Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Preview - A little bit of old and a little bit of new
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the latest title in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s iconic Yakuza series, following remakes of the original two entries dating back to 2016. This modernized reimagining aims to capture the spirit of the original while implementing updated quality-of-life features, adjusting story beats, and introducing a brand new experience in Dark Ties, which follows antagonist Yoshitaka Mine. I got to get early hands-on experience with both the main game and Dark Ties in an almost four-hour preview session.
As a newcomer to the Yakuza series, going into my preview, I was a bit intimidated by the sheer volume of available titles to pick from, its dedicated fanbase, and the cult-like status it’s garnered over the years. My fears were soothed somewhat, however, upon starting up my demo. While I did not see it for myself, I did receive confirmation that the full release will include a roughly 20-minute recap of the first two Yakuza titles, for those who may want to start with this entry as a jumping-on point.
Yakuza Kiwami 3
The first half of my preview session was spent with the main game, divided into three sections, each emphasizing key aspects of Yakuza 3 as I controlled longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. First, I was introduced to the Morning Glory orphanage, where I worked to raise my Daddy Rank by engaging in a handful of eclectic and fun mini-games to help the children. I worked out my brain in a multiple-choice science quiz (which I almost failed, don’t laugh), did a fast-paced sewing mini-game, where the slight deviation off the path could spell your doom, and ended with harvesting and chopping vegetables, ultimately resulting in a delicious plate of dragon curry on rice. Each of these mini-games took roughly five minutes to complete, and I was scored based on performance to raise my Daddy Rank. None of them were too challenging, and there are a handful of others to experience with the full release.
After spending time with mini-games at the orphanage, I then had the opportunity to explore Okinawa, where I met up with the Haisai girls and was introduced to the classic Yakuza real-time action combat. This is early in the game, and I faced off against the Tokyo Night Terrors, a rival gang that has strength in numbers. The amount of campy humor and number of deadpan quips during dialogue had me crack a smile or two, and the level of ridiculousness the over-the-top combat offers was my favorite part of my entire demo. Even though this was my first time experiencing Yakuza combat, I quickly got the hang of things, thanks to tight camera control and snappy movement. Moving from one enemy to another was easy, and I never once felt overwhelmed at the number of enemies on screen at one time. Getting used to some of the buttons came with a bit of a learning curve, such as sprinting with the right bumper, but after getting some reps in, I was confident in my abilities to take my fists to the streets.
The third part of the demo allowed me to explore the open world for about an hour. Those familiar with the Yakuza series probably already know what to expect here. I was able to traverse the city, deck out Kiryu in new digs, shop for items, do completely random activities like golf and bowling, play Sega Game Gear, and, of course, beat the snot out of some street thugs. All this and so much more will be at your disposal in the full release, but this section was a great indicator of what to expect.
A highlight from my time with this area was when I got sidetracked with a side quest (called a Substory). While walking down the street, I was stopped by a camera crew and was interviewed by TV star Akko-San and the local news station, which led to me gushing about the local Okinawan hot spots and getting into a brawl in the market. After showing the team around town, we decided to cap it all off with Akko-San serenading us with karaoke in Miya’s bar. The quest ended with Akko-San comically hitting a bell to determine how much fun she had on our excursion - not to brag, but I got the highest marks with three punches, netting me a golden statue of the TV host and various other goodies. It’s these silly side stories that feel like the heart and soul of Yakuza Kiwami 3, and I’m excited to see what other antics I’ll get into.
Once I wrapped up my fifteen minutes of fame, it was time to deck out Kiryu in the latest drip. For my preview, a ton of cosmetics were unlocked, so I had free rein to change up his hairstyle and outfits. The clothing options are seemingly endless, and everything from silly to stylish is available.
Dark Ties
The second half of my preview session was spent with Dark Ties, a brand new story experience starring Yoshitaka Mine, the antagonist from the main game. This separate game takes place before the events of Yakuza Kiwami 3 and introduces a host of new features. Most notably, there are the Survival Hell and Brawler Hell modes, in which Yoshitake Mine’s combat prowess is playable. He sports a shootboxing style of fighting, moving fast and staying agile to take out his opponents. His new Dark Awakening power can be activated, provided you have enough meter to burn, and this allows you to power up your attacks and look cool doing it.
Survival Hell is what you’d get when you sprinkle in a little bit of Roguelike into an already-delicious Yakuza-flavored stew – you’ll explore a seemingly randomly generated arena and search for the exit to the next floor while battling groups of enemies along the way. You’ll fight stronger Treasure Keeper enemies to get loot that’ll boost your combat abilities for each run, which can be a bit of a time sink, but worth the detour for an upgrade. You have roughly 12 minutes per area, and can challenge the Master Keeper (the bosses of Survival Hell) any time, but it’s recommended you explore and find upgrades to make the encounter a bit easier. For later runs, you can even bring Mercenaries in to help you clear runs by finding Gospels littered around the area.
Brawler Hell is a classic combat survival mode, where you’ll face off against hordes of enemies in wave-based combat. This is the perfect opportunity to try combos and techniques, as well as earn a nice chunk of change by winning.
Just like with Kiryu in the main Yakuza 3 game, I got to spend around 30 minutes of uninterrupted exploring of the Kamurocho open world with Yoshitaka Mine. I engaged in pretty much the same activities here as I did with Kiryu, but it seems there are no cosmetic options and clothing shops to outfit Mine with, sadly. There are a few new arcade and Sega Game Gear games to play, and you can access both Survival Hell and Brawler Hell at any time if you speak to the right vendor in the underground Hell’s Arena.
The biggest new addition here is doing Kanda Damage Control. These are missions given to you by Kanda that, upon completion, will help increase the gang’s reputation. In a funny twist, Mine suggests to Kanda that they perform good deeds for the community to build up their trust in the gangster. In my preview, the Damage Control mission I played involved investigating the underground fight club, which led me to the Hell’s Arena section where I could take on the combat challenges. Story details and other Damage Control missions are still mum, but it’s easy to imagine the types of situations we’ll get into with a Yakuza trying to do right by their community.
My time with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties has piqued my interest in the series and has left me hungry for more. As someone who has never touched a game in the series prior, the engaging and frenetic gameplay has sunk its hooks into me, and this is now another game coming out in 2026 that I’m eagerly awaiting. Maybe I can check out some of the other entries in the meantime..
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches on February 12, 2026, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.