Skip to main content

Like a Dragon: Ishin! makes the traditional Yakuza format even better

The Yakuza name may be no more, but that doesn’t mean that the RPG series is going away anytime soon. Now rebranded as Like a Dragon, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio seems more eager than ever to pump out entries in its ever-expanding universe — to the point of nearly annualizing it. This year will be no different, as February 21 will see the release of Like a Dragon: Ishin! on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Formerly a Japan-exclusive PS4 launch title, Ishin takes the basic ideas of the mainline Yakuza series and puts them in the context of a samurai action-adventure game set in the 1800s. The upcoming remake will bring it to the West for the first time ever — and that timing couldn’t be better. As the core series experiments with turn-based gameplay, Ishin is very firmly a return to the classic beat ’em up combat that longtime fans are used to. That makes it a sort of transitional game for those who aren’t quite ready for change.

I got a chance to play the remake’s third chapter, which included two hours of missions and open-world exploration. That slice already has me thankful that Ryu Ga Gotoku finally decided to bring the side-game to the U.S. It’s everything I love about Yakuza, placed into a fresh setting and filled with hysterical sub-stories that already have me in stitches.

New and old

Despite never having played the original Ishin, I immediately know what to do when my demo begins. I find myself controlling Sakamoto Ryōma, a samurai armed with a sword and flintlock pistol. Though the setting may be a far cry from the city streets of the main games, instead placing me in a quaint Japanese village, all my Yakuza instincts hold up. I start exploring the streets, hunting for side missions, seeking out minigames, and getting into fights with wandering bandits.

A village in Like a Dragon: Ishin.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The biggest change comes from its combat, which trades in fists for swords and pistols, but even that change is somewhat cosmetic. Battles still work the same way as previous games where bumping into enemies will trigger a real-time fight. I have four stances I can switch between, like previous entries, and there’s a heat meter that allows me to pull off over-the-top finishing moves. In one encounter on a rickety bridge, I press Y to grab one of my enemies and toss them into the stream below.

The basics of battle are still the same, but fighting with a sword and pistol does still feel different, even if it’s just psychological. Sword swinging feels a bit more satisfying than punching at times, as I can gracefully cut down my enemies. Blocking is easier to wrap my head around too, as watching steel swords clash feels more impactful than absorbing punches.

The pistol makes for a strong gameplay tweak too, as it allows me to back off during tough fights and play it safe. The first samurai boss I encountered wiped the floor with me several times before I embraced my ranged stance and put several shots into him from afar. Dishonorable? Maybe, but it got the job done. The best stance utilizes both weapons, letting me fight with a more fast and fluid style that mixes close and long-range attacks. Those tools make for some wild heat attacks too, as I get to watch Ryōma plunge his sword straight through a bandit’s chest and hit them with a pistol blast to add insult to injury.

A samurai shoots a bandit Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The combat system has s few quirks, which is one of the few areas where I can perhaps feel that this is a remake of a slightly older game. Switching feels a bit slow and a lack of true lock-on can make it difficult to keep track of enemies in tense boss fights. The reworked visuals are enough to get the job done, but it’s still clear that this is an older game with a good makeup job. Nitpicks aside, the remake feels on par with the Yakuza Kiwami games, which still hold up despite being half-a-decade old. Ishin isn’t going to feel like a new game, but its welcome change of scenery is more than enough to make up for it.

Global fraud

While I enjoy the combat in Yakuza games, I ultimately come to them for the story. I’ve grown to love Ryu Ga Gotoku’s writing, as it creates compelling crime stories that balance melodrama and slapstick perfectly. That tone holds true in Ishin, which already has me excited to see more of it. While its third chapter doesn’t give a sense of its wider narrative yet, I’m already intrigued by its focus on samurai politics and class struggles that spill out into the streets.

A samurai jumps on the air in Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What I do have a full sense of, though, is its sub-stories. Side missions have always been a staple of the Yakuza series, bringing a level of sincere goofiness that breaks up some of its heavier moments. In my demo, I’d help a man figure out who ate his mochi, weed bad actors out of a group of dancing protestors, and run naked through the streets as I chase down a man who stole my clothing at a bathhouse (only to have to run back when authorities mistook me for a pervert flashing the streets for fun).

My favorite mission, however, had me laughing for a good five minutes. I stop to talk to an old man on the streets who begs for my help. He’s a teacher who’s been gifted a globe by some of his students’ parents, and now he’s expected to teach their kids about the world. The only problem? He doesn’t know what the hell a globe is. I have to help him out by posing as his assistant teacher and answering kids’ geography questions, covering for his bizarre white lie. In classic Yakuza fashion, that absurd premise builds to an oddly sincere conclusion as he confesses his fraud and earns his students’ respect. It’s the perfect encapsulation of what I love about the series in one hilarious setup.

A samurai swipes a sword in Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s more of that reliable charm as I explore the open world. One minute, I’m chopping wood for an old man, the next I’m in the middle of a dancing minigame where Ryōma waves a fan around as I do some classic button-matching. There’s plenty I didn’t see as well, like its infamous brothel minigame, which leaves me feeling like Ishin will do more than enough to fill the traditional Yakuza hole in my heart, even if it no longer bears the name.

I’d originally been a little hesitant about Like a Dragon: Ishin! — assuming that it might feel like a dated remake (something I struggled with in the recently rereleased Crisis Core). Those worries entirely melted away in two hours. Instead, I find myself thrilled by the prospect of another mainline Yakuza game that plays around with the basic template without losing any of its hallmarks. So long as there are globe frauds that need helping, I’ll be there to lend a hand.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! launches on February 21 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Giovanni Colantonio
Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…
Get your first look at Yakuza 8, which features Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura
yakuza 8 mikuru asakura screenshots 7

Ryu Ga Gotoku has provided the first glimpse of Yakuza 8 off-screen footage through a video tour of its studio. Additionally, Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura will appear in the game.

In the studio tour video, footage of Yakuza 8 can be seen on the developers' computer screens. This confirms that the main protagonist Ichiban Kasuga is returning, as well as his buddies Koichi Adachi and Yu Nanba.

Read more
Yakuza’s selective English dubbing reminds me of going home
Yakuza Judgment still.

When Sega announced in 2018 that Yakuza spinoff title Judgment would receive an English dub, I was pretty excited. While I really enjoyed 2017’s Yakuza 0 and its original Japanese voice track, I’m the type of person who prefers listening to English dubs when watching anime or playing Japanese RPGs. When Judgment launched in Western territories on June 25, 2019, I was thrilled to hear Greg Chun’s charming voice come through my TV speakers as he portrayed the game’s protagonist, Takayuki Yagami.

But Judgment’s English voice track doesn’t cover the entire game. Key dialogue pertaining to the game's critical path is in English and some of the important side characters speak it too, but not everything was dubbed over. As a result, while Yagami goes around speaking English, everyone else in the city of Kamurocho sticks with Japanese.

Read more
Hades, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and more coming to Xbox Game Pass
hades yakuza like a dragon xbox game pass 2bd644a3 56a9 43e1 806c 2f11fcdfb910

During the Xbox conference at E3 2021, it was announced that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be coming onto Xbox Game Pass today, along with the rest of the Yakuza games. Along with Like a Dragon, Age of Empires IV and Hades will be on the Xbox Game Pass on October 28 and August 13, respectively. Players who own the Xbox Game Pass subscription can download these games for no extra cost on their PCs and Xbox consoles.

During the conference, it was announced that Hades will be available on the Xbox Game Pass. Supergiant Games' critically acclaimed hack-and-slash roguelike Greek fantasy takes you through the deepest parts of Hades all the way to the mortal realm. It will be released on Xbox Game Pass on August 13.

Read more