Yakuza Kiwami is an epic mobster tale of deceit, betrayal, and hope just like its chronological predecessor in Yakuza 0, however it shows its origins' unavoidable age when it comes to the combat and sequencing of the game.
Gone is the multi-faceted, chess-like gameplay of 0 (which, released later, but I figure most people coming into the series will play it in narrative order) in which you could reliably beat enemies and bosses through reasonable style switching and timing in favor of one of the most aggravating combat experiences I've had in recent memory. Just about everything knocks Kiryu down, and you'll get hit by a lot because of how clunky the dodge and quickstep mechanics are, now this is completely manageable in mob/normal fights, but in boss fights becomes a massive flaw. Bosses have almost no hitstun and can break out of animations which leads to fights that feel (and are) completely unfair. Couple this with a technique that allows them to restore health (which had me excessively frustrated with in the final boss fight,) and you have an experience that players are sure not to forget, for all the wrong reasons. Any narrative grandeur or epic-ness is completely lost in most boss fights in the game because of how annoying, or rather cheap, the enemy mechanics are. I didn't feel like I was getting beaten because I wasn't good at the game, but rather that the game was finessing me for playing it logically. Stock up on healing before every boss fight, its the only reasonable way to complete this game.
Characters are a strongsuit in Kiwami just as they are in 0. Kiryu's arc is depressing, but you definitely see why he's become such a mainstay (as you do in 0) in the gaming medium. Nishikiyama, Date, The Florist, Kazama, and Reina are genuinely interesting and great characters that populate the games screentime. These are multi-faceted personalities that make a narratively intense mobster game like Yakuza work. The biggest issue in character I had was Majima, whose nuanced figure in 0 is completely butchered in Kiwami. Now, again, this game came first technically speaking so this is a bit of a weird critique. In 0 he's built up to be a tragic hero of sorts who grapples with the dark side. In Kiwami, he's basically a clown worthy of little to no screen time and really brings down the game with him whenever he appears on screen. He's just kooky silly haha man with an awful mechanic that sees him chase Kiryu around town to fight and unlock moves. This isn't fun, it's just annoying.
Kamurocho is again amazing, re-mastered in beautiful neon lighting and teeming with life. ThorHighHeels did a video essay on liminal spaces fairly recently, and highlighted Yakuza as a series that makes urban spaces feel... real and lived in. Kiwami is no exception, you as Kiryu legitimately feel like you are in a city with all the hustle and bustle. Drunkards rambling along the city's tight streets, couples and businessmen walking en route to their daily activities, places of leisure all around you that are approachable and enjoyable. The city, even though it is the sole location of the entire game, doesn't feel too small as it is complete with plenty of people and their stories that give it a realistic feeling.
Because of the absolutely poor combat I can't recommend Yakuza Kiwami to anybody, but I had enough fun with Kiryu once again and the world of Yakuza. If Kiwami 2 doesn't improve on the combat when I play it, I'll re-examine my will to play the rest of the series.
Gone is the multi-faceted, chess-like gameplay of 0 (which, released later, but I figure most people coming into the series will play it in narrative order) in which you could reliably beat enemies and bosses through reasonable style switching and timing in favor of one of the most aggravating combat experiences I've had in recent memory. Just about everything knocks Kiryu down, and you'll get hit by a lot because of how clunky the dodge and quickstep mechanics are, now this is completely manageable in mob/normal fights, but in boss fights becomes a massive flaw. Bosses have almost no hitstun and can break out of animations which leads to fights that feel (and are) completely unfair. Couple this with a technique that allows them to restore health (which had me excessively frustrated with in the final boss fight,) and you have an experience that players are sure not to forget, for all the wrong reasons. Any narrative grandeur or epic-ness is completely lost in most boss fights in the game because of how annoying, or rather cheap, the enemy mechanics are. I didn't feel like I was getting beaten because I wasn't good at the game, but rather that the game was finessing me for playing it logically. Stock up on healing before every boss fight, its the only reasonable way to complete this game.
Characters are a strongsuit in Kiwami just as they are in 0. Kiryu's arc is depressing, but you definitely see why he's become such a mainstay (as you do in 0) in the gaming medium. Nishikiyama, Date, The Florist, Kazama, and Reina are genuinely interesting and great characters that populate the games screentime. These are multi-faceted personalities that make a narratively intense mobster game like Yakuza work. The biggest issue in character I had was Majima, whose nuanced figure in 0 is completely butchered in Kiwami. Now, again, this game came first technically speaking so this is a bit of a weird critique. In 0 he's built up to be a tragic hero of sorts who grapples with the dark side. In Kiwami, he's basically a clown worthy of little to no screen time and really brings down the game with him whenever he appears on screen. He's just kooky silly haha man with an awful mechanic that sees him chase Kiryu around town to fight and unlock moves. This isn't fun, it's just annoying.
Kamurocho is again amazing, re-mastered in beautiful neon lighting and teeming with life. ThorHighHeels did a video essay on liminal spaces fairly recently, and highlighted Yakuza as a series that makes urban spaces feel... real and lived in. Kiwami is no exception, you as Kiryu legitimately feel like you are in a city with all the hustle and bustle. Drunkards rambling along the city's tight streets, couples and businessmen walking en route to their daily activities, places of leisure all around you that are approachable and enjoyable. The city, even though it is the sole location of the entire game, doesn't feel too small as it is complete with plenty of people and their stories that give it a realistic feeling.
Because of the absolutely poor combat I can't recommend Yakuza Kiwami to anybody, but I had enough fun with Kiryu once again and the world of Yakuza. If Kiwami 2 doesn't improve on the combat when I play it, I'll re-examine my will to play the rest of the series.
9 Comments
majima was barely in the original Y1 and was characterized completely differently, kiwami L tbh
they just make majima a completely different guy in kiwami, im assuming because a big part of 0's rise in the west has to do with posting memes of the silly things in the game
kiwami 2 is in the new dragon engine and in my opinion has the most fun combat even if it doesn't have the styles of 0/kiwami and it overall stays more true to the original than the first kiwami did
kiwami 2 is in the new dragon engine and in my opinion has the most fun combat even if it doesn't have the styles of 0/kiwami and it overall stays more true to the original than the first kiwami did
I appreciate the comments everyone.
Per @lukegirard, will do! I'll keep a positive outlook as I make it through Kiwami 2 when I play it.
@Reddish, Interesting, I wonder why they amped him up in Kiwami 1 the way they did? I guess that leads into @junie too, which stinks cause I enjoyed his character a LOT in 0 and then got the complete opposite in Kiwami. It felt like the character switching of FFX to X-2 in a way that they flipped the attitudes of the character in such a weird way. I'll keep my spirits high!
PS: I wish backloggd had a nice reply feature...
Per @lukegirard, will do! I'll keep a positive outlook as I make it through Kiwami 2 when I play it.
@Reddish, Interesting, I wonder why they amped him up in Kiwami 1 the way they did? I guess that leads into @junie too, which stinks cause I enjoyed his character a LOT in 0 and then got the complete opposite in Kiwami. It felt like the character switching of FFX to X-2 in a way that they flipped the attitudes of the character in such a weird way. I'll keep my spirits high!
PS: I wish backloggd had a nice reply feature...
Kiwami feels a bit egregious in that Majima shows up a lot more in response to his reception of Yakuza 0. The Kiwami titles themselves aren't that bad as actual games themselves since something the original lacked which I think Kiwami did better was characterizing why Nishiki actually acted the way he acted in the original title. But I do agree the series gets way better after Kiwami 2 or Yakuza 2 which I'd recommend the PS2 version or whichever is easier for you honestly.
Great review.
Great review.
@Weepboop yeah it's an odd decision too, majima only appears like- three times in the original? he's basically presumed hospitalized and/or dead for a majority of the second act since he gets stabbed during your first fight with him in the batting range, which makes the truck scene in the third act a surprising twist lol. Kiwami had to make this pointless scene to justify why he was bandaged during act 3 which is like- why even bother? Clearly the remake doesn't understand his character
@ExandOh Yeah from what I understand between Yakuza 1 and Kiwami 1 was that Nishiki got more airtime? I liked his character a lot, and with the added context of him in 0, I thought made for a very compelling rival. I'll be playing Kiwami 2, I'm pretty vanilla as playing old material goes as I don't tend to emulate or buy old hardware (brother took most of that when he moved out before me.)
@Reddish Weird~! That makes sense though realistically speaking haha. I thought he'd be out of commission the entire game after that because, yeah the graphic nature of that injury. And to your point, his reappearance was just... odd. It just made no sense why he'd even be there in that scenario. His disdain for Kiryu doesn't really make sense to go to that far of a length to fight him IMO. I appreciate the commentary from those of you who played Yakuza 1 and can point out the differences here, makes for some interesting discussion and retrospective for me.
@Reddish Weird~! That makes sense though realistically speaking haha. I thought he'd be out of commission the entire game after that because, yeah the graphic nature of that injury. And to your point, his reappearance was just... odd. It just made no sense why he'd even be there in that scenario. His disdain for Kiryu doesn't really make sense to go to that far of a length to fight him IMO. I appreciate the commentary from those of you who played Yakuza 1 and can point out the differences here, makes for some interesting discussion and retrospective for me.
LukeGirard
1 year ago