Yakuza Kiwami (PS5) Review – The Best Way to Start the Series

Review of Yakuza Kiwami (PS5)

Yakuza/Like a Dragon is one of my favorite video game series of all time. The first two Yakuza games were released for the PS2, and the series remained fairly niche until the sixth main game, Yakuza 0released on PS4. After the success of Yakuza 0, Ryu Ga Gotoku remade the first two games in the series as Yakuza Kiwami 1+2. In 2025 Yakuza 0: Director's Cut was released as an exclusive for Switch 2. Yakuza Kiwami 3 was also announced for an early 2026 release. To capitalize on the success of these latest releases, Sega has released a remaster of Yakuza Kiwami 1 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. If you have a previous version of the game, you can upgrade it for a small fee.

If you already own the original Yakuza Kiwami, there will be no new content for this current-gen version. There has been a slight increase in performance since the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S hardware is more powerful than the PS4. This review will give you an idea of ​​what newcomers can expect from the Yakuza games. I'll talk about the differences between Kiwami and the original game. And I will recommend where newcomers to the series should start if they want to get into this terrifying franchise.

Dragon of Dojima

The first seven main Yakuza games tell the story of Kazuma Kiryu, a legendary Japanese gangster. In the first game, Kiryu takes the blame for the murder of his patriarch, which was actually committed by his best friend Nishiki. Kiryu is released from prison after ten years and learns that Nishiki has risen significantly in the ranks of the Tojo clan. He also discovers that Yumi, the woman he was in love with, has gone missing. The main story follows Kiryu searching for Yumi, trying to figure out what happened to the 10 billion yen that went missing from the Tojo Clan, and caring for a young girl named Haruka who everyone seems to be chasing.

All Yakuza games have incredibly cinematic storytelling. There are numerous cutscenes throughout each story chapter and they are incredibly well done. I would seriously put them up there with any great movie or TV series. One of the main benefits of these games is the ability to experience such well-told stories.

Relaxation “Frame by Frame”

The cutscenes in Yakuza Kiwami are exactly the same as those in the original PS2 game. Some characters have changed in appearance, but the entire frame, camera work and mise-en-scène are identical.

While there are plenty of cutscenes to watch in each chapter of each game, the core gameplay is an open-world, third-person action game. Much of each of these games takes place in a fictional Japanese red light district called Kamurocho, which is modeled (in great detail) after Kabukicho, a real-life red light district in Shinjuku. The sandbox is so accurate and vibrant that the series has become known as a virtual Japanese vacation simulator. Visiting real-life equivalents of locations from Yakuza games has become a popular tourist activity.

Fights on the streets

While wandering the streets, Kiryu gets into fights. Much of Yakuza Kiwami's gameplay involves third-person combat. Kiryu has multiple attack buttons and unlocks more abilities as the game progresses. Battles often involve grabbing surrounding weapons and performing QuickTime cinematic attacks. As the series progresses, the games introduce more RPG elements. Kiwami 1 is built on the Yakuza 0 engine, and they are easier to develop into RPGs.

A huge part of the appeal of Yakuza Kiwami 1+2/ Yakuza 0: Director's Cut is the incredible amount of things to do in the sandbox. Kiryu can enter many buildings. On every street corner you can find a new side quest or mini-game. There are several casinos and gaming parlors with many different games. The arcades feature full versions of classic Sega games. Side quests get weird and can involve strange scenarios, such as rooms of grown men in diapers asking for help. They provide a goofy contrast to the very serious crime drama taking place in the main narrative.

Side quests for several days

Yakuza Kiwami adds a lot of content to the original game, allowing for even more side quests. There is an entire quest chain in which Majima surprises Kiryu in multiple costumes. Each encounter with Majima unlocks new techniques in one of Kiryu's fighting styles. These encounters with Majima show what kind of character Majima becomes, but they don't make much sense compared to Majima from the first game. He is a cold-blooded killer and a true villain. But these side quests only show him as the lovable chaos weirdo from the later games. It's also worth noting that the original English dub of Kiwami 1 has disappeared and has not been replaced.

The Kiryu Saga consists of the games Yakuza, Yakuza 2, Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, Yakuza 5Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 6: Song of Lifein that order. Yakuza Kiwami was released after Yakuza 0, and Kiwami 2 after Yakuza 6. The 7^th and 8^th there are games in the series Yakuza: Like a DragonAnd Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthbut they follow another main character, Ichiban Kasuga.

Series chronology

There are also several side effects. Yakuza: Dead Souls is a what-if zombie shooter that followed Yakuza 4. Like a Dragon: Kenzan and Like a dragon: They were Set in feudal Japan (although Kenzan was never released in North America). Fist of the North Star: Paradise Lost is not related to the Yakuza games, but is created by the same developer and has similar gameplay. Solution And Lost Judgment are Kamurocho detective stories with a different main character, but they are among the best games in the franchise. Like the Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a side story that takes place between Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Finally, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a Majima side story set after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Many people recommend starting with Yakuza 0, but I don't agree with that. It's the right way to start the Yakuza series, but it's not the best way. I think a lot of people started from 0 and think their path was the best. It's best to start with Yakuza on PS2 and go in chronological order of release. I know a lot of people won't go back and play the PS2 version, so I usually recommend people start with Kiwami 1 and go in chronological order of release. Playing 0 before Kiwami 1 gives away a lot of the first game's events, and knowing Kiwami 1 makes 0 richer. Even if I really want to go to 0 because of his reputation, I would at least play Kiwami 1, then 0, and then do everything else in order.

Evolution of franchising

One of the interesting aspects of playing all the Yakuza games is watching how they develop. It's interesting to see how the mechanics of the original versions of each game are built as each new part is released. Starting at 0 means the first five games will mechanically feel like steps backwards, but their stories are important. Yakuza 0 isn't even objectively superior. Yakuza 4 and 5 have a lot more side quests, Yakuza 1 and 2 have my favorite stories, and Yakuza 6 integrates RPG elements and is overall my favorite game. Other great/valid starting points for the franchise are Judgment and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has become one of the most beloved video game franchises on the planet. They're a combination of cinematic crime drama, fun third-person brawls, deep open-world exploration, and insanely wacky side quests and mini-games. Yakuza Kiwami is the best version of the first game in the series. There are some changes that aren't for the better, but overall this is a great version of an all-time great video game. If you've never played any Yakuza games, this new remaster is probably the best place to start.

***PS5 code provided by publisher***