We have just pointed it out: with the Dragon Engine, Yakuza 2 does not look the same on PS4. Everything, absolutely everything is more beautiful, from the interiors to the multiple luminous signs of Kabukichô, passing by the Dôtonbori canal in Osaka or the famous Ebisu Bridge. Those who regularly travel to Japan will recognize each neighborhood at first glance; an attention to detail already present in the original version, but which is of a whole new dimension in Kiwami 2. Congratulations also for the cut scenes which allow you to take advantage of worked faces, especially in terms of expressions and skin texture. There are really passages of incredible beauty, and with the Japanese dubbing which has also been renewed, we get a visual and sound result that slams. We would still have liked an animation a bit less rigid, which would have given more punch to the fights. As usual, there is a lag between the blows which tend to slide on the opponents, and the violence of the Heat attacks which break their bones. Fingers crossed that Toshihiro Nagoshi and his teams achieve perfect harmony with the next Yakuza. Since we are talking about the fights, purists will no doubt notice that the developers have taken over the simplified system of Yakuza 6, namely a single style that is improved over the XP points recovered. The skills are numerous enough to ensure that Kazuma is tough in this or that area.
With such a solid remake, it will be difficult to turn the page Kazuma Kiryû. When we put the two versions side by side, we have the impression of discovering another game as the Dragon Engine works wonders.
For example, we can very well emphasize the power of Heat shots in order to get rid of bosses more easily. There is also the double quickstep which can be activated to stay at a good distance from the opponent, the re-guard to better withstand a guard crush, or the evasion strike to attack just after a dodge. And then, there is the interactivity of the sets which makes a bicycle, a cone or a brick a potential weapon. On this subject, we can store a saber, a knife, a baseball bat or an axe, create shortcuts and take them out in hot moments, bearing in mind that their use is not eternal. In short, Yakuza Kiwami 2 shows a certain depth in terms of fighting, even if it means being frustrating when you do not consider it necessary to consume XP points. Given the number of scum to the right here and there, we are happy to see that the exploration-combat transition has remained seamless, which also applies to the countless shops in which we can enter. Even if Yakuza will never be the equal of GTA or Red Dead Redemption in terms of open-world, the game is full of side activities, both in Tokyo and Osaka. We're not going to list all the perks, but arcades are a must if only to (re)discover classics such as Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtual-On. However, it is not there that we spent the most time. Indeed, we squatted the hostess bar of which we become the manager by force of circumstance. Basic at first glance, you quickly realize that recruiting young ladies, taking into account the skills of each, managing their wardrobe and satisfying the desires of customers, it is not easy, especially with the pressure of the Cabaret Club Grand Price behind.
"THE LITTLE DRAGON APPROACHES HIS PREY…"
As in Yakuza 6, the war of the clans did not make us dream and we rather investigated the poker games. Still on the content of Kiwami 2, there are a whole bunch of side quests to complete, including some particularly twisted ones. However, Nagoshi-san recently shared that his busy life and the anecdotes he heard around him served as inspiration for these substories. When you are told that Japan and its culture, it's crazy. Between the guy who sleeps well with his car and the grandmother who takes Kazuma for her gigolo, we don't have time to get bored friends. But what marks the most with this remake of Yakuza 2 is the staging worthy of the greatest Japanese action films. The quality of the dialogues is reinforced by a five-star cast that only Yakuza Studio is able to bring together. Once again, it's a shame that SEGA didn't make the effort to offer French subtitles. Although it is not essential to be bilingual to understand the lines of the characters, we can understand that it annoys more than one. Once the main campaign is complete (it took about fifteen hours), we can tackle the story of Majima Goro which only has three chapters. The opportunity to make the link with Yakuza 0 and to taste more dynamic fights, Majima wielding the blade like no other. No XP points to recover this time, just throats to be cut in a sadistic burst of laughter. A moment of relaxation, what.
