Ryuu ga Gotoku Kiwami is the full remake of the first Yakuza with Yakuza 0's graphics and mechanics. Kamurocho 1995, Kiryu and Nishiki, saga origins sublimated. The ideal way to discover the start of the legendary saga.
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Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Sega Yakuza Ryuu ga Gotoku, Japanese urban third-person action in the saga. Published by Sega, released in Japan in January 2016. Remake du premier opus, semi-open urban exploration, signature brutal street combat, numerous mini-games and narrative substories, full Japanese voice acting. Kiwami variant of the Yakuza saga. Japanese version.
Ryuu ga Gotoku Kiwami review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
This remake of the first entry rebuilds its story on modern tech. The art direction concentrates its effort on faces: fine features, play of expression and worked light give the long dramatic scenes a film intensity. Where the original suggested, this version shows each emotion on the characters' features, serving a criminal melodrama that plays out as much in close-ups as in punches.
For this remake, the original's themes are re-recorded and fleshed out toward cinema. The score muscles up its dramatic moments with broader orchestrations, and the hero's motif gains gravity, carried by dark strings. Where the other entries play the eclecticism of the streets, this version tightens the music onto the drama, underlining each decisive confrontation with an almost solemn breath.
An ex-yakuza who took the fall for a crime he didn't commit, a man of honour plunges back into Tokyo's underworld to protect a child. Blending melodrama, a code of honour and urban violence, the tale paints the underworld with unexpected humanity. This Japanese crime drama, at once grave and flamboyant, founded a beloved saga.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Roaming the streets of Kamurocho between street brawls, a dramatic plot and a myriad of zany side activities sets up a world so dense that one detour always calls for another. Following the story and trawling the mini-games reward curiosity. Its combat repeats a little, but the attachment to its district and the profusion of activities hold you for the long haul.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Rebuilding the very first chapter with the modern engine delivers a dense Kamurocho where every alley hides substories, minigames and combat challenges. Beyond Kiryu's story, Majima's return as a recurring rival and the wealth of side activities flesh the adventure out considerably. This remake marries nostalgia with contemporary profusion, making it an excellent gateway still cherished today.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Is Ryuu ga Gotoku Kiwami still worth playing in 2026?
A Sega remake, Ryuu ga Gotoku Kiwami fully remakes the very first Yakuza on the engine of the recent entries, offering a complete graphical overhaul, new scenes deepening the story and the combat style system of Yakuza 0. The modernisation of this founding classic, the intensity of the crime drama and the richness of Kamurocho make it an excellent entry point. The language barrier, this port having stayed Japanese, weighs it down. An excellent game for fans of the Yakuza series and Japanese crime drama on PS3.
