With vicious and brutal combat, Dark Ties feels like a must-play companion to Yakuza Kiwami 3

I think it’s great that we’re getting Yakuza Kiwami 3. A lot of series fans, myself included, have yet to check out this third mainline entry, and a brand new remake of Yakuza 3 feels like a sound way to do just that.

Yet its existence is perhaps one-upped by Dark Ties, a wholly original game set alongside the events of Yakuza Kiwami 3. Far more than a quick side story – a la Yakuza Kiwami 2’s Majima Saga – Dark Ties will be more akin to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Meaning, we can expect a more fulsome experience that shows a different side to the story.

This story being that of Yoshitaka Mine, a key character in Yakuza 3, and certainly one that went on to become a fan favorite. Mine is a character at rock bottom, having had his successful startup company taken right from under him. Vowing to make a name for himself, he turns to the yakuza to forge a new life in the criminal underworld.

Mine is a calculated, results-driven person, but that doesn’t make him a slouch in combat. In fact, having recently gone hands-on with Dark Ties at a Sega event, I think Mine might just offer my favorite real-time combat style in the series to date. It’s slick, brutal, and packs a heck of a bloody punch.

The dark awakens

The Dark Ties demo I played wasn’t particularly story-focused, outside of a quick, scripted tutorial battle with a bunch of ruffians eager to steal a briefcase he’s carrying. I quickly learned that Mine – every bit as much as the Dragon of Dojima himself – is not a man you want to start a fight with.

Mine does not hold back in combat, with a quickfire shootboxing style that initially feels like a souped-up version of Kiryu’s ‘Rush’ style from Yakuza 0. Rapid punch combos are your bread and butter with Mine. The Circle button, meanwhile (usually reserved for grabs in other titles), has a bit of a pseudo stance effect. By holding the button, Mine plants one foot on an enemy. Then, pressing one of three combat buttons (light, heavy, or grab) launches him off said enemy, dealing damage to another if you line it up correctly.

What really sets Mine apart, though, is his Dark Awakening mode. It’s governed by three Shackled Heart icons underneath his health bar. When filled, you can press R2 to unleash Dark Awakening mode, significantly altering his move set and powering up attacks across the board.

Furthermore, Dark Awakening has three levels of power, and you can go into a ‘Double’ or ‘Triple’ state by holding down R2 and consuming as many Shackled Hearts, assuming they’re filled. This seems to both extend the duration of Dark Awakening and increase its power even further. I reckon getting into that Triple state during boss fights will definitely be the way to go, while a single use will likely be best for your average gang of goons.

What amazed me about Dark Awakening was its sheer presentation. Mine turns into a brutal killing machine, to the point where I almost genuinely felt bad for the groups of ruffians that tried it on with him. Some moves transition into alarmingly visceral attacks, with one where Mine drags an enemy across the ground before tossing them aside (accompanied by a frankly comical shower of blood), especially standing out.

I didn’t have as much time to play Dark Ties as I did with Yakuza Kiwami 3, but it’s important to note that both games will feature in the same package. In either title, you can go into the pause menu and switch between them at any time, which is neat if you fancy a break from sunny Okinawa.

Combat aside, it does seem like Mine will be able to enjoy much of the same activities as Kiryu, including karaoke, darts, and bowling. Interestingly, I didn’t manage to find any side quests while exploring the streets of Kamurocho, but that was perhaps for demo purposes.