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Yakuza Kiwami similar games & best alternatives

Yakuza Kiwami

PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 • 2019

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Quick resume

SEGA’s critically-acclaimed entry that started a legend. Become Kazuma Kiryu, an up-and-coming yakuza who takes the fall for the murder of a crime boss, only to emerge from prison ten years later to a changed world. Remastered from the ground up, now in 4K and uncapped framerates on PC.

Global score

93/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Fighting

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging story with emotional depth
    • Smooth and satisfying combat system
    • Varied side quests and minigames
    • Majima everywhere adds humor and challenge
    • Well-realized city environment

    Cons

    • Some boss fights are frustrating or repetitive
    • Majima everywhere can become tedious
    • Story pacing and character shifts feel uneven
    • Less content and minigames compared to yakuza 0
    • Some outdated design elements from original game

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Competition, Status, Violence.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players can freely explore Kamurocho, choose fighting styles on the fly, and engage in various side activities and minigames, reflecting high player control and freedom."

    • Competence
      3

      "Combat requires skill mastery across multiple fighting styles and boss fights demand tactical play, though some boss fights are criticized for being frustrating or repetitive."

    • Competition
      1

      "Some competitive elements exist such as leaderboards in minigames and fighting Majima repeatedly, but the game primarily focuses on personal progression and story."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players report spending many hours, engaging in side quests and minigames, and repeatedly fighting Majima, indicating strong habitual play and attachment."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Gameplay and story focus on single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative modes; players engage independently."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players can customize combat styles and engage in various side activities, but the game mostly uses predefined structures and assets."

    • Domination
      -3

      "Interactions are mostly balanced and story-driven; no evidence of players exerting control or superiority over others in a social context."

    • Escapism
      5

      "Strong escapism through immersive story, rich world, and engaging side content that distracts from real life and provides emotional catharsis."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or external pressure to play."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players experiment with different fighting styles, abilities, and side activities, though core gameplay follows established patterns."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Exploration of Kamurocho and discovery of substories, minigames, and secrets encourage curiosity-driven activities."

    • Expression
      1

      "Limited character customization but some self-expression through choice of fighting styles and engagement with side content."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Strong narrative immersion in a fictionalized Japanese underworld with dramatic, stylized characters and events."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Primarily a single-player experience with limited social interaction; community feeling is minimal."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop skills, unlock abilities, and progress through story and combat challenges, supporting learning and personal development."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention during combat and story; not designed for idle or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -2

      "Some emotional connections to characters and story, but limited evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing."

    • Leadership
      -4

      "No leadership roles or group management; players act independently."

    • Progression
      4

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating experience, unlocking combat styles, and completing story and side quests."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "While some tension exists in combat, many players find the game engaging and cathartic, balancing challenge and flow."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable audiovisual presentation with dynamic combat effects and atmospheric city environment."

    • Status
      0

      "No significant social recognition or popularity mechanics evident from reviews."

    • Story
      5

      "Highly praised narrative with emotional depth, character development, and immersive plot."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Combat and boss fights require tactical thinking, style switching, and planning, though some fights criticized for repetitiveness."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Combat encounters and Majima ambushes provide suspense and excitement, though some players find boss fights frustrating."

    • Value
      4

      "Players generally feel the game offers good value for time and money, with extensive content and replayability."

    • Violence
      5

      "Core gameplay centers on combat, fighting, and physical confrontations with enemies."

    • Survival
      2

      "Combat involves managing health and overcoming threats, but overall risk is moderate and manageable."

    Where to buy

    Last update: 29/04/2026