Playthrough Status: Beat the main story plus Majima Saga on Normal, spent some hours in Premium Adventure picking up remaining trophies I was willing to get
Approx. Length: 100+ hours (the game's timer stopped counting at 99:59:59)
Language: English (Cutscenes are voiced in Japanese with English subtitles)
Played on: PS4
Also Available for: PC, Xbox One
Type of Game: Open-world Action Adventure, Mini-games, Skill-building
Overall Impression: Crazy amazing graphics, a complex story... but not enough Majima, hahaha.
A BIG NOTE!!
For those who have read my past reviews, this is a note that I'm gonna try changing up the structure for my review blogs. I want to try shortening my blogs, but still talk about the important things (i.e. the things I wanna talk about, lol). Don't know if I'll actually succeed (I tend to blab a lot when I love something), but we'll see.
Just like with my past reviews, I'll keep a non-spoiler section (the section you're at right now), and a "Spoiler Talk" section at the end to go into more detail on certain things and to let loose with any extra thoughts.
INTRO / BLURB
After beating Yakuza Kiwami and getting one specific trophy, I started up Yakuza Kiwami 2 (will refer to it as Kiwami 2 for the rest of the review). There were things I immediately loved... and things I didn't love so much... Overall, though, I was very satisfied. It just needed more of Majima, hahaha...
I have to say... Since this is a review about Yakuza Kiwami 2, spoilers for Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami could be present! In fact, I would be reviewing with the assumption that you've beaten both Yakuza 0 and Kiwami. If you haven't beaten those Yakuza games yet, I'd highly recommend you do before reading this review!!
WHAT I LOVED
Graphics: When I saw the night shot of Kamurocho for the first time, I held my breath -- I couldn't believe how real and amazing it looked! I'm not one who cares too much about graphics in a game, but even I couldn't help but notice this... this beautiful feat. The realistic setting added a level of immersion I didn't think could ever be achieved in a video game. For brief moments, I felt like I was really walking around in Kamurocho. I think I miss Japan a lot, hahaha.
Sidenote: even though I am 510% a loyal fangirl for Majima, I just gotta say: Daigo looks darn HOT in Kiwami 2. Okay, moving on, lol.
A shot of Kamurocho in Kiwami.
It still looks great, but you can tell you are in a video game world.
A shot of Kamurocho in Kiwami 2. Can you believe you could actually move around
and interact with others in a realistic setting like that?! I couldn't. I was so much in awe.
Story: Aside from some elements that could have been more fleshed out, I really enjoyed the story. Some of the plot twists I could predict, but other ones surprised me.
Substories: Just like in the previous Yakuza games, many of the substories were amusing and enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the voice-acting substory and the last Granny substory.
More exploratory: This was another wow factor for me. Even though things took place in Kamurocho and Sotenbori (yes, Sotenbori is back!), there were more buildings to explore... more rooftops you can get to. For a free-roaming spirit like myself (in video games), I took a lot of joy in going all over the place.
More objects to interact with: I found this really impressive. If your foot hits a soda can on the street, the can moves. When you're in a fight, you can throw a baddie into a store and the glass walls could break (try talking to the store employee after that, hehe). I think it added another fun layer of immersion. Sometimes it could go a bit too far, though. For example, if you stand on a chair or couch long enough the chair or couch would explode into pieces. I suspect this was done just in case you found yourself stuck somewhere.
I also just gotta say that I loved being able to buy drinks from the vending machines.
Pocketing weapons during battle: I thought this was a great added feature. I tend to be a cheapo when it comes to buying weapons so being able to stash weapons that drop during street fights was really appreciated.
Seamless transitions: The transition from the streets to inside a store or restaurant... the transition to a street fight... I really liked how seamless they were. It kinda gave me a sense that all these elements were connected with the rest of the world.
The camera function: I didn't realize this function until close to the end of the game. When you're not in a battle, if you press the "up" direction on your controller, you get into a camera mode where Kiryu could take pictures of the scenery. He could also take selfies and random passerbys could pose in the shot. If I had only known about this earlier. When I saw the beautiful waters of Sotenbori at night, all I kept thinking was, 'Man, I really want to take a picture!'.
A random passerby posing while in Camera mode.
An ironic self-referential line in one of the substories.
I should have paid more attention to it since I'm now going
through the Yakuza game this substory referenced, hahaha.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE
Stat-building system: In 0, you could spend money to raise stats / unlock skills. In Kiwami, it was spending experience. In Kiwami 2, it is also using experience, but the experience is split into 5 different categories... and there are 4 different sections those experience points could be used on.
I didn't like this change. The stat-building system didn't have to be this complex. I predicted that I'd end up having an excess of experience points in some categories by the game's end and I did.
Fighting style: Instead of being able to switch between four different fighting styles, you only have one fighting style. I guess I can understand if that was done to go with the context of the game (that Kiryu refined his fighting style that he could combine all four styles into one). I personally enjoyed being able to switch between styles.
Fumbly movements: This might be my own poor controls, but I found Kiryu much more fumbly when moving around. I found it a bit harder to grab somebody and I'd often bump into a door before opening and going through it. If this fumbly-ness really is the game, I'm going to guess this was a sacrifice to make the environment so interact-able.
Searching for my recruits: This is for a specific mini-game. After completing certain substories, you can possibly recruit characters for the mini-game. Only problem is that those recruitable characters are often tucked away in the strangest places... it'd be so much better if they were placed close to the actual mini-game.
Not enough Majima: This is more of my own personal gripe than anything else. I was so spoiled by the Majima Everywhere system in Kiwami that I felt... Majima-deprived in Kiwami 2. Until I finally saw him in the story, I'd say to the TV: Where are you Majima???...
YAKUZA KIWAMI 2 VS YAKUZA 2 ON PS2
I'm going to leave this as a placeholder. I'm sure there are full playthroughs of the PS2 version on YouTube, but well... I had heard that Yakuza Kiwami 2 was very different from the PS2 version, so I wanted to experience it for myself. Whenever I get around to playing Yakuza 2, I'll fill this section out. Without having tried Yakuza 2, though, I'm pretty sure I can say that Kiwami 2 has vastly improved graphics. I've yet to see PS2 graphics trump PS4 graphics, so... (8-bit graphic styles don't count!)
STANDALONE-FRIENDLY?
I wouldn't recommend this at all. Even though there is a recap of events of Kiwami at the beginning of Kiwami 2, I don't think it's enough to build the kind of connection you'd build if you played from the beginning of the series (by beginning I mean Yakuza 0, but it is argued you could start playing from Kiwami instead).
Just... don't, lol. I can't stop you, but I recommend playing 0 or Kiwami before Kiwami 2.
THE DISCLAIMERS (IF ANY)
This is where I list any things that could make you think twice about trying the game out with family or friends (depends on what they are okay with, I guess). They're not exactly bad per se, but more for your own awareness of it (and so you don't blame me for not saying anything!).
I can experience these elements in a video game and get through more or less unscathed, but your mileage may vary, so I figure I should mention them.
-Just like in all the previous Yakuza games, the fights can be pretty violent and bloody. There is an option to turn down the blood, though I haven't tried it out myself.
-There is a heat move (a.k.a. special attack) at a specific convenient store where you can throw a baddie's head into the microwave. I'll admit that thinking of this makes me a little queasy... but there are several conditions to meet before even even triggering it (have the special move unlocked, be inside that specific convenient store, grab an enemy and stand a certain distance from the microwave). I went through my whole playthrough without ever seeing this heat move, so it's super easy to avoid if you don't want to see it.
-There is a mini-game where you do a photoshoot of a real life female model. The mini-game involves trying to form complete sentences that fit the context of the current conversation (I applaud that extra level of immersion). The poses the model does can be pretty provocative at times. There is no nudity, though, and it is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL.
MY RATING
If I had to compare, Kiwami 2 is not as good as 0, but overall is better than Kiwami. The slick graphics and being able to explore more and interact with more in the world added another level of immersion I didn't think was possible. It just needed a bit more Majima, a change to that stat-building system, a bit more detail on some plot points, and it'd be near perfect! :)
Rating: 91 / 100
Definitely check out Kiwami 2 after beating Kiwami!
Thanks for reading! I might not blog next week to balance the time I spent this week blogging.
If you have any questions / comments about anything, leave a comment or send via the Contact Form. :)
So I'll do the scrolly thing and the "Spoiler Talk" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more scrolly things after the "Spoiler Talk" section in case anybody wants to comment, but not see the spoilers.
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SPOILER TALK
So this will be a little different from the "Spoilers" section in my other review blogs. I kinda want this section to be a place where I can unload any extra thoughts I had about Kiwami 2, even if I didn't mention it at all in the non-spoiler section. I may have already talked about some of these in the non-spoiler section but I'll go into more detail here.
THE STORY
Maybe if I had reviewed this earlier, I'd be able to point out all the plot issues with Kiwami 2 (like how did a bomb get placed in West Park without anybody noticing?). Though... to be honest... I didn't take much issues with those details. I enjoyed the story for what it was as I went, except for one thing: the make out scene between Kiryu and Sayama at the end.
Now, don't get me wrong: I don't mind Kiryu and Sayama being paired up. I was actually worried things would go similar to Kiwami and Sayama would die because she was Kiryu's current love interest. I had this fear that Kiryu would end up going through each Yakuza game seeing his love interest die... I just thought, given the current situation of a ticking bomb... to start making out... and to cue some poppy Korean (?) song... I just thought it was awkward timing.
I mean, I get it. You're gonna die soon, so might as well express your emotions before it's too late. It just came across as really cheesy for me. Ultimately, I forgive that scene, but it was probably the only part in the story where I didn't feel immersed.
About plot points that I predicted:
-When Ryuji mentioned that Goda wasn't his real father, I had this inkling that Ryuji was one of the Jingweon survivors.
-I don't remember if there were any hints to this, but I had this hunch that Terada was still alive.
-When Sayama cracked that disc and reacted the way that she did, I thought: 'she must be related to Ryuji'.
Plot points that I didn't predict:
-Kawara being Sayama's father. And it was revealed as he was dying... darn it ;__;
-When Kiryu was stabbed, I held my breath.
-During the car chase scene, I thought I was going to have to shoot down cars like in the previous Yakuza games. Thankfully it wasn't like that! Was this scene present in the PS2 version? Or was it added to psyche us? Hahaha.
CABARET CLUB
I was really happy that the cabaret club came back... and that Yuki came back, too! Before Yuki was introduced, I recognized her voice.
While I played the cabaret club, I kept thinking it'd be hilarious if Majima suddenly walked in to see Kiryu bowing and saying "Welcome". Little did I know...
To be honest, though, I personally preferred the cabaret club in 0 just a bit more. I enjoyed the music more and I thought Majima was great in his role. Kiryu was fine, but I thought the mini-conversations with the platinum hostesses worked better with Majima. Since Majima was an actual manager of a hostess club, he did those conversations as part of training the hostesses and would act as if he was a customer. When Kiryu had mini-conversations, they were actual conversations and many of Kiryu's "correct" choices seemed kinda flirty and a bit out-of-character.
There were a couple things about the cabaret club that I really liked this time around, though: it was much easier to level up the girls, and I loved it when Majima became the announcer.
Below are intro clips of each of my platinum hostesses (and how I dressed them -- except for Yuki) :)
Koyuki! I liked her spunky personality.
Kana! I liked how her substory ended.
Aika! I liked her free-flowing nature.
Shoko! She was my favourite, based on her backstory and the conversations with her.
Yua! She was okay, I guess.
Kirara! I barely changed much when I did her makeover.
Yuki! I wanted to give her a makeover so badly (not because she wasn't dressed well --
I just like giving makeovers, hahaha). She really does look stunning.
I just love Majima's comment at the bottom.
I loved how they brought this back!
Yuki's inner reaction to it was hilarious.
One of the mini-conversations with Kirara. I couldn't help but choose
Majima -- just to see what she would say.
GORO MAJIMA
I didn't go through Majima's Saga until after beating the main story, and I'm glad I did. For me, the final cutscenes wrapped up Kiwami 2 so well, I felt at peace with the game.
But let's back up for a bit.
I wish my interactions with Majima in the main story wasn't just confined to his mini-game Clan Creator, karaoke, and potentially fighting him in the Coliseum. Seriously... seeing Majima everywhere in Kiwami and being able to play against him in so many mini-games really spoiled me, hahaha.
When I realized I could invite Majima to karaoke, I was stoked. I hadn't done much karaoke before that point so I had no idea what Majima would sing. When he started singing, I was surprised with how... light-sounding the tune went. I guess I was expecting something more upbeat like "24-hour Cinderella". Then it cut to scenes of him and Makoto in 0, and I knew... I knew who he was singing to. In the middle of it I started crying hard. After all these years... he still thought about her...! He still loved her! I was expecting to have a cheery fun time with Majima, but instead I got an emotional tearfest, hahaha... <3
When I started Majima's Saga, I explored all over Kamurocho and Sotenbori, just to see what I could do as Majima. Some mini-games were locked out like not being able to play Darts against another person while other games were do-able. When you do karaoke, you still sing two times, but you can only sing "As Long As You're Happy". One neat thing is that the button presses when Majima sings it (without Kiryu cheering) is slightly different.
It really sucks that Majima's skills couldn't be upgraded, but I'm thankful they added this saga to begin with (I'm almost certain this wasn't present in the PS2 version).
I have to applaud Kashiwagi. He took a beating from Majima in 0 but he still treated Majima as an equal and as a person. Anybody who treats Majima decently without expecting something back is a pass in my book.
When Majima got his massage from Makoto... ahh... I had no idea how it would go. Lots of tears were shed (by me) -- a mix of sad and happy tears. The music was also on point for evoking those bittersweet emotions. Majima's quiet, yet expressive reactions conveyed so many thoughts -- or, at least, I picked up many thoughts from him.
When Makoto told Majima the whole story of the watch and how she was currently very happy with her life, but that she regretted not being able to say "thanks" to the person who saved her all those years ago, Majima's quiet smile at the end told me so much (that's the screenshot above). I might be off on my interpretation, but this is what I got from Majima's smile:
-I made the right choice (to leave her to live her life and to not reveal myself)
-It was worth it (because she's happy)
-I did help her after all (because I never thought I actually helped her)
-I have a place in her heart
It was the closure Majima needed. It was the closure Makoto needed, when she received his good-bye gift in the end. There's still pain -- 'cuz it pains me that Majima sacrificed his happiness for hers -- but it wasn't all for nothing. Makoto has a happy life and Majima doesn't have to worry anymore. And now he knows that Makoto still thinks warmly of him...
Aside from writing an ending where Majima and Makoto do end up together... happy... I think what we got was the next best thing. A bit of sadness -- a bit of regret -- but loads of warmth and inner satisfaction.
I just thought up a silly interpretation. The watch Majima leaves for Makoto in 0 -- the watch she still wears and treasures -- maybe it's a symbol that Majima will always "watch" over her (in his heart). *sniffle* :')
MISCELLANEOUS
Here are some miscellaneous thoughts that didn't fit into any of the above topics, and a couple more screenshots and videos I wanted to share.
-Screw Haruka's requests, especially the Bingo Challenge one (golf). Even after looking at a guide, it took me hours and tons of tries to finally succeed. The Virtual-On request was rough, too. She really has crazy requests sometimes.
-I recently got 100% for Majima's song "As Long As You're Happy". Once I get that clip copied from the PS4 and onto the computer, I'll upload that video to this review. I've gone karaoking with Majima so many times now that I will always hear Kiryu going "Chika Chikay" at the very end.
-The intermission chats with the former construction bosses were so hilarious and enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the tongue twister part. Just the thought of burly tough dudes struggling with tongue twisters... hahaha, so awesome xD
-Just like in my previous Yakuza reviews, here is a funny Yakuza-related meme I saw on Reddit. Since it's encouraged to eat a lot in Kiwami 2 to gain experience points, I figured it would be most fitting for this review, hahaha.
-Here's another meme. I find it darn relatable, even though I'm a girl *hugs to all the guys and gals who can relate to it*.
And here are the screenshots and videos!
A selfie of Kiryu with Majima.
My final stats when I beat Kiwami 2. I hadn't played Majima's Saga at all yet.
I didn't realize this was a heat move until I looked it up.
I originally thought 'I guess he'd be stopped at the pole because it's a solid object'.
I thought the music transition in this substory was the most touching
out of all the substories in Kiwami 2.
When the piano starts playing, the tears start falling...
What Granny says also does me in.
The intro scene for the final boss fight in Majima's saga.
I originally put this at the end of Goro Majima's section, but thought it was out-of-place
'cuz of how I ended that section, so I placed it here. It really gets my blood pumping!
If you read this section, thank for reading! Now to finish with more scrolly things. Feel free to comment if you wish :D
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