Yakuza Kiwami 2 coming to the West this summer

SEGA has finally confirmed what we’ve all been assuming it would at some point with the announcement that Yakuza Kiwami 2 will release in the West this summer.

The remaster of Yakuza 2 will release on the PlayStation 4 on Aug. 28 in both physical and digital forms for $49.99. Like previous games in the series, pre-orders and first-run copies the physical version will ship in a steelbook that features Kazuma Kiryu and his rival Ryuji Goda.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 features some notable changes, like being completely rebuilt using the Dragon Engine, which is featured in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (read our glowing review here!). Other additions are all cutscenes and key voiced lines have been re-recorded while staying true to the original script, the Clan Creator mini-game and many others.

The game was originally released in Japan on Dec. 7, 2017.

See below for the full press release:

It’s been a full year since Kazuma Kiryu took his leave from the world of the yakuza during the events of Yakuza Kiwami. Fate, however, has other things in mind for the legendary Dragon of Dojima, and Kiryu finds himself back on the front lines of a potential all-out war, as SEGA proudly presents Yakuza Kiwami 2, one of the most beloved storylines in the franchise’s history, remade in full HD for the PlayStation®4.

From the global development studio that introduced the world to Kazuma Kiryu, Ryu Ga Gotoku returns in high form with Yakuza Kiwami 2. The game will be releasing both physically and digitally on the PlayStation®4 on August 28, 2018 for $49.99. That’s not all, though – pre-orders and first-run copies of Yakuza Kiwami 2 will come in an elaborate SteelBook® featuring Kiryu and his fierce rival, the Dragon of Kansai, Ryuji Goda.

For an in-depth look at the world of Yakuza, or for a refresher on key personalities and story moments throughout the series, be sure to check out the Yakuza Experience Website. There, you can experience the story through a 10-part interactive digital comic series as well as comprehensive character maps and timelines. Visit the Yakuza Experience Website here: http://yakuza.sega.com/experience/.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 features:

• Dragons Belong on the Dragon Engine – Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a re-creation of the original Yakuza 2, completely rebuilt in the Dragon Engine, the same engine used in developing Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Experience gorgeous graphics on top of seamless transitions between battles or when entering or leaving buildings. All cutscenes and key voiced lines have been re-recorded to be as true to the original as possible, while reaping the benefits of the most powerful engine the Yakuza series has ever seen.
• Big Hits, Minigames – Kiryu hasn’t let his time away from the front lines dull his skills in combat or leisure. Pull off a wide variety of brutal (and hilarious) Heat Actions, and challenge new mini-games such as Golf Bingo, the original arcade release of Virtual-On, the return of Yakuza 0’s much-celebrated Cabaret (including the return of fan-favorite Yuki!), Majima’s revamped Clan Creator, and even SEGA’s infamous Toylets!
• Unveil the Truth of Goro Majima – This time around, Kiryu isn’t the only one running the show – fans of the Mad Dog of Shimano won’t want to miss this new Majima-centric campaign, which features Majima as a playable character, complete with his trusty dagger, and sheds light on his personal journey from the end of Yakuza Kiwami up to Yakuza Kiwami 2.
• Extreme Localization – We’ve gone through the Yakuza Kiwami 2 script with a fine-toothed comb; every effort has been made to ensure that it’s the most faithful representation of the original Japanese. SEGA is committed to supporting the best Yakuza experience possible for the series’ dedicated fans around the world.