Publisher Sega has announced that they will soon be releasing Yakuza Kiwami 2 for the Xbox One via the Microsoft Store. The game originally launched in 2017 for the PlayStation 4 in Japan and in August 2018 for the west. It was then followed by a worldwide Steam release in May 2019.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of the original Yakuza 2 game that was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2. The game follows the Yakuza series’ main protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and his journeys and misadventures in the exciting and dangerous world of the underbelly of Japanese organized crime.
One half of Yakuza 2 takes place in a recreation of Tokyo’s Shinjuku red-light district, Kabukicho. The other half of the game takes place in Osaka within the fictional Sotenbori and Shinseicho areas. Gameplay wise, Yakuza 2 plays like your usual Yakuza title with its emphasis on open-world exploration, hand-to-hand combat, and tons of side-activities and minigames that will keep you distracted for hours and hours.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a recreation of the classic PlayStation 2 title in full HD with a lot of improvements. Improvements of note are the utilization of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s powerful Dragon Engine, which greatly improves the game’s graphics and performance such as transitions between going inside buildings or entering combat mode. Character facial animations have also been overhauled, with all the cutscenes and key voice lines getting re-recorded. Lastly, Yakuza Kiwami 2 includes a full playable side story featuring fan favorite character Goro Majima that will shed more light about his personal journey towards the end of the game. Not to mention the plethora of side missions, questlines, and activities that further expand the game’s already rich story.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 will launch for the Xbox One and Windows 10 via the Microsoft Store as well as through Xbox Game Pass for console and PC on July 30. The game is currently available for the PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam. Expect more titles from the Yakuza series to be headed to the Xbox One following the initial announcement from Xbox Game Studios a couple of weeks ago.
