In the words of esteemed podcast host Gareth Brierley “Did you know…” that the Japanese word ‘kiwami’ means ‘extreme’ in English? And it is the perfect word to describe this Yakuza remake, as Yakuza Kiwami becomes the latest in the series to release on Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass.
A remake of the original Yakuza game that released on PlayStation 2 back in 2006, Kiwami once again centres around Kazuma Kiryu as he takes the blame for the murder of his boss, Sohei Dojima and faces ten years in prison. Upon his release the world around him has changed – and not necessarily for the best – as he is expelled from the Yakuza family and a once loyal friend has had a personality makeover so ‘kiwami’ he is almost unrecognisable. However, a childhood friend has disappeared so like it or not, Kiryu is quickly dragged back into the criminal underworld.
Fans that have played Yakuza 0 since its release on Xbox Game Pass back in February will once again feel right at home with Yakuza Kiwami but for those that maybe missed that one, Kiwami is still an excellent place to start being the first in the series and not another prequel. It introduces many of the series main characters that weren’t around during the events of Yakuza 0, perhaps because they were too young to have even been born in 1980’s Japan?
Featuring many of the franchises hallmarks including over-the-top fighting styles, a whole suite of minigames and humourous sidequests, Yakuza Kiwami also introduces the Majima Everywhere mechanic. Series anti-hero Goro Majima loves a fight and will seek out Kiryu at any available opportunity to exchanges punches. Fancy a quick respite at the batting cages? Majima’s already waiting. Why is there a huge traffic cone on the pavement? Majima’s hiding underneath it. A seemingly insignificant looking trash can? Nope, Majima is waiting to jump out at you…
If you are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber then Yakuza Kiwami is available for you right now to download. For those still yet to take the plunge with Game Pass, Yakuza Kiwami can still be purchased for just £14.99, a bargain by anyone’s standards. Stay tuned as well for our review coming very soon!
Game description
Yakuza, the first installment in SEGA’s critically acclaimed action series, gets an extreme remake in Yakuza Kiwami. To save his best friend, Kazuma Kiryu takes the fall for a crime he didn’t commit, and ends up with a 10-year prison sentence. After being released, Kiryu finds himself expelled from his yakuza family, and alone in a world he no longer recognizes. Events take a turn for the worse when 10 billion yen vanishes from the vault of the Tojo Clan, Kiryu’s former yakuza family, igniting a war in the red-light district of Kamurocho. Together with a mysterious girl named Haruka, Kiryu must fight to survive and uncover the truth hidden amidst the chaos surrounding them
