Yakuza Kiwami review: A masterpiece of strength and heart.

Throughout life, one must ask, “What am I living for?” This question swirled through my mind when I was playing Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the PS2 game Yakuza and the second game in the RGG timeline. It’s a game about love and loss, finding out what to do now, and forging new bonds when old ones eventually sever.

 

The story begins in 1995, 7 years after the event of Yakuza Zero, where Kazuma Kiryu, now a respected yakuza in his own right, takes the fall for his patriarch's murder for his sworn brother Nishkiyama and spends ten years in prison. Now 2005, Kiryu is released while dealing with a new conspiracy in the Tojo Clan about Nishkiyama, who has risen to be a family patriarch, the case of 10 billion missing yen, and a mysterious girl with a connection to the money. He’ll have his friends, both old and new, to help figure out what’s going on. This story, from beginning to end, might be one of SEGA’s best stories since Sonic Adventure 2, and that’s a high bar of its own.

 

The Gameplay is nearly identical to Yakuza Zero, with all the jank included with some much needed touch ups. Exploring the entertainment center of Kamurocho, it's the perfect playground to test Kiryu’s abilities, but the prison time weakened him alot, so you’re not as strong as you once were in 1988. Luckily, Majima decides to help you out of the goodness of his heart by stalking you and fighting you whenever you have a moment’s rest. From Rush style, Bralwer style, Beast style, and even Dragon style, Kiryu needs to relearn them all again if he wants to get to the bottom of this mystery. While it took me a while to readjust to all the styles again, it was kind of fun to beat up the pricks traversing town and regaining my strength once more, even if the Majima Everywhere does tend to get old eventually.

 

The setting of this game takes place only in Kamurocho (based on the real-life Kabukicho), so your movement is kind of limited. But despite this, there is so much to do here that you might recognize in Yakuza Zero, like mahjong, batting cages, visiting the local clubs, and even singing your heart out with karaoke. And while not in the main story, there are other stories to tell here in the form of side stories, which like Yakuza Zero, can range from goofy to somber, but they do help pass the time. It also helps give you the sense that Yakuza Kiwami is alive, filled with its own stories set inside the main story. 

 

Given that it's an RGG game, there are a ton of reused assets. But because the game is so fun, it’s easily looked over in favor of getting lost in this adventure. From the NPC’s walking down the street, to the sounds everything makes, to the weapons that assist you in combat, and sometimes the environment you're walking through to get to your next destination. While Kamurocho did change from 1988 to 2005 from the passage of time (especially with the addition of the millennium tower), the people inside are still the same, getting through their lives however they can, even if some of them do have a bone to pick with Kiryu, usually for no reason. 

 

Overall, Yakuza Kiwami is a triumph in storytelling, and the gameplay, while has minor hiccups, dosent take away from the overall experience.It’s fun with tons of stuff to do, both main story and all the side content, and the game can be proven as one of SEGA’s finest. Plus, this game is on all major systems, so the real choice is where to go through your story on. It’s on Playstation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Steam, on all 4 sides of gaming. If you got the money to burn, and wish to experience a peak story, then Yakuza Kiwami is the game for you.

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9.5/10