![]() ![]() Now Kiryu has to battle the local yakuza trying to take the orphanage by force while also learning what relation the mysterious man has to Kazama. A mysterious man who bears a striking resemblance to his deceased foster father, Kazama, has turned up and is involved in a plan to buy the orphanage and turn the land into a beachfront resort. Of course, just when Kiryu thought he was out, they pulled him back in. Yakuza 3 was the first Yakuza game in HD and takes Kiryu to the tropical climes of Okinawa as he has left the yakuza behind to run an orphanage. If you only have access to the PS2 version, go for it, but if you own a modern console, stick with Kiwami 2, as it is head-and-shoulders the best version of this tale.Īvailable on: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One It is an amazing game, and it would be disadvantageous to play it on PlayStation 2 given the numerous quality-of-life improvements included in Kiwami 2. Understanding plot points from the first game are imperative to understanding the story going forward, particularly the state of disarray that the Tojo Clan is in at this point. What is not to love?Īs a starting point, Yakuza 2 is not recommended as it is a direct sequel to the first game. Most notably, it also includes a special storyline for fan favourite character, Goro Majima. To quote my original review “The story is a pure adrenaline rush and finding out who’s involved is a surprise all its own.” The game was repolished and packaged for modern consoles in 2017, and it takes an already amazing game and amplifies it to new and refreshing heights. ![]() It also has arguably the best story in the series as it offers tons of twists, turns, and the unexpected from start to finish. Yakuza 2 has a lot of upgrades from the original game, such as improvements to the brawler combat system, better graphics, and more epic boss battles, including Kazuma Kiryu punching a tiger. Yakuza Kiwami 2 available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox Oneįollowing on the coattails of the original Yakuza came a direct sequel in 2006, and one that surpassed the original game in a lot of ways. Yakuza 2 available on: PlayStation 2, Wii U (Japan only), PlayStation 3 (Japan only) If you are curious about the Vanilla Version on PlayStation 2, we recommend avoiding it, for it and the game’s precious English voice acting have not aged well in the slightest. ![]() It not only offers a revamped and revised package of the original game, but it also refines the combat, graphics, and adds new additional gameplay elements that refresh the original game in a much-needed way. In terms of a starting point, Yakuza Kiwami is the best place to start. Kiwami also offered new story elements, touched-up graphics, and the ability to have the Japanese voice track, which was not present in the original release. ![]() Years later, the game was remastered for modern platforms in the Kiwami version, with new features such as “Majima… Everywhere!” where Majima, Kiryu’s friend(?) can literally pop out of nowhere and demand a battle that gives Kiryu new skills if he wins. This is the original Kazuma Kiryu story, which introduced the stoic yet kind yakuza who has been expelled from his clan and falls into a mystery behind the crime he did not commit and the best friend who framed him. The original Yakuza on PlayStation 2 is a diamond in the rough - while it had a stiff combat system and questionable English voice work (filled with named celebrities), there was a glimmer in how fantastic the storytelling and world-building were. Yakuza Kiwami available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Yakuza available on: PlayStation 2, Wii U (Japan only), PlayStation 3 (Japan only) Thus several of the staff members at RPGamer have put together their thoughts on the games and the different starting points for first-time players.īy Joshua Carpenter, David McBurney, and Sam Wachter While the Yakuza games all share common characters and story elements that reemerge, there are plenty of different places to jump into this prolific series of RPGs. With eight mainline games having rereleases, Kiwami editions, and numerous spinoffs, it can be hard for casual observers to keep track of what games are on which platforms and which entries serve as good starting points. The Yakuza series recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, and while the majority of the games have been localized for western audiences, the popularity that the series has earned outside Japan is recent. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |