The best Yakuza games for PC gamers

Where it all started... except in this case, remastered. The first Yakuza game was released back in 2005 for PlayStation 2. Yakuza Kiwami follows the life of Kazuma Kiryu after his release from prison for a crime he did not commit.

The game instantly became a cult hit and English-speaking fans clamoured for new releases as they hit Japanese shores. Years later and the original game became very hard to find leading SEGA to remaster the classic for modern consoles and PC.

Paired with Kiwami 2, which remasters the second game, the original story is told and will capture your heart. The sole reason the franchise has become the staggering success it is, is due to the story it tells.

One of redemption, innocence, loyalty, and respect. It has moments of cheesy dialogue and story twists, but the journey is worth it.

But really, this is where it all started... kind of!

After the huge success of the franchise, fans were eager to hear more about a younger Kiryu and how he first took steps into the yakuza. SEGA and the development team at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio decided to make a prequel, thus becoming the first game to play if you want to follow the timeline chronologically.

Yakuza 0 was a critical success and swiftly became a favourite among many players due to its origin story and the ability to control fan favourite, Goro Majima.

Goro is the perfect contrast to Kiryu; where the latter is often serious but passionate about life, the former is more outlandish and violent.

The most recent release in the Yakuza catalogue is the first entry which doesn’t follow Kazuma Kiryu. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the start of a whole new story, though sticks closely to what fans have come to expect from a Yakuza story.

Another wrongfully imprisoned Yakuza member steps out of jail and into our hearts - Ichiban Kasuga is a stark change to Kiryu. While both are fiercely loyal, Ichiban is a lot more playful and is a total nerd for videogames and pop culture.

This brought in the change to move from brawler gameplay into turn-based fighting, akin to the JRPGs which Ichiban loves. While this new entry still has plenty of mini-games and places to visit, it all takes place in the new location of Yokohama, moving away from Kamurocho.

Rated 'Overwhelmingly Positive' on Steam, Yakuza Kiwami 2 sees returning protagonist Kazuma Kiryu face the ambitious Ryuji Goda, the 'Dragon of Kansai', in an all-out war between two rival yakuza clans. You'll send clan thugs and street brawlers packing with explosive hand-to-hand combat with Kiryu's inner 'Dragon' style combat (used in Yakuza 0) to take down multiple enemies.

The PC version has also been built from the ground up, supporting stunning 4K resolution and unlocked framerates, as well as customizable controls and robust graphics options. Plus, this version of the critically-acclaimed game also includes the 'Majima Saga' which features Goro Majima in his own playable adventure revealing events that occur prior to the game.