➤ Yakuza Kiwami 2, the PC review 🎮

Yakuza Kiwami 2 offers some truly spectacular moments on PC, and the funny thing is that these are normal exploratory sequences in Kamurocho or Sotenbori, fictitious neighborhoods located in Tokyo and Osaka respectively. The extraordinary richness of the details of the locations, together with the substantial improvements made to the Dragon Engine with the sixth chapter, also introduced in this remake, in fact transform the scenario from different points of view, increasing its realism, depth and atmosphere as we head, at a slow pace. or run to the next goal on the map. The differences with respect to Yakuza Kiwami they are therefore clear and it is inevitable to pay them on the performance front: let's say right away that to run the game at 2160p and 60 frames per second, with all effects at maximum, you must probably have an RTX 2080 Ti.

In our case, with a GTX 1080 Ti we had to make some compromises, leaving the settings at maximum and the output at 4K, but using the convenient scaler of the resolution to go down to 70% of the real value, thus obtaining precisely the sixty stable frames. Visually this greater commitment of the GPU can be seen all, of course, as is the clear distance from the version PlayStation 4 game, limited to 30 frames with lower resolution and less sophisticated effects. The options screen speaks for itself: compared to the previous remake, Yakuza Kiwami 2 introduces screen space reflection, motion blur and SSAO, all elements able to visually enrich the scenarios and the characters that move within them.

Once again it's the night scenes that enjoy the greatest benefits, with the illuminated signs of shops and restaurants really reflecting in the puddles on the street, a feeling of thickness applied to whatever object is on the screen and a fascinating use of blur. for distant objects but also for camera rotations. The final result is amazing, both in the now well known and assimilated Kamurocho which, above all, between the streets of Sotenbori. To this is added a degree of interaction unpublished, which allows you to access many commercial activities without any loading, closely observing the care in the reproduction of the products displayed; dropping bicycles and other obstacles (usable of course during fights) while running; and even visit the inside of buildings that are developed on several floors.

We naturally expected a heavier weight for Yakuza Kiwami 2 compared to the previous episode: we really are talking about two very different products in terms of detail and visual density, but we were equally surprised by the impossibility of adjusting the experience in order to increase performance without touching the resolution: it seems that activating or deactivating anti-aliasing, ambient occlusion and even reflections in real time does not affect the frame rate, which only moves when we go down to 1440p o 1080p, depending on the GPU. Wanting to leave everything at full 4K resolution, with the GTX 1080 Ti you move between 30 and 40 fps with a good feeling of fluidity, but obviously not the same thing as having sixty stable frames. Small parenthesis: we also tried to activate the dreaded SSAA, obtaining 6 fps. As mentioned, the greater weight is amply justified by the many changes made to the settings and by a much more complex effects, but those who expected the miracle, rubbing their hands to savor the 60 frames per second for the first time in Kiwami 2, could stay there bad.

History, characters and structure

Having finished the necessary discussion on the quality of the PC version, it is certainly the case to talk about the most valuable elements of Yakuza Kiwami 2, which marks a clear step forward compared to the first episode in terms of structure and duration, going between main missions and secondary towards thirty hours abundant. After the events of Yakuza Kiwami, Kazuma Kiryu he is again involved in the operations of the Tojo clan and agrees, in spite of himself, to go to Osaka to discuss a truce with the powerful Omi Alliance. To do this he will first have to retrieve an old friend who seems to have lost his way, however, and prepare to face a fighting spirit very similar to his own: that of Ryuji Goda, the "dragon of Kansai".

Big, relentless and easily recognizable due to his blond hair, Goda will soon show that he has excellent reasons to oppose the peace between the two clans, starting a new, bloody war that will flare up on the streets of Sotenbori and Kamurocho. In the story there will obviously also be space for some of the themes most dear to the series, such as the controversial relationship with Chinese immigrants, the coexistence between the various mafias that operate on the Japanese territory and also a delicate love interlude that, for once, will warm the heart of the protagonist. From the point of view of ideas, the first chapters of the campaign they appear a bit too hasty, but fortunately the rhythm becomes more cadenced in the central part and the whole experience acquires depth, branching out also among the numerous sub-quests available, many of which however run out too quickly and do not leave much.

Among the extra of Yakuza Kiwami 2 stand out three unpublished chapters starring Goro Majima, which we will be able to check again after Yakuza 0 to try our hand at a structurally simple mission but with very touching narrative implications for those who have played the splendid prequel of the saga. There are also two special activities, the Cabaret Grand Prix and the Clan Creator: in the first case, in the role of Kazuma, we will have to better manage a cabaret club by sending the best girls to the customers' tables and making sure that they spend as much as possible while remaining satisfied with the service, while in the second area we will control Goro in clashes strategic and we will be able to recruit new fighters to resist the sorties of a group that wants to outperform the competition in the context of construction companies.

Gameplay

The Yakuza formula is faithfully reproduced in this remake, which as per tradition is based above all on the narrative cutscenes that glue the in-game action. The latter is based on simple movements from point A to point B, environmental interactions of various kinds and, obviously, fighting against the thugs who populate the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, as well as the powerful bosses who will present us with a heavy bill from time to time. Unfortunately, the different ones are missing fighting styles that embellished the mechanics of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami, replaced by a unique position that at first forces a certain repetition of the combinations.

By improving the statistics and unlocking new moves, however, Kazuma's repertoire is greatly enriched and the situation changes, also thanks to the many objects that we can collect on the fly in the scenarios to hit our enemies, even with spectacular and very painful finisher activated when the fury bar is at maximum. The performance of the shots is excellent as always, you really have the feeling of the impacts and this contributes in a fundamental way to the fun. However, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is not just a beat'em up: both in Kamurocho and in Sotenbori we will be able to try our hand at various collateral activities ranging from battling center to billiards, from cards to karaoke, from golf to mahjong, passing through the crazy minigame. Toylet and of course for the SEGA Clubs, where we will be able to access the inevitable UFO Catcher and cabin cruisers of Virtua Fighter e Virtual-On.

PC System Requirements

Test Setup

Processor: Intel Core i5 6600K @ 4 GHz
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
Memory: 16 GB of RAM
Operating system: Windows 10

Minimum requirements

Processor: Intel Core i5 3470, AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Scheda video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, AMD Radeon HD 7870
Memory: 4 GB of RAM
Hard disk: 42 GB of space required
Operating system: Windows 7 64-bit

Recommended Requirements

Processor: Intel Core i7 6700, AMD Ryzen 7 1700
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
Memory: 16 GB of RAM
Hard disk: 42 GB of space required
Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit

Comment

Tested version PC Windows Digital Delivery Steam Price 29,99 € Resources4Gaming.com

8.5

Readers (10)

8.7

Your vote

Yakuza Kiwami 2 obviously gives the best on PC, as expected: the resolution and frame rate higher than the PlayStation 4 version and a more advanced effects give the scenarios of Kamurocho and Sotenbori an extraordinary charm, especially during the evening scenes, thanks the real reflections of the signs in the puddles, the incredible detail and features of the new Dragon Engine, which allows you to access shops, restaurants and businesses without uploads, offering an unprecedented degree of interaction even during fights. The latter are initially spoiled by the limitations of the unique fighting style, but gain depth as new moves are unlocked and offer an always up-to-the-minute impact performance. However, the impeccable and engaging narrative remains the prominent element of this remake, waiting to see the latest episodes on the Windows platform.