The second big improvement to the first game was something most people couldn't even believe was a problem in this day and age the first time around. I'm talking about camera control. Just a note to any developers out there: include camera control. There are now two analog sticks on most controllers, and I implore you to use them. I can assure you with about 90% accuracy that, at some point, you're going to offer your players a bad view and they're going to want to adjust it.

Having said that, the camera wasn't as big an issue as it seemed, and there are still areas where you can't control the camera because of narrow passageways (transparencies, anybody?).

As I said before, nearly everything has been improved. What do you want in a sequel? Well, you want the first game, with a few things fixed, and bigger. That's what most people want, anyway. This time, it really is bigger. You have more areas to explore now, since the main plot takes place in both Osaka and Tokyo (it was just Tokyo before), more shops to enter, more items to acquire and use, more side missions and optional mini-games (including more girls to romance), more weapons to brandish, more techniques to acquire, and, of course, more great characters to meet about town.

I should mention the plot. Both games used the same scenario writer, a strange, pulp-fiction (isn't that "genre fiction" or "popular fiction" these days?) author who really "gets" what makes a good action film or crime film, named Seishuu Hase. Actually, Hase is a pen name, itself an homage to Sephen Chow (using the same Chinese characters Chow does). His real name, Toshihito Bandou, is itself an homage to Vladmir Lennin, reportedly (the Chinese characters for "Toshihito" can be read "Reinin"). I told you he was strange!

The choice to hire a respected popular fiction novelist has left the story with a very "cool" and powerful feel. Both games are basically brawlers that just happen to take place in the middle of deep detective fiction stories in a seedy fantasy world of Japanese crime syndicates. The characters are designed well, all have deep, dark secrets, are hard-boiled, and all sport amazing dialogue. Although the story no longer focuses on the childhood friendships and loves of the main character, this time, it focuses mostly on the past of a tough, spunky love interest from Osaka. I would have to say that this one aspect of the game wasn't as enjoyable as it was in the last game, but it's still amazing--especially when compared to stories for other video games out there.

There are also more extras this time. While there are more side quests and mini-games such as golf and the ability to manage a cabaret club or try to become a host (a man employed by a bar to flirt with women to get them to drink, basically), I found those a little frustrating and it was a bit aggravating that so much of the unlockable bonus items hinged upon completing half-baked games that often felt impossible--not to mention, games that didn't have anything to do with fighting in a brawler. However, there still is a lot more extra content and items and skills to collect by completing the game certain ways. Pretty much all of this extra content involves completion lists, which themselves are quite addictive. Since you can replay the game with nearly everything you collected, and there are far less instances of one-time-only deals (such as the last game's side missions that you could only complete at certain points in the story), you'll be playing this game over again and again. I know I will.

I know it may sound barbaric or primal, or even like a testosterone freak's fantasy, but nobody can deny the mysterious thrill you can find of grabbing a lying thug's foot and swinging him through the air to strike his head against a lamp post like beating a dusty mat against a tree. This type of over-the-top, somewhat sadistic payback (to guys you knew had it coming) is really what action flicks are all about, and that feel is definitely captured in this game. There are also those bizarrely entertaining gags and almost cartoon-like scenes for which Nagoshi and his team are known. I mean, seriously, who else would think of having someone throw you a live octopus to push into a punk's face and watch spray ink into their eyes?
We're at the twilight of the "old" systems, now. Once again, a new generation is starting to spread around the community. In these dying days of PS2, Ryuu ga Gotoku 2 really is one of the "must-buy" titles out there.


You could basically just drudge your way through the first title. This game does involve more speech and items management, unfortunately, so if you don't read Japanese, you might have a bit of a hard time. I'm sure there will be many resources out there such as message boards, and it is quite popular, even for importers, so I would think you could still force your way through it with little Japanese knowledge. It may even be easier, in fact, since items now have pictures next to their names in text menus, making it a bit easier to select an item, even if you don't know the basic kana.

• Brutal, over-the-top action that flows rather smoothly
  
• Top-rate story and dialogue with action / yakuza film flavor
  
• Great presentation of well-designed characters
  
• Powerful soundtrack
  
• Extra content to up replay value
  
• Overall, much improved game compared to the already-great original

• Frustrating, sometimes inane, optional mini-games
  
• Still a little on the easy side
  
• Lack of multi-player modes, or simple, action modes that don't involve the story
  
• Slightly-outdated graphics