Yakuza Kiwami (2016 / 2017)

Yakuza Kiwami (JP: 2016 / WW: 2017)

Genre: Action/Adventure | Players: 1 | Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (SEGA)

Kiwami (meaning 'ultimate' or 'extreme') is an updated, overhauled and expanded PS4 remake of the very first Yakuza game, which was a PS2 exclusive title that received its western release in 2006, a year after its original Japanese release.

With it being the first game done over it'd be natural to assume that it's a perfect jumping on point for new players, but that's not quite the case. It does an okay job at being such, but there's a small number of sub-stories that follow on from occurrences in the previous year's Yakuza 0 (2015), a prequel game set in 1988, seventeen years before Kiwami. So if you want to be clued-in with regards every minor plot thread, you'll need to have played Yakuza 0 first.

The downside to that approach is that Yakuza 0, though set earlier in time, is a more accomplished and varied game. The devs did a tremendous job updating most parts of Kiwami, but lessons learned from and since the original game and its sequels, particularly regarding mission structure but also in storytelling and event timing, mean that for some players Kiwami's ageing game engine may feel dated and clunky by comparison.

- Kiryu comparison. High Def collar or not, he'd kick your ass either way. -

Of the new stuff that wasn't in the original PS2 version, there are two major additions, both of which significantly alter how you play the remake. They are:

01. The ability to change main protagonist Kazuma Kiryu's fighting style during combat. It's a feature that was introduced to the series in Yakuza 0. To reiterate what was said in that post, there are different stances to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses; e.g. the fast 'Rush' stance is good when surrounded by multiple opponents, whereas the 'Beast' stance is slow but more powerful. Their use adds an additional level of tactical thinking to fights and, when applied correctly, can give Kiryu an advantage that he didn't have before.

02. The 'Majima Everywhere' events. Majima is one of the series most popular recurring characters, a yakuza who's evolved over time to be both its best antagonist and its most wicked comedian. He's something of a walking contradiction, but a contradiction that's also one tough as nails opponent. 'Majima Everywhere' has him popping up in unexpected places often at the most unwelcome times to test Kiryu; i.e. fight until someone loses. It's a LOT of fun for a while, but it does get to be too much of a good thing in the long run, and Majima's random appearances outside of story missions conflict with his scripted appearances in the game's original story. The result is that it'll be difficult for new players to appreciate just how menacing the mad-dog used to be, and how rewarding it was to beat the son-of-a-bitch during story missions.

There are other tweaks and additions to Kiwami, but one of the more bizarre ones is a card-battling game called Mesuking. Cards (e.g. pictured left) are obtained from NPCs or found scattered around the game-world. It's a mix of entomology and ladies wrestling. No, I'd not have paired those two things together either, but someone at Sega did and the result is pretty hilarious.

Ultimately, Kiwami may feel like a step backwards to anyone who got their introduction to the series via Yakuza 0, but as someone who's lucky enough to have been there from the PS2 days it was a real joy for me to re-experience it on modern tech with a higher frame rate and better lighting. Roll on Kiwami 2...