Yakuza Kiwami 1 & Kiwami 2 modern-gen review: Is it worth it to upgrade?

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Yakuza Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 were updated recently for more modern consoles and PCs, which was honestly a pretty great thing to see. As a long-time fan, the series has had some major highs and lows, but the first two games are among my favorites. In particular, Kiwami 2 is easily one of my favorite stories across all of the mainline games. It’s been a good year or two for the franchise, with Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii being major hits.

In particular, Yakuza Kiwami 1 was originally made for the PS3 and PS4, so I think, while there’s only so much you can do to improve it, it feels pretty great coming back to it and Kiwami 2. These aren’t the only games that have come recently.

There’s also the enjoyable-but-mildly-controversial Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut. We’ve written a full review of that, and discussed whether it’s worth picking up, and I highly recommend looking at those as well. But how are these re-releases, and are they worth picking up?

Yakuza Kiwami 1 & Kiwami 2 are classic entries in the series for a new audience

Yakuza Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 cover the first two stories of the franchise that were released on the PlayStation 2, not counting the prequel, of course. Kiwami 1 focuses on a mysterious individual stealing Ten Billion Yen from the Tojo Clan. It also highlights a drastic change in one of Kiryu Kazuma’s closest friends.

Ten years in the joint was long enough for . . . Shinji to climb the ranks of the Tojo Clan (Image via SEGA)

It improved upon the original by introducing the Majima Everywhere System, where, predictably, Majima could show up and harangue Kiryu anywhere, at any time. It would slowly lead to Kiryu rebuilding his combat style, the Dragon of Dojima style introduced in 0. It’s the foundation on which the entire series is built, and it’s a must-play even if you’ve played previous releases.

Conversely, Kiwami 2 introduces a gigantic war between the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan. There can only be one Dragon, according to Ryuji Goda, and so the two will clash: East versus West, Omi versus Tojo. The Tojo Clan is in a bad position, and it’s up to Kiryu to set things right once again. It features one of my favorite stories in the franchise and some of my favorite characters, namely, Kaoru Sayama.

From wacky side quests, tragic moments, and engaging mini-games, these two games offer dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of unforgettable gameplay together. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve replayed both of these titles, and I was glad to return to them on the PS5.

Yakuza Kiwami 1 & Kiwami 2 new features and places they lack

SEGA promised 4K resolution and 60 fps for both Yakuza Kiwami 1 & Kiwami 2, and they delivered! The games feel smooth in and out of combat. Of course, Kiwami 2’s combat does feel better, but it’s a newer game compared to Kiwami 1, which began its life in Japan on the PlayStation 3.

According to Ryuji, there can be only one (Image via SEGA)

While these versions of the game don’t have a ton of quality-of-life changes, the ones that are here matter. The 4K/60 FPS look and feel great, and you also have an English Dub if you care about that. It also features the French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian text options, which I know is something other countries have clamored for.

There’s only one thing that really disappointed me, and while I wasn’t surprised by it, I had hope either way: Save Transfer. Sorry, you can’t transfer your PS4 saves over to pick up where you left off.

You must get your Trophies and save data the old-fashioned way: by playing! I’m honestly fine with it, because I love playing these games, but I still had some hope to just start in New Game+. It could be because I believe there are some Trophy differences, and so the two needed to have different saves, but either way, it’s something to be aware of.

There is an upgrade path for the Yakuza games, but there’s a catch

While there is a bundle, which I do think is reasonably priced, you can take advantage of very inexpensive upgrades if you already owned the PlayStation 4 versions of 0, Kiwami 1 & Kiwami 2 before December 8, 2025.

For example, Kiwami 2 is a free upgrade! The Kiwami 1 upgrade is cheap as well. However, it’s only the digital version of the game, and if you bought the game(s) after December 8, 2025, then you don’t get an upgrade path. This isn’t a bad thing at all, and 30 bucks is a fantastic price for how much you’ll get out of these games.

Yakuza Kiwami 1 & 2 mostly look and sound phenomenal

Whether in Kamurocho or Sotenbori, trouble never sleeps (Image via SEGA)

While yes, Yakuza Kiwami 1 does still look quite dated, the cutscenes are fantastic, and it plays smoothly at 60 FPS. While both games do still have some low-res looking visuals in some places, it’s not something that will detract from your overall experience in either one of the games.

I cannot stress how great the cutscenes are. That’s truly where the visuals shine in both games, though Kiwami 2 does have obviously better graphics than its predecessor. The only complaint in the UI I could possibly have is in Kiwami 1’s Karaoke. I desperately wish they would have updated it to the UI used in Kiwami 2 and beyond. It’s easier to keep up with and just feels better.

Final thoughts - Are these games worth getting?

Here we have a perfectly normal Children's Card Game, with nothing bizarre about it at all (Image via SEGA)

I 100% think that Yakuza Kiwami 1 & Yakuza Kiwami 2, whether bought for the first time in a bundle or obtained through the digital upgrade, are worth having. They are tremendous games, filled with drama, love, and awesome combat. There are memorable songs (Pledge of Demon), amazing mini-games (Cabaret), and so many awesome side quests that I couldn’t possibly talk about them all here.

These are two of the best open-world action RPGs you will play anywhere, and they’re more accessible than ever before. Reasonably priced and filled to the brim with amazing content, you really can’t go wrong if you’re looking for something, whether it’s for the holidays or just for a new game to get lost in. Either one will work, but I recommend both.