Yakuza's New Hell: How a Brawler's Expansion Became a Roguelite Money Pit

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio just turned Yakuza Kiwami 3 into a gacha-style dungeon crawl where losing means losing 5.6 million yen—and you'll want to try again anyway. The Dark Ties expansion introduces Hell's Arena, a roguelite mode with randomized combat and sidekick mechanics that turns the brawler into a high-stakes gamble.

Each loss costs 5.6 million yen, but the reward structure—unlockable Survival Weapons, Mercenaries, and Gospels like 'Quadriceps of the Gods'—keeps players returning.

The VIP observer mechanic, reminiscent of Squid Game, adds tension as you fight for survival and cash.

Available exclusively on current-gen consoles, Hell's Arena repurposes existing game elements into a roguelite framework. Survival Weapons let you scavenge for underdog tools, while Gospels offer absurd power-ups.

The mode's core tension lies in balancing risk against the allure of rare unlocks. With no mention of PC or older systems, the expansion targets modern hardware to handle its randomized combat and sidekick mechanics.