A combat game to remember

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a full remake of the second game in the series, which was originally released on PS2. After the events of Yakuza Kiwami, the Tojo Clan is in disarray, which is further worsened when their chairman is murdered by the Omi Alliance. The game follows Kiryu as he sets out to strike a deal with the Omi Alliance, in order to prevent an all-out war between the factions.

The combat is similar to Yakuza 6, but builds upon it by adding new attacks and heat moves. You can also map up to three weapons to the D-Pad, making it far more convenient to use them in combat. This makes the battle system of Kiwami 2 multiple times more varied than Yakuza 6. Ultimate Heat Mode is back, but since the rest of the battle system feels more complete on its own, it is no longer a key gameplay mechanic. Smart additions to an already satisfying combat engine makes all the fights a joy to play.

In addition to the usual selection of mini-games, Clan battles from Yakuza 6 and Cabaret Club from Yakuza 0 form the two main story driven side-activities. Yakuza Kiwami 2 enhances the dragon engine in many meaningful ways, and also benefits from having better source material than the Kiwami remake of Yakuza 1. Filled with exhilarating combat encounters, brutal heat moves, tons of fan service, a rocking soundtrack, lots of content and a relatable cast of characters; I have little doubt that Yakuza Kiwami 2 is one of the best games of 2018.