Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Deluxe Edition stands out as an action-adventure game on the Nintendo Switch 2, remaking the third entry in the long-running Yakuza series with added content.
Gameplay
Combat forms the core of the experience, featuring over-the-top fights where Kazuma Kiryu takes on groups of enemies in street brawls. Random encounters on the streets last around 30 seconds in the side story, keeping the pace quick. Players level up stats by earning money through missions, which they spend on upgrades. Mechanics include solving problems for citizens, such as dealing with troublesome individuals or fulfilling requests. Collecting items like CDs changes the music during travel, and Game Gear cartridges unlock mini-games for relaxation at home base.
Mini-games add variety, with options like darts and baseball challenges where players sock dingers. Substories number about a dozen, involving fetch quests and rescues that tie into the broader narrative. In the Okinawa setting, Kiryu joins an all-girls gang to wage war against rival groups, blending combat with questlines that highlight ridiculous scenarios.
Game Modes
The main mode centers on Yakuza Kiwami 3, a full reimagining of the original story that runs for a substantial length. It focuses on Kiryu's efforts to protect his loved ones amid criminal intrigue.
A separate standalone mode comes in the form of Dark Ties, a side story lasting 4 to 6 hours. Here, players control Yoshitaka Mine, who enters the criminal underworld as second-in-command to Tsuyoshi Kanda. This mode flips the perspective, with missions to raise reputation through beatings and other tasks in a condensed version of Kamurocho.
Story and Characters
The narrative follows Kazuma Kiryu as he navigates threats from the Tojo clan, including figures like Sixth Chairman Daigo Dojima. A new questline in Okinawa involves joining an all-girls gang to battle other factions, adding layers of conflict. The story starts slowly but builds into compelling drama with elements of comedy and exaggeration.
Dark Ties shifts focus to Mine, ousted from his company and drawn into crime after an encounter with Daigo. Special cutscenes trigger at level-ups, emphasizing comedy in Mine's reluctant partnership with the lazy and impulsive Kanda.
Is It Worth Playing?
This title suits those who enjoy story-driven action-adventure games with beat 'em up elements and quirky side activities. Player reception shows a Metacritic score of 74 based on 61 critic reviews, with 72 percent positive and 25 percent mixed. The game released on February 12, 2026, and runs at 30 frames per second on Switch 2, with consistent performance despite occasional hitching during transitions.
If you appreciate narratives that mix serious underworld plots with absurd humor, and don't mind a somewhat bloated structure, it offers solid value. Newcomers might start elsewhere in the series, but fans will find the remake and side story worthwhile for their fresh takes on familiar characters.