When Yakuza Kiwami 2 first came to the West on PlayStation 4 in 2018, it wasn’t certain we’d even get English versions of Yakuza games. It’s amazing how popular the series has become, to the point where Western audiences seem to be a top priority now. Yakuza Kiwami 2 was a fantastic remake of Yakuza 2, built with the improved Dragon Engine (first used in Yakuza 6), and I really enjoyed playing it when it first came out. I’ve been revisiting it over the past two weeks for this review of the Switch port, and I’ll also be discussing how this version compares to the original, as well as covering the Switch version of Yakuza Kiwami.
Last year, Sega brought the game Yakuza Kiwami to the original Nintendo Switch, marking the first time a Yakuza game was available on Nintendo consoles in the West. While it was great to play Yakuza Kiwami on a handheld device and included the original music and some helpful improvements, the game didn’t always run smoothly. Although it’s a remake of the first Yakuza game, I don’t think it’s the best place to start. Yakuza 0, however, is a much better introduction to the series, and it was released alongside the new Switch 2 as a launch title in its Director’s Cut version.
I was really interested to see how Yakuza Kiwami 2 would perform on the Switch 2 when it was announced, along with a refreshed version of Yakuza Kiwami. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a graphically intensive game, and it will be the first Yakuza title built with RGG Studio’s Dragon Engine – which first appeared in Yakuza 6 – to be released on a Nintendo console.
When Yakuza Kiwami 2 came out in 2018, it felt like a huge leap forward compared to the first Kiwami game, even if it didn’t run as smoothly. I’d always thought of Kiwami as more of an extension of Yakuza 0, but Kiwami 2 felt like a complete remake, built for modern consoles. The improved graphics, character models, extra content, and even the music were fantastic. Having recently replayed it on the Switch 2 after first experiencing it in 2018, I’ve been reminded of everything I loved about it, despite a few minor frustrations. I don’t have any experience with the original game, so I can’t compare the pacing or content.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is now available on the Switch 2, and it includes all previously released updates and downloadable content, which unlocks in Chapter 4. It supports more subtitle languages, but doesn’t have English voice acting. I was curious to revisit the game after several years and see if the Switch 2 version was a good way to play it. I still really enjoy Yakuza Kiwami 2, and while a couple of things, like one particular boss fight, bothered me more this time around after playing all of RGG Studio’s games, I happily recommend it as one of the best Yakuza titles.
Let’s talk about how previous versions of Yakuza Kiwami 2 performed before discussing the Switch 2. When I first played it, even on the PS4 Pro, the game wasn’t very polished. Both the PS4 and PS4 Pro versions aimed for a resolution of 900p and 1080p respectively, with a framerate of 30fps. The Xbox One S and X versions were similar. The PC version was the first to allow for framerates above 30fps, but it wasn’t flawless. Yakuza Kiwami 2 was a demanding game, and running it at higher framerates – especially above 60fps in mini-games – caused some gameplay issues.
The screenshots shown were taken using 4K capture. The PlayStation 4 version was played on a PlayStation 5, the Xbox One version on an Xbox Series X, and the Switch 2 version while it was connected to a TV (docked).
Yakuza Kiwami 2 on Switch is a solid port overall, though it has some noticeable performance hiccups in certain areas. While the graphics aren’t perfect – you can see some visual flaws and blurry textures, especially around moving characters – the game generally maintains a smooth and stable frame rate, even when running through busy city streets. The visual compromises are noticeable, but the game still manages to look quite good considering it’s running on the Switch.
I think Yakuza Kiwami 2 looks better on the Switch 2, even in handheld mode, than it does on the PS4, Xbox One, or even the PS5 and Xbox Series X (when playing the older versions). The PS4/Xbox One/PS5/Series X versions have a lot of noticeable shimmering and jagged edges, while the Switch 2 version appears smoother and has more detailed environments.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 depth of field across PS4, Xbox One, and Switch 2
RGG Studio has made some changes to how depth of field works in Yakuza Kiwami 2 on the Switch 2, compared to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. I expect these improvements will also be in the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, but I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve played those. One frustrating thing, though, is the user interface. When playing on a 4K or 1440p display, the menus and UI aren’t in full resolution, causing many 2D elements – even character portraits in mini-games – to appear blurry. This was a problem in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut with older menus, and I’d hoped it would be fixed in this version of Yakuza Kiwami 2.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 aims for a 30fps framerate, which is standard for the game. On handheld devices like the ROG Ally and Steam Deck, achieving a smooth 60fps at even 800p resolution proved difficult. I found the best experience was playing at 30fps or 40fps on those devices. While a 40fps option on the Switch 2 would be good, the current version struggles to maintain a consistent 30fps, with noticeable drops in crowded areas like Kamurocho and Sotenbori. These performance issues are especially frustrating during mini-games like karaoke, where the timing of notes feels off due to the same frame pacing problems. I’ve seen similar issues in other Dragon Engine games running at 30fps on consoles, and I hoped the developers would allow an unlocked frame rate for karaoke, as it’s a favorite mini-game of mine. Hopefully, future patches can fix these performance hiccups, as the game would be great otherwise. I noticed these problems more when playing in handheld mode, but they do occur when docked as well.
The images you see here are screenshots taken directly from the Steam Deck and ROG Ally using Steam’s built-in capture tools. For the Switch 2, we had to use system capture because there aren’t any other ways to grab screenshots from the handheld device at this time.
I’m happy to report that Yakuza Kiwami 2 on the Switch loads much faster than previous console versions, thanks to its optimized design for quicker storage. Because earlier Dragon Engine games were known for slow loading times on consoles with traditional hard drives, I tested the PS4 and Xbox One versions loading from their internal SSDs as well. You’ll find those results below.
Yakuza Kiwami Switch 1 vs Switch 2
I’ll be posting a detailed comparison of Yakuza Kiwami on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X next month, but I wanted to quickly talk about upgrading from the original Switch version. If you already own Yakuza Kiwami on Switch, you can get the digital version for Switch 2 at a reduced price, and your save data will transfer. However, this is a completely new version built specifically for Switch 2. The original Switch version aimed for 30 frames per second, but the Switch 2 version consistently hits 60fps, making it the best way to experience Yakuza Kiwami on consoles – you get smooth performance and all the licensed music. I’m pleased with the upgrade overall, though the way cutscenes are handled could be improved. This opinion may change after my next month’s comparison.
The PS4 version of Yakuza Kiwami limited its cut-scenes to 30 frames per second, but the PC version allowed players to remove that limit, with varying visual results. While PC players could also cap the frame rate, the Switch 2 version doesn’t offer this option. This can cause some cut-scenes to appear incorrect because they were originally created for 30fps, and all the animation was designed around that speed. Hopefully, this issue can be fixed with a future update. If you enjoyed Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut on Switch 2, the Switch 2 version of Yakuza Kiwami should feel quite familiar.
Just so you know, the images you see were captured using these setups: gameplay from the PS4 version was recorded on a PS5, the Xbox One version on an Xbox Series X, the Switch version on a docked Switch OLED, and the Switch 2 version while docked.
I’m always a little nervous going back to games I used to adore, because I wonder if they’ll hold up compared to newer entries in the series. But Yakuza Kiwami 2 is still a top favorite of mine, and honestly, this Switch 2 version surprised me! It’s not flawless, it has some hiccups, but it’s still really good. If you’ve never played Kiwami 2, this is a fantastic way to experience it, especially if you want to play on the go. If you have played it before, I’d say it’s only worth getting if you really want a handheld version. Hopefully, they can fix the performance issues down the line!
We tested Yakuza Kiwami 2 on the Nintendo Switch. It’s also playable on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
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2025-11-12 16:58