Yakuza 3’s infamously slow begin sees series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu enjoying a comparatively quiet life managing an orphanage on the sunny shoreline of Okinawa — but it really is not extended prior to our hero is dragged into however a different dramatic feud among yakuza clans. Yakuza three was an ambitious jump forward for the franchise back in 2009, and ten complete years later, the remaster remains a robust knowledge.
Alongside a ordinarily superb story match to burst with brilliant characters, the title does an remarkable job of balancing significant narrative beats with entirely off-the-cuff side quests and in-depth distractions like karaoke, golf, and hostess dating. Yakuza three truly solidified the series’ reputation as a meme-worthy sandbox, and exploring each Okinawa and Kamurocho is nonetheless a joy.
Operating at a silky smooth 60 frames per second, Yakuza three Remastered feels excellent to play, even if the animations and character models are definitely displaying their age. It can appear a bit stiff compared to far more current entries, but combat is largely a blast, and the game options some of the most memorable boss fights in the complete Kazuma Kiryu saga.
There is no denying that Yakuza three, even in its remastered type, is rough about the edges — specifically if you happen to be coming off the back of Yakuza six, Kiwami two, or Judgment — but this is nonetheless a single of the series’ greater instalments, and for our income, the greatest of the PS3 Yakuza trilogy.