Yakuza Kiwami 2

As a massive fan of the series, I was very excited when Yakuza Kiwami 2 was announced. This is not a “brand new” game. Instead what we have here is a remake of the second game which originally was released on the PlayStation 2. What is extra cool about this is that this game uses the same engine that Yakuza 6 used which makes it an even better remake than the first Kiwami.

There Can Only Be One Dragon!

I will say that in order to really enjoy the story that Yakuza Kiwami 2 is telling you have to be a fan of the series. I think if you were to jump straight into this that things might be confusing and just generally a lot less epic for you. The story sees Kazuma trying to leave the gang life behind him, but that all goes to hell when there is a murder and the villain “The Dragon of Kansai” wants to be the strongest “mob boss” around and will stop at nothing to wage war on all the rival clans.

The story is told very well, but a bit muddled in places. Still, the fantastic new graphics engine that this game uses thanks to Yakuza 6 brings the story and the characters to life in a way that just was not possible on the PlayStation 2.

Beat Downs Never Looked So Good

While I enjoy the story of Yakuza Kiwami 2 it is the gameplay that makes this one of the best games in the series. The fighting in this game feels so good! You have many different moves at your disposal and the way the game incorporates weapons into the mix is even more fun. You have this meter which when full lets you dish out a really brutal finishing move.

There is a great selection of weapons in the game and even if you are just using your fists. The fighting is arguably the most fun and brutal it has been in the series so far. My only complaint is that weapons cannot be picked up after a fight! So, if you beat up a bunch of goons and there are some good weapons lying around after the fight, you cannot pick them up.

So Much To Do

As far as features go, I would say that Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the most feature-packed in the entire franchise. There are so many side missions to do in this game and they go from being pretty straightforward to downright weird which is something I love.

For the serious tone of the main storyline, Yakuza is a series that has never been scared to get silly. From learning new finishing moves to taking on jobs to creating a clan and even running your own cabaret club. There is no shortage of things to keep you busy when you are not punching some guy in the face!

Pros:

• The game looks like a million bucks
• I love the soundtrack
• There is so much side content from missions, arcade games, and other fun stuff
• The game is massive
• The best fighting in the franchise!

Cons:

• Not being able to pick weapons up after a fight is dumb
• The story may be hard to follow if this is your first game