The Dragon Shows His Age: Why Yakuza Kiwami is a Tough Sell in 2026

The Bottom Line: Yakuza Kiwami remains a mandatory history lesson for series completionists, but this Xbox Series X|S port is a missed opportunity. While it captures the soul of the 2005 original, the friction of 10-year-old remake tech—complete with agonizing loading screens and archaic pacing—makes it a jarring experience for anyone spoiled by the modern Dragon Engine. It’s a 3.5/5 experience that demands patience we shouldn't have to provide on current-gen hardware.

A Mechanical Fossil in a Modern Era

We’ve been living in the "Like a Dragon" golden age for years now, but revisiting Yakuza Kiwami in 2026 feels like a cold shower. Let’s be clear: this isn't a native Series X|S overhaul. It is a straight port of the Xbox One version. While the 2005 story of Kazuma Kiryu and Akira Nishikiyama is a masterclass in crime drama, the delivery system is showing its wrinkles.

The most egregious issue is the "sluggish" feel of the game's infrastructure. Having to sit through loading screens every time you enter a Poppo or start a street brawl is a relic of the past that the Series X’s SSD should have theoretically vaporized. Instead, because this is a lazy port, the engine’s inherent limitations remain. If you’re coming straight from the fluid, seamless transitions of Infinite Wealth, the friction here will feel like running through waist-deep water.

The Pacing Problem: 1995 Called, They Want Their Fetch Quests Back

We’ve played a lot of RPGs over the last two decades, but the opening hours of Kiwami are some of the most bloated in the franchise’s history. The infamous "birthday present" sequence—where Kiryu is sent on a merry-go-round of pawning and borrowing money just to buy a ring—is a textbook example of how not to respect a player’s time.

Even worse? The funeral stealth section. We’ll say it plainly: it is the single worst gameplay segment in the entire 20-year history of the Dragon of Dojima. If you can survive that frustratingly clunky mess, there’s a great game on the other side, but we shouldn't have to "endure" a game to get to the "good parts" in 2026.

Key Pros and Cons

• PRO: The Majima Everywhere System – Still the gold standard for series-staple chaos. Having Goro pop out of a manhole or a giant traffic cone keeps the Kamurocho grind feeling fresh.
• PRO: Nishikiyama’s Narrative Buff – The added cutscenes flesh out Nishiki’s fall from grace, providing much-needed context that the PS2 original lacked.
• CON: Combat Nerf – Coming from Yakuza 0, Kiryu feels incredibly weak at the start. Locking his signature "Dragon" style behind the Majima grind means you’re stuck with subpar movesets for way too long.
• CON: Lack of QoL – No native "Next Gen" features. No Quick Resume improvements, no 4K/120fps toggles—just the same 2020 Xbox One code.

The "Zero" Dilemma

Our analysis of the series timeline has always suggested Kiwami as a logical starting point, but that advice is changing. With the recent Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut out in the wild, playing Kiwami second feels like a massive step backward in terms of combat depth and mini-game variety.

Yes, MesuKing (the bikini-clad bug-battling card game) and Pocket Circuit are highlights that offer that quintessential Sega charm, but they feel like isolated islands of fun in a sea of dated design. The combat, while functional, lacks the "oomph" we've come to expect. You’ll spend the first five hours feeling like a wet noodle until you’ve ground out enough upgrades to actually look like the legendary Yakuza the cutscenes claim you are.

The Verdict

Yakuza Kiwami on Xbox Series X|S is a "Comfort Food" title. It’s cheap, it’s familiar, and it gets the job done if you need to know why Kiryu is obsessed with a girl named Haruka. But we can’t ignore the lack of effort in this port. It’s a 10-year-old remake of a 20-year-old legend, and it feels every bit its age.

Buy it if: You’re a lore junkie who needs every piece of the Kiryu saga.

Skip it if: You expect your Series X games to actually feel like modern software.