This one’s fine, I guess.

I do understand why older fans probably don’t like the Kiwami games. Certain moods aren’t carried over when you compare cutscenes, whether through presentation or sound choice. Sotenbori in the Dragon Engine (an engine I’m also mixed on in general) has to be made with the intent to reuse that version of the city for the next ten years of Yakuza games. That means they don’t have the time or the interest in capturing the original Yakuza 2’s noir vibe. I understand that from a production standpoint. Still a bummer.

But also, I just really did not enjoy this story. For how much Ryuji Goda was hyped up, other games have just done… better antagonists since then. Kaoru starts as a strong new addition to the cast before rapidly losing her speak. And beyond that, there’s only so many “Secret Korean Mafia” plot twists this game can handle before you really have to sit back and go. Goddamn. What’s going on there.

But on the other hand, I still played 70 hours of it, so Yakuza is still working it’s charms on me.