RGG Studio has big things prepared on the horizon, but before we get to the likes of Stranger Than Heaven, we revisit Kiryu’s saga with Yakuza Kiwami 3.

Ahead of its February 12 launch, we went hands-on with Yakuza Kiwami 3, with 3 hours of gameplay that spanned segments for both Kiryu and Mine. Apart from the story elements, we got to play some of the new additions, such as the Bad Boy Dragon mode, the Morning Glory Orphanage quests, and much more.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Hands-on Preview

Combat Upgrades

The first and most obvious improvement to Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is its visuals. The game looks impressive and is definitely in line with the more recent entries. Being rebuilt with the latest Dragon engine does wonders, bringing the look and fidelity of the character models and locations to the current generation with cleaner, smoother, and brighter visuals. Okinawa and Kamurocho never looked better.

Kiryu also gets a considerable boost to combat, not only bringing his signature Dragon of Dojima fighting style but also unveiling some new tricks with his Ryukyu fighting style, which incorporates traditional weaponry like tinbe and rochin, allowing flashy combos and technical Heat Actions. Combat mechanics are responsive, and the hits are satisfying, thanks to the visual upgrade.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 also shines the spotlight on Yoshitaka Mine in his own story mode, entitled Dark Ties. As opposed to Kiryu and his brand of beatdown, Mine brings the pain with a more shootboxing-based style that’s more aggressive and reflective of his dark personality.

In addition, Mine now possesses a new step technique that allows him to plant his feet on his opponent and execute a range of follow-up maneuvers, such as springing off to deliver a powerful kick. Furthermore, by filling a newly introduced gauge, Mine can trigger his Dark Awakening state, amplifying his damage output while adopting an even more intimidating presence in battle.

Kiryu Takes on Daddy Duties and Forming a Biker Gang

As with all Yakuza titles, mini-games and side-quests are always on the menu, and Yakuza Kiwami 3 is no different. Kiryu will be up to some shenanigans, but there are a couple of additions here that are looking like a worthwhile use of your time.

If you’re looking for a more domesticated experience, Yakuza Kiwami 3’s Morning Glory Orphanage is there to lead Kiryu to a Dad of the Year award. In this part, players can expect a variety of mini-games that will tackle several chores like answering homework, cooking, tending to a garden, and more. You’ll even be able to use and sell goods and produce to upgrade the orphanage.

Each of these mini-games in Yakuza Kiwami 3 will increase Kiryu’s reputation and relationship score with a child, eventually unlocking substories tied to each child with heartwarming results, including Taichi’s dream of becoming a pro wrestler and Riona’s journey toward her aspirations.

Perhaps one of the more interesting mini-games in Yakuza Kiwami 3 is related to sewing, where you can increase or decrease the speed at which you sew while doing your best to stick inside the “track” for a better result. It feels like a racing game, more than anything, and even Chief Director Ryosuke Horii mentioned that it does resemble an arcade racing classic, OutRun.

On the other side of the Yakuza Kiwami 3 spectrum, we have Kiryu helping out an upstart gang in Bad Boy Dragon. Similar to pirate recruiting in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Kiryu will help a biker gang grow in numbers and reputation by recruiting more members to the cause, creating squads with different bikers who have unique stats and skills, customizing appearances, and much more.

In one instance, we got to play a Rumble battle that required us to form four squads to take on a gang hideout with hundreds of enemies. Each squad will take on a lane, with Kiryu roaming the hideout to assist in lanes where he is needed. The encounters are wild musou-type battles where Kiryu and his squads will try to clear out all of the phases to open up the final boss battle.

In between all of this, Kiryu can equip special weapons to aid in battle, purchase item upgrades and weapons from the Baddies shop, and more. There will be a lot of staff management in this mode, but fans of previous Yakuza titles will be familiar with all of the collectibles and rewards here that make the mode fun and fulfilling.

Yoshitaka Mine and the Roguelike Fight Club

With Yakuza Kiwami 3 focused on Kiryu, Yoshitaka Mine gets his own time to shine in Dark Ties. The story beats in this mode will flesh out Mine’s character more, but in this hands-on preview, we got to try out a couple of side-quests that will keep Mine busy.

The first of which puts Mine in a position that will have him spearhead a PR campaign to rehabilitate Kanda’s reputation. In Kanda Damage Control, players will complete “Good Deed Quests” and “Damage Control Challenges” to raise Kanda’s public perception, earning rewards along the way. Various quests and tasks are available, from helping distressed civilians to tackling thugs in Kamurocho, but all of these acts will increase Kanda’s Charisma Rank, earning him favor with the public.

More than anything, this is a fun mode that will offer players a deeper look at Kanda and Mine’s relationship with each other, which is a great reward on its own since both are such intriguing characters.

Mine will have his hands full in Hell’s Arena, which offers two avenues of challenges that give off a Squid Game vibe with VIP investors spending money to see contestants and challengers get beaten up.

One of the event is the Hellish Brawl, which will see Mine go 1 on 1 with combatants of various difficulty levels, earning him rewards depending on how fast he can handle the challenge. While most of the challenges are pushovers, some of the tougher combatants will definitely give Mine a hard time, and players will certainly need to master Mine’s moves to effectively overcome all ranks.

In Survival Hell, Mine will undergo dungeon‑like races where players must escape hunters, collect treasures, and defeat bosses to earn rewards. This is basically a roguelike mode where Mine must run through dungeons multiple times, gaining power while recruiting mercenaries with various abilities and skills to fight at his side. Each mercenary has their own cost to employ, so there’s a hint of resource management as well present in this mode.

Some levels will be straightforward, while other will have obstacles and puzzles to solve. It’ll be a test of perseverance and patience as some of the harder difficulties are as tough as nails, even with kitted-out characters and mercenaries. At the end of each dungeon awaits one of seven masked master keepers, each with beast‑inspired combat styles.

Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 3 looks to be another jam-packed affair, bringing back the original title with upgrades that make it a more modern entry in the long-standing series. There’s a lot to see and do, and while players will likely start for the Kiryu and Mine story beats, many will stay for the engrossing, fun mini-games and side activities.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties will be launching on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC on February 12, 2026.