Yakuza Kiwami 2 is IMO a fun game. Remake of Yakuza 2, released on PS4 in December 2017 and ported to PC by QLOC in May 2019 was met with overwhelmingly positive reception and is the first Yakuza game running on a new Dragon Engine which was ported to PC. Το Yakuza Kiwami 2, όπως πιθανότατα έχετε ήδη αντιληφθεί από τον τίτλο, αποτελεί και αυτό remake του παιχνιδιού που κυκλοφόρησε σε PS2 στα τέλη του 2008 στις δυτικές αγορές, μόνο που αυτή τη φορά υπάρχει.

The Yakuza series is one that I have enjoyed over the years, and it’s been great to see the resurgence of the series, especially in the West. Yakuza 6: Song of Life came out earlier this year and treated players to a more personable story, and dug into the characters in Kazuma Kiryu’s life. Now, Sega has added to their reworkings of Kiryu’s story and released Yakuza 2 as Yakuza Kiwami 2, with all of the polish that they can from the Dragon Engine. If you’ve been catching up on the early days of the Dragon of Dojima, then you don’t want to miss this one.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 takes place in a troubling time for the Tojo Clan. The Fifth Chairman of the Tojo Clan has been murdered and there is a constant struggling happening in Kamurocho, Kiryu sets out to try and form an alliance with one of the rival clans, the Omi Alliance. However, things don’t really go as planned due to the son of the Omi Alliance’s chairman, Ryuji Goda. Ryuji, or the Dragon of Kansai, wants nothing more than to see the world burn, and is dead set on there never being any sort of alliance. He is also responsible for a number of bombings that set the backdrop for some key events in the game.

There’s plenty of gritty crime drama in what most fans regard as one of the best games in the series, and for good reason. Almost every chapter felt incredibly tense, and I needed to play on just to see what would happen in the story. You also meet a number of faces, old and new, and every encounter brings something new to the game. I have to say that I was a bit let down by the addition of Goro Majima’s side-story. It seemed like it would be lengthy, and while it is fun to play as the crazed psychopath, his story is far too short. They definitely could have added more Majima to the game, but hopefully, we will see him again soon.

It wouldn’t be a Yakuza game without there being tons of side distractions, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 is no different. As you work your way through the story in Kamurocho and Sotenbori, there are a plethora of things to do. Fan favorite activities such as karaoke, poker, and blackjack are around, as are driving ranges and my personal favorite, the Sega arcades. This time around you have some classic Virtua Fighter 2 and one of my all-time favorite arcade games, Virtual On. I haven’t had the chance to play Virtual On in years, so as soon as I was able to hit up one of the arcades I spent almost an hour just trying out the different mechs and playing game after game of it.

Another great addition to Yakuza 6 is the gang wars that you can take part in. It’s kind of like a bizarre RTS game, where you are sending various soldiers out onto the streets to fight, triggering moves and abilities in an effort to take out various gang bosses. This time, however, they added wrestling legends from New Japan Pro Wrestling as the main bosses, and it’s completely insane but works so well.

The actual gameplay itself is fantastic. The folks at Sega have gotten used to the Dragon Engine and it shows. The combat is fast and fluid, and the heat system is back in full force. There are also more weapons than before to use, and they’ve added the ability to store weapons. You can now press down on the d-pad to stash knives, golf clubs, etc., and assign them to the other d-pad buttons to use in other fights. You can also equip assorted armor now, to give you some stat buffs.

One of my favorite things, however, is the ability to team up in some fights, especially with those in the environment. For example, you could be fighting some thugs outside of a ramen house, trigger the ramen shop owner, and he’ll throw a bowl of ramen at you to smash an enemy with. Wacky things like that add some hilarity to the fights, but also can do a great deal of damage. The XP system still works well. You can get XP from doing a variety of things in the game, and then unlock stats, moves and so forth. Sega really knows what it’s doing with the Yakuza series and Yakuza Kiwami 2 shows it.

As for the presentation of Yakuza Kiwami 2, once again Sega has just nailed it. I mentioned it earlier, but the Dragon Engine really shines here. The animations of Kiryu, thugs, and random people on the street are so much better overall than was seen in Yakuza 6. Kamurocho and Sotenbori are both gorgeous locations, and while they may not be totally massive open-world environments, they look like they are very much alive, and it feels that way as you run down the street or just saunter around.

The voice work as well is top notch, and the actors are second to none. It’s always a treat to get hit with a solid cutscene that has great performances; it just draws you further into the game and I couldn’t get enough. The music is also well done, and in clubs, cabarets, on the streets, in a story scene, it’s often just the song that the atmosphere needs.

If you haven’t taken a journey into the world of Yakuza, well, you definitely should. You could easily start with Yakuza Kiwami 2, and with the recap at the beginning of the game be able to know what’s going on. However, starting with Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami, then diving into Yakuza Kiwami 2 is likely the way to go. If you are up on the Dragon of Dojima’s adventures and are craving more, you need to add Yakuza Kiwami 2 to your library. The story is one of the best in the series, the combat is fun and there is so much to do you’ll be kept busy for dozens of hours. Sega has shown that the Yakuza series is here to stay, and updating the older games is key to fans new and old being able to enjoy and relive the series origins. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a can’t miss action game, and even if you are new to the series, worth checking out for a great story and some of the best combat on the PS4.

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Yakuza Kiwami 2

Pros

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• Gorgeous graphics
• Slick and fluid combat
• One of the best stories in the series

Cons

• Majima could have been playable more
• Virtual On needs two-player mode

Yakuza Kiwami 2 lands on Microsoft’s console with all the pulpy plotline, bacchanalian nightlife, and pugnaciousness of the PlayStation 4 and PC iteration. Performance is nearly uniform with the PS4 version.

Mirroring the type of sophisticated business strategy ordered by a shrewd syndicate boss, SEGA’s Yakuza franchise is moving in several simultaneous directions. Two years ago, the Yakuza 6: The Song of Life crooned a swan song for longstanding protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, establishing an indistinct future for the series. Conversely, 2017’s Yakuza 0 shifted the storyline all the way back to 1988, offering a prequel that revealed salient events that would shape Kiryu, as well as his Tojo Clan nii-san, Goro Majima. The title was followed up by Yakuza Kiwami, which picked up after the prologue, reenacting the events of the very first Yakuza game.

Unlike most straightforward remasters, Kiwami provided a comprehensive overhaul. A new engine exhibited higher resolutions, more detailed texturing, and an improved framerate, permitting Kamurocho to better resemble its real-life counterpart, Kabukichō. The game’s fighting system incorporated some of the improvements of Yakuza 6, while plot was both polished and expanded. With the release of Yakuza Kiwami 2 for Xbox One, SEGA’s development team extends another impressive revision, this time thoroughly modernizing 2008’s Yakuza 2. Although a few notable elements were left on the cutting room floor, largely the remake is an indispensable experience for franchise fans. Hopefully, this means that’s we’ll see the Xbox One release of Yakuza 6 sometime before the November release of Like a Dragon.

When the Chips are Down

Like many classic tragedies, Kiwami 2 opens amidst a chaotic and pessimistic context. One year after the events of Kiwami, the Tojo Clan is collapsing, drawing the attention of the Omi Family, a rival Osaka-based syndicate. When the Tojo chairman, a former head of the Omi clan, is assassinated, tensions are escalated ever higher, promoting Kiryu to head to the Kansai region in hopes of reaching a peaceful solution before a devastating gang war erupts.

The original Yakuza 2 was notable for truly refining the incorporation of secondary characters, an attribute inherited by Kiwami 2. While antagonist Ryuji Goda intermittently recedes from the game’s narrative, he’s an undeniably powerful rival. While the standpoints are essentially oppositional, there’s mutual respect between the two adversaries, which makes their interactions deliciously pulpy. Similarly, Osaka Police Department Detective Kaoru Sayama showcases a remarkable female lead, who is unflinchingly tough but gradually reveals a caring side to her personality. Considering the ubiquity of one-dimensional depiction of media, Kaoru truly contributes to Kiwami 2’s success. Her Kansai dialect is an absolute delight, capturing the melody and directness often associated with the region.

A Slightly Muted Majima

Marketing has highlighted the inclusion of Majima’s playable side story in Kiwami 2. These bits are outwardly satisfying, with The Mad Dog of Shimano’s style exemplifying the speed and unpredictability of the raucous character. Since Yakuza 2 was released stateside in 2008, Majima’s presence has proliferated through memes and animated gifs, so it’s satisfying to see the trio of chapters divulge his behind-the-scenes actions and how they foreshadowed latter events. But the side story also feels restrained, since Majima doesn’t level up, gain new skills, or even equip any items.

The elimination of the Shinseicho area, as well a few mini-games like pool and bowling might initially seem upsetting. But in their place, the team has doubled-down on key inclusions. The Cabaret Club management from Yakuza 0 has been expanded here, which will be comforting to fans who remember the removal of similar content when the third game of the series was localized. Essentially, this is a full-fledged hostess bar sim, you’ll assign girls to specific tables, assist with problems, and generally cultivate your staff as you complete against other clubs. It’s surprisingly involved and is distracting enough to make your temporality halt the progress on story missions.

Recreations Pull You in a Multitude of Different Directions

Similarly, the Clan Creator component from The Song of Life has you stepping into the foreman role again, as you assist Majima with his Kamurocho Hill’s construction efforts. This time out it’s a bit more focused, moving closer to tower defense convention as you place nine valiant employees to protect the site from throngs of invaders and even some famous New Japan Pro Wrestling personalities. Both the Cabaret Club and Clan Creator have been streamlined, bringing them more in line with the excitement of the Yakuza series famous mini-games.

Of course, Kiwami 2 is chockfull of the playful adaptations drawn from everyday life. The showstoppers this time are recreations of Cyber Troopers Virtual-On and Virtua Fighter 2, bringing two of SEGA’s mid-nineties favorites for you to enjoy. While fans of athletic-tests will appreciate the battling cages and indoor golf, those who’s rather leisurely pad their wallets can opt for blackjack, poker, mahjong, shogi, koi-koi, or oicho-kabu, the latter being the pastime where the word “Yakuza” comes from. Much like real-life Japan, entertainment choices abound, creating an irresistible temptation that’s all too easy to get sucked into.

Bringing the Heat (Move)

Although these recreations prove persuasive, Kiwami 2 is truly about Kiryu pummeling jerks. Here, the game opts for the pared down pugilism of Yakuza 6, rather than the multiple stances offered in Yakuza 0 and the first Kiwami. And again, while that might seem like a shortcoming, the decision proved prudent, as Kiwami 2’s focus is using a myriad of different weapons. From everyday objects like bikes, wire cutters, and irons to dedicated arms like shotguns and tazers, Kiryu is adept at delivering the hurt in a multitude of different ways. Pleasingly, he can ever stockpile any tools encounters during a fight. But you’ll be puzzled why the arms instantly vanish when the brawl concludes.

Undoubtedly, the most satisfaction steams after steadily building your meter and triggering a Heat Move. Often resourcefully using environmental objects, these slow-motion exhibitions of punishment are rather rousing the first few times they are shown. Fortunately, Kiwami 2 adds variety through the incorporation of Ally Heat Actions. Assist the local ramen chef in his endeavors and the next time you get into a dust-up outside his noodle stand he might offer to fling a vessel of simmering ramen skyward, extending the possibility for shio-based alley-oop. Fortunately, that’s one example and you’ll still be discovering new ones when you pas the twenty-hour mark. Largely, nuances like this help to keep frequent combat fresh.

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Bossing You Around

Expectedly, they are boss battles, which require a much more meticulousness than fighting subordinate street trash. It’s here that difficulty spike can impede Kiwami 2’s flow, occasionally forcing a few retries. Equipping the right weapons and defenses can assist here as can a bit of goon-grinding to boost your health and power levels. But the side-quests to earn these kinds of supplements are typically so amusing and quirky, that beefing up Kiryu rarely feel tedious. When you do lose, you won’t be able to blame unresponsiveness. The standard Xbox One might demonstrate a few minor flutters from the game’s 30 frame-per-second output, but these are so minor, they might no be noticed. Those wanting a locked framerate may want to play Kiwami 2 on the Xbox One X, which performs flawlessly.

Much like Kiryu facing a group of low-level hoodlums, Yakuza Kiwami 2 shows no sign of a slowing momentum. Both the Dragon of Dojima and the latest entry flaunt a few new tricks, offering a rock-solid remake of the 2008 game. While this isn’t the best entry point for the franchise (Yakuza 0 and the original Kiwami are requisite free), it’s one that is destined to please Western fans who have recently discovered this celebrated series.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 was played on Xbox One with review code provided by the publisher.

Review Overview

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Summary : Look past the internet posts about missing content. Yes, Yakuza Kiwami 2 lacks a few, largely expendable elements from the original game. But for every omission, the game delivers two-fold, contributing a wealth of additions and some worthwhile changes.