Overall: 7.75/10

Story:

The narrative of Yakuza 5 Remastered is a mixed bag of diversity, spectacle, and frustration, but above all else, it is a long game. At times, its length works against it, with pacing that feels painfully drawn out. This issue doesn’t just hurt the narrative but also bleeds into the gameplay, making both feel like a slog in places. While I appreciate the effort to craft a larger, more intricate story, it often tries to juggle too many plot threads and characters, leading to a finale that doesn’t tie up loose ends as well as it should.
The initial setup is incredibly intriguing, with each protagonist having their own compelling motivations and arcs. The individual stories are enjoyable, with plenty of moments that remind me why I love this series and, even better, the character swapping isn't nearly as jarring as it was it Y4. However, trying to bring everything together by the end creates a plot that feels messy and overwhelming. The problem isn’t the quality of the smaller pieces; it’s the glue holding them together. As soon as you step back to think about the big picture and how everything connects, the cracks really begin to show. The disjointedness makes it frustrating to follow along, even when individual chapters are fun and engaging.
Haruka’s idol arc is perhaps the most divisive part of the game, and while I didn’t outright hate it, I can’t deny it felt wildly out of place. Gameplay aside, her narrative arc just doesn’t fit the tone of Y5. While I understand that her story is essential to link everyone together, the entire idol storyline feels irrelevant to the broader narrative and drags the plot to a screeching halt right in the middle of the game. Worse still, Akiyama, who plays a significant role in her chapter, is severely underutilized. His character and business align so well with the traditional Yakuza themes, and giving him more screen time could have made the chapter—and the overall narrative—feel much more cohesive.
Then there’s the ending, which is the weakest part of the narrative by far. It feels written entirely for the sake of over-the-top action rather than plot coherence. While I enjoyed the multiple finale chapters and the sheer spectacle, it ultimately felt like style over substance. The storytelling takes a back seat to big moments, making the conclusion feel pretty shallow.
Despite all of these flaws, I still enjoyed Y5’s story far more than the other two PS3-era games (Y3 + Y4); The narrative may stumble under its own intent, but it’s still packed with memorable moments and character-driven drama that make it a worthwhile experience.

Gameplay:

When it comes to gameplay, Y5 stands tall as one of the most varied and content-packed entries in the series, offering an array of unique activities and combat systems for each of its five protagonists. That aspiration, however, can sometimes feel like a double-edged sword. While the game is bursting with gameplay variety, the utter volume and scope can lead to moments of uneven pacing and polish.
Kiryu, Saejima, and Akiyama's movesets are undoubtedly the best and most polished of the PS3 era, with all three feeling distinct, powerful, and refined. Combat is fluid and satisfying, especially with the advanced techniques unlocked through training. Kiryu’s balance of power and speed, Saejima’s raw strength, and Akiyama’s agility make every fight very engaging. Shinada's, however, felt like a step down to me personally. Even after completing his training and unlocking all his abilities, his moveset lacked the same level of finesse and fun.
Street fights, a staple of the series, are much improved here in terms of seamlessness. For the first time in this era, enemies have subtle identifiable markers, making it easier to spot and avoid encounters. However, the encounter rate is absolutely insane. Enemies literally spawn every few steps, forcing you to either fight endlessly or resort to a slow, casual stroll just to avoid them.
The overall variety of gameplay is something to admire, from taxi driving minigames to literal bear hunting, but the game’s
ambition occasionally overextends itself, much like its narrative. Some sections feel bloated or underdeveloped, and the focus on delivering so many different gameplay experiences sometimes causes the overall flow of the story to falter.

World:

The world design, much like the gameplay, stands out as one of the most ambitious aspects, and for the most part, it delivers an experience that feels grand and immersive. The inclusion of five cities is something I absolutely love; each location is clearly crafted with care, bursting with details that give them a distinct identity while still feeling like part of the same larger world. This variety makes the universe of the Yakuza series feel so much more expansive and rich compared to being locked into just one or two cities, even if those cities were beautifully designed in previous entries.
That said, no amount of attention to detail can completely alleviate the issue of traversal, which remains a recurring gripe for me. Much like in Y3 and Y4, all five cities in Y5 suffer from having too few save points and taxi fast-travel locations. While I appreciate the effort to encourage exploration, this limitation quickly becomes tiresome, especially when combined with the game’s frequent enemy encounters I mentioned earlier. Running back and forth across large areas without sufficient shortcuts makes getting from point A to point B feel like a chore at times.
Overall, the world design in Y5 is one of its most impressive achievements. The depth and care put into each city make this entry feel massive and immersive, helping to build a richer, more expansive Yakuza universe. The frustrations with traversal keep it from being a perfect experience, but despite these shortcomings, I can’t deny that exploring all five cities was one of my favorite aspects of the game.

Visuals:

The visuals are a testament to the series’ growth and refinement over its era, marking the pinnacle of what that generation could achieve. Right off the bat, the game makes it clear that it is visually the best of the PS3 era. The jump in graphical quality from Y4 to Y5 is much more pronounced than the improvement seen between Y3 and Y4. Everything, from environmental details to character models, feels more polished, which significantly enhances the immersion in each of the cities.
Per usual, Yakuza cinematics continue to be a high point. The series has always delivered stunning cutscenes with excellent camera work and facial animations, and Y5 is no exception. Whether it’s an intense dramatic moment or a quiet, reflective one, the visuals enhance the storytelling, drawing you deeper into the narrative.
However, one graphical design element that I really miss is the character profile flow chart from Y3. That game’s approach of visually mapping out the connections between characters made it so much easier to keep track of relationships and alliances within the story. Its absence here (and in Y4) is particularly felt in a narrative as sprawling and intricate as Y5’s. This game’s convoluted plot would have benefited immensely from a similar tool. Without it, understanding the web of connections can feel unnecessarily confusing, echoing the same issue that plagued Y4.

Music/Sound Design:

The music and sound design in Y5 strike a strong balance that enhances the overall experience. While the soundtrack isn’t one of my absolute favorites in the series, it’s undeniably above average, featuring some standout tracks that rank among my personal favorites from the mainline games. On top of that, the sound design itself feels like a noticeable improvement over Y4, with richer ambient effects and more dynamic audio that helps bring the game's world to life. Whether it’s in the heat of battle or during quieter, story-driven moments, the audio work elevates the immersion in positive, meaningful ways.

playing this game you just want to try seppuku yourself

Shinada >>>> Shohei Fraudtani