Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties Review: A Stuffed Remake Packed With Side Content
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Rock Paper Shotgun reviews Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties, highlighting a remake weighed down by recycled minigames and bloat, though the Dark Ties prequel successfully expands on villain Yoshitaka Mine's backstory.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is back with another massive remake, but the newly released Yakuza Kiwami 3 and its companion episode Dark Ties struggle under the weight of their own recycled additions. According to a recent review by Mark Warren at Rock Paper Shotgun, the game suffers from a severe case of bloat. Players step back into the iconic shoes of Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to balance running an Okinawan orphanage with beating up local goons, but the early chapters are bogged down by an overwhelming amount of busywork and minigames lifted straight from recent entries like Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. While some activities fit the laid-back island vibe and parental duties, others feel forced just to check off a feature list.
Beyond the gameplay padding, the remake misses a golden opportunity to elevate its narrative. While character dynamics like Kiryu's bond with Rikiya Shimabukuro still shine, the main plot remains one of the weaker links in the broader franchise, and the sprawling cast of villains struggles for meaningful screentime. Fortunately, the bundled prequel episode, Dark Ties, offers a compelling counterweight. By focusing on the corporate-minded antagonist Yoshitaka Mine, the shorter side story provides a fascinating, cynical foil to Kiryu's family-first ethos, giving much-needed depth to an otherwise crowded rogues' gallery.
For longtime fans and players coming in through subscription services or cross-platform storefronts, Kiwami 3 is still a wild ride full of classic brawling and ridiculous side activities. You can still expect to trade punches while riding prototype Segways in full swim gear, and the new social network features allow for fun customization touches like rhinestone-covered flip phones. However, this release proves that sometimes less is more, especially when developers try to retrofit modern open-world systems into a linear classic without sanding down its original narrative rough edges.
Tags: Yakuza Kiwami 3, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Rock Paper Shotgun, Action RPG, Gaming News
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun