Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties - Legendary Lads & Gals Set delivers an action RPG adventure experience centered on beat em up combat and open world exploration across Okinawa and Tokyo districts. Players take control of Kazuma Kiryu in the main campaign while also accessing a separate story featuring Yoshitaka Mine through Dark Ties. The Legendary Lads & Gals Set expands the Ryukyu Gal Gang roster with additional members unlocked after reaching the corresponding story event, allowing more options during gang related activities without contributing to achievement progress.
Gameplay
Core combat revolves around two distinct styles for Kiryu. Dragon of Dojima Kiwami Style emphasizes powerful bare knuckle strikes, environmental weapon use, and Heat Actions that deliver high damage finishers. Ryukyu Style incorporates Okinawan martial arts with weapons such as tonfas, nunchaku, and sai for faster, technical combos. Mine employs a shoot boxing approach focused on precise strikes, aerial dashes, and a Dark Awakening mode that alters his moveset for aggressive bursts. Exploration covers detailed recreations of Downtown Ryukyu and Kamurocho, where side activities include orphanage management at Morning Glory, substories, and various minigames like karaoke, darts, mahjong, and newly added Game Gear titles playable in single or local multiplayer formats. Ability upgrades come from missions, training, and collectibles that expand technique options across both campaigns.
Game Modes
Bad Boy Dragon serves as the primary side mode in Yakuza Kiwami 3, placing Kiryu in charge of the Haisai Girls biker gang for turf conflicts against rival groups. Players recruit members, customize bikes and outfits, and participate in team based Baddie Battles or large scale 100 Person Rumbles that incorporate motorcycles and weapons. Reaper Hunting returns as a dedicated activity where Kiryu assists in tracking and reforming former Tojo Clan members. Dark Ties introduces Hell's Arena, an underground fight club with Hellish Brawls for quick matches and Survival Hell as a roguelite dungeon crawler involving mercenaries, random drops, permanent upgrades, and escalating enemy encounters across multiple floors. Additional minigames appear throughout both stories, with some supporting local versus or cooperative play on arcade style titles.
Story and Setting
The main narrative follows Kiryu after he relocates to Okinawa with Haruka, balancing family life at the orphanage against lingering yakuza conflicts involving the Tojo Clan. Dark Ties shifts focus to Mine's path from corporate betrayal into the underworld, highlighting his rise and internal struggles through a shorter, self contained campaign. Both stories feature expanded cutscenes and new scenes that build on the original events while introducing fresh character interactions and side content tied to the locations.
Is It Worth Playing?
Reception for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties sits at mixed levels on Steam with recent reviews trending mostly positive in some language filters, while critic aggregates hover around the mid 70s. The package appeals most to players who enjoy structured beat em up combat paired with extensive side activities and dual protagonist campaigns. Those seeking deep gang management or roguelite dungeon runs will find dedicated modes that add replay value beyond the main story. The Legendary Lads & Gals Set integrates directly into the Ryukyu Gal Gang systems for players who have progressed far enough in the narrative, providing roster variety without altering core progression or achievements. Availability on PC supports the full experience including updates such as New Game+ for carryover progress. Fans of the series style of narrative driven action with frequent distractions will likely find the content engaging, while those sensitive to remake changes in story presentation may prefer to sample through available demos first.
