Yakuza 5 Remastered has received a co-op mod, courtesy of one talented solo developer. The newly debuted add-on allows players to experience Yakuza 5 in an entirely new way, even if they don't have a friend to bring along for the ride.
The Yakuza series has enjoyed significant attention from the modding community for a while now. Most fan-made add-ons are relatively simple, with texture swaps and asset packs being far more common than convoluted modifications that alter core gameplay mechanics.
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Going against the grain, the PC version of Yakuza 5 Remastered has recently received a remarkably complex mod that expands it with the addition of cooperative multiplayer. Called Intertwined Fates, the newly released add-on turns the fifth mainline entry in the long-running franchise into a full-fledged co-op game. It was developed by prolific Yakuza series modder Jhrino and can currently be downloaded from Nexus Mods free of charge.
A Fully Customizable Yakuza 5 Remastered Co-Op Experience
The second player in Intertwined Fates gets to control the Yakuza: Like a Dragon protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. Needless to say, this doesn't make any canonical sense, as Yakuza 5 predates Ichiban's introduction to the series by about eight years. Jhrino presumably opted for Ichiban over some other character simply because he's a fan favorite. Intertwined Fates makes the game's entire story playable in co-op, and even reworks certain mini-games—including dance battles and hunting activities—in order to support a two-player experience.
Yakuza 5 Remastered: Intertwined Fates Mod Features
- The entire story is playable in two-player mode.
- If a second player is unavailable, Ichiban can be AI-controlled (not functional during free roam).
- Dance battles are adapted for co-op, with Haruka handling button inputs and Ichiban managing directional controls.
- Hunting activities support cooperative play.
- Ichiban is integrated into the taxi minigame, idol battles, and handshake events, though these additions are purely visual.
- Cutscenes are modified to include the second player without altering the narrative.
- Ichiban features a unique moveset, which is disabled when moveset mods are detected.
- Compatible with existing moveset modification tools.
Jhrino also went through the effort of integrating Ichiban into handshake events, idol battles, and the taxi mini-game. However, these particular changes are purely visual in nature and don't affect how the related activities play. On a similar note, Intertwined Fates inserts Ichiban into every main story cutscene in Yakuza 5 Remastered, purely so that the other player doesn't feel left out in between bouts of gameplay. This is done with often hilarious results, as Ichiban merely hangs around and observes what's happening. Gameplay-wise, Ichiban features a unique moveset inspired by his skill set from the Like a Dragon titles in which he appears canonically. Intertwined Fates is even compatible with moveset mods and will disable Ichiban's unique moveset if any such add-ons are detected.
Jhrino's Yakuza 5 Remastered mod was primarily intended for local co-op. However, it is possible to make it work as an online co-op experience, with instructions on how to do so being available on the Intertwined Fates Nexus Mods page. The add-on allows for two-character gameplay even if the player doesn't have a friend to bring along; in that case, an AI-controlled Ichiban will join every fight, making the game a bit easier and more accessible. He will not, however, appear during free roam.
- Released
- December 8, 2015
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
- Engine
- overhaul
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
