The Yakuza series has been popular again, particularly since the release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon in 2020. While the franchise’s audience was growing now, one notable thing was missing from the franchise’s portfolio.
They didn’t have the franchise available on the Nintendo Switch. It is finally here, and the release of Yakuza Kiwami is not only a welcome addition to the Switch’s library, but a natural fit for the platform.
Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza game, which was published on PlayStation 2. And while the remake is modernizing the experience, it adopts the combat system from Yakuza 0.
This smoother, more dynamic fighting experience isn’t without its wrinkles, but it caters to those who love Yakuza 0 while making fans of Yakuza Kanun look familiar.
This combat system may seem repetitive amongst the players of the first, but when you compare it to the clunky mechanics of the original, it is one major improvement.
For a game set in the seedy world of a Yakuza lieutenant, Kazuma Kiryu sacrifices 10 years of his life for his best friend by volunteering to take the fall for a murder he didn’t commit. When released, he realizes he’s going up against a drastically different world.
Another close friend is missing; his former ally is a ruthless mob boss; the yakuza are embroiled in a blood drenched power struggle; and now he finds himself even stalked by his own FBI and DEA handlers. On Kiryu’s mission to unravel the webs of betrayal and chaos, a good narrative is set.
Yakuza Kiwami is fine as a game. Without being the most ambitious or polished in the franchise, it provides the perfect introduction for newcomers. For those who are new, Yakuza isn’t a bad place to start, thanks to a blend of intense storytelling, eccentric side quests but also a bustling open world.
Yakuza Kiwami’s Switch port takes the mostly satisfying experience and delivers it there in spades. Running comfortably at around 30fps this is very consistent performance.
Handheld exploration and combat, while choppier than the arcade, is still rock solid and lacking in distracting glitches, with the occasional stutter that’ll have you wishing you were playing on a proper television rather than a mobile phone.
Graphically, it looks good. Although it doesn’t quite look as good as the PS4’s docked mode, image quality is basically the same.
The visuals are slightly scaled down from what you’d experience in a TV, but remain sharp and immersive, as is to be expected in what is ideal handheld mode; it’s portable friendly in this regard. The presentation is a surprising pleasant altogether; it does what the Switch hardware can do.
Some things are still not right with the port. It’s glaring that autosave isn’t included, given that this is a game that has some pretty tough fights and lengthy cutscenes.
In 2024 this feels outdated and an obvious flaw that can cause a couple of frustrating stops mid-game if you don’t remember to SAVE manually.
Although the combat in general is pretty satisfying, it can sometimes feel unpolished. Every game in the Yakuza series is littered with little decisions meant to derail your progress, whether they’re good or bad, and they’re not always easy to navigate—these have become par for the course, and can even be endearing, but can ultimately keep the uninitiated at bay.
The problem with the text size is a big drawback for handheld players. The boosted contrast of a regular or OLED Switch makes the text barely readable, but on the smaller screen of a Switch Lite, it becomes a pain and a strain on your eyes.
Admittedly, the game would greatly benefit from an option to adjust text size, especially for portable players.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of the Yakuza series, then you’ll definitely be pleased with Yakuza Kiwami on the Nintendo Switch, delivering an engaging story, while still complimenting the series’ unique and quirky charm.
The port has a few minor issues—text size, no autosaves, minor performance hiccups—but they are not worth knocking against the excellence of the port. It’s a fine ‘starter title’ for newcomers, and a nostalgic raft back for series veteran.
The Yakuza Kiwami is a perfect fit for its portability and performance combination — and the Switch feels like a natural home for it.
Also read: Hauntii Review: A Stunning and Heartfelt Adventure