Yakuza Kiwami 2

Yakuza Kiwami 2[lower-alpha 1] is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Sega. It is a remake of the 2006 video game Yakuza 2 for the PlayStation 2, and is the series' second remake title following 2016's Yakuza Kiwami. It was developed using the Dragon game engine from Yakuza 6. The game was released for PlayStation 4 on December 7, 2017 in Japan, and worldwide on August 28, 2018.[1] It was released for Microsoft Windows worldwide on Steam on May 9, 2019[2] and released for Xbox One on July 30, 2020.[3]

Yakuza Kiwami 2
Developer(s)Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Hiroyuki Sakamoto
Producer(s)
  • Masayoshi Yokoyama
  • Daisuke Sato
  • Mitsuhiro Shimano
Designer(s)Takeshi Tanaka
Programmer(s)
  • Koji Tokieda
  • Yutaka Ito
Artist(s)Nobuaki Mitake
Writer(s)Masayoshi Yokoyama
Composer(s)Hidenori Shoji
SeriesYakuza
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 4
  • JP: December 7, 2017
  • WW: August 28, 2018
Microsoft Windows
  • WW: May 9, 2019
Xbox One
  • WW: July 30, 2020
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2, and is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. Similar to the previous remake title, Yakuza Kiwami, Kiwami 2 follows the same plot structure of Yakuza 2 while adding new gameplay features and enhancements from later titles, as well as new story elements to resolve confusing plot points in the original release and tie the game more closely to other titles in the series. The player controls series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as they explore the fictional Japanese districts of Kamurocho, Tokyo and Sotenbori, Osaka, based on the real life locations of Kabukicho and Dōtonbori, respectively. Combat is based on that previously seen in Yakuza 6, though with a variety of new moves and special cinematic 'Heat Moves'. A new story scenario, entitled "The Majima Saga" features recurring series anti-hero Goro Majima as a playable character.[4] The Cabaret Club minigame from Yakuza 0 returns, as does the Clan Creator from Yakuza 6, bringing in New Japan Pro Wrestling stars Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono, Riki Choshu, Genichiro Tenryu, and Tatsumi Fujinami.[5]

Plot
Main article: Yakuza 2 § Plot

A year after leaving his former life in the Tojo Clan behind, ex-yakuza Kazuma Kiryu is called back into action when the clan's Fifth Chairman, Yukio Terada, is murdered by assassins from a rival organization, the Omi Alliance. Returning to Kamurocho, Kiryu must find a new chairman for the Tojo Clan and prevent an all-out war between the Tojo and the Omi, bringing him into conflict with Ryuji Goda, the legendary "Dragon Of Kansai" of the Omi Alliance.

A new scenario, entitled "The Majima Saga" exclusive to Kiwami 2 explains how Majima came to leave the Tojo Clan following the death of his patron, Futoshi Shimano, a year earlier and form a legitimate enterprise, "Majima Construction", between Yakuza and Yakuza 2. The scenario also features the return of Makoto Makimura, a major character of Majima's story in Yakuza 0.

Majima Saga Plot

In February 2006, Tojo Clan's Fifth Chairman Yukio Terada announces a reformation plan for the clan, which requires a replacement for the clan captain position. Up in the run for the position were newcomer Akinobu Uematsu, Kei Ibuchi and Goro Majima, who were making the most profits among the clan. Having no interest in the position and only participating to ensure the other families can band together to keep the newcomers from seizing power, Majima returns to Kamurocho, where he finds himself ambushed by several assassins. After quickly dealing with them, Majima returns to his family office, where he finds his men beaten supposedly by the Uematsu Family. Majima heads to Uematsu's office, but finds Uematsu himself shot dead. After reporting the incident to Tojo Clan members, Majima is tipped by Kazama Family patriarch Osamu Kashiwagi to find the Florist of Sai, who can provide him information. Upon meeting up with the Florist, he agrees to help Majima in exchange for the latter's agreement in running the Florist's old base in Purgatory. Majima then learns that one of his subordinates, Ryota Kawamura, was last seen at the crime scene. He travels back to Sotenbori to track down Kawamura, and eventually learns that he's a regular gambler who frequents the massage parlor Hogushi Kaiken. While at the parlor, Majima receives service from a woman named Tateyama, who turns out to be Makoto Makimura, who Majima saved from the Tojo Clan 18 years prior during the events of Yakuza 0. Majima, while attempting to hide his identity, learns that Makoto still kept her old watch as a memento of her savior.

Majima later picks up a tip that Kawamura murdered an Omi Alliance officer at the Cabaret Grand. He heads there and confronts Kawamura. The latter is easily defeated, but is then shot dead by Ibuchi, a Tojo Clan patriarch who exploited Kawamura's debt to use him to get rid of Uematsu, in order to spark a war between the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan, leading to their eventual merging and Ibuchi seizing power from Terada. Majima defeats Ibuchi, but the latter commits suicide rather than allowing himself to be arrested to incite conflict between both sides. In the aftermath, Majima and Terada come to an agreement to disband his family, as a gesture of apology for Kawamura's action against the Omi Alliance. Majima and the remnants of his family then form Majima Construction, and begin work on the Kamurocho Hills complex. Some time later, Makoto leaves the country with her family; she receives an anonymous gift prior to her departure, which turns out to be a replacement strap for her watch. Realizing that her customer that day was also her savior 18 years ago, Makoto finally finds comfort knowing she has no regrets leaving Japan.

Development

Yakuza Kiwami 2 was initially leaked on August 24, 2017 via a listing on the Taiwanese PlayStation Store.[6] The title was officially announced two days later alongside Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Yakuza Online, and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise. The game runs on the Dragon Engine which was previously used in Yakuza 6. Several characters were recast for the remake, including Hakuryu as Ryo Takashima, Houka Kinoshita as Wataru Kurahashi, Yuichi Kimura as Tsutomo Bessho, and Susumu Terajima as Jiro Kawara. The in-game arcade features playable versions of Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtual On: Cyber Troopers.

Music

Japanese rock band SiM provided theme song in Kiwami 2. The first song "A" serves as opening theme while the second song "Sound of the Breath" serves as an insert song. Both of these themes are also featured in the ending credits of the game.

Reception

Yakuza Kiwami 2 was well received by critics.[7][8] It was the best selling game in Japan during its debut week, selling 131,931 units; this was the lowest debut for a Yakuza game, which was noted as expected due to being the first stand-alone PlayStation 4 title that is not a new main entry.[17] The PC version was among the best-selling new releases of the month on Steam.[18][lower-alpha 2]

Famitsu liked the seamless transitions when entering shops or starting battles, and enjoyed being able to use various items in the city as weapons.[11]

The game was nominated for the Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake at the New York Game Awards,[20] and for "Animation, Technical" and "Game, Classic Revival" at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.[21]

Notes
  1. Known in Japan as Ryū ga Gotoku: Kiwami 2 (Japanese: 龍が如く 極 2, "Like a Dragon: Extreme 2")
  2. Based on total revenue for the first two weeks on sale.[19]

References
  1. Good, Owen S. (2018-03-17). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 launches in the West this August". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2018-03-18. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  2. Boudreau, Ian (2019-04-11). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 comes out on Steam next month". PC Gamer. Future US. Archived from the original on 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  3. https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/14/20965416/yakuza-xbox-one-game-pass-announcement-release-date
  4. Williams, Mike. "Yakuza Studio Announces Fist of The North Star Game, New Yakuza Protagonist". USgamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2017-08-27. Retrieved 2017-08-27.
  5. "『龍が如く 極2』武藤敬司・蝶野正洋・長州力・天龍源一郎・藤波辰爾 VS 桐生一馬・真島吾朗が実現!?【TGS2017】". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. 2017-09-21. Archived from the original on 2017-09-21. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
  6. Romano, Sal (2017-08-24). "Yakuza: Kiwami 2 for PS4 announcement leaked". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2017-08-27. Retrieved 2017-08-27.
  7. "Yakuza Kiwami 2 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2018-09-30. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  8. "Yakuza Kiwami 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  9. "Yakuza Kiwami 2 for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  10. Peter Glagowski (2018-08-26). "Review: Yakuza Kiwami 2". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 2019-01-12. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
  11. "龍が如く 極2 まとめ [PS4]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on 2018-03-18. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  12. Javy Gwaltney (2018-08-23). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review – Leader of the Pack". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  13. Jason Faulkner (2018-08-23). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review – A Tale of Two Dragons". Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 2018-09-02. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  14. Edmond Tran (2018-08-29). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review: Double Dragon". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
  15. Tristan Ogilvie (2018-08-23). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  16. John-Paul Jones (2018-08-23). "Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review – PS4". PSU.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  17. Sato (2017-12-13). "This Week In Sales: Yakuza Kiwami 2 And Earth Defense Force 5 Bring Out The Big Guns". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  18. "Best of 2019: New Releases". Steam. Valve. Archived from the original on 2019-12-28. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  19. "A Look Back - The Best of 2019". Steam. Valve. 2019-12-26. Archived from the original on 2019-12-28. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  20. Rob Keyes (January 3, 2019). "2018 New York Game Awards Nominees Revealed". Screen Rant. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  21. "Nominee List for 2018". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 11, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
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