Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Deluxe Edition stands out as an action-adventure game that brings a fresh take on a classic story through updated mechanics and additional content, designed for PS4 and PS5 players seeking intense brawls and narrative depth.
Gameplay
In this title, combat forms the core of the experience, with protagonist Kazuma Kiryu switching between fighting styles during encounters. His default Dragon of Dojima approach emphasizes combo attacks and powerful grapples, while a secondary style incorporates weapons like tonfa for stunning foes, scythes to inflict bleeding, or brass knuckles to break guards. These options activate through button combinations, adding layers to real-time battles without needing manual switches.
Exploration splits between the bustling streets of Kamurocho and the more relaxed coastal town in Okinawa, where players can use rapid travel options like Kiryu's chopper to navigate efficiently. Side activities keep things varied, from managing tasks at the Morning Glory orphanage such as helping with algebra homework or spearfishing followed by cooking, to simpler pursuits like delivering ice cream cones or customizing a flip phone.
Other diversions include posing as a host in a cabaret club with intentionally awkward jokes, singing karaoke, practicing at a baseball batting cage, and even collecting playable Game Gear titles like Columns or Sonic Chaos to enjoy at a hideout. These elements blend everyday interactions with the game's tougher underworld themes.
Game Modes
The main campaign unfolds across 12 chapters plus an epilogue, focusing on a turf war in Okinawa while Kiryu oversees the orphanage, clocking in at around 17 hours for the core narrative. Combat ramps up toward a heavy climax, with optional sections allowing deeper bonding through mini-games.
Bad Boy Dragon mode lets players build and lead a biker gang by rescuing recruits, organizing them into squads, and engaging in clashes against rivals such as Okinawa street gangs or the Tokyo Night Terrors. Activities include holding rallies for experience points, customizing gang colors, and investing in special attacks like hand grenades or stampeding bulls, though most action happens in warehouse skirmishes.
Dark Ties introduces a separate story where you control antagonist Yoshitaka Mine across three chapters set in Kamurocho, delving into his rise in the underworld and alliance with Tsuyoshi Kanda. Combat here adopts a shoot-boxing style with punches, flip-kicks, and pinball-like combos, plus Dark Awakening specials for dramatic finishes. A limited skill tree supports progression, but story advancement often requires completing menial tasks to build reputation, such as acting as a bouncer or fetching bento boxes.
Within Dark Ties, Survival Hell offers a roguelike challenge in timed dungeon brawls across five underground arenas, each with four floors of enemies and a boss. Permadeath applies if you fall, but optional exits allow banking winnings for buffs like better weapons or bodyguards, creating tense runs filled with surprises.
Story and Setting
The narrative retains the essence of a hard-boiled drama centered on Kiryu's life after leaving the yakuza, running an orphanage amid escalating conflicts. Factions like the Tojo Clan play key roles, especially in Mine's storyline, where alliances and motivations drive the plot. Okinawa provides a contrasting backdrop to Tokyo's intensity, with remodelled environments that enhance the coastal atmosphere.
Visual upgrades bring sharper character models and particle effects to fights, making every punch and grapple feel more impactful. The structure reshuffles some elements for better pacing, turning lengthy cutscenes into optional conversations in places, while keeping the overall turf war arc intact.
Is It Worth Playing?
This game appeals to those who enjoy action-adventure titles with a mix of serious storytelling and lighter side content, particularly if you appreciate character-driven plots and fluid combat. Player feedback highlights the dynamic battles and improved pacing as strong points, though some note the new modes feel repetitive or padded with tasks.
With a rating of 7 out of 10 from reviews, it earns praise for transforming sluggish original encounters into satisfying ones and adding fresh perspectives like Mine's arc. However, elements such as the reduced number of substories to 31 for quality focus and the half-baked aspects of biker management might disappoint those expecting deeper innovations.
If you're drawn to single-player experiences blending drama, brawling, and quirky activities without multiplayer components, this remake delivers solid value, especially for its visual and mechanical refinements. Newcomers might find it a welcoming entry, while series veterans could appreciate the tweaks to familiar chapters. Overall, it holds up as a worthwhile pick for its engaging core loop, though it doesn't top the series' best in balance.