Ah Pachinko in Yakuza... I absolutely hate how its basically luck based but I just can't stay mad at it! The production quality on the machines (especially the VF one) are top notch. Its one of the things I love so much about Yakuza.
I've been working on Kiwami 2 a lot over the last couple of days. Not much story done (had some great scenes with Kiryu and Karou relaxinig). I've been focusing on the cabaret club management side of things. Its almost the same as it was in Yakuza 0 in format, not that I'd say that's a bad thing! Its easy to jump into and the story is engaging, plus the hostess stories have been entertaining so far.(I'm basically enjoying this far more than the management mode and hostesses they used back in the PS2 version). Also, I got my best hostess back again in the GP mode (the obatarian!), she's just as great in this mode as in 0.
Also spent more time doing some more of the side stuff. Almost done with Baseball unlocking everything, just a couple of trials left to complete. Played more Mahjong (in Osaka this time) and had a heck of a time winning any matches, the tiles were definitely not in my favour this time! Took quite a while, but then I managed to get a bunch of decent hands in a row and finally get a decent win. Also, I ended up spending a ton of time playing Virtual On in the arcade, finally managed to clear arcade mode. I had a blast clearing the game, definitely one of my favourite additions to the arcade in the series. Hopefully we can get something like Daytona added in the next game.
Lastly, I've been casually clearing some of the extra combat missions that you undertake from Debolah. Basically turns Yakuza into a SoR/Final Fight style game giving you linear routes to clear, with plenty of enemies and weapons along the way. I've seen polarising views on this part of things, I personally am really enjoying them due to it being a throw back to older games in the genre, and there is one particular mission I cleared yesterday that I really, really liked. Basically the mission starts in the Poppo Mart that's just a few doors up from Serena. You fight a bunch of goons in the convenience store (trashing the place as you go!) before exiting onto the streets, fighting your way through half the town with the game guiding you to the Poppo Mart at the south exit to Pink Street. You then of course end up in a big brawl in that Poppo Mart as well!
Now I'll actually power on more with the story, as I've really been neglected as of late and I've got one of the best set pieces in the game coming up very soon!
