Yakuza 0 Director's Cut review - Kiryu on the Nintendo Switch 2

Metro

3 days ago

One of the best Yakuza games is remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2 with new content and features, but is it worth the inflated price tag?
For anyone who hasn't 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 might be the headline act, but between Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, Street Fighter 6, and upgraded versions of arguably the best two Zelda games, it's a well-rounded recap of the modern gaming landscape.
Another one of these titles is Yakuza 0 Director's Cut, a re-release of the PlayStation 4 game which came out in 2017. By most accounts, it's recognised as one of the best games in the Yakuza (now Like A Dragon) series, and helped catapult its popularity in the west. We'd argue Yakuza: Like A Dragon 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.
This new version is basically the same beat 'em-up gangster drama as before, only repackaged with some additional perks for the Switch 2. If you're 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.
If you want a breakdown of the game, you can check out our original review of the PlayStation 4 version. The Director's Cut is fundamentally the same games, but some aspects are showing their age eight years later – namely the combat. It's 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's combat has become a stiff throwback.
Everything else holds up reasonably well and there's 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's a shame other improvements weren't made elsewhere, like the character models outside of cut scenes or the presentation of menus, to give it a modern finish.
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There are also new, if minor, additions. The Director's Cut comes with an English dub, and while recent entries like Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth 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's delivery, but listening to the English dub is a real slog.
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.
When you're fighting alongside three other human players (any empty spots are filled by CPUs), there's 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 – a tacked-on mode which is a nice novelty for a few rounds, but nothing you'll return to in the weeks to come.
For Yakuza nerds, the driving appeal of the Director's Cut is, as the title suggests, the inclusion of new cut scenes. There are 26 minutes of new footage in total and, as confirmed by producer Makoto Suzuki, these are scenes which were dropped from the original game, and not new inventions thrown in after the fact. More Trending
The problem is, as is often the case with deleted scenes, you realise why most of these were cut in the first place. At their best, these inclusions add colour to Kiryu's relationships with characters like Nishikiyama, and while a neat extra, they're not worthwhile enough to make up for the knocks to the pacing. At their worst, some of these scenes are emblematic of the series' most irritating storytelling habits, with one character's death being inexplicably reversed, to the narrative's detriment.
Yakuza 0 Director's Cut is a tough game to evaluate, as it depends on your familiarity with the franchise. If you have access to other platforms, the original game is cheaper and you won't be missing much.
However, if you're looking for a gateway into the series and have a Switch 2, this is a great, if expensive, option with a few inconsequential extras thrown in. For long time fans though, this expanded version will likely become an odd curiosity over the definitive edition.
In Short: An excellent Yakuza game with some Switch 2 benefits, but the bonuses fail to justify the high price tag.
Pros: Still one of the best entries in the series, even if it is showing its age in some areas. Looks great on the Switch 2, with 60fps and 4K support.
Cons: New multiplayer mode is largely forgettable. Extra scenes are disappointing.
Score: 7/10
Formats: Nintendo Switch 2Price: £44.99Publisher: SegaDeveloper: Ryu Ga Gotoku StudioRelease Date: 5th June 2025
Age Rating: 18
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