Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties: Deluxe Edition

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is another enjoyable blend of hard-boiled drama and sidestory silliness, but as a package it’s not quite as well-rounded as the series’ more accomplished entries.

Getting to the end, in a way, took me back to the beginning, remembering Kiryu's walk in the cemetery. The scene symbolizes the culmination of a specific time and place for the series--one that's currently unable to shake off its phantoms.

Yakuza 3 has, despite its flaws, long been one of my favorites in the series.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 continues the solid streak for Ryu Ga Gotoku and the series. The gripping narrative and fun combat deliver on what players enjoy. It doesn’t raise the bar in any way, but newcomers and returning fans will find it a thrill ride from start to epic finish.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a sad microcosm of the state of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio: a developer spinning its wheels, no longer caring for quality, content to chew up old assets and discard what made the original special in order to spit out a yearly release that cashes in on love for what the series used to be.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is one hell of a package. Taken purely as an expanded remake, it's an absolute blast for fans both old and new - but questionable changes to the story and its cast will inevitably stain the experience for plenty of people.It's such a shame that these unforced errors muddy the waters, because we think Kiwami 3 is probably RGG Studio's best remake to date - and one of the strongest titles in the series with regards to gameplay.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a fair series entry, but one that's tainted by poor pacing and a recasting controversy that simply didn't need to happen. The main story has a lot to offer, but it's also bloated with way too much side content getting in the way of the core narrative. Dark Ties feels like a nice antidote to this, but I'm not sure whether this alone would be worth the purchase for anyone but series die-hards.RGG Studio fixed some visual blemishes in time for launch, so that's good news. Unfortunately, it seems Kiwami 3 will forever be associated with the recasting of one of its main antagonists, a controversy that undeniably affected my personal enjoyment of the game. If that doesn't bother you, and if an overabundance of side content appeals, you could probably add a point to the scoreline.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the biggest misfire in RGG Studio history, filled with baffling and offensive decisions that genuinely makes me worried about the future direction of the franchise.

Removing a significant amount of content and replacing it with Mine's Dark Ties storyline hurts the narrative as a whole, but perhaps not as much as the other design choices at play for this remake of Yakuza 3.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a comeback that both honors its legacy and exceeds expectations. While the slow-burning start might deter some, and minor technical hiccups persist in the new content, this package houses some of the franchise's finest narrative moments. Kiryu has never felt more human, and the addition of Mine’s story turns this collection into an absolute gem for every gamer’s library.