Sega and RGG Studio released Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties yesterday, February 12, bringing a ground-up remake of 2009’s Yakuza 3 alongside an entirely new playable story to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The package is priced at $59.99, with a Digital Deluxe Edition available for $74.99.
The two-in-one release was built under the concept of a legend reborn. Yakuza Kiwami 3 puts Kazuma Kiryu back in action as he runs the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, only to get dragged back into the underworld when both the government and the yakuza set their sights on the land. Rebuilt on the Dragon Engine, the remake features overhauled combat with two swappable fighting styles: Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami, which carries the largest number of attack techniques in the series’ history, and the new Ryukyu Style, a weapon-based system inspired by traditional Okinawan martial arts covering eight weapon types. New cutscenes, substories, and a biker gang team battle mode called Legendary Baddie, Bad Boy Dragon round out the additions.
Dark Ties Puts the Villain in the Spotlight
Dark Ties is the other half of the package and gives players control of Yoshitaka Mine, the main antagonist of Yakuza 3. The story follows Mine’s rise from startup entrepreneur to full-fledged yakuza member as he claws his way through Kamurocho to get close to Tojo Clan chairman Daigo Dojima. Mine fights with a shoot-boxing style and has access to a Dark Awakening mode and a brutal Hell’s Arena challenge. The campaign is notably shorter than the main game, which has drawn some criticism from players and reviewers.
A free demo is available on all platforms for anyone who wants to sample both halves before committing.
Reviews Are Mixed by Yakuza Standards
Critical reception has been decent but divisive by the franchise’s usual standards. On Metacritic, the PS5 version sits at around 75, with OpenCritic showing a similar average. Several outlets praised the modernized combat and the ambition of including Dark Ties as a standalone story. Others took issue with pacing problems, mandatory side content that interrupts the narrative flow, and a controversial recasting decision that has followed the game since its announcement.
For context, the original Yakuza 3 Remastered holds a 79 on Metacritic, making Kiwami 3 one of the lower-scoring entries in the franchise.
The End of the Kiwami Line
Perhaps the biggest news surrounding the launch came from RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama. During a Ryusta TV livestream on February 10, Yokoyama confirmed that Yakuza Kiwami 3 will be the final game in the Kiwami series. The Kiwami branding, which translates to “Extreme,” has been used since 2016 to denote full remakes of earlier Yakuza titles, starting with the original PS2 games.
Yokoyama stated that future entries will not carry the Kiwami name and hinted at a new series with a different direction and meaning. He suggested players would understand the reasoning once they finished Kiwami 3, pointing to narrative changes in the remake that would make straightforward remakes of Yakuza 4, 5, and 6 difficult without major rewrites. Reports indicate the game introduces significant alterations to the established canon around the Daidoji Faction, creating a ripple effect across the timeline.
This does not mean Yakuza 4 and 5 will never be revisited, but any future treatment would likely take a different form, potentially closer to full reimaginings than traditional remakes.
What RPG Fans Should Know
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties leans more into action-adventure brawler territory than the turn-based RPG system introduced in Like a Dragon. If you came to the franchise through Yakuza: Like a Dragon or Infinite Wealth, expect real-time combat here rather than party-based turn battles. That said, the game retains deep character progression, exploration, and the series’ signature blend of serious crime drama and absurd side content that has kept RPG-adjacent audiences engaged for years.
The game is available now on all major platforms.