Compare Kingdom Come: Deliverance II vs Yakuza Kiwami 2

One reviewer strongly disliked Hans as a long-term companion presence, creating strain on their desire to continue.

Kiryu remains a major reason the game works, combining intimidating combat ability with empathy and an earnest desire to help people. Reviewers repeatedly respond to that contrast.

Controls were described as noticeably smoother than the first game, especially in camera feel, aiming, and sword fighting responsiveness.

When the Dragon Engine clicks, Kiryu feels quick, smooth, and responsive to control. Reviewers especially liked the faster recovery and more fluid combat feel compared with earlier iterations.

Voice acting was broadly praised, especially the main cast, though some reviewers noted repeated or uneven minor NPC voices.

The Japanese performances are a standout, giving major confrontations and dramatic scenes convincing weight. Reviewers repeatedly praise the cast even while noting the absence of an English dub in some versions.

Menu usability was mixed to negative, with some praise for navigation but others calling the menu system dire or frustrating.

Some Switch 2 menu assets look soft or blurry on higher-resolution displays. The functional design remains usable, but presentation quality does not always match the 3D game.

One reviewer warned that excessive profanity and potentially offensive material make the game unsuitable for some audiences.

Some reviewers were comfortable with the series’ outrageous adult humor, while others objected to sexualized or sleazy side content. Shoppers sensitive to that material should expect a deliberately mature tone.

Reviewers repeatedly emphasized how unusual and specific the game feels compared with modern RPGs.

The remake preserves the familiar Yakuza formula rather than reinventing it. That consistency is comfortable for fans, but a few reviewers felt Kiwami 2 borrows heavily from Yakuza 6 without establishing enough of its own mechanical identity.

The early economy was described as restrictive, especially when selling damaged or stolen goods with limited vendor money.

Experience and other currencies arrive at a pace one reviewer considered fair, allowing steady upgrades without turning progression into a chore.

Load times were criticized by one reviewer as long enough to worsen stealth retries and experimentation.

Seamless movement into shops and fights is a major quality-of-life improvement, and newer storage cuts waits further. Reviewers repeatedly praised how little interruption there is between exploration and action.

Reviewers liked the depth and usefulness of perks, weapon techniques, and skill trees, especially when they enabled meaningful playstyle specialization.

The streamlined ability menu is functional but less exciting than the more visual skill-tree systems in some earlier games. One reviewer found leveling notably workmanlike and unexciting.

One reviewer praised the scale of improvement as something other studios rarely achieve.

Kiwami 2 refines familiar Yakuza systems more than it reinvents them. One reviewer felt it did little mechanically special beyond combining Yakuza 6 technology with Yakuza 2’s story.

One reviewer felt early traversal was unnecessarily taxing, especially before stronger equipment and better mobility options eased the burden.

Traversal and fighting are generally more fluid under the Dragon Engine, though 30fps versions can feel less smooth. Several reviewers still preferred the tighter, snappier feel over Yakuza 6.

The learning curve was repeatedly described as steep, slow, and friction-heavy, rewarding patience but likely turning some players away.

The basic combat controls are easy to grasp, while timing blocks, dodges, weapons, and Heat Actions leave room to improve. That makes the action approachable without being completely one-note.

Fast travel opinions were mixed: one reviewer praised dynamic events, while another found it cumbersome and interruption-prone.

Cab travel keeps cross-city movement quick, helping players move between story beats and side activities without much friction.

One reviewer reported a consistent frame rate and treated that as part of the game’s stronger technical state.

Performance depends heavily on platform. Older console and Switch 2 coverage often cites a 30fps target and occasional drops, while some reviewers reported stable or smoother experiences on other hardware.

Weapon balance was mixed: one reviewer liked weapon choice, while another found some ranged options hard to use effectively.

Stored weapons add flexibility, but they can also make combat and bosses dramatically easier. For some players that reduces frustration; for others it undermines challenge.

One reviewer found the loop rewarding but volatile, with strong highs offset by repeated frustration and setbacks.

The blend of serious story chapters, street fights, exploration, and absurd side activities creates an effective rhythm. Reviewers liked being able to shift between intense drama and lighter distractions.

Bugs were present but usually minor; reviewers ranged from calling glitches common to saying issues rarely disrupted play.

One Switch 2 reviewer reported a clean playthrough with no bugs. That experience paired smooth moment-to-moment play with minimal loading.

Cutscene direction and mocap were praised for selling relationships and emotional scenes convincingly.

The Dragon Engine delivers fluid, expressive action and impressive character work, though ragdoll excess, older motion-capture data, and occasional stiff transitions can stand out.

Camera behavior was a noted issue for one reviewer, especially through finicky first-person viewpoint problems.

The camera can become a real nuisance in fights, with reviewers citing close framing or trouble keeping up with fast action. These problems can make attacks and prompts harder to read.

Difficulty was often called demanding and unforgiving; reviewers generally treated this as part of the appeal, though not always an easy one.

Difficulty is one of the less consistent areas: weapons can trivialize some bosses, while other fights, Clan Creator missions, or minigames can spike sharply. Several reviewers preferred the easier combat to earlier frustration, but balance is uneven.

The game was not seen as a pure grind, but reviewers still emphasized the effort and repetition needed to gain traction.

Most progression feels generous, but a few side systems can become grindy. Clan Creator and other optional activities are the main places where repetition can wear thin.

The sequel was credited with giving supporting women and other groups somewhat more agency than before.

Ryuji Goda, Kaoru Sayama, Majima, and the broader supporting cast receive substantial praise. Ryuji in particular is often described as a memorable foil, though some reviewers wanted more screen time for him or Majima.

Facial animation feedback was mixed: one reviewer noted lifeless dialogue faces, while another praised key character animations.

Character expressions benefit from the Dragon Engine’s added detail and help the dramatic scenes look more modern. They contribute to the remake’s strong cinematic presentation.

Atmosphere was praised alongside world-building, especially in cities, music, and historically grounded locations.

Kamurocho and Sotenbori are repeatedly praised for their neon-lit bustle, ambient sound, and lived-in personality. The cities make returning locations feel vivid rather than merely recycled.

Immersion was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly describing the world, systems, and presentation as absorbing.

Rich city detail, seamless interiors, ambient noise, and constant street activity make the setting easy to sink into. Story-focus issues occasionally pulled individual reviewers out, but the world itself is strongly immersive.

Onboarding divided reviewers: returning and new-player recaps helped, but some found the opening overloaded or blunt.

A recap helps newcomers follow the immediate plot, but many reviewers strongly recommend playing Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami first. Prior context adds weight to relationships and returning characters.

Visual set pieces and in-engine scenes were praised for creating striking emotional moments.

Lighting, reflections, particles, and other Dragon Engine effects add polish to fights and city scenes. Reviewers especially notice how these touches strengthen the remake’s visual impact.

Exploration was praised for beautiful spaces, meaningful discoveries, and a strong adventuring feel, though harsh systems made some travel demanding.

Compact city layouts reward wandering with side stories, arcades, restaurants, and other discoveries. Reviewers liked how much activity is packed into small spaces, even when the world is modest by modern open-world standards.

The cast was praised for memorable personalities, humor, and a strong sense of history.

The returning and new cast is a major strength, with memorable allies, rivals, and eccentric side characters. The ensemble helps sustain both the crime drama and the lighter substories.

The revised perk and upgrade system was praised for offering meaningful upside-focused choices rather than weak side-grades.

Upgrades are straightforward and rewarding, letting players improve stats and unlock useful or spectacular combat abilities. The system supports steady growth without requiring a rigid unlock path.

Progression was widely praised for turning early friction into rewarding growth through skills, perks, equipment, and player learning.

Five experience categories feed stats, abilities, and Heat Actions, and many reviewers like how ordinary activities contribute to growth. A few find the menus or progression less exciting than earlier skill-tree approaches.

Reviewers saw the sequel as much more polished than the first game, with rough edges reduced and systems better realized.

The Dragon Engine creates a notably smooth, modern-feeling version of the game. Seamless transitions and refined presentation help the remake feel current even where older design choices remain visible.

Henry and Hans received strong praise for their evolving relationship and character arcs, with Henry’s trauma and growth adding stakes.

Major characters get meaningful arcs, especially the new faces tied to the central conflict. Reviewers praise how those developments deepen both the rivalry and the emotional stakes.

The historical codex and contextual detail were praised for offering extensive background on people, events, and society.

The story draws heavily on prior Yakuza history and clan relationships, rewarding players who know the earlier games. A recap helps, but the continuity carries more weight with that background.

Reviewers generally agreed the sequel stays true to the original while improving its systems, scope, and accessibility.

Kiwami 2 preserves the series’ defining contrast between serious crime drama and absurd side stories particularly well. That familiar tonal balance is a major part of its appeal.

Graphics were broadly praised for impressive landscapes, cutscenes, lighting, and major visual improvements over the first game.

The Dragon Engine makeover earns near-universal praise for detailed character models, lighting, city streets, and cinematic presentation. Even reviewers with performance complaints generally consider the visual upgrade a major success.

Narrative quality was a major strength, with reviewers praising the historical saga, main quest, character arcs, and cinematic ambition.

The crime story is the product’s biggest consensus strength, with frequent praise for its tension, twists, characters, and emotional payoff. A minority found it messy, melodramatic, or less engaging than other Yakuza entries.

Handheld suitability was supported by one reviewer who described the game as scalable enough for handheld play.

Portability is a major selling point of the Switch 2 version. Reviewers liked having the full Yakuza experience on the go, even when they preferred other platforms for smoother performance.

Several reviewers found the game highly entertaining, addictive, and rewarding once its demanding systems clicked.

Most reviewers found Kiwami 2 enormously entertaining, often because it can pivot from intense crime drama to ridiculous side activities without losing its identity. Even several critics still described the overall experience as fun.

Reviewers repeatedly framed the systems-heavy design as a major strength, praising how mechanics connect to role-playing, dialogue, world simulation, and player expression.

The mix of brawling, exploration, RPG-style growth, and side activities works together smoothly. Reviewers especially liked how quickly the game can shift between these systems.

Reviewers consistently praised the reactive crime, reputation, NPC, and quest systems that made the world feel alive and responsive.

Fights make unusually playful use of the environment, from bicycles and signs to destructible interiors and NPC-assisted Heat Actions. That physical interaction helps street brawls feel chaotic and distinctive.

Environmental detail was praised for dense, specific objects, puddles, tools, farms, residences, and believable spaces.

The two city districts are dense with storefronts, lighting, reflections, interiors, crowds, and small visual touches. Reviewers repeatedly say the detail makes familiar streets feel alive.

Writing was described as excellent, engaging, humorous, and consistently strong across main and side content.

The script, localization, and side-story writing are widely praised for balancing crime-drama seriousness with bizarre comedy. A few reviewers note occasional older-story awkwardness, but the dialogue and character work remain strong.

Pacing opinions varied: some praised the sustained momentum, while others complained about indulgent cutscenes or late-game pacing issues.

Most reviewers praise the main story’s forward momentum, but a smaller group found interruptions, fetch-like detours, or late-game sequencing disruptive. The tone also deliberately alternates between urgent drama and optional silliness.

Reviewers described the story as memorable and emotionally powerful, including scenes that brought strong lasting reactions.

The main story and character arcs land with surprising emotional weight for many reviewers. Majima’s material, Kiryu’s relationships, and the finale were singled out as genuinely affecting.

Combat drew broad attention for its realism, skill focus, and improvements, though several reviewers still found it harsh, clunky, or frustrating early on.

Combat is widely enjoyed for brutal Heat Actions, environmental weapons, and seamless brawls, but the single fighting style divides opinion. Fans of the older multi-style system may find it shallower or more repetitive.

Reviewers praised the breadth of activities, quests, and post-launch additions, with many describing a large and varied set of things to do.

The game is packed with substories, arcade games, karaoke, cabaret management, Clan Creator, gambling, sports, and other distractions. Cabaret Club is a frequent favorite, while some individual modes land less consistently.

Family friendliness was limited by repeated profanity, sexual content, and depictions of women that one reviewer found objectifying.

The game’s adult humor, red-light-district setting, sexualized side material, and violent comedy make it a poor fit for families seeking broadly kid-friendly content.

UI feedback was positive when reviewers discussed improved, adaptable, or visually polished interface presentation.

The Switch 2 interface can look noticeably blurry on 1440p or 4K displays because some 2D assets are not rendered at native resolution. It is a visual blemish rather than a fundamental usability failure.

The open world drew strong praise for its scale, density, historically grounded cities, and lived-in regions across multiple maps.

Kamurocho and Sotenbori are small compared with sprawling open worlds, yet they are dense and purposeful. Some reviewers found that compactness claustrophobic; others preferred the concentration of activities and detail.

Quest design was one of the strongest points, with reviewers praising memorable side stories, branching approaches, and strong writing, despite a few disappointing payoffs.

Substories are a major attraction, mixing absurd comedy, character moments, useful rewards, and occasional combat benefits. Most are warmly received, though some reviewers found a portion forgettable or filler-like.

Sound design was praised for supporting immersion and helping players identify attacks or stealth-relevant cues.

Ambient city noise and combat audio help sell both quiet street scenes and sudden brawls. One reviewer specifically found the overall sound design improved, with only a few elements standing out awkwardly.

World-building was repeatedly praised as immersive, historically grounded, and central to the game’s appeal.

The compact districts gain personality through dense detail, recurring locations, side stories, and long-running character relationships. Reviewers describe them as places that feel increasingly familiar and real.

The post-launch expansions were credited with adding a large amount of extra content to the package.

The included or bonus content can add useful extras, but some reviewers found powerful Clan Creator items distort the mode’s balance. Its value depends on whether convenience matters more than preserving challenge.

The save system was one of the most divisive topics, praised by one reviewer but criticized by many as stingy or punishing.

Saving itself is dependable, but one reviewer disliked the roughly thirteen manual slots and wanted enough room to preserve more chapter-by-chapter saves.

Value was praised because the game is both strong and very long, with some reviewers reporting enormous playtime.

Reviewers commonly see the package as strong value thanks to its long story and enormous side-content library, especially at discounted pricing. A few comparisons become less favorable when competing Yakuza releases are similarly priced.

Replay value looked strong thanks to hardcore mode, major content additions, and reviewers wanting to return for more playthroughs.

The abundance of optional activities gives players reasons to keep exploring after the main story. The core narrative is linear, but unfinished substories and minigames make returning easy.

The soundtrack was one of the most consistently praised elements, with several reviewers calling it orchestral, phenomenal, or legendary.

The music is usually praised for energetic battle tracks and strong atmosphere, though reactions are not unanimous. Some reviewers found it less memorable or disliked specific replacement music compared with the original.

Performance was generally praised across PC and console contexts, with reviewers noting strong optimization and technical improvements.

Technical results vary sharply by platform. PC and some console coverage is very positive, while Switch 2 reviewers frequently flag a 30fps target, frame pacing, or busy-area dips despite otherwise impressive portability.

The settings offer useful subtitle, camera, difficulty, blood-level, and tip controls, but the lack of colorblind modes is a notable omission.

AI and NPC behavior were praised for believable reactions, routines, crime responses, and increased sophistication over the first game.

Ranged play was viewed as improved by some reviewers, especially archery, but another found ranged combat weightless and weak.

The visual style of menus, maps, and medieval presentation received praise for matching the game’s historical tone.

Checkpointing was criticized for causing lost progress when autosaves appeared only at limited quest points.

The dog companion Mutt was praised as useful and worthwhile, especially for tracking and early side-quest benefits.

Crafting split reviewers: blacksmithing and alchemy could be charming and rewarding, but several found parts clunky, slow, or repetitive.

Crash stability was praised by multiple reviewers who reported no crashes, no soft locks, or no hard crashes.

Dialogue was mostly praised for impact, humor, and organic choices, though one reviewer found some repeated dialogue drawn out.

Distinct enemy types and mechanics help fights evolve as the story escalates. The variety is not enormous, but tougher groups introduce useful changes to the basic brawling rhythm.

The main story generally provides a substantial campaign, while optional activities can multiply the playtime dramatically. Completion-minded players can spend dozens of additional hours in side stories and minigames.

DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers were praised for reflecting stamina, sword clashes, and sharpening interactions.

A horror-leaning quest was criticized for being too short for its dread to fully develop.

The adaptive HUD was praised for hiding unnecessary elements and improving immersion when information was not relevant.

Loot was criticized for early encumbrance pressure and the difficulty of carrying everything a player might want.

Majima’s bonus campaign is the clearest point of disagreement. Its character moments can be emotional and entertaining, but several reviewers call the playable portion brief, stripped-down, or underwhelming.

One reviewer specifically praised the progression for avoiding microtransactions entirely. Growth comes from playing, exploring, eating, fighting, and completing stories instead.

Mission variety was strongly praised, especially for quests that went beyond simple errands or bandit-clearing objectives.

The in-game progression was praised for handing out its currencies at a fair rate and not pushing paid shortcuts. That keeps character growth tied to normal play.

The remake is widely viewed as an ambitious modernization with major visual, combat, and content upgrades. A minority of long-time fans prefer the original’s coherence or dislike removed and altered material.

Kiryu and Kaoru Sayama’s developing relationship won over reviewers who were initially skeptical. Their chemistry and mutual respect add warmth and vulnerability to the crime drama.

Reviewers admired the freedom to solve problems, exploit systems, and role-play, though the sandbox sometimes clashed with scripted story demands.

Stealth was useful and sometimes satisfying, yet reviewers also called it finicky, weak, or frustrating in specific forced sections.

Tutorial quality was mixed, with one reviewer calling it decent while others criticized dense text screens and poor explanations.

Major showdowns are often praised as spectacular and satisfying, especially Ryuji Goda encounters. A few reviewers found difficulty or balance uneven, but the set-piece presentation is a recurring strength.

One reviewer praised the way locations were recontextualized into memorable set-pieces that rewarded planning and awareness.

Maps were praised for medieval flair and exquisite town art, supporting the game’s historical presentation.

Main mission design was mixed: reviewers praised varied scenarios, but one criticized a required sequence for lacking an alternate path.

Heat-action prompts can be frustratingly brief or unreliable. Reviewers who struggled with them felt the timing got in the way of otherwise flashy combat.

Post-launch support was described positively through free updates, fixes, and eagerly awaited features.

The PS5 Pro version was praised as a graphical treat, with platform-specific technical strengths noted.