Remake

Yakuza Kiwami

2016 · Xbox Series X|S · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 4 · Nintendo Switch 2 · PC (Microsoft Windows) · PlayStation 5 · Fighting · Role-playing (RPG) · Hack and slash/Beat 'em up

81IGDB player score
295 ratings

Previously Take

An 81 average that undersells it — ask the 295 people who rated it. A proper RPG: big systems, bigger choices, and open world all the way down. Worth it for the campaign alone — the multiplayer stuck around and became its own thing.

About this game

Yakuza: Kiwami is an enhanced remake of the original Yakuza game for PlayStation 2, not just an HD port. While the original PS2 release also had English voice-acting for western release, this PS4 remake only retains Japanese voice-acting for authenticity with available subtitles for other countries.

The story starts in 1995 in Kamurocho, a place modeled after Kabukicho, a red-light district in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Streets, places, and and many of the licensed stores and cafes look the same as in real life, while non-licensed just look very similar but not the same and are called different. Kiryu Kazuma, known as a Dragon of Dojima family, is not one to be trifled with. Along with Nishiki and Yumi, he was adopted from the Subflower orphanage by a high-ranking and influential Yakuza. Ever since, the three acted like blood siblings and were unseparable. Things turned south when Yakuza leader took Yumi against her will and Nishiki went to confront him. Kiryu arrived to late to interfere and knowing Nishiki is not as strong as he pretends, and without him noone could take care of very ill Yumi, he took the blame for the murder. Even police inspector Date didn't believe Kiryu's confession, his hands were tied by higher-ups and the police decided to close the case as quickly as possible and let the rest be handled by Yakuza internally.