Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Switch 2 review – Kamurocho on the go

Since I got my hands on Kiwami a few months ago, I wondered what Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio and Nintendo would cook up next. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long to find out that Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut was coming out – and as a Switch 2 launch title, no less.

Whether you’re new to the franchise or replaying the games, Yakuza 0 is the place to start – so why not try out the new, souped-up version on Switch? It runs excellently, and having it on a handheld means you can shrimp up on the couch as you immerse yourself in the story.

Playing Yakuza is almost like an interactive TV show at times. There are plenty of cutscenes, a decade’s worth of lore, and a great story to lose yourself in, so strap in and get ready to pay attention. 0, despite not being the first Yakuza game to release, is the first canonical entry. Kazama Kiryu is but a lowly member of the Dojima Family, and finds himself framed for murder within about five minutes of starting the game.

Why? Because the big yakuza bosses want to claim a patch of dirt in the center of Kamurocho as the city undergoes a redevelopment plan. There’s a lot more to come, including Kiryu and Majima’s ascent into recognizable (and formidable) members of the Toji Clan, and many fights to be had, but that’s the gist of it.

When you’re not in immersive cutscene TV show land, you can run around and do whatever you feel like. This includes the iconic disco dancing and mahjong minigames that can easily take up hours of your time (in a good way). Club SEGA is also back and packed with UFO machines to spend many yen on, along with karaoke.

A quick note on the karaoke minigame… OK, it’s a huge part of the Yakuza games, I get it. But my god, I could not keep up with the prompts. One hour in and I’m scrabbling, trying to hit those buttons and making a fool of myself in front of Nishikiyama. Sorry, Kiryu, I suck at the game, so you’re gonna have to deal with a measly score.

The Director’s Cut comes with full English voice acting, which, for the most part, is great. This is mostly thanks to brilliant performances from talents like Matt Mercer, Alejandro Saab, and Kaiji Tang – the latter of whom plays Ichiban Kasuga in later Like a Dragon titles. I’m not sold on Kiryu’s EN voice; it’s a little flat, but Nishikiyama and Goro are excellent.

The big new addition is Red Light Raid, a combat challenge outside the main story where you can beat up a bunch of boys at your leisure. You blast your way through combat in different areas of Kamurocho as your chosen fighter. The roster of 54 characters to choose from includes Kiryu and Majima with different fighting styles, all the way down to potentially recognizable bit parts like Mr Phantom, ‘Yakuza rejects’, and a clown.

You can play solo, with friends, or online. I recommend playing with people, as the CPU teammates are OK, but nothing special. The mode is fun, but I don’t think it’ll take my attention away from the main story much.

Now, I love the Yakuza series. I’ve played a couple of the games and watched my partner play through every single game at least once like a TV show, but let it be known I’m not an expert on Like a Dragon lore. So, while I like the new cutscenes in all their shiny HD glory, I don’t know how much they change the game overall. I’ve seen some opinions on Reddit that indicate they affect the story negatively, but I’ll leave that for you to decide for yourself.

So, is the Director’s Cut worth $49.99? Yes and no. If you’ve never played it before or you know you love the franchise and want to experience it again, I’d say yes. However, I’d maybe wait for a sale, as $50 is a hefty price for something that is technically not a full remake or a new entry.

It does run at a steady and very pleasing 60fps, and looks a lot better than Yakuza Kiwami did. There’s some very small texture pop-in on busy streets, but it wasn’t noticeable. Overall, the game does look very nice, and I found myself wandering the streets, taking in all the bright lights and bustling businesses.

Will you be storming the city on Switch 2? We also have a Yakuza Kiwami review if you want to pick up another of the series’ games on the system. Or, check out the upcoming Switch games for different experiences.