We are absolutely spoiled for choice Yakuza games lately, especially if you’re a newbie to the series who could easily jump 0 after the Kiwami’s on Like a dragon. But now that some of the older games appear on a computer, those interested in returning to the history of the series need to keep a few things in mind.
Following a release on PlayStation last year, Yakuzas 3, 4 & 5 is out on PC and Xbox today, in the form of ‘remastered’ editions. And although they have been improved slightly to keep it up to date, with improvements and resolution, these are still games that are 11, 10 and 8 years old, and different from Kiwami, these are definitely not complete remakes.
What this means is that you will play graphic adjustments in an old way Yakuza games, to an extent I had not yet realized before I tried it this week. Because the range tends to improve at an icy pace between releases, an adjustment here and to move there, it’s not always clear when you create a new one. Yakuza game how much smoother and more contemporary it is than the previous one. You just think, hey, this is a new thing Yakuza game, sweet!
So go back to Yakuza 5, now one of only two matches in the main series not reviewed here (I had problems with PS3 at the time, and therefore has never completed it), not rather was the joy I expected to be. The game still rules, do not get me wrong, but I was a little shocked at how crunchy the game’s controls were, how stiAs for Kiryu’s animations, how many of the series’ annoying little quirks (such as fixed savings points and a lack of first-person mode), I skipped or just forgot in my rosy memories.
A train! Of course that stuff is going to happen, these are old video games, and it would otherwise be a given and expected. This is only due to this series’ wild and strange growth in the West, which took place in many strange places (first around 3, dan 0 and lately at Like a dragon) that I wanted to raise it here, as so many people on PC and Xbox would possibly approach these games for the first time, rather than visit an old favorite.
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If so, you will naturally love them, as long as you are prepared for the things that go into it. Yakuza 4 & 5 especially has a kind of bombastic grandeur from which later games have run away, with an insanely overblown cast of playable characters and intertwined storylines that are an absolute blast to work through.
And while I really admired the effort I put in Like a dragon’s RPG Battle, it was also nice to return to the series’ leg-weakening action fight, something that looks and sounds intimidating, but really isn’t. A combination of upgrade paths and difficulty settings means that everyone can basically fly through these games, including the best and most memorable boss fights you will ever see.
I am the worst at those kind of fights, so if I can finish these games without sweating, anyone can do it.
Yakuzas 3, 4 & 5 Remastered is available today on PC (Windows Store & Steam), Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass (for both Xbox One and PC). And if you read my full reviews of 3 & 4, written around At the time of release, you can find it below!