Yakuza 3 HD Remastered Review

While some elements haven’t aged well, Yakuza’s enduring strength continues to be its story

Reviewed on PlayStation 4.

Yakuza 3 Remastered is part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection for PlayStation 4. Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios and published by Sega, the title stars ex-Tojo Clan Yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu, trying to start a new life heading up an orphanage in Okinawa. Featuring 3D beat ’em up combat with RPG leveling up elements, Yakuza 3 combines genres to establish an open-world experience with an unforgettable plotline.

Having started the series with Yakuza 0 for PS4, I’ve played nearly every game released since. Including Kiwami, Kiwami 2, Fist of the North Star: Lost Judgment, and the detective thriller also named Judgment, I’ve watched the series improve in numerous ways. While it’s hard to say any of the mentioned games have come together quite as well as Yakuza 0 has, titles like Kiwami 2 and Judgment utilized the Dragon Engine to streamline exploration and combat using new technology. As such, playing Yakuza 3 also feels like going back in time.

By that, I mean it’s a 2009 title upscaled to higher resolution and framerate. But there’s not much more to say about it or its relevance to playing it. Yakuza 3 was the first title to use the engine…