Yakuza Kiwami (PS4) Review

The Dragon Reborn.

 The second Yakuza game this year is finally out! Yakuza Kiwami ("Kiwami" meaning "Extreme" in Japanese) is a full-fledged remake of the original Yakuza released back in 2005 on the PlaStation 2. What started as a small, straightforward game grew into a long-running and gripping series with captivating storylines and over-the-top action-filled moments. The tale of ex-yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as he uncovers the mystery behind a 10 billion yen girl is still as interesting as ever, now with even more backstory. Coming off of the glitz of this year's Yakuza 0, I was ecstatic when Yakuza Kiwami was confirmed to be arriving this year. Especially since most of the Yakuza games take their sweet time coming over to the west. In case you didn't know, the yakuza are a crime syndicate based in Japan, similar to the likes of the Mafia. Now having played and enjoyed the lengthy adventure, it's time we take another trip to the crime-infested district of Kamurocho, this time stunningly reborn.


STORY- Following the events of Yakuza 0, gangster Kazuma Kiryu is once again back in the Japanese district of Kamorocho. Now an up and coming yakuza lieutenant, with plans of starting his own family, Kiryu's future is shaping up to be great. However, that all changes when on one fateful night he takes the fall for a crime he did not commit to save his best friend, Akira Nishkiyama. 10 years later, Kiryu is out of prison to a changed Kamurocho and to a Nishkiyama he's never seen before. He finds himself caught up in a middle of a war when 10 billion yen is stolen from the safe of the biggest yakuza clan in Tokyo and the key to finding it is through a little girl named Haruka. Along his journey, Kiryu will meet old acquaintances and new allies, face some betrayals, and battle through a plethora of gangs. Unlike the original, Kiwami includes additional story cut-scenes and encounters to flesh-out characters such as Nishikiyama's dark descent and encounters with fan-favorite and co-star of Yakuza 0, Goro Majima. The narrative was well-written and engaging, especially when things turned for the worse. The characters such as Kiryu and Haruka were memorable and developed, the same also applies for the supporting cast as well, which I found myself caring for too.

Betrayals and revelations are in store for Kiryu.

GAMEPLAY- You control Kiryu from the third-person as he navigates through Kamurocho. Kamurocho is an open-area, so you're free to wander around checking out restaurants and other recreational activities. The gameplay has a strong emphasis on its fighting mechanics. Throughout the game, you'll be beating hugs left and right with a slew of attacks and unconventional weaponry. The fighting styles of Yakuza 0 make a return as well. "Brawler" has a good balance between power and speed, which is great for regular fights. "Rush" puts focus into speed and has zooming around enemies, it's especially helpful against fast enemies that will try and flank you from behind. "Beast" has emphasis on power and is the slowest of the three. You grab nearby objects and hurl them at enemies. Lastly, is Kiryu's signature "Dragon" style which packs powerful attacks. Unfortunately, with those year's in prison, Kiryu's Dragon style has diminished and will need to regain back his strength, we'll get into how later on. By continuously attacking the enemy, you fill the "Heat" gauge, located under the health bar. Filling the gauge allows you to execute a heat attack, which dishes out some serious damage. All abilities save for Dragon can be upgraded by gaining experience. You gain experience by doing a variety of action such as beating up enemies, completing side-missions, eating food, and so on. Kiryu's health and heat gauge can also be expanded by spending gained experience as well.  

Unleash some painful moves on goons.

 Some of the activities Kiryu can partake in when exploring Kamurocho include visiting a Cabaret Club and eventually dating a specific girl, hit the batting center and practice his aim, clear some pins in the bowling center, battle in gladiator fights, check the karaoke club and sing some songs, or just go to a nearby bar for a drink. There are also some Sega Arcades, however, you won't be playing any old-school games such as Outrun like Yakuza 0 did. However, there's a new game in town that the kids are made mad about: Battle Bug Beauties: Mesuking. It's a card-based game in which two scantly-clad women dressed as bugs duke it out in rock-paper-scissors style. It's an odd game and similar to Yakuza 0's Catfights, only more interesting and addictive. Those who loved the RC racing mini-game, Pocket Circuit, will be pleased to know that's back in its pocket-sized glory. There are new stages to compete, which get progressively more difficult as you proceed, and you'll have to customize every inch of your car to ensure victory.

Have a little fun on the side.

 Yakuza 0 co-star Goro Majima is Kiryu's biggest fan in Yakuza Kiwami. Appropriately titled "Majima Everywhere", when navigating through Kamurocho, Majima will at times randomly pop-up and challenge Kiryu to a fight. He retains his move-sets from Yakuza 0 which are identical to that of Kiryu's and will use them randomly in each fight. However, this the perfect workout for Kiryu to get back into shape. As previously stated, Kiryu's Dragon style is rusty from all those years spent in jail and will need a serious workout, this exactly what Majima intendeds with all these fights. After defeating Majima in some fights, Kiryu remembers and regains his forgotten moves which in return improves his Dragon style. Just note that Majima gets progressively tougher the more you battle him with faster reflexes and a longer health bar.

He's here, he's there, he's everywhere!

 If you'd like to the a break from all of the action, you can check of some of the side-missions (dubbed substories) around Kamurocho. These has Kiryu helping various people in need and at times he'll be stuck in various situations ranged from deadly to flat-out hilarious. It's a nice way of fleshing out Kiryu's character since you can see even more of his compassionate side and delves into his past too. By completing many of the activities in town, you'll receive Completion Points (CP). You spend these point at the clown-faced man named Bob Utsunomiya for perks such as unlimited sprinting, powerful weapons and armor, and items to use in battles. Scattered across Kamurocho are locker coins and Mesuking cards waiting to be collected. The former can grant you access to special weapons and goods you can sell for a high price while the latter include some powerful cards which are a big help in battles.


PRESENTATION- Originally debuted back in 2005, Yakuza has definitely showed its aged mechanically and visually. Thankfully, Yakuza Kiwami rebuilds the original game with better, more clear textures and character models. The new Kamurocho packs more traffic and detailed environments compared to the original's bland and empty. Better yet, the game runs at a smooth 60 FPS compared to the original's 30, which is notable improvement despite a few hiccups. The voice-work is strictly in Japanese with subtitles, which may turn-off some players. For Kiwami, all of the dialogue has been re-recorded and the performances are well-executed. The soundtrack is neat, with some upbeat techno music to keep things tense during fights. Though if you ask me, it feels weaker compared to Yakuza 0 all-out catchy, more diverse soundtrack. 

Yakuza gets a kiwami makeover.

OVERALL- Yakuza Kiwami is a shining example of a well-executed remake. Just like other outstanding remakes such as Resident Evil, Kiwami upgrades upon the original game both mechanically and visually while adding additional new content to entice old fans and newcomers alike. Despite issues with the camera and annoying invisible walls, Yakuza Kiwami is brimming with content, a compelling narrative and solid gameplay. It's substantially enjoyed more after playing the aforementioned prequel since you'll have a better flow of the things.