Yakuza Kiwami

Another remake, but a damn good one. The perfect place to begin if you’ve never played Yakuza before.

Calling Yakuza Kiwami a remaster almost feels unfair. You'd be hard-pressed to recognise it as a PS2 game originally, with the graphical improvements and gameplay additions bringing it on par with the other recent entries in the series. As fans would have come to expect its an intriguing story, with deep, likeable characters, brutal combat and plenty of side stuff to keep you busy.

Simultaneously a great introduction to the Yakuza series and one of its better entries, Yakuza Kiwami is precisely how you remake a classic.

Can be considered as a modern training novel: touching; exciting; With a sensitivity and a rare delicacy when he tells the tragic events of a man from whom everything was taken away.

Yakuza Kiwami will go down in history as one of the best remakes ever created, for a game that was already great on PS2.

Yakuza Kiwami represents the pinnacle of the series, with Sega bringing everything it has learned over the years and refining it into a single neat package. The result is a unique and unforgettable experience that far outstrips what was presented in the original entry.

Yakuza Kiwami is a dazzling remake of an underappreciated classic, improving upon its source material in so many important ways. At times it can feel dated, but that doesn’t stop Kiwami from proving Yakuza is once again one of the best things on PS4, and perhaps any other platform.

As it turns out, Yakuza Kiwami feels every bit as current as Yakuza 0 from earlier this year, or Yakuza 5 on the PlayStation 3 before it. It’s a magnificent game, in other words.

Yakuza Kiwami remakes the original game in a near-perfect way. Some may be disappointed over the lack of English voice acting, but the use of Japanese with English subtitles greatly increases the authenticity.

Twelve years after its original release on PS2, Yakuza Kiwami is still a great adventure set in modern Japan. Some mechanics such as invisible walls or certain fighting elements feel outdated, but the story, setting and minigames are awesome.

But even if it can’t quite measure up to Yakuza 0’s near-perfection, Yakuza Kiwami is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience for series veterans and newcomers alike. Whether you’re playing it as a sequel to Yakuza 0, or just want to see the original game in its newly-polished state, you’ll find it is packed with great stories, interesting diversions, and cool surprises – and all of that at $29.99 US. This series just keeps getting better and better.

Yakuza Kiwami is a worthy remake for the twisty, well-acted story alone and the fact that it is being sold at a cheaper price than current new release games is extra incentive to check it out. Combat is fun, the city feels live and there is so much stuff to do, from the mundane stuff like darts or shooting pool, to the very weird stuff like MesuKing, which is essentially rock paper scissors featuring sexy ladies in skimpy bug costumes. Long time franchise fans and newcomers will find plenty to like with Yakuza Kiwami, even if it falls slightly short of its later entries.

Despite Yakuza Kiwami sharing a near perfect reflection of 80's Kamurocho from Yakuza 0, there's still an important story to tell. The city of Kamurocho welcomes all with a wide array of minigames, sidequests, and the most Majima cameos of any Yakuza title to date.

Yakuza Kiwami is a fine example of how a remaster should be done. Graphical changes and fixing some story plot holes are pretty well done. Majima everywhere is sometimes a nuisance, but all in all, it's a solid addition for an already great game.

A great remake packed with additional story content and an improved battle system, which will satisfy fans of the series.

Yakuza Kiwami does a whole lot right, while only making a few errors. Other than the control scheme being a bit dated, Yakuza Kiwami comes together as a solid remake of the original title.

All in all, Kiwami is an easy game to recommend to fans of the series and those who have already played Yakuza 0 and loved it. The remakes of the older titles are Sega’s way of ushering in a new generation of fans and, now that the series has proven to do well in the west, bring all of the series’ experiences to a wider audience. Yakuza Kiwami is just as fun, weird, disturbing, hilarious and provocative as the rest of the series’ titles, and is well worth the twenty-five hours of gameplay and thirty dollar price of admission.

For $29.99, it’s worth the experience, especially if you’re a fan of the original series back in the heyday of Yakuza. Sega did a fantastic job of pulling this older title up into current console expectations. They could have sold this puppy for $49.99 and it still would be worth it. If this is your cup of tea, then you need to get it immediately.

The story isn't quite as interesting as it used to be and the game's multiplayer mode feels a bit tacked on, but don't let that stop you. Yakuza Kiwami is still very much worth your time and sincerely recommended to both fans of and newcomers to the franchise.

Yakuza Kiwami is true remake. Most likely taking advantage of the work made for the latest entries, they took the first game of the franchise, made a visual overhaul and addes enough gameplay mechanics to be far more than just that. Knowing there is a Kiwami 2 in development is also great news, we can't wait to see the Dragon of Kansai in all its glory if the game is on par with Kiwami.

Yakuza Kiwami isn’t that big and deep like the prequel, and it’s not a must-buy if you've played the original title on PS2, but it’s a good game, available for a very fair price. The combat system has been revamped, and the huge amount of secondary missions and minigames are bound to keep everyone entertained for quite a while.

The game’s overall scale is still impressively large, but there’s only one main area to explore. Visiting the first entry, enhanced as it is, certainly gave me a greater appreciation for the strides that the series made later. That’s probably not what Sega was hoping for here, but it’s unavoidable considering the close proximity to Yakuza 0’s release.

Although understandable being just a remake and not a new entry, Yakuza Kiwami lacks the huge amount of content found in recent instalments of the franchise, but it does a great job updating the plot of the first entry in the franchise to later innovations and improvements, as well as current (although a bit dated) graphics.

Some signs of aging are inevitable considering we're 12 years from the original game, but nowadays few remakes are as well done as Yakuza Kiwami.

This newcomer thinks that Yakuza Kiwami is a blast. I can’t speak to how different it is from the first game, but the sheer amount of content and personality makes it worth checking out. Though the fights could get repetitive at times, the combat system kept things interesting on the whole.

If you are a fan of the series or not, Yakuza Kiwami is a title that you must play to (re)discover the origins of Kazuma Kiryu: the legendary Dragon of Dojima.

As a remake, Kiwami is a triumphant success. Not only is it leaps and bounds more playable than the PS2 original, the additional scenes help flesh out character motivations. This all makes the story of Kiryu’s rise feel more special, and it’s a perfect continuation for those who recently played Yakuza 0.

The start was always the best, and this extreme edition is a reminder of how fantastic this series has always been.

This is the only title that should be in your PlayStation 4 right now. The best game to play if you dig a good story and nice missions to play. But be sure that you checked Yakuza 0 first.

Kiwami improves what could be improved and keeps what should be kept. The additions aren't too relevant if you played the original, but it's great to replay it or for newcomers.

For fans of the series, this game is a small gift and a great opportunity to return. And if you have not yet come to this great game series, Kiwami is a suitable entry.

Yakuza Kiwami is a virtually perfect remake, which extensively enhances the elements that characterize the original chapter of the series, enriching them in multiple ways.

Twelve-year-old fights feel brand new because of the inclusion of Yakuza 0's switchable combat styles. [Issue#311, p.110]

Yakuza Kiwami is a great new take on the classic crime game. The story is fascinating and it is hard to let go of this beautifully shapen world.

Yakuza Kiwami presents the strongest mechanics in the franchise’s history, as well as refined side missions and lots of fun distractions that create a fantastic reimagining of a great game.

With a world that you'll end up knowing by heart and characters you'll want more of, Kiwami is unique, moving, and serious; everything you love about games. [Oct 2017, p.92]

Yakuza Kiwami is a very good remake of the first opus of the series that offers vastly improved graphics and an overhauled gameplay allowing more freedom during fights. A rejuvenated PS2 classic.

For the most part, Kiwami is a good retelling of the very first game and arguably has the best story out of the entire series. The visual upgrades are nice, and the addition to the modern combat engine is most certainly welcome, but original fans as well as people who jumped into the series later on need to keep in mind this is a remake of a 2005 game that didn’t have as much content as the later entries. Still, I have to recommend this game to both fans of the series as well as people wanting to get into it. It’s a fantastic jumping in point for the story, and while the boss fights are annoying, it tells a fun tale while still being very entertaining gameplay wise, and at the price point of 30 bucks, you really can’t go wrong.

Yakuza Kiwami is a perfect example of a remake done right. The news graphics and added content give longtime fans of the series more than enough reasons to dive right back in Kamurocho's seedy underworld. And for new fans and curious gamers, Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect way to discover Kazuma Kiryu's first misadventures.

For its budget price, Yakuza Kiwami delivers more than its fair share of violent crime-filled action laden with a weird sense of humour, and I was glued to the screen for every minute of it.

The story kept me up for hours on end, the sub-stories were interesting with hilarious characters and great writing, and the combat felt incredible to master by the end. It can’t be ignored that they had a chance to massively improve the story, but chose to just try and maintain the status quo, but the package is fantastic nonetheless.

Slip into your suit and ready your fists: Yakuza Kiwami is a fantastic remaster of the game that spawned a franchise, and a timely dose of wackiness before Yakuza 6 drops next year.

Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect game for those who never played a Yakuza before. The new graphics and control are a nice way to enter in the life of Kiryu.

Yakuza Kiwami is a great remake, probably one of the best we've seen in the last years, updating the graphics and gameplay from the original game without losing its essence. But it is also a remake of the more “simple” yakuza entry, lacking the variety of characters, stories, locations and activities from the following games. Nevertheless, it is suitable for continuing the great reception of the recent Yakuza 0 or as a cornerstone to enter the franchise.

There’s a ton of content here to make your way through, especially if you take the time to just explore the city streets and indulge in side activities. If you’re a newcomer to the series, this is an excellent jumping on point, and it’s a steal at only $30. So if you only have even a passing interest in the game, just know that there’s no better time to lose yourself in the neon glow of Kamurocho.

Quotation forthcoming.

Kiwami holds a ton of appeal for anyone coming hot off of Yakuza Zero, but there’s ample reason for longtime fans to jump in, and it’s even a fine starting point for new players as well. Despite the slow starting hours, once Kiwami and Kazuma Kiryu grab hold of your attention, they don’t easily let go.

Really, you can’t go wrong with Kiwami. I would have liked it if every aspect of the game had been fully redone, but we don’t see remakes like this come along often. I can deal with a few stumbling blocks when the core quality of what makes Yakuza so unique and engaging remains untouched. At least now more people can have a chance to experience this classic, which is the best thing about Kiwami’s existence.

This is my first Yakuza game, but I found myself completely in love with everything the game had to offer.

Yakuza Kiwami is the best way to experience Yakuza. With Yakuza 6 on the way, those looking to jump into the series would benefit greatly from picking up Yakuza Kiwami. If you’re a fan of Japanese films or gangster movies in general, the plot of Yakuza is a good enough reason to play this game. I can only hope that Yakuza 2 receives the same treatment in the near future.

Kiwami does a great job as both a remake of the original Yakuza game and as a sequel to Zero. Despite that combat remains more of a bump in the road than a rewarding pursuit, it's a no-brainer for existing fans of the series, and shouldn't be overlooked by newcomers, even if Zero passed them by. There's nothing else quite like Yakuza, and Kiwami isn't afraid to show it.

Yakuza Kiwami represents a solid reimagining of the Kamurocho of old.

Yakuza Kiwami makes great strides in updating the classic original Yakuza game to modern standards. But while it adds better combat, bizarrely charming side quests, and a gorgeous graphical revamp, it also ignores some of the original’s biggest problems in pacing and storytelling. And because of its relatively short length, Yakuza Kiwami’s fun trip through the tangled web of Japan’s criminal underground feels like a prelude to something bigger and better to come.

Yakuza Kiwami may not have gameplay as varied as Yakuza 0 but the gripping story, solid combat, and rewarding progression make it a must-play experience for both new and long-time fans looking to either discover or revisit Kiryu's debut adventure.

Even with the weaknesses more exposed than originally, this still is a good remake. Kamurocho never looked better and Kiwami tells one of the best stories of the franchise to date. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the Yakuza series.

Yakuza Kiwami is so much more than just a remake of the first game in the series. Sega rebuilt the original from scratch using a much more powerful engine, with the help of completely new artists, and enriched the script with tons of references to subsequent Yakuza releases. It’s not a perfect game but it does a great job at tying up loose ends from Yakuza Zero. [11/2017, p.50]

Yakuza Kiwami is a solid remake that has the misfortune of being released in the same year as the predecessor from which it recycles most of its content. Yakuza 0 is just a better game in almost every way. Kiwami's story is plenty of fun, and the writing and side content remains as hilarious as ever. It just feels too familiar. Those looking for more Yakuza will find a lot to like here, but even at a budget price of $30, it's difficult to feel excited by any of it. Give it more time to breathe, and it'll be a fun way to re-experience Yakuza, but anyone who dives in immediately after Yakuza 0 is going to have a very severe case of déjà vu.

Yakuza Kiwami is a great remake, but it is not amazing. Even for a Yakuza game it gets very repetitive and it simply does not have the same quality as the other games. A bit of an anticlimax.

Fun can definitely be had with Kiwami. I know there are people out there who are going to love roaming the streets of Kamurocho to beat up baddies, stopping to take a break only because they passed by an arcade and want a new prize from the claw machine. Unfortunately, from a mechanical perspective, everything about the game seemed completely shallow. In the end, Yakuza Kiwami felt more like a novelty experience than it did a rewarding one.

Although Yakuza Kiwami does fall into the same routine as Yakuza 0, the new new sections with Majima are truly exceptional. Nevertheless, it does not change the fact that Kiwami feels like an expansion rather than a sequel.

Combat in Yakuza is deep and with RPG-like progression and various fighting styles on offer things improve as the game goes on. It’s a shame then that the more difficult encounters feel a little silly when you need to keep eating and drinking to restore health and slowly chip away at a boss figure’s health bar. For newcomers, and well, anyone really, playing on easy comes recommended. For a game that is about story first, and getting to explore Japan second, having to deal with fighting that can often devolve into frustrating bouts of dodging and toying with the limited mechanics isn’t worth it. And a frustration-free Yakuza Kiwami experience means more time spent at one of the many hostess bars.

It's hard to not see Yakuza Kiwami like an also-ran in a year where its own polished, forward-thinking prequel has happened, and yet the fact that so much of what makes it unique was there in 2005 shouldn't be overlooked, nor should the fact that it still feels unique in 2017. This is a stripped-down, basic version of that winning formula, but there's no denying it still wins.

The original Yakuza has been remade into a sequel to its own prequel, but although it’s perfectly competent it feels outdated compared to the newer entries.

When compared to past Yakuza games, Zero in particular, Yakuza Kiwami simply has less going for it. There's only one playable character, a single city to explore, and fewer activities. However, Kiwami is launching at a heavily discounted price, and when viewed from that perspective, it feels like it has a lot to offer. The story is consistently interesting, the fighting still brutally satisfying, and Majima Everywhere is a clever addition. Yakuza Kiwami may not be the biggest in the series, but it's a solid remake of the game that introduced the Dragon of Dojima.

Yakuza Kiwami makes it clear just how far the series has come, and just how far it still has to go. It’s keenly designed to bring newly minted Yakuza fans more firmly into the fold by providing all the contemporary comforts they might expect, while also giving longtime fans more to chew on than a shot-for-shot remake ever would have. It’s a patchwork, for better and for worse, and as much as I enjoyed my time with it, there’s no denying that some of those patches are looking more tired than others.

Overall, Yakuza Kiwami isn’t a bad game despite several issues that drag it down. No, its real problem is that Yakuza Zero is a significantly superior product in every way that matters. Fans of the original release will likely dig the modernization, but for any newcomers thinking of jumping in, I’d recommend starting with the infinitely better prequel.

Yakuza Kiwami is a very modest remaster with very little new content. What is new is swell, but it's nothing groundbreaking or even necessary. It's more like nice little bonuses to a game that hasn't entirely aged well story-wise and graphically. Still, it was nice to come back and see where the series started without all the rough edges of the original PlayStation 2 release. I will say that Kiwami made me love the first Yakuza a touch more than I did when I originally played it years ago. As a crazed fangirl for the series, even though Kiwami is a solid effort, it still doesn't hold a candle to later games in the franchise.

Quotation forthcoming.