiscent of recent Hawaiian-themed entries. Many of the game’s challenges and side stories—part skit, part side quest—are fresh and draw inspiration from the series’ Hawaiian escapades. These elements blend well, showcasing Kiryu not just bonding with his children but also fostering a strong community in Okinawa, whether it’s mentoring a girl biker gang or participating in a local photo competition.

That said, there are moments when Yakuza 3 seems to bend a bit too much to modern expectations. A scavenger hunt using a flip phone (with plenty of nostalgic nods to the 2000s), unlocking a prototype personal transporter, and greeting passersby are fun but feel somewhat unnecessary in the limited Okinawan space, which is actually a bit smaller in Yakuza Kiwami 3 than in the original.

While many new features are enjoyable, I do miss some elements from the original—most notably the quirky revelations where Kiryu would capture absurd situations on his flip phone and be inspired to learn new fighting moves while blogging about them. Now, it’s just a skill tree menu where you spend money and arbitrary ‘training points.’ Some of the charm has been lost.

The Japanese voice acting is excellent, but the new English dub shines as well. This is my favorite performance of Kiryu by Yong Yea, while Zeno Robinson’s Rikiya strikes the perfect balance of charm, and Daman Mills’ Mine is delightfully sinister.

Before diving in, I had mixed feelings about the revamped combat in Yakuza Kiwami 3. On one hand, I was eager for a change from the original Yakuza 3, which suffered from enemies that blocked too much, limiting your options to a few ineffective combos. On the other hand, I worried it might feel like the floaty combat in Like a Dragon Gaiden or Pirate Yakuza.

Fortunately, Yakuza Kiwami 3 proves that RGG Studio can still deliver impactful combat in smaller skirmishes rather than making it feel like a bowling game. Dodging, weaving, parrying, and unleashing powerful punches into foes feels fantastic, whether it’s delivering a knee to the gut or slamming a thug’s head into a wall.

A brand-new combat style, Ryukyu (taught to Kiryu by a friendly izakaya owner and martial arts instructor), allows him to summon traditional Okinawan weapons seemingly out of nowhere. It may not make much sense, but who cares when it’s this much fun? Wielding an oar-like weapon to clear crowds, using a shield to deflect bullets, or stunning enemies with tonfa is a blast. The brawls remain over-the-top, with enemies ragdolling around as Kiryu, who famously doesn’t kill, delivers brutal attacks.

Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a fantastic way to experience a great story with only minor changes. I’m not a fan of some of the recasting, which has sparked controversy, and certain endgame tweaks feel unnecessary but don’t significantly impact the core narrative. It’s a shame that bolder choices weren’t made. Some factions have deep connections to Yokohama, a location explored in the last two mainline Yakuza games, yet it doesn’t appear in Yakuza Kiwami 3. One chapter is essentially just a series of exposition cutscenes in a small room. Villain Yoshitaka Mine remains an intriguing counterpart to Kiryu, but his limited screen time leaves him underdeveloped.

But wait… what’s the deal with the second part of the title—Dark Ties? It’s an additional campaign that lets you play as Mine, serving as a prequel that delves into his motivations for joining the yakuza Tojo Clan.

While Yakuza 3 has its flaws, it has long been a favorite in the series. Dark Ties feels less like a Yakuza 0 scenario, which brilliantly featured former villain Goro Majima alongside Kiryu, and more like a Yakuza 0 Deluxe Edition. The content in Dark Ties is brief and minor, at best, and risks undermining the impact of Yakuza Kiwami 3’s main story, which is saying something given the series’ history of irredeemable antagonists. Playing as Mine, even while he contemplates killing them, can feel distasteful and contrary to the series’ warm-hearted nature. However, Dark Ties is so insubstantial that it’s hardly worth getting worked up over, primarily consisting of repetitive challenges, mini-games, and an almost-roguelike mode that’s too easy to justify multiple playthroughs.

Despite its shortcomings, Yakuza 3 has always been one of my favorites. Helping those kids—now with a plethora of new mini-games to engage with—adds depth to Kiryu’s character as he connects with a new community (which is thematically revisited in Yakuza 6). Yakuza Kiwami 3 makes it easier than ever to enjoy those vibes, and while I wish this remake had focused more on evolving what could have been instead of awkwardly bundling in a dull bonus campaign, Okinawa is still a place worth visiting.