We have been absolutely pampered Yakuza games lately, especially if you are a newcomer to the series who has been able to jump effortlessly 0 to the Kiwamis a Like a dragon. But now that some of the older games are already on the PC, those interested in going back in the history of the series need to keep a few things in mind.
After a PlayStation release last year, Yakuzas 3, 4 & 5 are available today for PC and Xbox, in the form of “remastered” editions. And, although they have improved slightly to update them, with improvements in resolution and frame rate, are still 11, 10 and 8 year old games, as opposed to Kiwami, are definitely not complete remakes.
What this means is that aside from the graphic tweaks, you’ll be playing an old ass Yakuza games, to what extent I hadn’t noticed before trying them out this week. Because the series tends to improve at an icy pace between releases, a change here and there, it’s not always obvious when a new version is played. Yakuza the game is smoother and more contemporary than the previous one. You’re just thinking, hey, this is new Yakuza game, sweet!
So going back to Yakuza 5, now one of the two games in the main series that cannot be reviewed here (Back then I had PS3 technical issues, and therefore you never finished it), quite it has been the joy I hoped it would be. The game still rules, make no mistake, but I was a little surprised at how crunchy the game controls were,ff Kiryu’s animations were how many of the small and annoying idiosyncrasies of the series (such as fixed save points and lack of first-person mode) I had glossed over or simply forgotten about in my pink memories.
And yet! De of course that would happen these are old video games, and that otherwise would be an expected fact. It is only due to the strange and wild growth of this series in the West, which has increased in very strange places (first in 3, so 0 and lately a Like a dragon) that I felt like getting it here, as so many PC and Xbox people might approach these games for the first time, instead of revisiting an old favorite.
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If so, you will of course love them, as long as you are prepared for these things. Yakuza 4 & 5 above all they have a kind of bombastic grandeur that the last few games have moved away from, with an incredibly exaggerated cast of playable characters and intertwined stories that are an absolute blast to make your way.
And while I really admired the effort made Like a dragon Role play, it was also nice to get back to the action combat of the series, which seems and sounds intimidating, but it really isn’t. A combination of upgrade paths and setup difficulties means basically anyone can make their way through these games, including some of the best and most memorable boss fights you’ve ever seen.
I am the worse in this type of combat, so if I can finish these games without sweating, anyone can.
Yakuzas 3, 4 & 5 The remasters are available today on PC (Windows Store and Steam), Xbox One, and Xbox Game Pass (for both Xbox One and PC). And if you want to see my full reviews of 3 & 4, writing around at the time of release, you can find them below.