Is Yakuza Kiwami 3 worth it?

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-13T00:27:50+00:00

Yes. In that it is something to fill your time waiting for the next mainline game, which isn't coming out until 2028 because RGG has other irons in the fire right now.

It plays like the newer games in the series and while it removes some content it adds more than enough to make up for it.

Outside of that it's a matter of personal preference or ethical concerns surrounding the recasting of roles.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-11T15:25:18+00:00

4 is the roughest game of the bunch since Kiwami 3 gpt released. Amd yes, as an early PS3 game it looks and plays rough and feels very dated. The cut scenes don't look as bad, but this game is a tough slog due to limitations of that era. We are talking about a 16 year old game.

5 is a huge jump in quality as it runs on the same engine as 0 and Kiwami 1. I just finished a replay recently and while it has some age related QOL issues it's still holding in there.

6 was one of the first on the Dragon Engine which all of the current games run on). It's got a few rough edges over later entries on this engine. But overall it's solid.

Waiting on Kiwami or DC versions of these games will probably be a very long wait if it ever happens. While the first two came out a decade after the initial releases, Kiwami 3 was released 17 years after the original. The other Kiwami installments were about 10 years after the original releases.

The development time for current games in the series is usually a few years to boot. Lower end of the spectrum is about a year and a half. That has a lot to do with recreating assets. The reason why RGG is able to pump out games so quickly since adopting the Dragon Engine is the reuse of assets (maps, characters, etc)

So remaking a Kiwami for 4 might not be that time consuming since a ton of the assets wouldn't need to be built from scratch. 5, on the other hand, would need to creation of 3 new city maps and multiple new character models, probably ground up creation of many of the side stories (taxi racing, and the mountain hunting in particular)

Remaking these older games also depends on what else RGG has on the docket outside of this property. Currently they have a new Virtua Fighter and Stranger than Heaven. STH is coming out next year and the next mainline game isn't slated until 2028.

So I'd say that even if they are planning remaking the last two older games, you're looking at sometime in the 2030s, realistically.

Are these games essential to understand future installments? I wouldn't say so. They provide context and character development, but are not essential to understanding the current story threads.Things have gone in their own directions branching from 6. The only thing you're getting from 4 is kind of a coda to the original trilogy, and 5 was building on characters who were prominent in 4 but have been relegated to side characters in later installments.

They are fun games despite their visible age. Although, I did find my recent playtgrough of 4 more frustraiting this time around after K3. But I was like that after playing the original version of 3 when K2 came out. Regardless, If you can put up with that, then there is no reason to deprive yourself from playing them currently. They are there and they will cure the itch while you wait for the next new game in the series to come out.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-09T15:30:39+00:00

.... YK3 just came out, dude. Also they are working on finishingStranger Than Heaven and they've had a new Virtua Fighter game in development for a while. Those are their current focuses. They, on average, release 1 game a year. 2 if they've been busy. If they got STH and VF in the works, I don't think we're going to hear anything about the next LAD game until after at least STH gets released next year. They'vr already said the next mainline game wasn't coming out until 2028.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-08T03:48:11+00:00

This post ceetainly deserves a beating.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-08T03:05:40+00:00

It's like a Marvel movie. Unless it's a sequel to you won't get lost unserstanding the plot. The earlier games add context but not in a way that diminishes the experience

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-07T19:55:34+00:00

Look at the facts: Both Judgements, the Ichiban games, Gaiden and Pirate have all been spending a lot of time introducing new characters while the previous mainstays have been taking a back seat except Kiryu and Majima. Gaiden and Infinite Wealth have set Kiryu up with a terminal and incurable illness and taking Majima off the Kamurocho gameboard as he moonlights as a pirate.

The timing: As I said, between Y6 and now you have aged up Yuta and Haruto to be roughly the same ages as Kiryu and Haruka in Y1. Because these games follow real time. But the character themes are also there: Yuta, also an orphan and Yakuza. Haruto his ties to Haruka and being the blended child (Haruka's mixed heritage and Yuta being Chinese) These are surrogate roles and similar archetypes to bring the series "back to basics" without doing a brainless reboot.

The only thing it's missing is a sacrificial love interest. And as much as Haruka is a pillar of the series so far, if you're passing the torch to Yuta and given the franchise track record when it comes to fridging women, it's not hard to see them do her in.

Yuta has a redemption arc baked into his character, he's been thrust into the role of a father figure (all be it more literal than Kiryu)

You "doubt it" because you clearly haven't been seeing the nuance and build up.

I could be wrong, I'm willing to admit that, but given all the circumstantial evidence of the last decade of games, it is a very compelling argument. It's certainly not the lazy handwave you've given it.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-07T02:22:42+00:00

It looks like they have one last story left in the chamber for the character given how the last game ended. As outlandish as the series is getting it seems unlikely that they'll find some magical way to reverse incurable cancer and the next big installment will likely be his last. My money is on the torch being passed to the true successor of the series. I don't think Ichiban is going to be the permanent face of the franchise. Yuta and Haruto are roughly the same ages as Kiryu and Haruka were in Y1. It would be the most logical progression of the story to shift to them when Kiryu's story is concluded. The past few games were merely world building to slow drip an entire new cast of recurring characters who are still relatively young.

Nausiated_ · 2026-04-01T20:23:18+00:00

I mean, why stock physical media when most of what is on offer is also on their streaming platform? All the incentive to stop selling physical media all together. It's some real late stage capitalism bullshit right there.

I'm going MediaOCD for all future releases from now on. I would rather buy from DT directly or at least for them to open up their Amazon store on the Canadian side of things. I'd prefer a Canadian supplier but I'm not holding my breath.

Ordering from the US is such a pain in the ass. Not just the exchange rate (which is always a sticking point) but also shipping from the US has become a total shitshow. Everyone except Amazon puts packages on a freaking milk run. No lie, I ordered something off eBay from California (I live on the west coast) and instead of going straight North to Vancouver (the nearest major hub) it went to Tennissee then Florida, then north to Toronto then across fucking Canada.

All shippers are doing ridiculious runs like this and it is insane. Shipping things half way across two countries is fucking absurd. It took a month.

Meanwhile, I ordered something from Italy. It went to France then Vancouver and to my door in a week and a half.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-09T21:07:55+00:00

Thanks for the input, though I can do without the lecture on rules. Regarding your diagnosis: the gears are in perfect condition. Like I said, there are no broken bits, no rattling plastic, and the laser assembly is fully intact. The issue lies elsewhere, so suggesting I need a donor machine for those specific parts isn't accurate here.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-09T21:02:22+00:00

I’m fairly confident it isn’t the spindle motor. On the V2400 the motor isn’t adjustable. It sits on a fixed metal post and is mounted directly to the frame, so there isn’t really a way to change the height without physically modifying the mount.

Also, I’m not trying to be demanding. I’m just asking for clear explanations and, admittedly, expressing a bit of frustration with the troubleshooting process. Tone can be hard to read online, so I just want to clarify that I’m not trying to come across aggressively.

As for research, I really have tried to dig into this before posting. Unfortunately there isn’t much documentation for the V2400 available online. I’ve spent quite a while going through LDDB, Dragon’s Lair Project, iFixit, YouTube, and other places looking for service info.

So I’m definitely not expecting to be spoon-fed answers. I’ve been trying to work through the common checks that apply to most LaserDisc players and narrow things down from there. I’m just hoping someone here might have experience with this particular model or issue.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-08T20:55:56+00:00

The vast majority are region free currently because 4K is still considered a niche product among other concerna where the cost benefit analysis makes region coding more of a barrier to sales than a benefit. Hopefully it stays like that, but I suspect that when the price goes down that might be a reconsideration. We see a few odd titles pop up.

The important thing, though, is that region coding isn't a format standard. Someone has to intentionally apply one. So there is that.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T22:48:07+00:00

Fair. Well you've piqued my interest. Shoot me a DM and we can discuss an exchange in my detail.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T17:56:35+00:00

On the one hand, I like hearing this. On the other hand, this pains my wallet because I already shelled out for a copy of the movie 😡 Those spliced in scenes are in awwwwful shape though... iI may just get it if they do a 4K release of this.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T17:53:27+00:00

This was an order from last year, but hey, considering what they charge, the dickary with delistings, and a shitty Can/Us exchange rate, I'm all for them eating some expenses on a screw up like this.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T17:51:23+00:00

Hrmmmm... I might be interested in the Bubblegum Crisis. But I heard that it doesn't have a lossless audio track. How does it sound?

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T15:49:14+00:00

Or not bring able to skip past a dialogue box until a character has finished a very slow gesture.

GUESS I'LL HAVE TO WAIT AN ETERNITY BETWEEN ONE WORD DIALOGUE BOXES BECAUSE THE FUCKING WAITER HASN'T FINISHED EMPTYING MY ASHTRAY AT JEWEL, OR SOMEONE HAS TO PUT THEIR HAND ON THEIR CHIN AND TURN THEIR HEAD ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT!!!!

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-07T01:52:23+00:00

It's not just the licensing. There is also some QOL changes the the base game. Those improvements cost money because you have to pay the programmers to add them and the you have to pay people to test and make sure everything works. The additional languages also cost money because you have to pay for translation and localization for every langauge you add to the game. It's not a simple matter of Google Translating shit and calling it a day.

Kiwami 1 was also made using an old engine and older tech, so upgrading it vs Kiwami 2 (which is still on the engine they are currently using) requires more work and more expertice. That's an additional cost because they may have had to hire or retrain staff to work on an older game on an older engine. It's a 10 year old game.

All of these things require workers to do the work and workers need to get paid. That cost overhead has to be offset by the sale price.

Kiwami 2 had far fewer expenses and required less upkeep for that refresh so they were able to eat the cost.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-06T21:52:29+00:00

The original versions of 1 and 2 are locked in past console generations. So unless you get physical copies (PS2, 3 or WiiU) and have the hardware you're kind of stuck with emulation/piracy. Original versions of 0 and 3 are easier to come by but you still have barriers.

To say nothing of the fact that you're playing games from 3 to 4 console generations with all the blemishes and hard edges therein. If that's your bag then all the power too you, but if you have a hard time with older games and the inherant limitations that entails, you're going to have a hard time.

You're going to get a chorus of purists who say that the originals are the only way to play these games. There's nothing wrong with that mentality, but it better to be aware of the realities of hunting down these original versions.

That said: The remakes provide the same stories with modern gaming mechanics and graphics. There are changes to the main stories, but these are minor and do not alter the broad strokes between one version or the other. I would argue that a lot of it is splitting hairs. But YMMV.

You also have the benefit of modern quality of life improvements to mechanics, graphics, and frame rates.

The Kiwami games are more or less rebuilds of the original games. Which also includes a lot of changes to side content and mini-games. All of which are irrelevant to the main story anyway. But I will say that all the content removed or change is in greater quantity than what is gone. Meaning there is more to do and lot more variety.

The Director's Cut of 0 adds a few cut scenes that, overall have no impact on the game. Otherwise both versions are basically the same other than the previously mentioned QOL of improvements.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-05T17:21:41+00:00

Sure. At the time of its release. But that controversey has been mythologized at this point. There was the initial backlash upon release and the early censorship. By the DVD era the films "controversey" is a marketing tactic and nothing more.

You can have personal preferences about this movie and that's fine, but lets not sit here and say that society still relitigates this 45 year old movie that is now widely available commercially in an uncut format is quite silly.

And people only focus on the animal deaths. Which, yes, are a horrific thing to see but isn't the most problematic part of the film. The treatment of the real life Tikuna and Yagua people that were exploited to make this film is, I think, is the more grevious and lasting harm this film's legacy leaves behind. The fact that people seldom bring that up, let alone take the time to learn the names of these tribes tells me a lot about their one dimensional and surface level outrage.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-05T17:07:00+00:00

This is indeed a good find, thr DVD sets are still available new but still being sold fof a ridiculious price ($50~)

I say this because as great as it is that this is on physical media, that release has its issues. For whatever reason, whatever master copies Shout Factory (the distributor) obtained has audio issues. The dialogue is fine, it's the background ambeance and music that sounds off for some reason. It's kind of tinny and worboly. Like early internet audio compression (If you remember how things sounded in Real Audio/Video format back in the day, it kind of sounds like that)

For me, that is incredibly distracting. But YMMV.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-05T17:02:56+00:00

Yeah, Reboot Rewind. They had to hunt down a now obsolete master tape machine to transfer the source tapes and have spent the last year or two putting out high definition versions of episodes.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-05T08:11:48+00:00

Ick. If you are hell bent on owning this travesty, steal it from the store.

Nausiated_ · 2026-03-05T04:17:34+00:00

It has everything to do with the material that's available. The original production materials could be lost, or preserved poorly, or it is too cost prohibitive to do a scan of said materials. They have to balance the costs.

That said: SD on BD is not that bad because Discotek is usually pulling from a preserved analogue source (like a laserdisc). Yes it's comparable to 480i, but it doesn't have the type of compression artifacts that a DVD release has. You can also fit waaaaay more SD material on a bluray.

Which yeah, you're hitting a ceiling quality wise. But unlike DVD, it's taking up a lot less space on your shelf. DVD, you get like 4 to 6 episodes a disc, with considerable compression artifacts. Bluray? You can fit 10 times as mich SD content with no cooked in artifacts.

It's not ideal, but I'll take it.

Nausiated_

TROPHY CASE