Like a Dragon: Ishin [PC] | REVIEW

The Yakuza series has brought plenty of thrills and spills with its modern day storytelling, but what about if it took you back to Japan in the 1800s? That’s what you get with Like a Dragon: Ishin, a spin-off of the series which takes gameplay mechanics and familiar faces that players would have been used to, but takes them back over one-hundred years to a semi-historically accurate setting.

It’s actually a remake of the 2014 Japan-only release Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin, albeit with some modern bells and whistles to appeal to both newcomers and series veterans. It’s especially cool to see it get a Western launch then, and with all of the love for the Yakuza series these days, what better time to release it than now?

Check out some screenshots down below:

Like a Dragon: Ishin is a spin-off of the Yakuza series that takes place in 1800s Japan, with a new setting and characters forming the foundation of the narrative (though familiar faces such as Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima and more fit into the role of these new characters). Players take on the role of Ryoma Sakamoto, whose looking for revenge following the death of his adopted father. It’s worth noting that Ryoma was actually a real samurai who was around back in those times, but this is a fictional take on the story (albeit with a few similarities). With Japan also in political turmoil at the time due to the arrival of Western ships and the advent of enhanced weaponry changing the ways of the Samurai, there’s enough going on behind the scenes to make Ryoma’s quest for revenge take plenty of unexpected and interesting turns.

It’s an intriguing narrative that certainly caught my interest, but I found it a bit more difficult to invest in when compared to mainline Yakuza titles. My lack of knowledge of that time period in Japan probably didn’t help (especially since there are plenty of references made to things I had no clue about), whilst the fact that there’s a LOT going on throughout the main plot could make it hard to follow at times too. Don’t get me wrong, the cinematic presentation is great and there are plenty of exciting moments that gripped me in, but it didn’t have the lasting appeal or quirky sense of charm that I’d typically associate with the series.

The combat of Like a Dragon: Ishin utilises the action-orientated approach more commonly associated with the Yakuza series, with the newly introduced turn-based battling skipped this time around. Instead, Ryoma is able to mash out a series of attacks with varying weapons, with the player able to switch between four different fighting styles in order to deal with the enemy threat. Each of these fighting styles have their own pros and cons that make them better in different situations, meaning there’s a strategic element involved in changing them on the fly depending on the combat scenario.

“With each fighting style able to be upgraded individually, there’s plenty of depth to be found in the game’s combat to ensure each encounter is exciting, intense, and a lot of fun.”

In a one-on-one showdown? The ‘Swordsman’ style will be more efficient here, with Ryoma using a katana to not only unleash deadly combos but also parry incoming attacks with ease. Got an enemy causing you harm from range? The ‘Gunman’ style allows you to shoot them from afar with your revolver, though it is worth noting that some enemies are bulletproof. Got a bunch of foes overwhelming you? Go unarmed with the ‘Brawler’ style and dish out some super quick melee attacks that let you switch between targets with ease. Or do you want a bit of everything? The ‘Wild Dancer’ style utilises both the revolver and the katana, allowing you to string together quick and varied attacks that focus on all-out aggression.

With each fighting style able to be upgraded individually, there’s plenty of depth to be found in the game’s combat to ensure each encounter is exciting, intense, and a lot of fun. Whilst there will be moments where you simply need to mash out attacks to succeed, there are also plenty of times where you’ll have to be patient and pick your moment to strike. Enemies can be unpredictable, especially in boss battles, but it complements the game’s diverse approach to combat to ensure that each battle brings with it plenty of thrills. It still brings with it the same over-the-top style previously seen in the series though, so nothing has been lost in the transition to the more methodical approach. And, of course, there’s room for plenty of special moves too, whilst the heat moves make a welcome return to bring back that furious sense of pizazz to each battle.

Given that Like a Dragon: Ishin takes place in the 1800s, players shouldn’t expect a sprawling modern city to navigate this time around. Instead, they’ll explore Kyo, which brings with it just as many intriguing sights and stories to see unfold but with an aesthetic more fitting of the Edo period. In some ways it was actually refreshing to explore a city that embraced a much different style but that also carried the same charm so commonly associated with the series, with the change in time period giving Like a Dragon: Ishin a distinctly different vibe to help differentiate it from the mainline Yakuza titles. And sure, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a big fan of the neon lights and spectacular sights seen in the series’ modern cities, but that didn’t stop Kyo from feeling refreshing and impressive in design.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Of course, it brings plenty for players to do too, with Like a Dragon: Ishin offering the same sort of side stories and activities players would be accustomed to in the series. There’s a LOT going on in Kyo outside of the main story (some of it conventional of the time period and some of it UTTERLY bizarre) and it’s always entertaining to see these narrative threads through to their conclusion and build up relationships with the colourful personalities found within the city. In fact, these bring with them some of the best moments of the game, with completionists rewarded for seeing everything that the fascinating world has to offer. There are PLENTY of cool little mini games to dive into too, with Ryoma able to go fishing, race chickens, perform karaoke, play cards, and cook up some meals, just to name a few. There are simply tons of things to do across the world, so players will be kept amused even when they’re not seeing the dramatic story through to its conclusion.

Developer: Ryu ha Gotoku Studios
Publisher: SEGA
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Website: https://ishin.sega.com/