"Yakuza 2 (Ryu ga Gotoku) is the best narrative game I’ve played this year, by a wide margin. Better than GTA IV and way better than MGS4. It can’t match the the toys in Liberty City’s sandbox, nor can it compete with Snake’s superlative stealth. But in terms of pure storytelling finesse, Yakuza 2 conducts a clinic on how to deliver a rock-solid, minimally-cliched tale featuring characters that earn our empathy through their choices and vivid personalities, rather than via tortuous backstories, rambling expositional dialogue, or overreaching attempts at profundity."