After having played (and enjoyed) Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Kiwami 2, in that order, I was prepared for a step down in terms of enjoyment, knowing that 3 was a remaster rather than a remake. Still, I was hyped for an interesting overall story, and entertaining side-activities and sub-stories.
The story does live up to belonging to the Yakuza franchise, but only barely just. It just never feels as high-stakes as it did in the last 2 games. Most of the twists feel like they're coming from a mile away, and sometimes the game takes your suspension of disbelief to challenging heights, especially in terms of writing and character development.
The cutscenes are rendered beautifully, for the most part, but unfortunately fall prey to being overly melodramatic, to the point where towards the end of the game, I found myself switching off and looking at my phone instead of looking at the screen.
Gameplay is kind of meh, loads of running around (I used a trainer to speed up the game so I could reach my destination faster) without easy fast-travel. Combat begins to feel repetitive, especially the random encounters you are forced to get into as you traverse the small open-world. The boss fights offer more of a challenge, but they block so frequently, that it becomes more of a test of attrition rather than skill.
In terms of game-world, you explore 3 areas -- Kamurocho is the mainstay of the Yakuza games. A small open world that you can (and have to) traverse by foot. Okinawa is a smaller location where the game starts you out. It gives off small-town vibes with a charming little arcade-shopping street. And finally, the orphanage where Kiryu spends time with the children he's "adopted".
On the whole, it's a good experience, just be prepared to temper your expectations if you've played the definitely better remakes.