Like a Dragon: Ishin!

 PlayStation 5
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 81
  3. Negative: 19 out of 81
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  1. frederik1478
    May 8, 2023
    7
    this is just another good Yakuza game is not the best but it's certainly one of those you gonna remember

    the game played took some time to get used to my biggest problem was that this is not a game about getting skilled it's a game about getting the good stats and I didn't want to grind so it was really hard in the beginning but the game begin to throw good weapons at you and did become    this is just another good Yakuza game is not the best but it's certainly one of those you gonna remember

    the game played took some time to get used to my biggest problem was that this is not a game about getting skilled it's a game about getting the good stats and I didn't want to grind so it was really hard in the beginning but the game begin to throw good weapons at you and did become a breeze

    the game looks really good and the characters are likeable all around even if the main character still has that stoic face

    just another good game and play if you are interested in this series    … Expand
  2. niko433a
    Apr 3, 2023
    7
    The story is enjoyable for the most part except for the plot twist that can be seen from a mile away.

    Grindy mechanics = EWW

    The ending is somewhat bad since there's no redemption for all the lives lost at a specific person's hands.
  3. Nmaa18
    Sep 11, 2023
    7
    I loved yakuza like a dragon, so i decided to buy this game. I am disappointed, even though I can see that the game has potential, and i find its setting interesting (end of the Edo period).

    What could have been improved: for a ps5, 2023 game, the graphics did not blow me away. They were fine. The music did not stand out to me like trek to yomi, blades of the shogun, total war shogun 2,    I loved yakuza like a dragon, so i decided to buy this game. I am disappointed, even though I can see that the game has potential, and i find its setting interesting (end of the Edo period).

    What could have been improved: for a ps5, 2023 game, the graphics did not blow me away. They were fine. The music did not stand out to me like trek to yomi, blades of the shogun, total war shogun 2, or ghost of tsushima. The animations for the wells and pot looting were cutscenes (hence: slow), and Ryoma always does the same noise while consuming food. Ryoma also did not display a lot of emotions or ambitions or opinions. All of these I can ignore.

    The bad: a lot of lines are not voiced. this is problematic for three reasons. 1.) They come unexpectedly, and this results in the game being unsettlingly quiet at times 2.) There is a lot of dialogue, so it was important to voice it fully in order to maintain the immersion. 3.) You only had one language to voice anyway. Secondly, something which baffled me: the camera automatically centres when u look up or down (um - why? we can disable auto camera for horizontal movement but not vertical? what???) and it is jittery when the character is in tight spaces. Thirdly, the parrying was very hard and the pistol did very little damage. I also did not like how it was always 5v1 or something. Feels so unfair. The combat in Ghost of Tsuhima was great: It was refined, fun, felt precise, and most of all fair.

    Conclusion: After a few hours into the game, I knew this game was not for me. I enjoyed briefly dipping my toes into a Japan that is shifting from the sword to the gun, from feudalism to republicanism. The story itself was mildly interesting. why is a kid randomly dying right when important people walk through town? and why couldnt she have waited a few seconds or hidden somewhere? Something sad happens early on but you dont really have the time to care about them. Ryomo is pretty stoic and reserved. The first "villain" seems like a generic anime bad guy. The list of narrative woes goes on. The gameplay was also not my cup of tea. It is with much regret that I must say I cannot recommend this game to anyone, unless they are a massive fan of yakuza games or the vagabond manga or samurai champloo anime, but even then... there are simply games more deserving of my time out there. it seems like a repetitive and unrewarding game. Its only redeeming qualities are perhaps the story and mini games later on, but i do not even have the will to reach those points. 70/100    … Expand
  4. chokorettoo
    Jul 29, 2023
    6
    loved the gameplay, but i wasnt a fan of the trooper cards, i thought it would be so random whe random guys would shoot fireballs out of their hands ........ i wish the camera was fixed and there were some delays in battle. the graphic improvements were stunning but i wish they improved the graphics where it came to the sidestories , but hey they did this game in 6 months, i wish they tookloved the gameplay, but i wasnt a fan of the trooper cards, i thought it would be so random whe random guys would shoot fireballs out of their hands ........ i wish the camera was fixed and there were some delays in battle. the graphic improvements were stunning but i wish they improved the graphics where it came to the sidestories , but hey they did this game in 6 months, i wish they took longer with it, to make it more hyped than it orignially was… Expand

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2023
32
#32 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 77 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 77
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 77
  3. Negative: 0 out of 77
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 23, 2024
    80
    But for its atmosphere alone, it shouldn't leave fans of the Yakuza series or casual fans of Japanese culture in the dark. It's solid entertainment and a great way to fill a hole in your gaming education, as there's a good chance you missed the original 2014 installment. [Issue#326]
  2. Player 2
    May 8, 2023
    75
    Showing age through design rather than visuals, Ishin’s period setting and historical elements help elevate it above being ‘yet another remastered Yakuza game.'
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  3. Games.cz
    Apr 17, 2023
    90
    Like a Dragon: Ishin! manages to combine the mechanical familiarity of the Yakuza series with a unique historical setting. The combat is fun, the story is thrilling, the content is rich enough to last dozens of hours. Technically speaking, though, it could’ve been much closer to a true remake instead of getting stuck halfway between there and a remaster.
    Read full review
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