Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PS5) Review – The Series’ Best Story

Review of Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PS5)

Yakuza/Like a Dragon is one of my favorite video game series of all time. The first two Yakuza games were released for the PS2, and the series remained fairly niche until the sixth main game, Yakuza 0released on PS4. After the success of Yakuza 0, Ryu Ga Gotoku remade the first two games in the series as Yakuza Kiwami 1+2. In 2025 Yakuza 0: Director's Cut was released as an exclusive for Switch 2. Yakuza Kiwami 3 was also announced for an early 2026 release. To capitalize on the success of these latest releases, Sega has released a remaster of Yakuza Kiwami 2 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The new update is free for owners of the original version.

If you already have the original version Yakuza Kiwami 2 There is no new content in this current generation release. There has been a slight increase in performance since the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S hardware is more powerful than the PS4. This review will give you an idea of ​​what newcomers can expect from the Yakuza games. I'll talk about the differences between Kiwami and the original game.

Kiryu vs. Goda

The first seven main Yakuza games tell the story of Kazuma Kiryu, a legendary Japanese gangster. Yakuza Kiwami 2 takes place after the events of Kiwami 1. I don't want to give away too many details because almost any information about the character will spoil the plot of Kiwami 1. But at the core of the story is a gang war between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance. Omi is led by Ryuji Goda, who is arguably still the greatest villain of the series. Yakuza Kiwami 2's story is arguably the best in the series, and Goda is Kiryu's most even physical rival.

All Yakuza games have incredibly cinematic storytelling. There are numerous cutscenes throughout each story chapter and they are incredibly well done. I would seriously put them up there with any great movie or TV series. One of the main benefits of these games is the ability to experience such well-told stories.

Relaxation “Frame by Frame”

The cutscenes in Yakuza Kiwami 2 are exactly the same as those in the original PS2 game. Some characters have changed in appearance, but the entire frame, camera work and mise-en-scène are identical.

While there are plenty of cutscenes to watch in each chapter of each game, the core gameplay is an open-world, third-person action game. Much of each of these games takes place in a fictional Japanese red-light district called Kamurocho, modeled (in great detail) after Kabukicho, a real-life red-light district in Shinjuku. The sandbox is so accurate and vibrant that the series has become known as a virtual Japanese vacation simulator. Tourists visit real analogues of the territories from the Yakuza games.

Fights in the streets

While wandering the streets, Kiryu gets into fights. Much of Yakuza Kiwami 2's gameplay involves third-person combat. Kiryu has multiple attack buttons and unlocks more abilities as the game progresses. Battles often involve grabbing surrounding weapons and performing QuickTime cinematic attacks. As the series progresses, the games introduce more RPG elements. Kiwami 1 is built on the Yakuza 0 engine, and they are easier to develop into RPGs. But Kiwami 2 is built on the Yakuza 6 engine, and this is where the RPG aspects really started to take over.

A huge part of Yakuza Kiwami 2's appeal is the incredible amount of things you can do in the sandbox. Kiryu can enter many buildings. On every street corner you can find a new side quest or mini-game. There are several casinos and gaming parlors with many different games. The arcades feature full versions of classic Sega games. Side quests get weird and can involve strange scenarios, such as rooms of grown men in diapers asking for help. They provide a goofy contrast to the very serious crime drama taking place in the main narrative.

Additional Majima Content

Yakuza Kiwami 2 added a lot of content to keep it in line with later games. It even has an entire separate scenario where Majima plays the role of the playable character. Unfortunately, there is an entire section of Yakuza 2 that takes place in the second district called Sotenbori. The gameplay portion of Sotenbori was cut from Kiwami 2 due to budgetary reasons. The story continues and Sotenbori appears in cutscenes, but there is no sandbox to explore. It's a real shame, but it probably won't be noticed by anyone who hasn't played the original.

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has become one of the most beloved video game franchises on the planet. They're a combination of cinematic crime drama, fun third-person brawls, deep open-world exploration, and insanely wacky side quests and mini-games. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the best version of the second game in the series. The cutting of Sotenbori is a big loss, but the new content more than makes up for it. Overall this is a great version of an all time great video game.

***PS5 code provided by publisher***