This is really good and I'm scared of how big this game will end up being lol
Wrapping up all the side stuff for Kiryu's second chapter (which is most the side stuff). I'm so glad they stopped trying to do management sims for major side story stuff this entry, the taxi missions are way more fun then the monotony of Hostess Maker and Fighter Trainer. Also, way better writing and character work, we have proper arcs and backstories for all the major players, and even plot shifts that caught me off guard. Like, genuinely great stuff.
Also love the combat this entry, the engine update really helped give moves more a sense of flow and weight they were lacking before, so it feels less like you're engaging with a system to make thing happen and more like a proper action with cause and effect. It's hard to describe, but little things like extra animation detail really help sell the idea of a back and forth brawl, alongside slightly more aggressive enemies. I can see the 0 level combat starting to form here.
That said, the fact this game is basically a very long tourism ad is, uh, kind of off-putting! There too much side stuff that amounts to "here's a popular TV celebrity or business owner who may or may not be an actual monster we put in the game to advertise their shit and also give extremely basic, empty antidotes that sound deep but mean nothing of any significance" and it's wild one of these guys gives you buffs like an entire second health bar.
I like the idea of it, but there's not enough focus on highlighting local culture, not enough slowing down for that. It is there to some extent, like talking about local dishes and mannerisms, but I would have liked that to be explored more than listening to a TV chef give the pearl of wisdom that what a dish really needs...is love~