{"id":4700,"date":"2025-06-13T00:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T00:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/?p=4700"},"modified":"2025-06-17T06:39:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:39:29","slug":"yakuza-0-directors-cut-review-kiryu-on-the-nintendo-switch-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/yakuza-0-directors-cut-review-kiryu-on-the-nintendo-switch-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Yakuza 0 Director\u2019s Cut review \u2013 Kiryu on the Nintendo Switch 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Kazuma\t<\/div>
Back to the start (Sega)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the best Yakuza games is remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2<\/a> with new content and features, but is it worth the inflated price tag? <\/p>\n

For anyone who hasn\u2019t played many current gen games over the past few years, the Switch 2 launch line-up is a stacked compilation of hits to catch up with. Mario Kart World<\/a> might be the headline act, but between Cyberpunk 2077<\/a>: Ultimate Edition, Split Fiction<\/a>, Hogwarts Legacy<\/a>, Street Fighter<\/a> 6, and upgraded versions of arguably the best two Zelda games<\/a>, it\u2019s a well-rounded recap of the modern gaming landscape. <\/p>\n

Another one of these titles is Yakuza 0 Director\u2019s Cut, a re-release of the PlayStation 4 game which came out in 2017. By most accounts, it\u2019s recognised as one of the best games in the Yakuza (now Like A Dragon) series, and helped catapult its popularity in the west. We\u2019d argue Yakuza: Like A Dragon<\/a> is a better entry point now, in terms of modern gameplay standards, but as an origin story for characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, Yakuza 0 still makes the most sense from a story perspective. <\/p>\n

This new version is basically the same beat \u2018em-up gangster drama as before, only repackaged with some additional perks for the Switch 2. If you\u2019re looking for a route into the series with your shiny new handheld, this is a worthwhile pick-up, but the portable element is the only real upside to this expanded cut. <\/p>\n

If you want a breakdown of the game, you can check out our original review<\/a> of the PlayStation 4 version. The Director\u2019s Cut is fundamentally the same games, but some aspects are showing their age eight years later – namely the combat. It\u2019s still enjoyably scrappy in its arcade sensibilities, especially in the scripted Heat actions, but when compared to the variety and fluidity of modern entries, Yakuza 0\u2019s combat has become a stiff throwback. <\/p>\n

Everything else holds up reasonably well and there\u2019s a visual upgrade on the Switch 2, with 60fps and 4K support when docked. It helps make the city streets of Kamurucho pop, especially at night, but it\u2019s a shame other improvements weren\u2019t made elsewhere, like the character models outside of cut scenes or the presentation of menus, to give it a modern finish.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Goro\t<\/div>
Majima’s origins are a series’ highlight (Sega)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

\n\t\t\t\tExpert, exclusive gaming analysis\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter<\/strong><\/a> for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

There are also new, if minor, additions. The Director\u2019s Cut comes with an English dub, and while recent entries like Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth<\/a> have decent English voicework, the performances here are a drastic step down when compared to the Japanese actors. We might be too attuned to the latter to comprehend any changes to Kiryu\u2019s delivery, but listening to the English dub is a real slog.<\/p>\n

The biggest addition is the multiplayer mode Red Light Raid. Here, you team up with up to three other players online to fight waves of enemies over multiple stages, with the occasional boss encounter thrown in. There are six missions in total, with each one ramping up the difficulty. Any money you earn over these runs can be used to unlock new characters to scrap with, including Goro Majima, Akira Nishikiyama, or obscure fighters pulled from the Coliseum like the clown Red Lip Yamamoto. <\/p>\n

When you\u2019re fighting alongside three other human players (any empty spots are filled by CPUs), there\u2019s a chaotic charm in seeing classic Yakuza 0 characters steamroll through enemy goons in rapid succession. However, Red Light Raid is little more than a shallow distraction \u2013 a tacked-on mode which is a nice novelty for a few rounds, but nothing you\u2019ll return to in the weeks to come. <\/p>\n

\n
\n