Alongside persevering with the tales of Kazuma Kiryu and introducing the world to Ichiban Kasuga, Sega and RGG Studio has spent a couple of decade bringing again a few of the older Yakuza / Like A Dragon video games for contemporary audiences. Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Darkish Ties, out on twelfth February, is the newest of these remakes, following on (naturally) from Kiwami and Kiwami 2. But it surely appears like, relatively than transferring onto the fourth sport, the top of the Kiwami sequence is right here (thanks, Push Sq.!).
In a Ryusta TV livestream broadcast earlier as we speak, RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama stated that “I believe ‘Yakuza Kiwami 3’ would be the final one, and the ‘Kiwami line will come to an finish.” (translation from u/Dastanovich on Reddit.)
After all, that is removed from the top of the Yakuza — in any case, we’d like extra Ichiban in our lives (particularly on Change 2) — and Yokoyama elaborates that “I do not assume it’s going to proceed because the ‘Kiwami’ sequence anymore. I believe a distinct sequence will start. And never one thing like ‘Like a Dragon 9,’ however relatively a brand new sequence on a distinct line, with a distinct which means.”
This kind of appears like new timeline stuff, however it additionally implies that Yakuza 4, Yakuza 5, and Yakuza 6 might be skipping the remake therapy — presumably. However with Yakuza Kiwami 3 reportedly making some controversial cuts and adjustments to the sport’s story, there’s maybe an excessive amount of friction between the Kiwami video games and the remainder of the sequence.
Yokoyama appears to counsel that is the case, as he says the choice to cease the Kiwami video games “… may be one thing you will perceive when you play ‘Yakuza Kiwami 3.'”
Opinions for the upcoming remake have been extra on the combined facet than Yakuza is used to. We scored it a 6/10 on Change 2, for instance, with our personal Ollie Reynolds calling it “a good sequence entry, however one which’s tainted by poor pacing and a recasting controversy that merely did not must occur.”
So, what’s subsequent for Yakuza / Like A Dragon? A break? The subsequent sport? RGG is additionally engaged on a model new IP, Stranger Than Heaven, and seems to be unrelated to RGG’s premier franchise.
Are you disillusioned we cannot be getting a Kiwami 4? Get brawling within the feedback.
