SEGA has been doing a great job releasing the Yakuza games on Nintendo’s systems recently, beginning with Yakuza Kiwami on Switch and Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut on Switch 2. Now SEGA has brought a Switch 2 version of Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2. A lot has been said about Yakuza Kiwami on Switch, so while the focus will be on Yakuza Kiwami 2, it would be best to talk about what the Switch 2 version does for Yakuza Kiwami.
The Switch 2 Version is basically the same game, but it takes full advantage of the Switch 2’s superior hardware for a better experience. For instance, the framerate has been greatly improved and now hovers around 60fps, while running extremely smooth the whole time. There is no slowdown, no screen tearing and no long loading. It just feels great the way Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut does in both docked and handheld modes.
Nothing new was added gameplaywise, and that is fine as the game is still amazing, being the same great introduction to the Yakuza / Like a Dragon the game always was alongside Yakuza 0. The blend of open world beat ’em up action and over the top storytelling is just perfect, with the different fighting styles all granting a distinct variety in how you progress. The boss fights are engaging and the world draws you in, and the side content always keeps you going.
All in all Yakuza Kiwami Switch 2 Edition is a great way to experience the game, even if you already played the Switch 1 version. But all that being said, it is time to talk about Yakuza Kiwami 2.
Kiwami 2 was originally released in 2017, and it still shines as a brilliant looking game on the Switch 2, with few if any hiccups along the way. Once again you take control of Kazuma Kiryu who is brought back into the world of the Yakuza amid a conflict between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 brings back the familiar sights and sounds of Kamurocho, but this time around Kiryu also ventures into the city of Sotenbori, a location inspired by Osaka. Both areas look amazing, but there is one thing I should mention about the game’s technical performance and that is that Yakuza Kiwami 2 runs at 30 FPS on Switch 2 unlike Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut and Yakuza Kiwami. This is not too bad though, and after adjusting, the overall gameplay is fine, especially when you appreciate how grand the cities are and how much detail was put into them to make them feel alive.
The reduction in framerate helps make everything remain stable even during the more intense action sequences, and there are plenty of technical improvements that help the overall experience. Every transition feels seamless and the overall visual fidelity is so much better overall. It makes the tradeoff in framerate feel worth it in the long run.
Like the other games in the series, Yakuza Kiwami 2 provides a heavy amount of side content to keep you amused, with minigames like the arcades, a famous part of the series that lets you play classic SEGA games. You can also play mahjong, darts, use a claw machine, win a round of poke and sing karaoke, and it all adds a massive amount of depth to the game. Of course, this is just the side content and the main game’s content is as deep as ever, but there are some changes to make it work slightly differently.
The multiple fighting styles are gone this time, but what is here is refined and perfected thanks to the upgrade system. This upgrade system works much like an RPG, where you gain experience after fights and you can use that to improve stats like battle skills, heat actions and life skills and feels far better than what was in Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami. This was kind of a neat foreshadowing to what the series would become, when it shifted to a full RPG franchise.
It helps that the fights are still handled amazingly well, with a lot of ways to handle things. Once you get enough upgrades, you can have a build that will let you experience the game the way you want to. You will also of course unlock many new powerful moves, and you will unleash the dragon for real.
There are a lot of fights to have, not just in the main game, but with the many gangs and thugs roaming the streets and just waiting to attack you. This is where health options come in, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 has a surprising amount of real world accuracy by letting you buy real-life beverages like Yamazaki and Hibiki to regain health or eat at real life restaurants to keep yourself alive. This feels like a more in depth version of something from River City Ransom, which fits as the Kunio-kun series was a major influence on Yakuza / Like a Dragon.
Yakuza Kiwami is a fun game overall and has a story full of twists and turns as befitting an entry in the franchise. Fan-favourite character Goro Majima also returns and you can play as him once more, albeit in a side campaign after you reach a point in the main game. This part covers what Majima has been up to since Yakuza Kiwami, and while it does not last super long, it is a good side-story that provides some exciting moments.
To sum up, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a wonderful experience on the Nintendo Switch 2, with excellent visuals and mechanics that more than make up for the reduced framerate, by giving an experience that makes you just want to keep coming back. The side-content and minigames cause Yakuza Kiwami to stay enjoyable even long after you complete the main game.
If you want a complete experience that is a technical masterpiece on Switch 2 and provides so many hours of fun, you would do well to check out Yakuza Kiwami Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Hopefully SEGA and RGG studio continue to bring the rest of the games to Switch 2 alongside the upcoming Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, as this series is a perfect fit for Nintendo’s hybrid system. The open world gameplay, vast amount of side content and excellent narrative just makes the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series, one that never gets old.
Disclaimer: Review keys were provided
