Returning to Kamurocho: Hands on with Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut

Typical for most modern console launches, the Switch 2’s line-up contains several ports. And while the prospect of revisiting Civilization VII, Hogwarts Legacy, and Street Fighter 6 are all tempting, it’s the invitation to reunite with Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima that’s truly compelling. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut delivers a definitive, feature-packed edition that will delight series fans and newcomers when it arrives on June 5^th, 2025. At a recent event hosted at SEGA’s offices, I had the opportunity to revisit the title, returning to the prosperity that embodied bubble-era Japan.

First the expected: Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut performs well on Nintendo’s new hardware, with 4K/60FPS while in docked mode. As such, Kamurocho’s exteriors were as enchanting as ever, although I did notice the same sporadic low-res texturing when inside one of the nightclubs. Although, I’ve always preferred the original Japanese voice acting, the Director’s Cut offers a new English dub for those who don’t like subtitles. Text localization has been expanded to include French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese, which offers to bring the series to a worldwide audience.

One of the headline additions is nearly 30 minutes of never-before-seen story cutscenes. I asked if these extended pre-existing sequences or were completely new. But I didn’t get a definitive answer. As much as I’m hoping that these scenes provide deeper insight into key incidents and character backstories, I’m also a bit apprehensive. I’ve seen some movies where director’s cuts bloated the pacing of the original work. But given Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s track record of crafting both eccentricity and tension, I’m feeling the inclusion will be worthwhile.

I feel more confident that a brand-new online multiplayer mode called Red Light Raid will gratify players. This PvE mode allows up to four players to team up online (or play solo) to take on waves of enemies. Progress earns money that can be used to unlock and upgrade playables from the Like a Dragon universe, contributing to a sizable roster of 60 characters. The only downside is that some minor characters had extended animations that left them susceptible to enemies. That said, seeing two teams of combatants madly charge toward each other at the start of each round was a thing of greatness.

Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut feels more than just your average port. With new story content, and an appealing PvE mode, this edition stands out as the definitive way to experience the origins of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima.