LIKE a Dragon: Ishin! – or Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! as it’s known in Japan, is a spin-off of the Yakuza franchise of games and was originally released (only in Japan) on PlayStation 3 & 4.
Nine years later, the remake has been released worldwide for PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X|S & PC.
The game takes place in the Bakumatsu phase (1853-1867) of Late Edo Period. You play as Sakamoto Ryoma, who has just returned to Tosa, only to be struck by tragedy when his adoptive father is murdered. The authorities believe him to be the killer as they catch him with his body.
To avoid being charged for a crime you didn’t commit, Ryoma did what any normal, sane person would do – he fled, cutting down the authorities who tried to catch him. Because that’s what we all do, right? Fleeing to Kyo as a wanted man, Ryoma takes on the alias of Saito Hajime while tracking down his adoptive father, Yoshida Toyo’s murder.
Much like the Yakuza series, the combat system consists of four different fighting styles; Swordsman, Gunman, Brawler & Wild Dancer. The first three styles are self-explanatory, but Wild Dancer is a combat style that is a cross between Swordsman and Gunman where you can use your Katana and the pistol you have equipped simultaneously. As you get used to the four styles, the game drops Trooper card load-outs for additional support.
Like its predecessors, Like a Dragon: Ishin! has a plethora of minigames such as karaoke, cooking, and Buyo Dancing, just to name a few. Not to mention all sidequests, known as substories. 70+ substories to work through. Most you will just run into as you walk down a path to a location. Some are harder to come across, but I got caught up doing side quests rather than progressing the story. Yet, the substories didn’t get tedious. Though it was a bit of a laugh how after you completed a sidequest or you idled for too long, Ryoma would remind you of where you should be going to progress the main story.
The game introduces a new system called virtue. You gain virtue throughout the game from interacting with store & restaurant owners, helping NPC’s or praying at shrines. Virtue can be spent at shrines for many upgrades, such as stats, crop and kitchen expansions & items.
The most significant upgrade in this remake is, of course, the graphics upgrade from the original is massive. I played Like a Dragon: Ishin! on the PlayStation 4, and below is a comparison of both the 2014 graphics to the 2023 remake graphics. Again, the work that was put into the remake is evident.
As is usually the trend with remakes, the graphics weren’t the only thing that got an overhaul. In addition, the UI got a revamp, and the controls generally are much smoother and refined.
But we all know the most crucial part of any game these days…the animals. You can build relationships with a couple of cats and dogs in the game and eventually adopt them.
Overall the game is one you can get lost in, purely just from the substories alone. It does tell your typical revenge story but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
If you are looking for a game to sit back and enjoy a game with a good storyline, mechanics and loads of quirky sidequests, regardless of whether or not you have played any of the Yakuza titles before, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is the way to go.
