As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve had the pleasure of diving into the gritty world of Yakuza Kiwami on various platforms, but my latest adventure was on the Nintendo Switch. Now, let me tell you, this portable powerhouse has been a game-changer!
Re-exploring Yakuza Kiwami on the Nintendo Switch offers a unique set of experiences. Firstly, it’s exciting to play the renowned Yakuza series on Nintendo’s versatile hybrid console for the first time. Secondly, revisiting Yakuza Kiwami’s storyline presents a fresh perspective, as I can now appreciate its nuances more distinctly due to some distance from my previous exposure to Yakuza 0. Lastly, this journey will resonate deeply with long-time fans of the series in the West, as it offers an opportunity to reconnect with familiar characters and immerse themselves once again in the captivating world of the Yakuza franchise on a new platform.
For the Nintendo Switch version of Yakuza Kiwami, Sega decided to re-license the original Japanese music from its home country releases, unlike previous versions on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. This means that, in addition to Koshi Inaba’s Bleed (the original Japanese opening theme), you also get Receive You [Reborn], a unique video opening that wasn’t included in every version of the Japanese release but can be unlocked with a special promotional code for purchasing a Koshi Inaba album. If you’re familiar with Dragon’s Dogma, you might recognize Koshi Inaba as the vocalist of B’z, who sang the iconic song Into Free. The emotional impact of that early scene in Kamurocho is significantly enhanced by the use of Bleed instead of the previous Western versions.
For those new to the Yakuza and Yakuza: Like a Dragon series, you might be curious about why I began this review of the port by discussing two songs. In essence, fans from the West didn’t get to enjoy the authentic licensed music in games during the PS4 era for the mainline Yakuza games until Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The surprise and delight come from the new Switch port including the original music, which was not common in previous releases.
Moving forward, let’s discuss my experience with Yakuza Kiwami on Nintendo Switch, as well as my thoughts about it in the year 2024. Initially, when I played it in the same year as Yakuza 0, I found Yakuza Kiwami to be somewhat underwhelming and more like an extension of Yakuza 0 rather than a standalone game. This might seem heretical to longtime fans, but that’s how it struck me as someone who joined the series with Yakuza 0. However, revisiting Yakuza Kiwami on Switch now offers a distinctly different experience.
As a dedicated gamer diving into the world of Yakuza, I can attest that Yakuza Kiwami stands out as an exceptional remake, powered by the same engine as Yakuza 0. At first glance, it might seem like the perfect starting point, being a revamp of the original game. However, if you’ve explored other titles in this gripping series, you might find it somewhat lacking compared to the more recent additions.
Yakuza Kiwami’s story of family, crime, betrayal, and more focusing on Kazuma Kiryu still hits as hard today as it did when I first experienced it. What I didn’t expect was to find myself enjoying the side activities even more this time. When I first played Yakuza Kiwami, I didn’t spend as much time on the optional content or just take in more time to soak in the world. Seeing how the developers have changed certain things from Yakuza 0, and also revisiting areas from newer games in this old engine is quite an experience. The virtual tourism aspect of Yakuza games is truly unmatched even for older games.
Structurally, Yakuza Kiwami retains an older game feel within the series, offering action-packed combat with various fighting styles, enhancements, equipment, and a captivating Kamurocho city to traverse. Adorned with neon signs and numerous shops, restaurants, and other attractions, this urban playground provides welcome distractions from the game’s intense narrative. One of my favorite aspects is that you can periodically step away from the serious storyline to enjoy karaoke or one of many entertaining mini-games.
As a gamer, I’ve found myself squaring off against unexpected opponents thanks to the Majima Everywhere feature in Yakuza Kiwami. At first, I thought this mechanic might grow tiresome, but it keeps things fresh with its hilarious moments and thrilling, impromptu battles.
Regarding the fighting sequences in Yakuza Kiwami, there are aspects I find challenging. The boss battles can vary from acceptable to downright frustrating, and despite encountering them for a fourth time, they remain unenjoyable. Thankfully, the developers made significant strides in enhancing these confrontations with Yakuza Kiwami 2 and subsequent releases.
Since 2020, there have been numerous updates for the series, including global multi-platform releases at the same time, keeping the original songs, and the latest addition, “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth,” being hailed as one of the top RPGs in recent times. I’ve played every spinoff and main game since 2017 on various platforms, but I’ve grown accustomed to the new engine that has been introduced since “Yakuza 6: The Song of Life.
I say this because my initial impressions of Yakuza Kiwami on Switch were not great. I wasn’t sure if all the technical issues I was seeing had to do with the Switch version or the game itself. It turns out it was a mix of both. Yakuza Kiwami on Switch feels closer to the PS3 Yakuza games than the new PS4 releases for cross-generation (in Japan and Asia) titles like Yakuza 0, Kiwami, and the original Ishin.
Yakuza Kiwami Switch vs PS4 and Xbox
When playing handheld, I ended up enjoying Yakuza Kiwami a lot more than playing it docked on my monitor or TV. This Switch port is not great on the big screen with the pop-in issues, shimmering, and lower resolution more visible than when playing handheld where it looked a bit soft in parts, but I got used to it very quickly. The pop-in is an issue on PS4 and Xbox as well to a lesser degree though.
Regarding its performance, Yakuza Kiwami aims for 60 frames per second (fps) on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One editions. I didn’t observe it falling below this mark, and load times were satisfactory. However, the Nintendo Switch version lowers the target to 30fps, and it doesn’t always maintain this consistently, particularly during busy urban areas or when there are numerous particle effects during battles, such as heat animations. This performance issue is somewhat reminiscent of my experience with Yakuza 5 on the PS3. On the bright side, the Switch version strives for 60fps in certain menus and the map, which is beneficial.
If you’ve not kept up with how Yakuza Kiwami is on PS4 and Xbox One, the former never saw PS4 Pro support and is capped at 1080p and 60fps. The Xbox One version runs at a higher resolution of 1440p on Xbox One X and Xbox Series X. The Switch version looks sub-native resolution in both docked and handheld modes.
In this game, some longstanding challenges related to foliage and trees in the engine are noticeably more prominent. For instance, when Yakuza’s protagonist, Kiryu, enters a wooded area in Chapter 3 on the Nintendo Switch, the nearby trees exhibit an excessive shimmering effect that is less pronounced on PS4 and Xbox One.
On Nintendo Switch, games take longer to load compared to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions. However, playing on these consoles means you won’t get the licensed music that comes with the game. It’s important to consider this factor if you own multiple platforms before purchasing a game like this for your Switch. The technical compromises made in the Switch version are not entirely surprising, but I believe it’s crucial for those who own various consoles to have a clear understanding of what they can expect when buying games on the Switch.
Here’s another way of saying it:
Yakuza Kiwami Switch vs Steam Deck
Exploring gameplay experiences between Yakuza Kiwami on Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck is intriguing due to their portable capabilities. I find myself preferring to replay games like Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami on the Steam Deck rather than the PS4 or Xbox versions, but I still enjoyed my time with it on Switch, despite some compromises. The Steam Deck provides a smooth 90hz gameplay and enhanced visuals, along with the convenience of playing on-the-go. However, the Switch offers fully opened videos complete with licensed music, adding to the overall immersive experience.
If you do have a Steam Deck and Switch, the former is definitely the better experience, but Switch-only owners will find a competent conversion for playing on the go. I don’t recommend it for playing docked though if you have access to another platform.
2024 finds me revisiting Yakuza Kiwami on the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode, and I must say it’s been a delightful journey! It may not be my top pick among the Yakuza series, but it certainly holds its ground as a commendable addition. For those diving into the world of Yakuza for the first time, this game serves as an ideal starting point.
8
Versions tested: Nintendo Switch
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2024-10-24 18:26