Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review (Switch 2) - Marvelous Mini-games Wrapped Around a Violent Soap Opera

Somehow, in my 38 years of life, I have never gotten around to playing a Yakuza game, even though the premise is right up my alley and half a dozen close friends have recommended it to me. Even though I’ve followed the series, watched lore videos, enjoyed the memes, and always had a soft spot for series protagonist Kiryu Kazama, this was my first time actually taking the plunge into SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku’s masterfully realized melodrama. As the Switch 2’s Yakuza Kiwami 2 is an enhanced port of the 2017 remake of 2006’s Yakuza 2, but with many QOL features, new mini-games, modernized combat, and an additional scenario, The Majima Saga, I was expecting jank and possibly outdated elements. But while I thought that I knew what to expect, the overall experience really surprised me.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 follows up on the events of Yakuza by pitting Kiryu against Ryuji Goda, the ‘Dragon of Kansai’, who’s looking to shake up the delicate balance of power among the yakuza clans in both Kanto and Kansai. So you’ll mostly be going back and forth between two neighborhoods in Tokyo and Osaka, namely fictionalized (but very faithful) reproductions of well-known regions Kabuchiko and Dotonbori, here called Kamakuro and Sotonbori, respectively. As someone who visited both of these places in 2017, this was pretty surreal to play through. The environments feel accurate, filled with immersive little details. The Majima Saga is a four-chapter section that follows Goro Majima and various members of the Tojo Clan. It’s about a third as long as Kiryu’s story, and no less entertaining. However, like the rest of the game, you’ll get the most out of it if you’ve already played Yakuza 0 and/or Yakuza Kiwami.

But if you haven’t played Yakuza Kiwami, the game helpfully lets you recap the first game’s events right off the bat. There are well over a dozen main supporting characters, as well as many side characters whom Kiryu can help (and be helped by) along the way. Kiwami 2 may not have an English dub, but the story and scenario were so well-realized, I never minded reading the subtitles. Given how strong the characterizations are here, it’s easy for me to see why this series has captivated fans for over two decades. 

Great-feeling, if simple, brawler gameplay

While I can’t compare the experience to past Yakuza titles, I can say that the combat here always felt satisfying. It’s rather basic, but there’s a lot of room for players to grow and improve with regards to how well and how cleanly they deal with foes. You’ve got a light attack, heavy attack, throw, block, and dodge, and can also pick up and use various items, as well as throw items and foes. You can also ‘lock on’ to the nearest foe by pressing R. The fundamentals are easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Taking on groups, I rarely felt like I was out of options, but it’s easy to slip up or mistime a dodge or block, so I would often prioritize offensive play. You can also take certain weapons with you and cycle through them in the midst of combat. Typically, when fighting groups of thugs on the street, one or more will have weapons. You can take these and use them immediately, or pocket for future use. Once your inventory’s full, additional weapons will be placed in storage. If you want to keep a weapon, you’ll have to awkwardly tuck it away to assign it to your inventory before a combat encounter ends.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 grants Kiryu five different types of experience points - Strength, Agility, Spirit, Technique, and Charm. Certain actions will grant one or more of these types of points, which can be used to upgrade Kiryu in the menu at any time. I found this to be an easy-to-understand and straightforward system. Additionally, you can gain some experience (and heal) by eating at various restaurants. Drinks can be purchased and used even in the midst of combat to fill up your Health and Heat meters. There are even drinks to speed up Kiryu’s digestion so that you can eat more. And of course, there are roving gangs of yakuza and thugs that will fight Kiryu just because, and taking them down is a good way to gain experience, gather weapons, and work up an appetite. There’s several upgrades that don’t directly affect combat, but instead grant Kiryu bonuses/buffs for some of the mini-games.

Try Not to Get Sidetracked Challenge Level: Impossible

It wouldn’t be a Yakuza game without insanely addictive and deep mini-games, and Kiwami 2 is no exception. I had heard that the cabaret management mini-game was exceptional, but that did not prepare me for the experience I had actually playing it. Micro-managing a host club and taking it from the very bottom of the barrel to the best in Japan, not to mention the many requisite choice-filled character interactions, ended up taking more time than finishing the actual story! Not only was it easy to care for the characters and want them to succeed, but the mechanics are challenging, fun to master, and reward quick reflexes and careful planning. 

There’s no shortage of other mini-games here. Just on principle, I tend to avoid games that are tied to real-life gambling, such as mahjong and cards, but there are many card games including blackjack, poker, and shoji. I think that if I added up all of my time spent on side stories and the various little mini-games such as karaoke, darts, golf, and batting, not to mention replaying Virtual On and Virtua Fighter 2, it might nearly double the time I spent on Kiryu’s 16-chapter narrative. I applaud SEGA for not cutting out the spicy gravure photo shoot.

Nicely presented, but the game does feel a bit… straightforward

Playing on Switch 2, I have zero complaints about the performance. Yakuza Kiwami 2 seems to run at a very smooth 60fps, with minimal loading times, and no bugs. Kiryu gets right into and out of the action, with only a small pause between transitioning from regular gameplay to battles. Even cab rides are fast. The experience feels very seamless, even if at times you may just feel like you’re going from point A to point B just to beat someone up, then rinsing and repeating. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is like playing through an alternately wacky and serious soap opera, with over-the-top characters and combat, plus endless mini-games that left a smile on my face and kept me playing well through the night. It’s a quality experience from beginning to end.

For the low price of $29.99, I find it impossible not to recommend Yakuza Kiwami 2. This is a game that lets you play how you want, when you want, and to have the challenge be as tough as you want. You’re not penalized or overly incentivized to go off the beaten track, so the experience is fully yours to tailor. Even if you just want to breeze through the story, there’s over 15 hours of gameplay here. But if you want to tackle all of the side content, you’re looking at well over 2 dozen hours. SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios put a ton of love and care into this game, and it runs flawlessly on Switch 2. If you’re like me and itching for a reason to take a plunge into the Yakuza universe, there’s no better time than the present.

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Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Fantastic)

PROS

• Loveable and colorful cast of characters, fun melodramatic story

• Solid combat where you can tailor the difficulty to your liking by choosing whether or not to level up

• Many hours of mini-games and side content to explore and master

• Excellent performance and graphics on Switch 2 lovingly recreating two iconic city districts

CONS

• Very straightforward progression (plot point, travel to X, fight someone, repeat)

• Sometimes the experience does show its age as being based upon the bones of a game from nearly 2 decades ago

What I’ve Played 

• Beat the game at 28+ hours

• Completely beat the Cabaret Club mini-game and many assorted side-quests

• Maxed out pretty much all of Kiryu’s abilities

*This review is based on a Switch 2 review copy provided to the reviewer

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About the Author - Joseph Choi

Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I've been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.