Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut Review – Still a Masterpiece

At long last, with the Switch 2’s launch, and on the tenth anniversary of the game’s original release in Japan, Yakuza 0 has made its way over to a Nintendo system, in the form of Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, which has launched exclusively for the Switch 2. It’s essentially what it says on the box – an intended definitive edition of the beloved game that started the Yakuza franchise’s ascent into mainstream popularity internationally.

The game is, largely, the same classic action adventure title that millions of players already love. Serving as the perfect entry point into the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise, it follows the exploits of a very young Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, who, unlike their then rookie grunt status in their respective yakuza organizations, end up intertwined in a far ranging criminal conspiracy with increasingly escalating stakes.

"For those unfamiliar, Yakuza 0 is set in the vibrant districts of Kamurochō and Sotenbori—two of the most detailed and lively locations I experienced back in 2017."

And, what an absolutely bonkers experience Yakuza 0 is — in the best way possible. The game delivers a cinematic, emotionally-charged story filled with long, detailed cutscenes and incredibly realistic voice acting that oozes passion. From Kiryu’s boiling rage and his fierce climb through the ranks of the Yakuza to Majima’s heartbreaking and unforgettable journey with Makoto, the character relationships drive this experience home. And the bosses? Completely unhinged in the best way. Battles with Homare Nishitani and Keiji Shibusawa are electric, but it’s the recurring showdowns with Daisaku Kuze that truly mark Kiryu’s evolution into a full-blown Yakuza. While the combat may be the core gameplay loop, it’s the powerful character arcs and layered relationships that steal the show.

For those unfamiliar, Yakuza 0 is set in the vibrant districts of Kamurochō and Sotenbori—two of the most detailed and lively locations I experienced back in 2017. Packed with side activities—many of which are downright absurd in the best way—you’ll meet some truly wild characters along the way. While the main story is excellent, skipping the side content would be a disservice to what this game offers. From quirky sub-stories to arcade mini-games, to stores ranging from medicine to quirky collectibles, the world is bursting with distractions. If you dive into it all, expect 50+ hours of sheer entertainment.

Whether you’re singing your heart out in karaoke or just facing off against enemies on the road, Yakuza 0 constantly pushes you to the limit. Its ability to transform from intriguing storytelling to absolute hilarious events without missing a beat is part of its brilliance. Simply put, this is open-world design done with a lot of emotion, pain and madness.

"What makes this version the “director’s cut” is a small selection of updates – the game has added some new cutscenes, adding some more narrative context to the events of its story."

On the visual front, let’s be real—this is a port of an eight-year-old game, so expecting cutting-edge graphics would be unwise. That said, Yakuza 0 doesn’t aim to impress with raw visual fidelity, but rather with its distinct style and presentation. The game oozes personality, from the dramatic lighting to the moody, neon-lit streets of Kamurochō and Sotenbori, especially during nighttime. There’s an undeniable charm in its aesthetic—despite a few muddy textures here and there, the cinematic sequences, detailed character models, and flashy VFX during combat still hold up remarkably well.

As for the sound—it’s phenomenal. The soundtrack elevates every moment, with boss battle themes (especially during Kuze fights) delivering pure adrenaline. Every punch feels impactful, every line of dialogue feels delivered with passion, and the audio design does an incredible job of pushing the game’s energy through the roof.

So, the entire game as remembered is here, with all the crazy combat, minigames, side quests, the long cutscenes, songs, everything. It continues to run at 60 frames per second on the Switch 2, and looks pretty much exactly as good as it does on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

What makes this version the “director’s cut” is a small selection of updates – the game has added some new cutscenes, adding some more narrative context to the events of its story; it has added an English dub (the first time that Yakuza 0 has had an English dub); it has a new online multiplayer horde mode where you can play from a whole roster of series all stars; and lastly, it has some quality of life upgrades, such as allowing the ability to save anywhere.

Frankly, the changes, while mostly great, are minor enough that fans who may already have spent dozens (or, to be honest, more likely hundreds) of hours on the game already don’t necessarily need to get this version too. Take, for example, the English dub – existing fans of the franchise are unlikely to want to play it in any language other than Japanese; the dub here is reasonably great, as all most modern localizations tend to be, but there continues to exist the weak link in Yong Yea’s performance as Kiryu. Yong Yea’s Kiryu isn’t great, and turns in a noticeably worse performance than the rest of the cast. With that said, with Yakuza 0 following a much younger Kiryu, Yong Yea’s voice doesn’t seem as out of place as it has in his previous turns as the character.

"The new cutscenes are similarly at best good but ignorable additions, or, in the worst case, actively off putting to long time fans, with one change in particular introducing a retcon that is likely to step on a lot of toes."

The new cutscenes are similarly at best good but ignorable additions, or, in the worst case, actively off putting to long time fans, with one change in particular introducing a retcon that is likely to step on a lot of toes. Again, this change isn’t something that will matter to any newcomers – it’s longer term fans who are likely to be unhappy about that change.

And that’s what it ultimately comes down to – this is a package that makes absolute sense for newcomers who may not have already played the game before. The English dub is going to make the game a lot more accessible by opening it up to audiences who may not want to play undubbed games. The new cutscenes aren’t going to draw complaints for any changes they make. The online mode will… probably provide equal utility to newcomers and existing fans alike, actually, which is to say, I can’t imagine either group finding it to move the needle much either way.

So, for existing fans? You’re not really missing out on anything. Newcomers? Welcome aboard to one of the best and most memorable experiences you are likely to get from a game. Enjoy Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, and hopefully this is the start of bringing the rest of the franchise over to Nintendo so that the rest of those games can be enjoyed by these new fans. And if every one of those games comes to the Switch 2, which they absolutely should, given how much more powerful the system is you’ll be in for a time like no other.

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch 2.