The Yakuza series is fully aboard the remake train at this point, as the next game reimagines another pivotal entry in the series. Yakuza Kiwami 3, like the past two Kiwami games, is a full-blown remake of the original PS3 game, but this time Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is leaning even harder into the idea of this being a “reimagining.” This isn’t just a straight remake, but a complete rebuild of Yakuza 3 — one that gives the series’ most scintillating villain a chance to shine even more.
Yakuza 3 was first released on the PS3 in 2009, and as I’ve noted before, it suffered from the series’ transition period to a new console. So there’s already a good reason to have a remake, but it seems like RGG has an entirely different ethos for Kiwami 3.
While the first two Kiwami games did overhaul the world and battle system and tweak a few story elements, they were fairly faithful remakes — outside of brand-new content like the Majima Saga. And that last bit seems to be the impetus for Kiwami 3. In the RGG Direct, the developers behind the game explained they’ve added entirely new cut-scenes that didn’t make it into the original game, overhauled the graphics and re-recorded lines, and more. But one particularly interesting bit comes from the producer and director of Kiwami 3, Ryosuke Horii, who says:
“Some scenes have been changed drastically with different developments and outcomes. In order to outdo ourselves and create a game that everyone will love, we didn’t take the safe, defensive route by glorifying the past with a simple remake, but instead took a more aggressive approach to remake Yakuza Kiwami 3.”
That’s a fascinating statement to make, especially regarding a series that already has three remakes under its belt. To me, that suggests that Yakuza Kiwami 3 might be more in line with something like Final Fantasy 7 Remake — a game that doesn’t just want to update the original, but provide an essential re-reading of the game’s place in history and its influence. That, to me, is much more interesting than a straight remake. I’d rather have a complete reappraisal of something than just the same game with prettier graphics. The original is there and always will be. Give me something that re-examines how that original game was made.
To that end, Kiwami 3 is adding a seismic ton of new or altered content. At the forefront of this is the Dark Ties side-game. This is an entirely separate experience packaged in with Kiwami 3, essentially a Gaiden game that focuses entirely on the game’s main villain, Yoshitaka Mine. And anyone who knows Yakuza 3 is likely incredibly excited, as Mine is, hands-down, one of the most compelling characters the series has ever seen.
A disgraced businessman-turned-Yakuza, Mine is a complicated character with a supremely cynical view of the world, believing that people solely act out of their own self-interest. At times, Mine feels like he has an almost impenetrable moral code, but his cold and calculating view of the world is the perfect foil to the kind-hearted Kazuma Kiryu — and Dark Ties is the chance to explore that idea even more. Running alongside the main game, Dark Ties seemingly explores Mine’s rise to power and his relationship with Daigo Dojima, letting you play as the villain for the first time.
Exploring the different sides of Mine’s personality and history has the potential to make Yakuza 3’s story so much richer and more complex. He’s a masterfully written character, and if pulled off effectively, Dark Ties could make the game’s finale something truly incredible. I do have some hesitancy at the game adding “new scenes,” after the new scenes in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut objectively made the game worse — but RGG is a talented studio that could definitely pull it off, and completely reworking the game is a bit different than grafting new scenes onto the original.
But Mine’s expanded story is honestly just the tip of the iceberg of what’s new in Kiwami 3, and there are other elements equally promising. One of Yakuza 3’s strongest elements is its delightfully slow opening, where you spend hours going through Kiryu’s new life as a dad at the orphanage he runs. It’s one of the consistent elements of the game that fans list as their favorite, and Kiwami 3 is doubling down on it by expanding the Morning Glory Orphanage into its own sub-game, essentially.
There are now a wealth of new minigames at Morning Glory, like cooking meals for the kids or tending your garden. On top of that, every single one of Kiryu’s children has their own new substory, deepening their bond with him. This addresses a key fault in Yakuza 3. As good as that opening is, the orphanage kind of fades into the background as the larger plot unfolds — despite Kiryu fighting for his family the whole time. Expanded orphanage sections could make the whole reason for Kiryu fighting more present, and help dive into a key part of the character’s pathos across the series. Yakuza 3 was a key game for developing Kiryu’s personality and morality.
On top of all that, there’s even more to add extra flavor to Yakuza 3. There’s an entire side story where Kiryu joins forces with an all-ladies biker gang, letting you customize your team and fight for territory. A new Ryukyu combat style is inspired by traditional Okinawan martial arts. And a mission-based mode called Kanda Damage Control, where Mine has to manage the notorious reputation of his partner in crime, is added.
For all intents and purposes, Yakuza Kiwami 3 seems more like an entirely new entry in the series. And as more and more classic games get modern updates, approaches like this might end up being what remakes need to stand out.
