Review: Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Feels Definitive

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a fantastic game for so many reasons. It’s an updated release of a top-tier Like a Dragon installment with a new mode and more story segments. It runs wonderfully on the Switch 2, which is great to see considering what it took to even get the original on the previous system. It’s also a perfect way to get introduced to a series that might otherwise be off-putting due to how many entries there are and the history of the Tojo Clan. I can’t help but feel like Yakuza 0 Director's Cut being on the Switch 2 is a way to usher in even more people to one of Sega’s best series. Both Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima are at precarious points in their careers as Tojo Clan yakuza as Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut begins. In the early moments in Kamurocho, Kiryu is framed for a murder that took place in an empty lot and, as a result, asks to leave the Dojima Family to protect Shintaro Kazama, who he’s under in the organization, from any trouble. When that doesn’t work, he uses his new freedom to investigate the situation. Meanwhile, Majima is being punished by the Shimano Family in Sotenbori after an assassination incident, though he’s told targeting a woman named Makoto Makimura could make all those issues go away. Remember that empty lot I mentioned earlier? Makoto now owns it, and the realtor Tetsu Tachibana that Kiryu is working for is looking for her too. Everyone is willing to go to great lengths to get that property, with only these two standing in the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2nhjslX9as&t=2s At its core, Yakuza 0 features an incredible story, so there’s not too much to say about the direction Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut takes. It’s still a fantastic introduction to both Kiryu and Majima. We’re seeing them each at a formative period of their lives. It’s also portrayed a nuanced and tense situation filled with all kinds of excitement. I still think it’s one of the strongest tales in the series. That’s enhanced by the addition of almost 30 minutes of new cutscenes that add more to the story. I don’t want to spoil anything. However, I do think they’re positive supplements. They help offer more insight into certain characters and situations. I feel like some helped with possible plotholes, as well as offering more explanation for how people got some information. There’s one I especially enjoyed between Kiryu and Nishikiyama. It really helps with establishing their relationship. The gameplay in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut works exactly like the original game and other installments ahead of the name change to Like a Dragon, so Switch 2 owners with any experience with the series will be fine. For those entirely new to the series, it's essentially sending us into two cities that are entirely open and filled with optional quests, minigame experiences, random fights against thugs, and of course a campaign you'll probably eventually get to. Kiryu will be going around Kamurocho, while Majima is in Sotenbori. Mainline missions involve heading to various locations and getting into brawls while using different fighting styles. Investing money in yourself increases your range of abilities and powers. Sub Stories abound, many of them absolutely hilarious or memorable for other reasons. The Cabaret Club management simulation in Majima’s route also serves as one of the most engaging and entertaining of those sims. I suppose the real selling point here is how well all of this works on the Switch 2. The game works great. There are no hiccups. There’s no lag in fights. It’s fantastic. Images via Sega Which means for those who opt into the new Red Light Raid mode should find that working rather well. It’s essentially a horde mode fight. There are different locations and challenges that involve fighting through enemies in a minimum of 10 stages, with most lasting for 15 stages. You use Kiryu, Majima, and other characters to survive and take opponents down. I do recommend going into it after playing for a bit, so you’re familiar with the moveset and capable of accessing extra characters. I will say that while the option of English voice acting in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is great, it’s still not for everyone. The casting can be hit or miss sometimes. Matt Mercer is absolutely fantastic as Goro Majima, but then we knew he’s great at the role since games like Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. I do think Yong Yea still doesn’t feel right as Kazuma Kiryu. I’d hoped since he’d had some time with it, maybe his performance would improve, but I’m still not feeling it. Especially since Takaya Kuroda is so good and expressive in the role. There’s a sense of nuance that Yea doesn’t seem to catch in his portrayals, and I find it difficult to go with the English dub as a result. Kaiji Tang (Akira Nishikiyama), Risa Mei (Makoto Makimura), and David Hayter (Osamu Kashiwagi) are also standouts. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is the most packed version of what I consider the best game in the series. The

Jun 19, 2025 - 17:40

Review: Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Feels Definitive

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a fantastic game for so many reasons. It’s an updated release of a top-tier Like a Dragon installment with a new mode and more story segments. It runs wonderfully on the Switch 2, which is great to see considering what it took to even get the original on the previous system. It’s also a perfect way to get introduced to a series that might otherwise be off-putting due to how many entries there are and the history of the Tojo Clan. I can’t help but feel like Yakuza 0 Director's Cut being on the Switch 2 is a way to usher in even more people to one of Sega’s best series.

Both Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima are at precarious points in their careers as Tojo Clan yakuza as Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut begins. In the early moments in Kamurocho, Kiryu is framed for a murder that took place in an empty lot and, as a result, asks to leave the Dojima Family to protect Shintaro Kazama, who he’s under in the organization, from any trouble. When that doesn’t work, he uses his new freedom to investigate the situation. Meanwhile, Majima is being punished by the Shimano Family in Sotenbori after an assassination incident, though he’s told targeting a woman named Makoto Makimura could make all those issues go away. Remember that empty lot I mentioned earlier? Makoto now owns it, and the realtor Tetsu Tachibana that Kiryu is working for is looking for her too. Everyone is willing to go to great lengths to get that property, with only these two standing in the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2nhjslX9as&t=2s

At its core, Yakuza 0 features an incredible story, so there’s not too much to say about the direction Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut takes. It’s still a fantastic introduction to both Kiryu and Majima. We’re seeing them each at a formative period of their lives. It’s also portrayed a nuanced and tense situation filled with all kinds of excitement. I still think it’s one of the strongest tales in the series.

That’s enhanced by the addition of almost 30 minutes of new cutscenes that add more to the story. I don’t want to spoil anything. However, I do think they’re positive supplements. They help offer more insight into certain characters and situations. I feel like some helped with possible plotholes, as well as offering more explanation for how people got some information. There’s one I especially enjoyed between Kiryu and Nishikiyama. It really helps with establishing their relationship.

The gameplay in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut works exactly like the original game and other installments ahead of the name change to Like a Dragon, so Switch 2 owners with any experience with the series will be fine. For those entirely new to the series, it's essentially sending us into two cities that are entirely open and filled with optional quests, minigame experiences, random fights against thugs, and of course a campaign you'll probably eventually get to. Kiryu will be going around Kamurocho, while Majima is in Sotenbori. Mainline missions involve heading to various locations and getting into brawls while using different fighting styles. Investing money in yourself increases your range of abilities and powers. Sub Stories abound, many of them absolutely hilarious or memorable for other reasons. The Cabaret Club management simulation in Majima’s route also serves as one of the most engaging and entertaining of those sims. I suppose the real selling point here is how well all of this works on the Switch 2. The game works great. There are no hiccups. There’s no lag in fights. It’s fantastic.

Review: Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Feels Definitive Switch 2 — Images via Sega

Which means for those who opt into the new Red Light Raid mode should find that working rather well. It’s essentially a horde mode fight. There are different locations and challenges that involve fighting through enemies in a minimum of 10 stages, with most lasting for 15 stages. You use Kiryu, Majima, and other characters to survive and take opponents down. I do recommend going into it after playing for a bit, so you’re familiar with the moveset and capable of accessing extra characters.

I will say that while the option of English voice acting in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is great, it’s still not for everyone. The casting can be hit or miss sometimes. Matt Mercer is absolutely fantastic as Goro Majima, but then we knew he’s great at the role since games like Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. I do think Yong Yea still doesn’t feel right as Kazuma Kiryu. I’d hoped since he’d had some time with it, maybe his performance would improve, but I’m still not feeling it. Especially since Takaya Kuroda is so good and expressive in the role. There’s a sense of nuance that Yea doesn’t seem to catch in his portrayals, and I find it difficult to go with the English dub as a result. Kaiji Tang (Akira Nishikiyama), Risa Mei (Makoto Makimura), and David Hayter (Osamu Kashiwagi) are also standouts.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is the most packed version of what I consider the best game in the series. The story is a fantastic one, and the additional cutscenes present in this release act as a great complement to what’s already here. The gameplay is fantastic, and it runs so well on the Switch 2. Red Light Raid is also entertaining for those who really enjoy the combat system. The English voice acting is generally good, with a few actors feeling out of place or not keeping up with the original Japanese performances, and it is nice to have that option. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a fantastic Like a Dragon game, and I feel itis a perfect addition to the Switch 2 launch library.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is available for the Switch 2.

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