It just clicked to me that Yakuza 6 is coming out early next year and I'm even more hyped for it.
I preordered the CE because it looked dope and didn't really recognize what game I was preordering and now that I've played Kiwami and am playing 0 I'm REALLY hyped for this CE.
Glad you are enjoying the series. Makes a fan like me happy not only seeing a lot more people give it a chance, but also the fact that I don't have to worry if the next game would be localized like in the past. SEGA has been pushing Yakuza in the west a whole lot more than they used to since 0 sold so well.
Yeah, right now I'm having the trouble deciding to just play Yakuza 2 or to wait for Kiwami 2. I'm definitely not going to play 6 before finishing the rest of the franchise, so do I wait to play 6 or do I suck it up and just play 2.
If I play 2, I don't know if I can justify buying Kiwami 2 and playing it again. I've got a short attention span like that, can't replay games too often.
I think right now I'm only missing 3 and Dead Souls.
I suggest you go ahead and play 2 so you can be ready for 6 honestly. 2 did not get a English dub like the first did, so it's more inline with the other games. The artsyle for the PS2 games is something to see as well, I love it and think it holds up today. The only thing to be aware of is that in Yakuza 1-3 Shintaro Kazama is referred to as "Fuma". I guess SEGA thought us Americans are too stupid to differentiate his name, with Kiryu Kazuma or something within the narrative I dunno. The remake will add more story that flushes out the new stuff added in 0 and Majima will have his own playable story like in 0 as well. So that may justify a reason to play the remake when it releases for you?
3 is the black sheep of the franchise so do be prepared. I like it, but a lot of have issues with it. It is also the most butchered content wise here in NA. It is mainly just some minigames though so if you just play through the main game and don't usually do a lot of the side activities you won't even notice the omissions most likely.
Dead Souls is just a spin off game, its Kamarucho after a zombie outbreak with third person shooting. Thats pretty much it, clunky, but fun.