Yakuza Kiwami 3 Review – Steam Deck Performance Tested

To say that Yakuza Kiwami 3 has not been received well by fans is an understatement. From SEGA delisting the Yakuza 3 remake to comparisons showing that the game has seemingly had a graphical downgrade, to SEGA maintaining ties with an actor who has admitted to having, and I use euphemisms to prevent internet filters blocking the article, inappropriate with a hostess, Yakuza Kiwami 3 has been one misstep after another.

I have been playing the series not in order over the past few years, so I am not an old school fan, but I have come to enjoy the series for its equal parts absurdity, humour, social commentary and balls to the wall action, so I was excited for Yakuza Kiwami 3. Given that this review is coming out some time after initial release, I decided to play it on the go via Steam Deck, and this piece is focused on that experience.

Steam Deck Performance and Optimisation

The game is verified, and that can, to be honest, be somewhat misleading. With the frequent updates to SteamOS, games often stop working. This one, however, runs flawlessly on the deck and does not have any issues with small text or frame rate drops or graphical inconsistencies. RGG did a wonderful job getting this remaster optimised for the Deck.

Running at 720p helps performance, but even so, to ensure a consistent experience, I kept most settings to medium. Given the smaller screen, the differences in graphical fidelity are hardly noticeable, so I would rather extend battery life. Given that my Deck is a launch version and has been used fairly regularly, it has charged and discharged over a number of cycles, and even then on battery at mid-range TDP setting, I would easily get extended play time in somewhere between 90 mins and two hours.

Graphics and Visual Presentation

Moving on to Yakuza Kiwami 3 itself, I honestly did not notice any graphical downgrades or what I would classify as unfinished or sloppy graphical work. I have seen the comparison screenshots, and yes, from that it is obvious that the current game is not as interesting as the first remaster and is seemingly unpolished. The reports of blurry backgrounds and low-poly NPCs make it seem like it was a straight PS3 port. But on a smaller screen, where you may be playing the game while watching Netflix in the background, it doesn’t really matter.

Gameplay, Minigames and Story Content

In terms of gameplay, like other Yakuza games, there are a plethora of minigames to play. You get to see the softer side of Kiryu at the Morning Glory Orphanage as he spends time with his charges, being the dad they need. You help them with exams, cook them meals, and even raise a puppy.

Looking online the games have been redesigned from the remaster to make them more compelling and RGG even took games from later instalments such as the cooking game from Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It’s an interesting choice because on the one hand it updates Yakuza Kiwami 3 and ties it more closely to the newer ones, but on the other it blurs the line artistically and even from a preservation perspective by fundamentally changing the context of the original games. Of course, those games still exist and if you have the hardware, you can still play them.

Combat System and Fighting Styles

But it’s the combat we often come play these games for right? Well the combat is good. Having never played the original game or the remaster I didn’t realise that Yakuza Kiwami 3 doubles up on fighting styles. In this game you get two – The Dragon of Dojima style and the Ryukyu style which is a weapon-based style giving you a sword and shield.

The latter is interesting in that it allows you to utilise blocks more, something enemies seem fond of deploying against you. I have never experienced a game in the series where the antagonists deployed block as much as this one, but it does add something of a new dimension to Yakuza Kiwami 3. That said, if you encounter a group of enemies all “turtling” it can be a frustrating experience. Luckily I didn’t encounter that too often.

Dark Ties Expansion Controversy

A controversial addition, not because it is an addition but because of one of the characters, is Dark Ties. It is a standalone expansion and follows Yoshitaka Mine and his journey from corporate citizen to Yakuza member.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is, to say the least, very dark and truly not something I enjoyed playing. As Mine you encounter your entry way into the Yakuza by stopping him from assaulting a woman. Not to save the woman but to gain an entryway into the Yakuza. You spend Yakuza Kiwami 3 befriending a violent creep and one of the plot points and mini games is the management sim where you rehabilitate Kanda’s image to becoming something of a hero.

It is distasteful and unpleasant and given the aforementioned voice actor controversy it is a distasteful parallel to real life. This is a part of the game and series best forgotten.

Final Verdict

For newcomers or novices this release, minus Dark Ties, is a way to continue making your way through the series. For those seeking to revisit their fond memories of the past, let your memories suffice.