SEGA
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides: redemption, adjustments, and a second chance
A revamped version that corrects past mistakes and expands its universe with completely new content.
The Yakuza franchise is enjoying one of its best moments. As we mentioned a few weeks ago in our preview, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has found a more consistent rhythm for releasing titles in this series, both to continue introducing the story of Kazuma Kiryu to those who are not yet familiar with it and to give longtime fans a reason to return to the games of the past. Under the title Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides, the studio not only seeks to revive one of the most criticized games in the series, but also to polish it, give it a new lease on life, and introduce a completely new story.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides is an open-world title that offers two experiences for the price of one. On the one hand, we will experience the story of Kazuma Kiryu leaving the criminal world behind to move to Okinawa and take charge of the Morning Glory orphanage. However, things do not go as planned, and he will be forced to return to his old ways to protect the children. On the other hand, Dark Tides presents a story never before seen in the franchise, focusing on Yoshitaka Mine, the antagonist of the main game, exploring the reasons that led him to enter the criminal world under the orders of the ruthless Tsuyoshi Kanda. Although it is a smaller-scale adventure, it has enough elements to sustain a solid story that, while functioning as a prequel, is recommended to play after finishing Kiryu’s story.
The Adventures of Uncle Kiryu
In Yakuza Kiwami 3, the story and many of the interactions revolve around Morning Glory, an orphanage located by the sea, where Kiryu takes on the responsibility of caring for the children. Here, a wide variety of mini-games and a strong social component unfold. Activities range from helping them with homework or preparing meals to playing with them by catching insects or going fishing, all presented through lighthearted and entertaining mini-games. Added to this is the possibility of managing your own garden, where you can plant and manage ingredients that are not only used for cooking but also exchanged with neighbors through a barter system, thus obtaining other useful resources.
In addition, the game incorporates a meta-game in which Kiryu takes charge of a group of motorcyclists known as the Haisai Girls. In this mode, the player must manage the team to face other gangs in Okinawa, including one that arrives from Tokyo. Street fights allow you to level up, recruit new members, and climb the ranks until you can directly attack enemy bases. Although the concept is fun, it is still a management mini-game with limited options, but it is still entertaining to unexpectedly gather the group to take on thugs on the roads of Okinawa.
Of course, Kiwami 3 isn’t limited to just taking care of the orphanage or the motorcyclists. The game maintains a main narrative with classic plot twists, mysteries, and a good number of side activities, such as karaoke, bowling, or even playing Game Gear. One of the main objectives of this Kiwami version is to correct some of the problems of the original, especially the excessive difficulty in combat due to the constant defense of the enemies. This aspect has been adjusted, making Kiryu’s combat—both in his classic style and in the use of weapons learned in Okinawa—feel more dynamic and spectacular.
Finally, in Kiwami 3, the Okinawa district appears slightly smaller compared to the original version, especially in the outlying areas. Although such changes are not usually expected in an enhanced version, everything indicates that they were made to enable new interiors and reduce loading times.
The Fall and Rise of Yoshitaka Mine
On the other hand, Dark Tides takes us back to classic Kamurocho. In terms of gameplay, it’s a more contained experience than a full Yakuza title, although it’s important to remember that this is completely new content. The details of the story are deliberately kept under wraps to avoid any spoilers.
In addition to the usual narrative and side activities, Mine aims to improve Tsuyoshi Kanda’s reputation within the yakuza underworld through Kanda Damage Control mode, carrying out activities that help the people of Kamurocho. It is also possible to exploit Mine’s combat skills in the underground fight club. Her fighting style is more agile and savage, allowing for moves such as knee strikes that serve to propel her forward and chain together attacks in different ways.
Visually, both Okinawa and Kamurocho look as good as you would expect. The gaming experience, both on Linux PC and ROG Xbox Ally X, was smooth and without technical issues.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides reaffirms the franchise’s current success and the approach that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has adopted in recent years: reviving past installments, correcting their most criticized aspects, and giving them a new context within the saga. Kiwami 3 not only polishes key aspects of the original game, especially in combat, but also reinforces its identity through a strong narrative and a clear emphasis on Kiryu’s life outside the criminal world. For its part, Dark Tides complements the experience with a more contained but meaningful story that expands on Yoshitaka Mine’s background and offers differentiated gameplay without breaking with the fundamentals of the series. Together, both proposals strike a balance between nostalgia, necessary adjustments, and new content, consolidating this version as more than just a simple remaster.
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