Finally got around to finishing kiwami after being stun locked on multiple occasions by the pocket circuit mini game and my final thoughts after all these years is that the game is pretty good. Despite being a remake with added improvements it is very much a first game in the series type deal. Game has a lot of good but also a lot of annoying bits. Combat as whole was very hit or miss, most big fights were just kinda annoying slogs where you would get punished for trying to go for combos either do to the enemies just randomly being able to put their guard back up mid combo or suddenly unleash a super armor attack with no warning. Boss fights also just ignore and don't let you use some moves like grabs so you can't even use half your upgrades in them either. The whole kiwami system of them regening health and you having to use a specific style heat action to stop it just broke the pacing in some fights especially early on when you don't even have access to those skills yet. Now that was a lot of negative but don't get me wrong I did have a good time, the story and side content which is the main meat and potatoes of a yakuza game was really fun, with kiryu just as a character really pulling the weight of the game. Idk how a man in organized crime can be such a lovable lunk who is mega into shit pocket car racing and whatever the fuck mesukings was but it really just adds that personality that yakuza has become known for.