An interesting experiment, as the Yakuza series hasn't had a DLC expansion like this before. It also feels like the setup for a contingency plan, in case they would have to abandon Yagami due to Talent Agency shenanigans and focus on Kaito instead. The counter-argument to that would be that this side-story (a Gaiden, if you will) wraps up Kaito's story. The counter-counter-argument to that is that Kiryu has had at least 3 endings to his story so far, and he's still around.
I found this a little underwhelming, partly because Judgment has its own identity, while The Kaito Files feels like a standard Yakuza game. Kaito's fighting styles are just Kiryu's Brawler and Beast modes from Y0 with a few new moves, and the plot contains almost all of the Yakuza stalwarts: shady CEOs involved in real estate fraud, running around Kamurocho with the child of a woman from your past, and climactic duels where both men cast off their shirts dramatically. The writer of this also definitely watched Breaking Bad.
It's still good, and the shorter length isn't really a detriment, though it does feel a bit less immersive as a result. It should have had its own business minigame about running Higashi's arcades.
8/10
I found this a little underwhelming, partly because Judgment has its own identity, while The Kaito Files feels like a standard Yakuza game. Kaito's fighting styles are just Kiryu's Brawler and Beast modes from Y0 with a few new moves, and the plot contains almost all of the Yakuza stalwarts: shady CEOs involved in real estate fraud, running around Kamurocho with the child of a woman from your past, and climactic duels where both men cast off their shirts dramatically. The writer of this also definitely watched Breaking Bad.
It's still good, and the shorter length isn't really a detriment, though it does feel a bit less immersive as a result. It should have had its own business minigame about running Higashi's arcades.
8/10