Fading Afternoon's vibeful life sim elements clash with its superb brawling

My goodness, what a close thing. Fading Afternoon is a game of excellent vibes as you stroll around the city living your faintly sad life. It's also an incredibly cool 2D beat 'em up that is, at its best, comfortably the best I can think of. But the boundaries between the two are too frustrating to make it the legend it ought to be.

It's a sequel to The Friends Of Ringo Ishikawa, a game I didn't really vibe with. FA is much improved, a sort of pared down Yakuza game about beating rival gangsters up in between story bits about an ageing Maruyama trying to get the band back together after leaving prison and apparently not caring that he's dying. I do recommend it, but be prepared for some friction.