Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Historical fiction served as a game full of swordfights, content and design choices straight from the past. Apart from some shortcomings arising from the fact that we’re dealing with a remake of an almost decade-old title, it’s hard to point out any major flaws of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s latest offering. More than just an engaging action game, Like a Dragon: Ishin! lets you experience an incredibly romantic era and a charming story of a warrior with a heart of gold, who’s always ready to put his quest for vengeance aside to go fishing, cook a dinner, pray at a shrine, help someone write a love letter or show kids how to find Japan on a globe. Although it’s a spin-off, it works great as in introduction to the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series.

Like a dragon: Ishin! is a blood-soaked battle feast. Not only does it have the historical weight of the Bakumatsu period in its plot, but it also features many classic characters from the Yakuza series. The game's combat system is arguably the best in the series, with an impeccable feel, rich and deep styles, and few parts that affect the gameplay experience, apart from some minor numerical issues. The sandbox-style open world of Kyoto still has plenty of playable content, but there is nothing innovative about it. In addition, its weapon enhancement and crafting system lacks practicality and fails to provide enough fun for players.

In sum, Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a cool game with a lot to offer for those curious about the series or those who love it but want a fresh take on the characters, setting, time period, and combat. Much of what makes RGG Studio games so great is here, and there is no shortness of characters, story, and content for players to sink themselves into if they so choose. I enjoyed my time with Ishin!, and while I prefer the more modern settings the series is known for, I tip my hat to RGG for stepping out into this time period to take a fun look at a piece of Japanese history.

Very atmospheric trip to ancient Japan, where graphical flaws are compensated with vast content and plenty of gameplay.

Though the game's story handles historical moments such as late Tokugawa Shogunate or Shinsen-gumi, but the understanding it won't be necessary since the game is focused on a person's drama. Instead, it is much more faithful to its core, 'Like a Dragon' than any other work out there. As the title of 'Kiwami' always has been, 'making a good use of previous work' without much change can be both an advantage and a demerit at the same time.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is another strong Yakuza game that fans won't want to miss, finally localized for English speakers. The improved visuals often put the package in line with more recent fare, but the uneven results prevent it from finding the true greatness that was nearly within its grasp.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is delivered to western audiences with an intriguing story that despite it's more serious tone, maintains the franchise's charms. The content is vast and varies, and you can spend hours and hours easily with each session.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is the best title from RGG Studio since Yakuza 0, and remains true to the studio’s well-worn formula. A new setting, characters, and plot all intertwine to create a cohesive open-world experience that you could lose countless hours in. Whether that be interacting with the locals, farming, or taking down the entire Shogunate itself.

Though Like a Dragon Ishin! is rough around the corners, its complex story and rich world with an abundance of side adventures are well worth the cost of admission. The game’s reinterpretation of Japan’s Bakumatsu period is a transporting experience that explores a moment in history that is not often available to Western audiences. Ishin has some trouble upgrading the combat system and camera controls to today’s standards, and it’s not a graphical powerhouse despite some visual upgrades. But anyone who is a fan of the Yakuza Kiwami series will likely forgive these faults to a degree. Like a Dragon Ishin! may be just a remake of a spin-off, but its blades are sharp enough to ignite your inner samurai.

Like A Dragon – Ishin is a delightfully over-the-top celebration of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Whether you’re looking for a gritty tale of revenge or just want to knock back sake and belt your heart out at karaoke, Kyo has it all – and it’s bloody wonderful.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is an excellent revitalization of an already solid entry in the Like a Dragon series. It has a compelling story that somewhat falls apart in the last stretch, but the journey that leads to it is captivating. Adding in new likenesses from recent Like a Dragon / Yakuza series from several iconic characters was a change I welcomed, because I loved so many of those characters. The gameplay feels refreshing thanks to Ryoma’s unique arsenal and there is just a sheer amount of optional side content to dive into that all feel fun, partially due to the Bakumatsu time period it’s set in. I ultimately finished my playthrough in 34 hours, but I still have a ton of optional content left that will easily consume dozens of more hours.

Ishin is nothing if not thorough, and much of its combat and activities are so delightfully goofy and intuitive that even if you lose your bearings, you can probably still get by and have a good time.

Like A Dragon: Ishin is a fascinating part of the RGG Studio catalog, creatively blending the characters and drama we know and love across the Yakuza lore with a period piece set during a turbulent time in Japanese history. By virtue of its brand of storytelling, Ishin forgoes some of the tropes that have glorified samurai but rides that line ever so closely. If the series is one thing, it's consistent--because despite the shift to Edo-era Japan, there's an unmistakable familiarity. The days of asking Sega to bring Ishin to the West are thankfully over. And although this revision uses an older foundation that shows its age, it's nice to finally have a version of the game that has been tidied up for modern platforms. Like a Dragon: Ishin brings an all-star cast back together for a story that's bigger than any one character, and it makes for a fine addition to the series’ deep history.

Old-school Yakuza for better or worse, but still a good point of entry for newcomers.

While Like a Dragon: Ishin! Might not be the strongest entry in this venerable franchise, its emphasis on weapon combat and an interesting take on historical characters and events makes it one worth experiencing all the same.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! provides the show and offers fans of the "Yakuza" saga an epic feudal epic at will. This remake in no way distorts the original 2014 experience, but modernizes the visuals and gameplay enough to make the adventure memorable a decade later. Ishin! is not perfect, far from it, and has some shortcomings, especially technical. However, the pleasure of playing a “Yakuza” game is there, and that is the main thing.

If we are obviously very happy to see this spin-off episode in Europe, it's hard not to see it as a step backwards for RGG Studios. The game is very well written and the city of Kyo is exotic, but the dated gameplay brings us back to the time of Yakuza Zero, while the efforts made to flesh it out are not enough to give a boost to the whole. Moreover, the wacky side missions and mini-games are far from being at their best in this episode, which is quite correct, but far below Yakuza Kiwami 2.