Sometimes the world can be truly awful.

Not all the time. Often, and possibly even usually, participating in the chaos of existence that surrounds you can be rewarding and even life-affirming. Occasionally, though, it’s not, and in those moments, it’s helpful to be able to escape. To withdraw. To distract and recuperate and wait until you’re prepared to return. There’s value in this respite, and for some, it can be the difference between getting through the day and… well, not.

I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast from booting a game to loving it as I have with Astro Bot: Rescue Mission.

The Yakuza series’ success is largely driven by its characters. Sure, there are big clan conflicts and heart-racing action sequences, but none of it would work if you didn’t care so much about the people involved. It would be too big, too sprawling, too hard to believe. But when you play these games, you just want to spend more time with the cast of sometimes-lovable misfits and learn a bit more about them. They reward that spent time with a surprising amount of camaraderie and heart.

Simply put, Yakuza is the Fast & Furious of video games. And Yakuza Kiwami 2 is its best entry.