Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PlayStation 4) Preview

The first thing that fans of the series will immediately notice is that Yakuza Kiwami 2 runs on the Dragon Engine introduced in Yaukza 6: The Song of Life. All the perks of that engine are included, like being able to walk into buildings without experiencing any loading times, being able to seamlessly transition into fights, as well as being able to experience gorgeous looking textures just in general, although all this does come at the cost of some frame drops, even when playing on a PS4 Pro (keep in mind it already only runs at 30 frames per second). The beat 'em up combat system is also mostly the same as in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, instead of using the one from Yakuza 2. Battles are still crunchy and satisfying to watch, so it's great to see that much has been retained, since it's part of what makes the combat in this series so invigorating.

Upon starting the main story, players briefly get to explore the district of Kamurocho, but very little is available at that time, and it's not long until they are directed to the other main area, which is the district of Sotenbori, something never seen on the Dragon Engine before… and it looks incredible. From here, you will be able to explore at leisure while participating in various activities. Expected staples of the Yakuza series are here, from the entertaining sub-stories to the large amount of mini-games. Many mini-games that weren't in the original Yakuza 2 have been added, such as karaoke and even the hostess club management from Yakuza 0. There's a ton to take in, and getting acquainted to just Sotenbori alone can be overwhelming - in a good way, that is. These side activities are still as addictive as ever so far and there appears to be no shortage of content.

All that said, it needs to be noted again that this feels extremely different from the actual Yakuza 2, due to the drastically changed combat, levelling mechanics, and so on. Players who have gone through the original are likely to feel that it's almost a completely new experience, although whether it's a superior one or not isn't easy to judge without finishing the rest of the main story first. It's more of its own beast, for better or worse, but it makes for an interesting time anyway. It's enjoyable enough so far, but whether the rest of the experience can stay as entertaining as its first few chapters (and also how it stacks up to the original Yakuza 2) will be something Cubed3 will cover in the full review, but so far it seems like it's going to be another solid instalment in this franchise.