Playthrough Status: Beat the main story on Normal, spent some hours in Premium Adventure picking up remaining trophies I was willing to get
Approx. Length: 120+ hours
Language: English (Cutscenes are voiced in Japanese with English subtitles)
Played on: PS4
Also Available for: PC, Xbox One
Type of Game: Open-world Action Adventure, Mini-games, Skill-building
Overall Impression: Good overall, but...
NOTE ON SPOILERS!!
Just like with my past reviews, I'll keep a non-spoiler section (the section you're at right now), and a "Spoiler Talk" section at the end to go into more detail on certain things and to let loose with any extra thoughts.BUT... even though there won't be any spoilers for Yakuza 3 Remastered in this section, there could be spoilers for Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. In fact, this blog is structured as if you have already played those Yakuza games. If you haven't beaten those Yakuza games yet, I'd highly recommend you do before reading this review!!
Yakuza 3 Remastered was going to be played after Yakuza 0 (a game created in 2015), Yakuza Kiwami (a remake released in 2016), and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (a remake released in 2017). But Yakuza 3 is a remaster of a game released in 2009. The difference between a remaster and a remake is in what could be updated. A remaster generally updates existing graphics and audio whereas a remake can add and re-work elements from the ground up. That means that gameplay mechanics generally stayed the same in Yakuza 3 Remastered, whereas those elements were updated in Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. With so many years between the release dates of Yakuza 3 and the other Yakuza games, and with the understanding that Yakuza 3 is a remaster and not a remake, I started playing Yakuza 3 Remastered expecting some downgrades.
If I kept to the same level of expectations I had after playing Kiwami 2, I'd likely be very disappointed in Yakuza 3 Remastered. In my opinion, it would also be very unfair to have those kind of expectations -- expecting a 2009 game to be on par with a 2017 game. So... before jumping into Yakuza 3 Remastered, I'd recommend having an understanding that despite it being the 4th entry in the Yakuza series, it will be a jump back in time -- back to a time when the latest and greatest games were released on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and whatever PC model was the best at that time.
With that said, though...
Graphics: There's no nice way to say this, but after playing Kiwami 2, the graphical differences in Yakuza 3 Remastered stuck out very much and not in the most positive way. It's not a deal-breaker, but I can understand how it could turn some off, especially after coming from Kiwami 2.
An amusing line in a substory.
The flukiest win in pool. I wasn't intending that shot at all
I can experience these elements in a video game and get through more or less unscathed, but your mileage may vary, so I figure I should mention them.
-Just like in all the previous Yakuza games, the fights can be pretty violent and bloody. Unlike the previous Yakuza games, there is no option to reduce the blood level so you're stuck with it.
-There is a massage minigame that features a female making provocative poses while you're trying to keep some meter from falling to the bottom completely or shooting to the top completely. If you fail to last through the whole session, it almost feels like an allusion to "climaxing" too early. Aside from trying this a couple times to get a trophy and to trigger a substory, this is completely OPTIONAL.
-There is a club that you can visit to see a female dancing on a pole. This is completely OPTIONAL.
If Yakuza 3 ever receives a remake treatment in the future, I'll play it and then properly revisit how well it'd stack up against Kiwami 2!
Rating: 82 / 100
Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions / comments about anything, leave a comment or send via the Contact Form. :)
So I'll do the scrolly thing and the "Spoiler Talk" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more scrolly things after the "Spoiler Talk" section in case anybody wants to comment, but not see the spoilers.
So this will be a little different from the "Spoilers" section in my other review blogs. I kinda want this section to be a place where I can unload any extra thoughts I had about Yakuza 3 Remastered, even if I didn't mention it at all in the non-spoiler section. I may have already talked about some of these in the non-spoiler section but I'll go into more detail here.
And here are the screenshots and videos!
If you read this section, thank for reading! Now to finish with more scrolly things. Feel free to comment if you wish :D
PRELUDE: KEEP YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN CHECK
Before I started playing Yakuza 3 Remastered, I kept telling myself this: "Yakuza 3 is a remaster -- NOT a remake." Why did I tell myself this? Because I didn't want to start playing Yakuza 3 Remastered with completely unrealistic expectations. Yakuza 3 Remastered was going to be played after Yakuza 0 (a game created in 2015), Yakuza Kiwami (a remake released in 2016), and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (a remake released in 2017). But Yakuza 3 is a remaster of a game released in 2009. The difference between a remaster and a remake is in what could be updated. A remaster generally updates existing graphics and audio whereas a remake can add and re-work elements from the ground up. That means that gameplay mechanics generally stayed the same in Yakuza 3 Remastered, whereas those elements were updated in Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. With so many years between the release dates of Yakuza 3 and the other Yakuza games, and with the understanding that Yakuza 3 is a remaster and not a remake, I started playing Yakuza 3 Remastered expecting some downgrades.
If I kept to the same level of expectations I had after playing Kiwami 2, I'd likely be very disappointed in Yakuza 3 Remastered. In my opinion, it would also be very unfair to have those kind of expectations -- expecting a 2009 game to be on par with a 2017 game. So... before jumping into Yakuza 3 Remastered, I'd recommend having an understanding that despite it being the 4th entry in the Yakuza series, it will be a jump back in time -- back to a time when the latest and greatest games were released on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and whatever PC model was the best at that time.
With that said, though...
FIRST THINGS I NOTICED
Below are some of the downgrades I noticed when I started up Yakuza 3 Remastered:Graphics: There's no nice way to say this, but after playing Kiwami 2, the graphical differences in Yakuza 3 Remastered stuck out very much and not in the most positive way. It's not a deal-breaker, but I can understand how it could turn some off, especially after coming from Kiwami 2.
A shot of Kamurocho in Kiwami 2. Definitely trying to push graphical limits
with all those details.
A shot of Kamurocho in Yakuza 3. It's just different.
This isn't really a knock against Yakuza 3 Remastered, but I found it amusing
that most goons were dressed in "ugly" sweaters.
that most goons were dressed in "ugly" sweaters.
Stat-building system: This system is closer to Yakuza 1 on the PS2, where you are allocating experience points to three different categories. I consider this a downgrade because each category has their own levelling tree, but I can't see what it is, so it's often a shot in the dark of where to spend my experience points if I hope to unlock a certain skill.
Fighting mobs: I was playing the game on normal difficulty and fighting the normal baddies was a bit annoying. They block wayyy too often.
Ordering food: This is a nitpick. In Yakuza 3 Remastered in a restaurant / food place, you can only order 1 food item each visit. Gone are the memes of Kiryu downing 8-10 burgers in less than 1 minute. ;_;
Below are some elements that were in Kiwami 2, but aren't in Yakuza 3 Remastered:
-Can't buy drinks from vending machines
-Can't pocket weapons during battle
-Can't take selfies
I wouldn't say that any of these are deal-breakers for me, but they could lessen the overall gameplay experience.
Hostess Maker minigame / substory: This is nothing like the cabaret club minigame in Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2. This minigame is tedious and not very fun. And you don't get to keep any of the money that you make in there! It's optional, but be prepared if you are like me and want to complete as much as possible.
Golf minigame: Maybe it's because I don't know much about golf, but I found the golf minigame overly complicated. Maybe it has to be? I didn't find myself enjoying the minigame all that much because of its complexity.
Fighting mobs: I was playing the game on normal difficulty and fighting the normal baddies was a bit annoying. They block wayyy too often.
Ordering food: This is a nitpick. In Yakuza 3 Remastered in a restaurant / food place, you can only order 1 food item each visit. Gone are the memes of Kiryu downing 8-10 burgers in less than 1 minute. ;_;
Below are some elements that were in Kiwami 2, but aren't in Yakuza 3 Remastered:
-Can't buy drinks from vending machines
-Can't pocket weapons during battle
-Can't take selfies
I wouldn't say that any of these are deal-breakers for me, but they could lessen the overall gameplay experience.
OTHER PET PEEVES
I'll just talk a bit about some more pet peeves I had while playing Yakuza 3 Remastered.Hostess Maker minigame / substory: This is nothing like the cabaret club minigame in Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2. This minigame is tedious and not very fun. And you don't get to keep any of the money that you make in there! It's optional, but be prepared if you are like me and want to complete as much as possible.
Golf minigame: Maybe it's because I don't know much about golf, but I found the golf minigame overly complicated. Maybe it has to be? I didn't find myself enjoying the minigame all that much because of its complexity.
The controls for playing golf.
Some substories locked behind minigames: For somebody who likes trying to complete all the substories in each Yakuza game, I had to accept that it'd be near impossible to complete all with Yakuza 3 Remastered. Some substories require a certain amount of skill in certain minigames to unlock, one of those minigames being golf... sadly I don't have time to get good at golf to unlock that substory.
Too many girls to woo in the hostess clubs: Some would find this a good thing -- I found it a chore. There were sets of hostesses to chat up at three different clubs. Some of them were nice and decent, while others were a bit annoying.
Too many girls to woo in the hostess clubs: Some would find this a good thing -- I found it a chore. There were sets of hostesses to chat up at three different clubs. Some of them were nice and decent, while others were a bit annoying.
Not enough Majima: Let's just say I was very Majima-deprived in this one. When the story finally gave some focus on him, I ignored everything and ran straight to him. I recall running past a kid crying about a balloon, and I thought 'I don't care about your balloon! I gotta get to Majima!'.
THE STRENGTHS
Despite all these downgrades and nitpicks, Yakuza 3 Remastered still has some saving graces.
Emotions in the main story: Just like in previous Yakuza games, the main story is definitely one of its strengths. Although the pacing could be a bit slow at times, the emotions and the main themes are very much on point.
Some good substories: Also like in the previous Yakuza games, there are several entertaining and feelgood substories. Sometimes they would address more sensitive topics like gender identity and suicide, which surprised me (in a good way).
Some good substories: Also like in the previous Yakuza games, there are several entertaining and feelgood substories. Sometimes they would address more sensitive topics like gender identity and suicide, which surprised me (in a good way).
Characters I care about: Yakuza 3 Remastered doesn't disappoint in introducing cool, likeable characters. One even almost tempted me away from Majima (*tsk tsk!*). Having good characters will always keep me engaged to continue playing, just to see what happens to them.
Staple fun minigames are still there: Karaoke is still around, and so is the UFO game. That's all that really matters to me, hahahaha. Other staple games that are still present are darts, pool, batting, bowling, Mahjong (you just can't escape from Mahjong, hahaha), and Shogi. Many of the casino / gambling games are still there as well.
"Kamurocho Lullaby". My favourite karaoke track in Yakuza 3 Remastered.
The flukiest win in pool. I wasn't intending that shot at all
but I'll take it! :)
Another location immersion: While part of Yakuza 3 Remastered still took place in Kamurocho, it also took place in Okinawa. I've never been to Okinawa so it was really neat to get exposed to a new environment. After Google-imaging Okinawa, it looks like Yakuza 3 Remastered succeeded in capturing some essences of the place. Assuming that the Okinawan lifestyle was captured as well, it was interesting to observe the differences between Okinawa and Kamurocho.
STANDALONE-FRIENDLY?
I'm going to say "no" here, and let's move on.THE DISCLAIMERS (IF ANY)
This is where I list any things that could make you think twice about trying the game out with family or friends (depends on what they are okay with, I guess). They're not exactly bad per se, but more for your own awareness of it (and so you don't blame me for not saying anything!). I can experience these elements in a video game and get through more or less unscathed, but your mileage may vary, so I figure I should mention them.
-Just like in all the previous Yakuza games, the fights can be pretty violent and bloody. Unlike the previous Yakuza games, there is no option to reduce the blood level so you're stuck with it.
-There is a massage minigame that features a female making provocative poses while you're trying to keep some meter from falling to the bottom completely or shooting to the top completely. If you fail to last through the whole session, it almost feels like an allusion to "climaxing" too early. Aside from trying this a couple times to get a trophy and to trigger a substory, this is completely OPTIONAL.
-There is a club that you can visit to see a female dancing on a pole. This is completely OPTIONAL.
MY RATING
So far, Yakuza 3 Remastered is my least favourite in terms of gameplay and graphics and some minigames. But, in regards to story and character development, it's not the worst. If you can forgive the shortcomings after coming from Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3 Remastered won't fail in offering a Yakuza experience. At its very core, it's still a Yakuza game.If Yakuza 3 ever receives a remake treatment in the future, I'll play it and then properly revisit how well it'd stack up against Kiwami 2!
Rating: 82 / 100
Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions / comments about anything, leave a comment or send via the Contact Form. :)
So I'll do the scrolly thing and the "Spoiler Talk" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more scrolly things after the "Spoiler Talk" section in case anybody wants to comment, but not see the spoilers.
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
SPOILER TALK
THOUGHTS ON REVELATIONS
This was an odd yet amusing minigame. I wasn't a big fan of the Quick Time Event (QTE) parts of it, but it was often fun to see how a situation played out. Usually not what you'd expect to see.One of the more ball-punching Revelations. ;)
A screenshot of the aftermath of one hilarious Revelation.
For context, the kid wanted to go into that shop for a toy,
unaware that it was an adult toy shop. The kid's dad kept saying no.
For context, the kid wanted to go into that shop for a toy,
unaware that it was an adult toy shop. The kid's dad kept saying no.
GORO MAJIMA
*sigh* Ya always gotta test my faith in you, don't you? *angry pout*
When the story made it look like Majima was in cahoots with the baddies, I doubted him again -- for a slight second. I'm so sorry! DX *bows*.
When the story made it look like Majima was in cahoots with the baddies, I doubted him again -- for a slight second. I'm so sorry! DX *bows*.
Sadly, Majima didn't get a lot of chances for development in Yakuza 3 Remastered. We got to see some of his caring nature in the beginning but after that, he was kinda just there to move the plot along. Also to still show that he's ultimately on Kiryu's side.
Fingers crossed we'll get to see some more of Majima in the next Yakuza game!
My god -- what a sweetheart. If I wasn't already 510% loyal to Majima, Rikiya would have melted my heart. He is all-round an awesome guy. A bit hot-blooded at times, but caring and considerate. I also like how he's willing to get goofy when he has to (that love hotel scene and dressing up as a wrestler come to mind).
Rikiya -- you were gone way too soon. Your desires to be a real man were misguided... 'cuz you were always a real man from the start. You will be sorely missed.
Kashiwagi -- I was hoping you'd be one I'd see through to the end of the Yakuza games. I liked your level-headedness and your willingness to help Kiryu and Majima. I always had tons of respect for you.
-I didn't particularly enjoy any thing (story / substory / minigame) that had a chasing segment. That darn dine-and-dasher substories were a bane, haha.
-I loved the main story part where Kiryu reprimanded each child for not appreciating Ayako. Kiryu can really lay down the law when he has to.
-Boxcelios was a very pretty-looking game in the arcades, but I had no idea what I was doing in it, hahaha.
-Just like in my previous Yakuza reviews, here is a funny Yakuza-related meme I saw on Reddit. I thought it was a clever use of that Revelations animation.
RIKIYA
My god -- what a sweetheart. If I wasn't already 510% loyal to Majima, Rikiya would have melted my heart. He is all-round an awesome guy. A bit hot-blooded at times, but caring and considerate. I also like how he's willing to get goofy when he has to (that love hotel scene and dressing up as a wrestler come to mind).
A scene with Rikiya and Kiryu. It's hilarious to think how much Rikiya can eat.
Definitely a formidable eating rival for Kiryu. :)
I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU...
Decided to have a section just to honor those who passed... :(Rikiya -- you were gone way too soon. Your desires to be a real man were misguided... 'cuz you were always a real man from the start. You will be sorely missed.
Kashiwagi -- I was hoping you'd be one I'd see through to the end of the Yakuza games. I liked your level-headedness and your willingness to help Kiryu and Majima. I always had tons of respect for you.
MISCELLANEOUS
Here are some miscellaneous thoughts that didn't fit into any of the above topics, and a couple more screenshots and videos I wanted to share.-I didn't particularly enjoy any thing (story / substory / minigame) that had a chasing segment. That darn dine-and-dasher substories were a bane, haha.
-I loved the main story part where Kiryu reprimanded each child for not appreciating Ayako. Kiryu can really lay down the law when he has to.
-Boxcelios was a very pretty-looking game in the arcades, but I had no idea what I was doing in it, hahaha.
-Just like in my previous Yakuza reviews, here is a funny Yakuza-related meme I saw on Reddit. I thought it was a clever use of that Revelations animation.
-Here's another meme. This is so cute.
And here are the screenshots and videos!
I kinda agree with this thought.
I named all the girls I recruited for the hostess maker substory as Goromi.
It was an homage to the great Goromi in Kiwami! :)
I loved that this was a dialog option.
Hilarious misunderstanding in a substory.
And the misunderstanding persists.
We meet again, Kana! Sadly, she doesn't remember Kiryu at all.
My final stats when I beat Yakuza 3 Remastered. I played for much longer than I thought.
A clip of Kiryu bumping into somebody and that person getting up
and giving the evil eye before walking away.
A clip of a character calling Kiryu and then magically appearing at the meeting point. I thought that was kinda funny, how she just appeared like that.
A very, very quick fight!
If you read this section, thank for reading! Now to finish with more scrolly things. Feel free to comment if you wish :D
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
..............................................................
