The friends of Ringo Ishikawa

 Switch
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 27
  3. Negative: 8 out of 27
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  1. beettlestew
    May 11, 2019
    10
    If you like a coming of age story, a immersive gaming experience and beat em ups set around japan, school, and the yakuza you love this
  2. beatnikbedlam
    Apr 21, 2019
    10
    this is a really compelling but meditative experience where you play as a Japanese high school student just living his life. it's a bit of a combination between Shenmue and Persona, with the free exploration of Shenmue and the high school schedule of Persona. unlike those two games however, this game can be as focused or as aimless as you choose. wanna be a good student and go to classthis is a really compelling but meditative experience where you play as a Japanese high school student just living his life. it's a bit of a combination between Shenmue and Persona, with the free exploration of Shenmue and the high school schedule of Persona. unlike those two games however, this game can be as focused or as aimless as you choose. wanna be a good student and go to class every day? you can do that! wanna beat up some jerks who looked at you funny? you can! wanna stand on a rooftop, smoking and watching clouds go by? it's all here! if you spent your senior year of high school skipping class and trying to figure out what your life afterwards was going to look like, this game is probably going to resonate with you. it also has some really stellar music and pixel art, and an atmosphere you can sink into like it was your favorite chair. all around, a really lovely little game.… Expand
  3. Reed618
    Aug 11, 2020
    9
    Really quite unique and not for everyone. It has some real shenmue vibes to it. I'm not sure why, maybe the title and the boxart, but it stood out to me. I really enjoyed it a lot overall.

    There's no real idea of what you're supposed to do but at the same time there are things to do and work for. You can earn money, learn fighting moves, purchase a tv, buy videos, get a part time job,    Really quite unique and not for everyone. It has some real shenmue vibes to it. I'm not sure why, maybe the title and the boxart, but it stood out to me. I really enjoyed it a lot overall.

    There's no real idea of what you're supposed to do but at the same time there are things to do and work for. You can earn money, learn fighting moves, purchase a tv, buy videos, get a part time job, study, earn a scholarship and more.

    Story events seem to play out at random but they might be connected to progression in certain areas, I'm not sure. The characters are quite charming in a coming of age Japanese anime kind of way.

    A lot of people will be put off by the fact that it's so unclear what you're supposed to do but I think that's very much the point. There's something really quite unique and special about this title. I think if you enjoy shenmue (although I feel there are a lot more ways to spend your time in this game than shenmue) and appreciate the art style then this is probably something you'll enjoy.    … Expand
  4. BARDOCK77
    Apr 13, 2021
    8
    Awesome gameplay, music and visuals and very relatable and wholesome story.
    This game is a true passion project and it shows.
  5. Motozoa-san
    Jun 23, 2019
    10
    Some of the best character dialogue you could ask for. The music is spot on for the mods of every moment, and the open world exploration gets you familiar with the town without putting a bunch of markers on a littered map. Keep talking to the same people, nobody says the same thing two days in a row. A masterpiece in feeling, and exploration. The combat is standard brawler, but talk to theSome of the best character dialogue you could ask for. The music is spot on for the mods of every moment, and the open world exploration gets you familiar with the town without putting a bunch of markers on a littered map. Keep talking to the same people, nobody says the same thing two days in a row. A masterpiece in feeling, and exploration. The combat is standard brawler, but talk to the right people, and combos and positioning moves keep it from being a button masher. 10/10 must buy.… Expand
  6. Astrofist
    Jun 16, 2019
    10
    Best soundtrack in a game for the last 20 years. If for nothing else get it for the music.
  7. softcornpore
    Jul 20, 2019
    9
    You are Ringo. You lead a gang. You go to high school. You need money for food and cigarettes. The rest is up to you.
  8. Lord_AdGnalDiv
    Jun 20, 2020
    9
    I didn't know I needed a mix of River City Ransom and Persona in my life. But here comes this game and gives me exactly that. I love pretty much everything about this game. The characters, the art style the soundtrack, the story, the student-life-management.
    Though the combat isn't as polished as in River City Girls, for example, it's still a lot of fun. I love how much choice this game    I didn't know I needed a mix of River City Ransom and Persona in my life. But here comes this game and gives me exactly that. I love pretty much everything about this game. The characters, the art style the soundtrack, the story, the student-life-management.
    Though the combat isn't as polished as in River City Girls, for example, it's still a lot of fun. I love how much choice this game gives you and how much detail there is in every aspect of it. There's tons to do and even a fair amount of replay value.
    Definitely recommended if you got any enjoyment out of River City Ransom.    … Expand
  9. mikemaniac
    Apr 8, 2022
    10
    One of my favorite games on Switch so far. Kind of a mix of River City Ransom and a school life sim. Can even play a poker machine in-game and lose all your money, just like real life.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Feb 27, 2020
    85
    I appreciate Ringo's lack of structure. It feels real to me. [Issue #40 – July/August 2019, p. 17]
  2. Destructoid
    Jul 10, 2019
    50
    The combat, too, can get a little confusing when a bunch of characters are on-screen. You'll end up hitting the wrong foe, which then allows your intended target to get some free hits on you. The abundance of techniques doesn't add much, either, as the basic punch and kick combos do fine against everyone. I know this isn't meant to be specifically a beat-'em-up, but the gameplay feels a little basic.
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  3. IGN Japan
    Apr 29, 2019
    75
    The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa might look like an old-fashioned belt-scroller, but it is actually an open-world game full of life and… well, philosophy! There’s plenty of dialogue, and the way the story is told through everyday life events at school and in your neighborhood feels like real life. The game’s systems aren’t well explained, which will catch many gamers off-guard at first, but its climax has a lasting impact that is worth experiencing.
    Read full review
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