The long-awaited Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties game has been released last Feb. 12, 2026. After multiple previews and promotions, longtime Yakuza franchise fans can finally revisit a remade version of a classic Yakuza title.
After our previous reviews of Like a Dragon Gaiden and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, we just had to get our hands on this entry. Thanks to our friends in SEGA, we also managed to get a review copy of the game and now we’re taking a first look review of the game!
The Story
Yakuza Kiwami 3 takes place after Kiryu’s duel with Ryuji Goda at the Millennium Tower and the death of Yukio Terada. With Haruka in tow, he prepares for a new life in Okinawa, but not before tying up loose ends in Kamurocho.
The story has a similar start to the 2nd game, with Kiryu trying to turn over a new leaf. This time, he actually does get settled with running the Morning Glory orphanage. Unfortunately, a figure from his past comes back to haunt him and sets off a series of events that lead do the new Tojo Clan leader, Daigo Dojima getting shot. Kiryu’s orphanage is then caught in the middle of a brewing power struggle for land rights in Okinawa.
Once again, the 4th Chairman of the Tojo Clan has to investigate this new conspiracy and protect the children under his care.
For Old Time’s Sake
If this is your first time playing a Yakuza game like me, the game’s opening chapter allows for optional flashbacks. When Kiryu pays respects to the fallen at their graves, there are prompts that allow you to recap the events of the first two games. Very handy if you’re looking for context.
Fair warning though, viewing these recaps can take almost an hour. While it is possible to skip these recollections, it’s recommended to view them to gain a better appreciation of the story, or for old time’s sake.
A Proper Sendoff
Old-time Yakuza fans will feel right at home at Kamurocho, and the new players will get a glimpse of the old stomping grounds for a while. Before departing for Okinawa, take time to explore the place for a bit, if only to hit up the old spots like the Millennium Tower and the Stardust Club.
As the cherry on top for this intro, you also get to fight the mad dog Majima Goro, now head of his own construction company, for one last time. Savor it for what it is before he bids farewell to “Kiryu-chan”, complete with a proper sendoff from his men. It’s a really heartwarming gesture.
New Turf, New Routine
Kiryu assumes new responsibilities as a foster father to a group of children at the Morning Glory orphanage. In the middle of all the fighting, investigating the reason behind the eviction notices and gang wars, you as the player, will need to step up and help Kiryu be the best dad the kids deserve.
Spending time doing chores in the orphanage can be one of the most heartwarming and wholesome moments in this game. You get to help the kids with their homework in quiz-type games, do sewing projects, cook meals for them, and even manage a vegetable garden.
Sidequests
Throughout the game, Kiryu can meet interesting individuals whom he can assist. From the shy guy who wants to confess, to an aspiring engineer. These are some of the more hilarious segments of the game, which add much-needed breathers after all the fighting you will do on a regular basis. Some of these can have funny endings, like helping a guy confess to a cashier, only for said cashier to have feelings for Kiryu instead.
A more useful one happens early on, where Kiryu saves an inventor and gets to try his self-balancing hoverboard prototype. After finishing this quest, you can use it at any time to save yourself the trouble of walking around all the time.
Two Games in One
As the title suggests, Yakuza Kiwami 3 comes with a bonus route, Dark Ties. This additional story mode explores the path of Kiryu’s adversary, Yoshitaka Mine, following his path from a startup businessman to a prominent player in the underworld. You can switch between Kiryu or Mine’s route at any time, though the game recommends you finish the main story first.
The player follows his initial allegiance with the Nishikiyama-affiliated yakuza Tsuyoshi Kanda and their journey, as Mine plays deal maker to bring other crime families under his influence. This route explores his quest to uncover why the Tojo Clan’s men are loyal to Chairman Daigo Dojima. In contrast to the relatively relaxed and wholesome few chapters of Yakuza Kiwami 3, Dark Ties takes a more sinister turn. Here, Mine’s cold and calculating methods are in full display, as he gathers assets to increase the profits of his clan.
The Gameplay
Players with fighting game experience will feel right at home here, since button combo inputs will be crucial for chaining attacks. Those who played the original series on console will have no problem adapting to the Steam version, since the game naturally has PS4 controller support.
One hitch I experienced though, was the fact that the map button was bound to the L3 button and I couldn’t seem to get rid of that keybind during gameplay.
This resulted in instances when I accidentally depressed the joystick while quickstepping to avoid getting hit. I did eventually shift back to using the mouse and keyboard setup for a few fights, like in Dark Ties where I faced off against Kanda. While this was a minor annoyance, the issue was easily solved when launching the game in Steam’s Big Picture Mode.
Working for Your Meal
It’s relatively easy to farm for money and items while playing both routes. Kamurocho and Okinawa have no shortage of thugs to fight and earn money from. If you want to spend time building up Kiryu and Mine’s stats early on, it’s advisable to do so. That way, you have enough cash to buy extra health recovery items or to spend towards increasing your stats. While this can be very expensive to do so in higher tiers, an early boost always helps.
Kiryu can also take on the task of hunting down the so-called “Reapers”, who are Tojo clan rejects. These troublemakers are a good source of income early in the game and can be found in both areas. If you want to have spending money before Okinawa, taking on these challenges before leaving is highly advisable. Besides, nothing beats having a meal to restore lost HP after defeating a wanted ruffian.
Old Dog, New Tricks
While the barehanded Dragon of Dojima fighting style of Kiryu is still there, Kiwami 3 adds another style. This time with melee weapons and a shield. Known as Ryukyu kobojutsu, this can be highly useful when facing multiple enemies, especially if you encounter foes with guns and bladed weapons.
The shield gave me more options for defense, but what I like is the ability to parry and counter incoming blows, similar to a Souls-like gameplay element. Attacking with different weapons through button inputs is also quick and easy, allowing for a very unpredictable fighting style.
Switching between barehanded and the Ryukyu style is seamless as well. I found that fighting bare-handed allows for quick beatdowns, but you can also pick up certain objects to use as weapons. This style has its own flair with a variety of melee weapons to use, but using the shield’s parry mechanic was the 2nd best part of this experience. The first is that the finishers and Heat Actions are a joy to watch in either style, especially the signature Dragon Finisher in either Dojima or Ryukyu styles.
Making New Friends
Another activity that Kiryu will take on is assisting a female biker gang called the Haisai Girls. Recruiting women who are being harassed by the rival gang, the Tokyo Night Terrors, is one of the first things you need to do. As the game goes on, you can rescue more of these girls from the streets and recruit them into their leader’s ever-growing brigade. These Turf Wars did take some getting used to since you’re practically fighting crowds here. The Ryukyu fighting style definitely works best for these missions.
Life at the Orphanage
Don’t let the constant fistfights fool you; after all, Kiryu still needs to run an orphanage. Doing chores, playing games with children and helping them with their homework are all vital tasks to ranking up your in-game “dad meter” and increasing your bonds with the children under your care.
The orphanage activities were fun, especially the cooking, fishing and homework ones. Much like in Persona 3 Reload, you can grow vegetables, though this is mostly done in the backyard garden and not on a dorm rooftop.
Minigames
If you feel like you need a break from the story, there are more minigames you can find, especially in the arcades like Club Sega. There are a variety of games in other locations. These include darts, mahjong and the classic karaoke singing activity. Of course, the best song to kick things off is the classic “Bakamitai” when you visit this place.
Keep in mind though, playing these mini-games costs in-game money, so better make each attempt count. Though, it’s worth noting that some places, like the orphanage’s Sega Game Gear allow for players to try out the other Sega titles completely free. I have to admit, it was fun playing the OG Pac-Man and Sonic after so long.
The Good
- The story is paced just right, with opportunities to catch up. This is useful especially if you are a first-time player.
- Varied fighting styles allow for unpredictable gameplay to keep opponents off balance.
The Bad
- There were a few technical issues that I faced, particularly the locked keybind to the controller. This caused me to lose a couple of fights at crucial moments, and I did have to learn to limit the amount of force I used on the joysticks, just so I don’t accidentally bring up the map during fights. Though, as stated earlier, this was solved by lauching the game while in Steam’s Big Picture Mode.
The Verdict
“Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties” is a great remake for the Yakuza series. If you’re looking to play the OG game with more enhancements and better graphics, then give this one a buy. Just watch out for controller keybind issues above and you’ve got yourself a solid addition to your Steam Library.
Thanks again to our friends at Sega for giving us access to a review copy!
Final Score: 8 out of 10.
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The long-awaited Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties game has been released last Feb. 12, 2026. After multiple previews and promotions, longtime Yakuza franchise fans can finally revisit a remade version of a classic Yakuza title.
After our previous reviews of Like a Dragon Gaiden and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, we just had to get our hands on this entry. Thanks to our friends in SEGA, we also managed to get a review copy of the game and now we’re taking a first look review of the game!
The Story
Yakuza Kiwami 3 takes place after Kiryu’s duel with Ryuji Goda at the Millennium Tower and the death of Yukio Terada. With Haruka in tow, he prepares for a new life in Okinawa, but not before tying up loose ends in Kamurocho.
The story has a similar start to the 2nd game, with Kiryu trying to turn over a new leaf. This time, he actually does get settled with running the Morning Glory orphanage. Unfortunately, a figure from his past comes back to haunt him and sets off a series of events that lead do the new Tojo Clan leader, Daigo Dojima getting shot. Kiryu’s orphanage is then caught in the middle of a brewing power struggle for land rights in Okinawa.
Once again, the 4th Chairman of the Tojo Clan has to investigate this new conspiracy and protect the children under his care.
For Old Time’s Sake
If this is your first time playing a Yakuza game like me, the game’s opening chapter allows for optional flashbacks. When Kiryu pays respects to the fallen at their graves, there are prompts that allow you to recap the events of the first two games. Very handy if you’re looking for context.
Fair warning though, viewing these recaps can take almost an hour. While it is possible to skip these recollections, it’s recommended to view them to gain a better appreciation of the story, or for old time’s sake.
A Proper Sendoff
Old-time Yakuza fans will feel right at home at Kamurocho, and the new players will get a glimpse of the old stomping grounds for a while. Before departing for Okinawa, take time to explore the place for a bit, if only to hit up the old spots like the Millennium Tower and the Stardust Club.
As the cherry on top for this intro, you also get to fight the mad dog Majima Goro, now head of his own construction company, for one last time. Savor it for what it is before he bids farewell to “Kiryu-chan”, complete with a proper sendoff from his men. It’s a really heartwarming gesture.
New Turf, New Routine
Kiryu assumes new responsibilities as a foster father to a group of children at the Morning Glory orphanage. In the middle of all the fighting, investigating the reason behind the eviction notices and gang wars, you as the player, will need to step up and help Kiryu be the best dad the kids deserve.
Spending time doing chores in the orphanage can be one of the most heartwarming and wholesome moments in this game. You get to help the kids with their homework in quiz-type games, do sewing projects, cook meals for them, and even manage a vegetable garden.
Sidequests
Throughout the game, Kiryu can meet interesting individuals whom he can assist. From the shy guy who wants to confess, to an aspiring engineer. These are some of the more hilarious segments of the game, which add much-needed breathers after all the fighting you will do on a regular basis. Some of these can have funny endings, like helping a guy confess to a cashier, only for said cashier to have feelings for Kiryu instead.
A more useful one happens early on, where Kiryu saves an inventor and gets to try his self-balancing hoverboard prototype. After finishing this quest, you can use it at any time to save yourself the trouble of walking around all the time.
Two Games in One
As the title suggests, Yakuza Kiwami 3 comes with a bonus route, Dark Ties. This additional story mode explores the path of Kiryu’s adversary, Yoshitaka Mine, following his path from a startup businessman to a prominent player in the underworld. You can switch between Kiryu or Mine’s route at any time, though the game recommends you finish the main story first.
The player follows his initial allegiance with the Nishikiyama-affiliated yakuza Tsuyoshi Kanda and their journey, as Mine plays deal maker to bring other crime families under his influence. This route explores his quest to uncover why the Tojo Clan’s men are loyal to Chairman Daigo Dojima. In contrast to the relatively relaxed and wholesome few chapters of Yakuza Kiwami 3, Dark Ties takes a more sinister turn. Here, Mine’s cold and calculating methods are in full display, as he gathers assets to increase the profits of his clan.
The Gameplay
Players with fighting game experience will feel right at home here, since button combo inputs will be crucial for chaining attacks. Those who played the original series on console will have no problem adapting to the Steam version, since the game naturally has PS4 controller support.
One hitch I experienced though, was the fact that the map button was bound to the L3 button and I couldn’t seem to get rid of that keybind during gameplay.
This resulted in instances when I accidentally depressed the joystick while quickstepping to avoid getting hit. I did eventually shift back to using the mouse and keyboard setup for a few fights, like in Dark Ties where I faced off against Kanda. While this was a minor annoyance, the issue was easily solved when launching the game in Steam’s Big Picture Mode.
Working for Your Meal
It’s relatively easy to farm for money and items while playing both routes. Kamurocho and Okinawa have no shortage of thugs to fight and earn money from. If you want to spend time building up Kiryu and Mine’s stats early on, it’s advisable to do so. That way, you have enough cash to buy extra health recovery items or to spend towards increasing your stats. While this can be very expensive to do so in higher tiers, an early boost always helps.
Kiryu can also take on the task of hunting down the so-called “Reapers”, who are Tojo clan rejects. These troublemakers are a good source of income early in the game and can be found in both areas. If you want to have spending money before Okinawa, taking on these challenges before leaving is highly advisable. Besides, nothing beats having a meal to restore lost HP after defeating a wanted ruffian.
Old Dog, New Tricks
While the barehanded Dragon of Dojima fighting style of Kiryu is still there, Kiwami 3 adds another style. This time with melee weapons and a shield. Known as Ryukyu kobojutsu, this can be highly useful when facing multiple enemies, especially if you encounter foes with guns and bladed weapons.
The shield gave me more options for defense, but what I like is the ability to parry and counter incoming blows, similar to a Souls-like gameplay element. Attacking with different weapons through button inputs is also quick and easy, allowing for a very unpredictable fighting style.
Switching between barehanded and the Ryukyu style is seamless as well. I found that fighting bare-handed allows for quick beatdowns, but you can also pick up certain objects to use as weapons. This style has its own flair with a variety of melee weapons to use, but using the shield’s parry mechanic was the 2nd best part of this experience. The first is that the finishers and Heat Actions are a joy to watch in either style, especially the signature Dragon Finisher in either Dojima or Ryukyu styles.
Making New Friends
Another activity that Kiryu will take on is assisting a female biker gang called the Haisai Girls. Recruiting women who are being harassed by the rival gang, the Tokyo Night Terrors, is one of the first things you need to do. As the game goes on, you can rescue more of these girls from the streets and recruit them into their leader’s ever-growing brigade. These Turf Wars did take some getting used to since you’re practically fighting crowds here. The Ryukyu fighting style definitely works best for these missions.
Life at the Orphanage
Don’t let the constant fistfights fool you; after all, Kiryu still needs to run an orphanage. Doing chores, playing games with children and helping them with their homework are all vital tasks to ranking up your in-game “dad meter” and increasing your bonds with the children under your care.
The orphanage activities were fun, especially the cooking, fishing and homework ones. Much like in Persona 3 Reload, you can grow vegetables, though this is mostly done in the backyard garden and not on a dorm rooftop.
Minigames
If you feel like you need a break from the story, there are more minigames you can find, especially in the arcades like Club Sega. There are a variety of games in other locations. These include darts, mahjong and the classic karaoke singing activity. Of course, the best song to kick things off is the classic “Bakamitai” when you visit this place.
Keep in mind though, playing these mini-games costs in-game money, so better make each attempt count. Though, it’s worth noting that some places, like the orphanage’s Sega Game Gear allow for players to try out the other Sega titles completely free. I have to admit, it was fun playing the OG Pac-Man and Sonic after so long.
The Good
The Bad
The Verdict
“Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties” is a great remake for the Yakuza series. If you’re looking to play the OG game with more enhancements and better graphics, then give this one a buy. Just watch out for controller keybind issues above and you’ve got yourself a solid addition to your Steam Library.
Thanks again to our friends at Sega for giving us access to a review copy!
Final Score: 8 out of 10.
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Ren
Writer by trade, gamer by passion. Also builds GunPla model kits, and collects Figmas and Nendos.