Yakuza Kiwami 2 Reviews
The city of Kamurocho is packed with interesting characters, fun activities and a number of excellent diversions, all backed up by a solid narrative that throws up as many surprises as it does heartwarming moments.
The most refined and fun Yakuza experience to date, though you may feel a bit left out if you skipped the original.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the culmination of the greatest parts of the franchise. Utilizing Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’s Dragon Engine and physics-enabled combat pairs beautifully with the high stakes tale born on the PlayStation 2 over a decade ago. I might even go as far to say that this recreation could be an even more fitting send-off for Kiryu before the series embraces its new protagonist. Simply put, Kiwami 2 is the peak of Yakuza.
It's nearly impossible to play Yakuza Kiwami 2 without feeling spoiled. This remake doesn't just transform an old game's visuals into something more visually palatable. It actually adds all the elements you'd expect from a modern day Yakuza title and wraps them around the bones of the most polished version of the developer's most modern game engine. Fuse these assets together with fan-favorite story and a plethora of side activities, and you have yourself not only one of the best remakes on the market, but also one of the best Yakuza titles to date.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is perfect for anyone looking to experience the best of the early Yakuza titles without sacrificing the refined gameplay mechanics and visuals
Exciting Japanese thriller in a game world full of convincing characters with impeccable action adventure and Brawler gameplay.
Review in German | Read full review
Even a remake of perhaps the weakest Yakuza game in the series is hands-down a fantastic trip worth taking. Only skip it if you haven't finished Yakuza 0 and Kiwami yet.
It leverages a state-of-the-art engine to present a story that holds up, with gameplay refined over a dozen years. It makes its debut on a console that makes it easy to share the moments that can really only come from this series. Let's raise a glass of Yamazaki whisky to the new world.
Once again Sega has reinvented the Yakuza series, by overhauling every aspect of a beloved title, and simply making it that much better. The Dragon Engine is truly impressive, not only visually, but boasts some nifty animations that surpass Yakuza 6. Adding weapon loadouts, and some sweet new heat maneuvers certainly provide much more flexibility and creativity to the combat. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is without a doubt the definitive Yakuza experience.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a great retelling of Yakuza 2 with a new coat of paint, new content, rebalanced gameplay, more mini-games, more sidequest… more everything! If you're a fan of the Yakuza series then you probably pre-ordered this game and are ready to take it for a spin, but if you still haven't played a game in this franchise, then you should definitely check this remake sequel thing. Even better, start with Yakuza 0 and work your way up to Yakuza 6, one game at a time, so that you're ready for when the PlayStation 3 trilogy is on PS4. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is an excellent PlayStation 4 game and a must-have release.
You might worry that this is too much Yakuza, but there's no such thing.
Yakuza’s silly sense of humor may not be everyone, but it’s complex narrative plays out like an HBO style crime thriller, so it’s worth experiencing for that alone. Fans of the series will, no doubt, have a blast with Yakuza Kiwami 2.
Old and new components of the Yakuza franchise combine to create one of the series' strongest entries.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 won't make those who haven't clicked with the series yet a believer, but for fans, it's well worth the journey if you don't mind retreading some familiar ground. While the slow middle and Majima side campaign are disappointing, Kiwami 2 is still another solid entry in the Yakuza canon.
While the main story can get too melodramatic for its own good and Majima's side story doesn't amount to much, I can recommend Yakuza Kiwami 2 on its level of presentation alone. The twists and turns of the plot kept me wanting to see what would happen next, the gorgeous production provided by the Dragon Engine left me wandering the streets just taking in the sites, and the combat is as satisfying as hitting someone you don't like with a bicycle. While I can't say that Yakuza 2 still holds up under a modern lens, I can say that this remake kept my attention to the end. And in that regard, the developers should give themselves a round of applause.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the first must have game of 2018 for just about style of gamer. By all means, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you pass up this gem
Yakuza Kiwami 2 does a superb job remaking a classic of the series. The presentation and delivery of the whole experience shows an incredible amount of dedication from the development team to make sure the momentum obtained from Zero and Kiwami could continue for the series, perhaps driven even further as it has been confirmed this will be the last true remake for the series with 3 and 4 being released as HD remasters. In a world with room for only one dragon, the Dragon of Dojima soars.
Mechanically, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the best offering in the entire series. With the abundance of fun distractions, quirky side stories, break-neck and brutal combat, and the franchise's signature dark, if sometimes convoluted story, newcomers and veterans are in for a real treat.
Simply put, Kiwami 2 is the new pinnacle for the series and any RPGamers with a passing interest in brawlers or wanting to make a virtual visit to Japan should seek it out.
With a story full of well written characters and a plot that is packed full of drama and numerous twists and turns it easy to see why Yakuza 2 is still classed by many of the series’ fans as the best entry in the franchise. This remake treats the original source material with a lot of respect and retains the core of what made it so great while injecting new systems in to better suit a 2018 audience. The visual fidelity and open world traversal have been vastly improved thanks to the Dragon Engine and it has me excited to see what’s to come in the future as the other PS3 Yakuza games have been confirmed to be getting re-releases in the future.