Ever since Yakuza Kiwami 2 was released into Xbox Game Pass, fans of the series had been clamouring for the remainder of the series to come to Xbox too. And prayers were answered during The Game Awards 2020 when it was announced The Yakuza Remastered Collection would be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC, and once again to Xbox Game Pass. That day has finally arrived and the amount of Yakuza games now available on Xbox has instantly doubled to six titles.
The Yakuza Remastered Collection brings together remasterings of Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 in one neat package. Having all originally released on the PlayStation 3, this release sees them brought forward with 1080p and 60fps, plus content that was originally omitted is now included. Those of you who enjoy a bit of mah-jong will no doubt be pleased with that news.
Yakuza 3 continues the story of Kiryu as he and Haruka move to Okinawa to open up an orphanage together. But it isn’t long before – even in this peaceful coastal town – trouble finds him, and he is once again dragged back into the criminal underworld. Then, in Yakuza 4, the story is expanded with three new playable protagonists and fighting styles making it the most ambitious Yakuza game released at the time.
Yakuza 5 completes this collection and blows everything else out of the water though with its scope. Five playable protagonists and five fully explorable open-world cities make this easily the biggest title out of the three.
The Yakuza games are known for their deep, emotional storytelling of Japanese crime, but they also enjoy their humourous side as well. Distractions are all throughout the cities with side stories and minigames aplenty. One Yakuza game is a big undertaking; three will have you comfortably set for the next few months.
And these are all launching straight into Xbox Game Pass so subscribers only need to worry about downloading them. For everyone else, these cost £34.99 for the full Yakuza Remastered Collection, or £17.99 for each of the individual titles Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 – yes, you can pick up your favourite individually should you so wish.
If you are waiting for our reviews, fear not as they will be coming very soon. Hopefully just before Yakuza 6: The Song of Life launches into Game Pass in March.
Sound off in the comments with your best “KIRYUUUU-CHAN!”
Game descriptions:
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Experience the third chapter of the Kazuma Kiryu saga with restored content in 1080p and 60fps. A year after the Kanto-Kansai all-out war, Kazuma Kiryu and Haruka Sawamura have left the unforgiving streets of Kamurocho for the island of Okinawa to run the Morning Glory Orphanage. Despite his efforts, shadows of Kiryu’s past threaten to entangle the Morning Glory Orphanage in a deadly power struggle involving the Tojo Clan and political world. Thus begins a dramatic tale set in the “sleepless city” of Kamurocho in Tokyo and the tropical lands of Okinawa. Can Kiryu rescue the children of the orphanage from the looming threats emerging from the depths of the underworld and state power? Complete The Dragon of Dojima’s journey.
Yakuza 4 Remastered
Experience the fourth chapter of the Kazuma Kiryu saga in 1080p and 60fps. 2010, Tokyo. A shooting incident one night in a red-light district sets the city swirling with human desires and clamor. It was supposed to be a “common incident” for this town… until the appearance of one woman burdened with sorrow. As if drawn to a flame, men of the city’s dark underground are gathered, one after another, at the door of the “legendary yakuza” Kazuma Kiryu. As the fates of these four men overlap, the story of a miracle created by the passionate and violent way of life begins to takes shape. Take control of multiple protagonists, a first for the series, allowing for unprecedented story depth and battle action. Three new protagonists, each with a rich personality, will leave their impact before the story concludes. Complete The Dragon of Dojima’s journey.
Yakuza 5 Remastered
Experience the fifth chapter of the Kazuma Kiryu saga in 1080p and 60fps. In December 2012, Kazuma Kiryu left his past as a “legendary yakuza” and his place of peace in Okinawa. He now spends his days as a cab driver in a corner of Fukuoka’s red-light district, hiding his true identity. All for the sake of fulfilling the “dream” of an important person. However, a disturbing atmosphere begins to drift through the supposedly well-balanced society of the Kanto and Kansai yakuza, emerging as a plot to drag all of the yakuza organizations in Japan to war. In order to protect the “dreams” of his loved one, Kiryu is drawn into the vortex of battle once again. This is the story of four men and a girl chasing their “dreams” in five major cities in Japan, presented on the largest scale of the series yet. Complete The Dragon of Dojima’s journey.
