The Yakuza Remastered Collection Review: A Welcome Return For An Old Friend

Yakuza Like A Dragon gave us a new Yakuza entry that re-imagined the series with new game [...]

By Evan Valentine

Yakuza Like A Dragon gave us a new Yakuza entry that re-imagined the series with new game mechanics and new protagonists, while fans are now allowed to play entries three through five with a re-mastered makeover via the PC or Xbox One console with the Yakuza Remastered Collection. This remastered edition is a solid collection for fans of the franchise, or those who are looking to dive into the story of the "Dragon of Dojima" for the first time. Does this new Collection, which arrives a year following the PlayStation Port, manage to justify its existence?

If you've never played a Yakuza game before, there is definitely a formula to each of the entries, with the previous game Like A Dragon combining street-fighting mechanics and surreal mini-games that help the franchise breathe and do things that most other video games haven't been able to compete with. The story of Kazuma Kiryu is an interesting one, with each entry filled with colorful characters and a compelling story that manages to perfectly balance humor with serious life-or-death situations. The strengths of the Yakuza series haven't simply been its battle mechanics that see Kiryu launching an offensive that combines fists, feet, and any daily mundane item that he can smash into the side of an opponent's head, but also the sheer amount that a player can do when traversing through the cities of Japan.

Yakuza Remastered Collection
(Photo: Sega)

The Yakuza games have something for everyone when it comes to taking a break from fisticuffs and diving into the endless number of mini-games that can help your character level up, or simply be the next step in a story beat. With mainstays like Darts, Golf, Slots, Card Games, and visiting Arcades that hold Sega Classics within them, and each entry in this collection having its own slew of distractions unique to their journeys, Yakuza 3 through 5 are well worth diving into individually if you want to follow Kiryu's journey along these installments. While fans of each game will certainly get more references if they play them in order, each entry in the series can be played independently from one another without needing to necessarily hold the players' hand.

Yakuza 3 hit both the PlayStation 2 and 3, while Yakuza 4 and 5 made their way to PlayStation 3, 4, and the Xbox One. With the remastered collection originally hitting the PlayStation 4 earlier last year, fans might be disappointed if they were looking for any substantial graphical upgrades from the Sony version. The games all still manage to run seamlessly on the PC, but there isn't much new here from a spit-shine to the rougher edges of the graphics from their original appearances on the consoles. Don't go into this expecting a completely new undertaking with these unique Sega hits and you'll ultimately be fine.

If this is your first time diving into the franchise of Yakuza, there are hundreds of hours to sink your teeth into with these entries, as the characters and setting are infectious with each entry, even if the surroundings can sometimes feel the same if you dive immediately from one game to the next. Sega always had something special on their hands with the Yakuza series, and this revisiting to the series' past goes a long way in showing that.

The mechanics of the Yakuza series remain insanely solid through this Remastered Collection, as the games run flawlessly on the PC. Considering the fact that the collection is either $40 for these three titanic games, or can be played "for free" if you are currently a subscriber to the Xbox Game Pass, this conglomerate of games is most assuredly worth your time and shows off some of the best parts of the Yakuza franchise.

If you already bought this Collection on the PlayStation store, there isn't anything new here to warrant a double-dip, but if you have yet to experience Yakuza 3 through 5 on any platform and are looking for a surreal, hard-hitting romp through the world of Japanese gangsters, you can't go wrong with the Yakuza Remastered Collection.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Yakuza Remastered Collection is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review, and it was reviewed on a PC via Windows 10.

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