Yakuza's second entry may have been too little too late for the States but it still delivers a solid experience.
Yakuza 2 was released for the PS2 after the PS3 and 360 had already been established. This wasn't due to late development but rather to a late port. But better late than never. If you played the first game, and you really should in order to get the full effect, this game will seem very familiar. Basically it IS Yakuza 1 to a tee but expanded. Sega didn't do much of anything to Kamurocho (read: Kabukicho, Tokyo's famed red light district) but what they did do was perfect. They also added Osaka to the mix, giving you a little time away from Tokyo, which is refreshing. They expanded the fight system and added even more mini-games to a game that already rivaled GTA: San Andreas in side missions and extra stuff to do. Effectively Yakuza 2 is a Tokyo simulator, with tons of varied activities to get into that at least double the gametime on top of the already incredible story.
And speaking of the story Sega hits it out of the park. Yakuza had a great, gritty crime drama but Yakuza 2 pulls you back in even deeper than before. With close ties and flashbacks to the first game it really serves players of the original with an extra helping, even if Y2 performs a great recap of Y1's action at the beginning.
Overall this is one of the best there is. If you're a story-driven gamer you owe it to yourself to experience Yakuza 2.
Story: 10 - What more to say? This is one of the most compelling narratives out there. It pulls you in like a long running tv series and holds you.
Gameplay: 8 - Solid as the last one it can give the illusion of simplicity at first glance. Give it a little time, though, and the charm of it shines through.
Sounds: 7 - Adequate. The short loop on crowd noise pulls this score down but the excellent Japanese voiceovers evens it out. Music is catchy but simple and with the exception of the short-looped bar tunes it all seems appropriate.
Graphics: 8 - A slight upgrade to the overall graphics. A bigger one for the excellent cut scenes.
Replayability: 9 - Definate potential here. There are so many little side games and diversions to get lost in I can see coming back to this one several times.
Overall: 9 - Yakuza 2 delivers. This one will be making my Best Ever list. Y2's excellent story only whets my appetite for PS3's Yakuza 3 which is supposedly being green-lighted for US release.
I can't wait!