In Like a Dragon: Ishin, I place bets on racing chickens. I help out at the local Udon restaurant by memorizing orders, try the art of Buyo dancing – which sees me hitting buttons in time to gracefully move a fan in different directions – and sing my heart out on the stage of a local bar. Just an hour into my demo session, and I'm in mini-game heaven. With the chance to check out chapter 3 and freely explore the Fushimi and Gion districts in the setting of Kyo (a fictionalized version of Kyoto), it's a joy to discover all Like a Dragon: Ishin has to offer. Just like in the streets of Kamurochō in the Yakuza series, I get swept up in memorable side activities, and heartwarming and comical substories. All of the signature ingredients of the Yakuza games are here, with Ishin delivering a historical spin that brings something new to the table.
Like a Dragon Ishin originally released as a Japan-exclusive back in 2014, and is now set to come to the West for the first time. As a fan of the Yakuza series (who never got to play the original), there's a welcoming sense of familiarity to the action. But as the spin-off is set during the Bakumatsu era instead of a modern Tokyo, it offers up a different feel - and a welcome one at that. With minigames that fit the period, reworked combat styles, and improved graphics, the historical backdrop gives everything a fresh twist that veterans and newcomers can enjoy. With a lineup of remasters and re-releases in the West since the launch of Yakuza 0, the arrival of Like a Dragon: Ishin fills a gap in the beloved action series that Rya Ga Gatoku Studio recognized fans have been hoping for.
"When we came out with Ishin we only released it in Japan, it was not available overseas, and the reason why was we didn't think that a game about samurai in that kind of period would sell, we didn't think people would be interested in it," chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto-san tells me about Ishin's initial launch. "However, when we released Yakuza 0, we localized it and the response was really, really nice. So we realized that if we actually go through the time and effort to produce a good localization of our games, overseas fans will actually go and play it - even if it's a game that's set in Japan and has a Japanese feel to it."
"So that was one of the major reasons, the impetus as to why we kind of decided to do it [the remaster of Ishin]. And additionally, as the years went by, as our series got more and more popular, we had more and more fans saying, 'hey, there's all these titles you haven't localized yet, how about localizing them and releasing them?' And Ishin was definitely one of those at the top of the list."
Wild Dancer
My introduction to the setting of Like A Dragon: Ishin, with its blend of history and fiction, begins in the Fushimi district. As swordsman Sakamoto Ryoma, a character based on a real-world figure in Japanese history, (albeit with the RGG twist of looking just like Kiryu), I make my way through the bustling marketplace and take a moment to appreciate how alive it all feels. Merchants call out about their wares, a shiba inu strolls along the footpath, and people stand conversing while others can be seen enjoying a meal at one of the local food stalls.
Just like other games in the series, you're free to explore between any of the major main story chapters, and from what I've seen so far, the localization is fantastic throughout. Plenty of action, humor, and heart can be found in any one of the substory side quests. From a touching little tale of a kid who doesn't want to part with his friend, to helping out a teacher with a geography lesson, there's all manner of residents about the district who have troubles to share. Certain mini-games and substories also give you the chance to develop bonds with the locals, and as an additional incentive, completing them will earn you Virtue, which can be traded for upgrades at local shrines to enhance or unlock attributes.
With my play session beginning in chapter 3, I join Ryoma as he enters try-outs at the Shinsengumi barracks. After watching a cinematic main story cutscene unfold, I put the game's four different combat styles to the test in a boss battle against a captain. Returning to the classic action combat rather than the turn-based formula introduced in the latest offering, Yakuza Like a Dragon, I first try out the Swordsman style, which allows me to deliver quick, precise strikes with a katana that befits a samurai. Then, switching up to the Gunman style lets me wield a firearm for long range attacks. Ryoma can also use the classic Brawler style to trade fast blows with his fists not unlike Kiryu.
The final Wild Dancer style is by far my favorite, though. Combining both the katana and the gun, I can evade my foes with a graceful flourish and deal damage with both weapons. The mix of firearm and sword is great fun to use, and the dance-like finesse of the attacks makes for quite the spectacle. The signature special heat moves - that allow you deliver a powerful hit - can also be used. And just like previous games they never disappoint, with over-the-top actions that bring an extra helping of panache to the fights.
As Sakamoto-san explains, one of the biggest changes to Like a Dragon: Ishin "is the battle system and battle styles", with a lot of rework "to make it more enjoyable". With several fights out in the districts and two boss battles to try out during the demo, I can safely say this has paid off. Each combat style is useful in its own way, with distinctive flourishes that offer up something different. It can also sometimes pay to switch them up on the fly when you're taking on groups of outlaws, or a tougher enemy. I can't wait to have another opportunity to play around with them and try to master the different styles.
A different time
It's exciting to experience all of the signature features of the series in a different setting too. And as someone who never got to try the original Ishin release, this polished upcoming iteration, that sits between a remaster and a remake, is a welcome way to discover all it has to offer for the first time. Alongside the reworked battle system and the entertaining mini-games and substories, everything I got to see in Like a Dragon: Ishin on Xbox Series X looks fantastic.
You can see how it's benefitted from the visual makeover it's been given, from the cinematic cutscenes of the main story to the world at large. Ishin is the first game the studio built on Unreal Engine 4, and while it presented its share of challenges when it came to bringing over assets and character models from the internal Dragon Engine, Sakamoto-san explains that Unreal Engine 4 was better suited to realize the historical setting.
"So until we used this [Unreal Engine 4] we have obviously used our internal Dragon Engine to make our games, but the truth is, behind the scenes we've long been looking into other engines for previous games as well. We said, 'hey, if we made this game in this engine, what would it look like? What would kind of happen if we did this?' So we had been studying and researching this for a long time," Sakamoto-san says.
"And when it came to Ishin, when it came to this kind of story set in the Bakumatsu period, it has lots of outdoor scenes, lots of natural light, lots of old school stuff, whereas the Dragon Engine has really been used to show off an entertainment district at night - to show neon lights and all that sort of glitter in the night. Unreal Engine is much better at showing natural scenes and lighting for less of a Neon situation. So you know, is there neon in the Bakumatsu era in Japan? No there is not [laughs] so that was really why we decided then to pick Unreal Engine 4 - it would fit the game we're trying to make."
My time in Like A Dragon: Ishin absolutely flew by, and I enjoyed every minute of it. From the rebuilt combat system to the wealth of mini-games, and sub stories with plenty of surprises, I can't wait to jump back in and discover more. And as a big fan of the Yakuza games, it's great to see this spin-off make its way over to the West for the first time. With a lot of excitement surrounding its release among players of the series, I can't resist the chance to ask whether the studio might consider releasing the other spin-off, Like a Dragon: Kenzan, too. "At this point, we are not thinking about it," was all that Sakamoto-san had to say about it, but we can only hope. Regardless, I can see Like a Dragon: Ishin being one entry that long-time players and newcomers can jump into and enjoy.
Like a Dragon: Ishin is set to release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One on February 21, 2023. Stay up to date on all the upcoming releases with our round up of new games for 2023, upcoming PS5 games, and upcoming Xbox Series X games.
