Yakuza Kiwami, a remaster of the first game in the series, is set to arrive on Nintendo Switch in October, bringing Kazuma Kiryu’s story to life – depending on whether you’re keen to play the prequel Yakuza 0 first – on the portable console.
As revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct, a Switch port of RGG Studio’s game is on the way, telling the story of the great Kaz’s battle with his brother Akira Nishkiyama, and how he must come to terms for the first time with the idea that Goro Majima will haunt him for the rest of his life by showing up at a shop asking for a piece of wood.
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It’s due out on October 24, 2024, which should give you a few months to prepare for your trip to Kamurocho, as both it and the TV adaptation of Like a Dragon: Yakuza are set to arrive on the same day. How do you do that? I don’t know, maybe by practicing switching between positions while you blow up a few bad guys and then losing a ton of money running around your local town doing a bunch of weirdly addictive side-hustle activities.
But seriously, here’s a synopsis from SEGA that outlines what to expect: “With improved gameplay, an expanded cinematic story, the return of Yakuza 0 fighting styles, more nightlife locations, and re-recordings by the series cast, Yakuza Kiwami is the definitive and most “extreme” version of the series’ original vision.”
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Oh, and a spoiler-free plot synopsis: “1995, Kamurocho… Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, takes the fall for the murder of a crime boss in order to protect his sworn brother, Akira Nishikiyama, and his childhood friend, Yumi. 2005… Akira Nishikiyama has become a changed man. Yumi is nowhere to be found. Ten billion yen have disappeared from the Tojo clan’s coffers, putting the organization on the brink of civil war. And Kazuma Kiryu is released from prison into a world he no longer recognizes.”
Then we see a whole galaxy of street urchins getting their heads bashed in with motorcycles while a thrilling drama of the highest order plays out in the background.
This year saw the release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and in October of this year Prime Video will release its television adaptation in the form of Like a Dragon: Yakuza. So now is the perfect time to get into the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series.
