Forget Animal Crossing, my favorite life sim of 2026 is tucked inside a controversial remake

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties showing Kiryu spending time with animals — (Image credit: SEGA)

As I bask in the evening sun and gaze upon the ocean, I feel at peace. Behind me is the orphanage I run in Okinawa, Japan, where I grow crops, tend animals, catch bugs, fish, and play games with the children. This idyllic world may sound like the latest Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing-like life sim, but it actually takes place in the gritty and dramatic realm of Yakuza Kiwami 3 – and I couldn't ask for a more wholesome cozy game experience.

The Yakuza / Like a Dragon series is no stranger to variety. While the narratives of the series' many games deliver drama and tragedy, they always come with a veritable buffet of spirit-lifting side dishes. Minigames range from singing karaoke and putting wood to leather in batting cages, to loading up classics from Sega's abundant back catalog like Virtua Fighter 3 and The Ocean Hunter.

But in developer RGG Studio's latest title, Yakuza Kiwami 3, which our own Oscar Taylor-Kent gave 4 stars in his Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides review, the most alluring distraction goes beyond such delicacies. Its life sim elements at Kazuma Kiryu's homestead are a sumptuous main course in their own right , and I have no qualms admitting it's my favorite element of the entire game, even if I do enjoy leading a motorcycle gang of predominantly tough-as-nails women. (Yes, this is real, and no, I won't elaborate further.)

Doing it for the kids

Yakuza Kiwami 3 &amp; Dark Ties showing Kiryu spending time with animals — (Image credit: SEGA)

Full marks

Goro Majima facing the camera with a serious expressions on his face — (Image credit: Sega)

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This isn't the first time Like A Dragon has delved into life sim territory. 2024's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth – the best in the series, some would say – took this idea to an impressive scale with its Dondoko Island feature, allowing players to develop what is essentially a miniature holiday town from scratch.

As wonderful as Dondoko Island is, Yakuza Kiwami 3's smaller offering feels more soothing. Instead of developing an island for holidaymakers, you're tending a vegetable garden for your kids. It's giving daddy, and I mean that in more than one sense, as YK3 literally bestows a Daddy Rank upon Kiryu. The more you cook, harvest, do homework and play Reversi with the little ones, the more recognized as a daddy our protagonist becomes. And no, I won't stop saying daddy.

What we have here is an easygoing life sim where you can carry out wholesome tasks in a gorgeous location, while reaping rewards for your effort in the form of a measured stat, and the various other prizes (most often money) that come with completing each activity. Being a daddy is, according to Yakuza Kiwami 3, a rewarding and satisfying experience, and I agree – I don't want kids in the real world, but I'll help Taichi with his studies at the drop of a hat.

Daddy issues

Despite my affection for the series on the whole, I was hesitant to dive into Yakuza Kiwami 3. From the game's promotional material, I was wary of apparent changes, specifically the involvement of actor Teruyuki Kagawa, who faced sexual harassment allegations in 2022, and plays Hamazaki in the remake. Upon playing it I also don't appreciate the removal of some side content, including the cutting of Ayaka, a character featured in Yakuza 3 Remastered.

However, despite my initial concern and subsequent unease, I've still found myself utterly besotted with YK3's lowest-stakes offering. Kiryu's life at Morning Glory orphanage is always delightful thanks to its many minigames and wholesome moments, and engaging in each activity is rewarding enough thanks to it all being easy to learn yet satisfying to master. A special shout out to the fishing mode, where Kiryu launches a harpoon at swimming prey with the goal of catching as many as possible before the timer runs out. It's high octane yet lighthearted, and is almost impossible to stop playing unless you run out of the bait required for each run

With so many dauntingly massive life sims out there, I'm grateful Yakuza Kiwami 3 sets out this varied range of things to do within a relatively limited sandbox, and I've no doubt I'll revisit Okinawa throughout 2026 because no game has quite hooked me like this in a long time.

Did Yakuza just turn this fan favorite villain into Aerith, creating a Final Fantasy 7 Remake situation for its Kiwami re-releases?

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