Like a Dragon: Ishin is not a new game. This is a remake of an old game – Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin 2014, which was released only in Japan on PS3 and PS4. And yet, despite its age, the game stands out in a way as one of the more impressive games in developer Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG)’s portfolio – even if there’s a some notable weaknesses.
Ishin takes place in the 1860s, at the end of Japan’s Edo period. You play as Sakamoto Ryoma – a real-life historical figure – who, in the midst of his own plans of revenge, finds himself drawn into the tumultuous socio-political climate of the times. Using the false alias Saitō Hajime, Sakamoto infiltrated the Shinsengumi, a police force organized to help control Kyoto at this time, looking for the killer of his adoptive father. But of course, as these things play out, Ryoma ends up in the middle of a much larger plot, impressively finding time to seek revenge and making major changes to the entire main system. rule of the country – as one would do.
It’s an engaging drama that is a bit unwieldy at times. Ishin’s cast uses the faces and personalities of the Yakuza’s mainstays to represent its true historical figures. For example, Ryoma is the protagonist of the Kazuma Kiryu series, but there are also Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima, and even some newer characters that I won’t reveal here. These familiar faces helped me immediately attach to – or despise – the characters, as I was accustomed to their personality traits; I quickly became devoted to alliances, individuals, and plot themes before they caught on. Ishin is also one of the better written RGG games, with its impressively directed cutscenes – one of the best in the studio’s catalog – that always keep me hooked. Takaya Kuroda’s acting as Ryoma is excellent as always, and it’s great to see Riki Takeuchi (Dead or alive, His motorbike, her island), Hitoshi Ozawa (Gozu, Boiling point) and Hideo Nakano (who angry series) return in an RGG game after their great performance in Yakuza 0.
On the other hand, following Ishin’s ever-changing story is sometimes like trying to balance 100 spinning discs with just two hands. There’s a somewhat useful glossary, but even then, the game expects you to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of about 100 years of Japanese history in addition to the intricate stories typical of RGG. It’s a lot. And I don’t particularly like the ending, which ends without any spoiler, which turns out to be meta in an unusual way with a curious message.
Ishin’s historical setting creates one of the best open worlds in the series. Taking place in Kyo (present-day Kyoto), a meticulous amount of detail brings the 1860s to life. I often stroll around the world in first person, marveling at the vast shopping and drinking areas, quiet suburban communities and winding alleyways. That said, the game’s never-ending supply of side stories and side quests often make those peaceful journeys a headache.
Like in other RGG games, side stories will autoplay when you’re close enough to the quest giver – whether you want to or not. Luckily, you only have to watch through the trailers and don’t have to play the entire mission until you want to. I understand this is most people’s favorite part of the Yakuza game, but, as I always do, I find it extremely frustrating to sometimes be stopped five or more times on my way to a nearby location to every possible side quest in the area. That’s not to say the side stories aren’t good; they are. I especially like Ishin’s life mini-games where you share a house with Haruka, tending to crops, learning to cook, raising animals, etc. I love my little house and wish I lived there instead. because in Minneapolis.
Combat is, of course, a big part of Ishin’s gameplay and for the most part, it’s great, harking back to the aggressive fighting gameplay of RGG games before the turn-based gameplay of Yakuza: Like a Dragon 2020. Ryoma is a master swordsman but is also proficient in guns and hand-to-hand combat. You have four fighting styles, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and skill trees, and I like to switch between the four continuously mid-battle. I usually start with a fast-paced sword and gun stance for quick damage and crowd control. Then I would switch to a more deliberate swordsman’s fighting style to deal massive damage to lone enemies. And every once in a while, I switch to a gun-only stance to deal damage to distant targets. It’s not perfect – the camera often works against you in tight areas, too many enemies attacking you from behind when you’re not looking, and a level set up late in the game that’s frustratingly annoying annoying – but when it worked, Ishin’s fight was very satisfying.
The game also has a card system that allows special moves. These are obtained by recruiting new members – including some familiar faces – to the Shinsengumi, either through the open world or through mostly boring dungeon crawler side content. Four can be attached to each fighting style, which means a total of 16. Two personal favorites include the always-practical ability to recover most of my HP bar and a lightning strike that targets every enemies in the immediate area. Combining fighting styles with a series of thermal moves (cinematic ending) and new special moves all in one encounter is fun, even if recruiting new soldiers is often tedious .
Like a Dragon: Ishin is a great spin-off to an already great series, and I’m so glad I’ve finally made it to the United States. Even when it stumbles upon landing, the story keeps me hooked and I’m hoping some new fighting styles and special moves will show up in other RGG games. I also hope we get other side stories that never end. Time will tell, but for now, it’s nice to be back with my favorite criminals.
