Yakuza 0: Director's Cut

Yakuza 0 is the best of the traditional-styled Yakuza games, with the most complex story and interesting characters of the lot. It's also the ideal place for newcomers to get started with this weird and wonderful series. The new multiplayer mode is a little throwaway, for sure, and the fights do get repetitive (turn-based Yakuza FTW), but otherwise, this is a phenomenal port of an epic adventure that's now my favourite way to get down on the mean streets of 1980s Tokyo and Osaka.

The Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise is easily one of the most prolific series out there today, which is rather interesting considering how little impact it had on the West even as recently as a decade ago. While most entries had made their way out of Japan to that point, the series was still very niche until the release of Yakuza 0 in 2015. This prequel for the series was followed by remakes of the first two games, re-releases for the subsequent games, and now at least annual releases under th...

Yakuza 0 Director's Cut is the definitive edition of the critically acclaimed origin story, now on Nintendo Switch 2. Fight like hell through Tokyo and Osaka entertainment districts as yakuza Kazuma Kiryu and cabaret club manager Goro Majima in an epic crime drama of intertwined fates that created legends. Switch 2 version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.

With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, we have seen a resurgence of games getting spectacular updates for the console. The beloved game, Yakuza 0, is one of these games receiving a new release, with new content added that wasn't seen in the original. The release of Yakuza 0 Director’s Cutseeks to update and elevate the game even higher for fans who love the game and those who are looking to dip their toes into the series for the first time.

Yakuza 0 doesn’t do enough to justify its director’s cut title, but the main story arc remains a benchmark for a franchise that has only grown in popularity, so what better time to give it a run on a console that can do it justice.

Like many others, the 2018 PC port of Yakuza 0 was my introduction to the Yakuza franchise. A game I didn’t really have much in the way of expectations, and only really tried out of morbid curiosity and the amazingly dedicated fanbase. I didn’t realise just how special it was and how far this franchise would go with the recent Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth and absurd Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut marks the latest in a long line of re-releases for the franchise with i...

When the story gets going, it’s a lot of fun. There are twists and turns, epic fights with sick attacks, and genuinely interesting characters. I’d argue this is one of the series' best entries but it’s not as perfect as I remember, even with that decent dub. If you want to get into Yakuza, this is a good way to start but if you’ve been to the 1980s Kamurocho before, maybe keep to memes.

The Yakuza franchise makes a great debut on Nintendo Switch 2 with Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, the definitive version of the 2015 Yakuza prequel from the PlayStation 4. Yakuza 0: Director's Cut offers several new cutscenes, the new Red Light Raid multiplayer mode and English voice-overs, which are all on top of an already great action game with a captivating story. Although the cutscenes can be hit or miss, and players who already own Yakuza 0 may have already had their fill, the game is a grea...

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is the definitive way to play and is fantastic as part of the Switch 2’s launch lineup.

Yakuza 0: Director's Cut is an excellent launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2 that showcases its technical capabilities. However, some of the new additions make it feel like the inferior version of this legendary entry.

For first-timers, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut is the definitive way to experience one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made.

An excellent Yakuza game with some Switch 2 benefits, but the bonuses fail to justify the high price tag.