Like a Dragon: Ishin! Reviews
Like a Dragon: Ishin's timeless story and accessibility options make up for some of its outdated gameplay.
Like A Dragon: Ishin is a really fun spin off for this long-running series. Many of the big characters from the mainline Yakuza games, bar some of the newer games, are recast as new ones but none of the impact is lost. Edo Period Kyo is a great city to explore with plenty to offer players, and the combat styles are really fun to experiment with, even if Brawler is a bit wasted. The long wait for a Western release has been worth it.
As a remake, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is nothing special, but fortunately the game, despite its spin-off nature and a few wrinkles here and there, has little to envy the other chapters in the series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A welcome novelty and throwback for long-time Yakuza fans, that offers everything they love about the series, although it's held back by a rather underwhelming plot and too much fan service.
Though Like a Dragon Ishin! is rough around the corners, its complex story and rich world with an abundance of side adventures are well worth the cost of admission. The game’s reinterpretation of Japan’s Bakumatsu period is a transporting experience that explores a moment in history that is not often available to Western audiences. Ishin has some trouble upgrading the combat system and camera controls to today’s standards, and it’s not a graphical powerhouse despite some visual upgrades. But anyone who is a fan of the Yakuza Kiwami series will likely forgive these faults to a degree. Like a Dragon Ishin! may be just a remake of a spin-off, but its blades are sharp enough to ignite your inner samurai.
Like a Dragon: Ishin is a stellar period piece filled with melodramatic monologues, great combat, goofy side content, and a whole lot of heart.
Like any swordsman learning their craft, Ishin! starts unsteady and builds in confidence. Some ideas struggle to earn their place in the overstuffed mix, but with a propulsive tale, told by some of our favourite gaming characters, it’s easy to get swept up in Like A Dragon: Ishin!’s samurai cool.
While Like a Dragon: Ishin! Might not be the strongest entry in this venerable franchise, its emphasis on weapon combat and an interesting take on historical characters and events makes it one worth experiencing all the same.
Ultimately, Like a Dragon: Ishin! feels like it delivers on the promise of a well-timed remake for an underappreciated title in RGG's catalog. It's a refreshing adventure that's identity is both intrinsically tied to the usual crime drama RGG is known for and yet distinctly separate from the modern trappings of those concerns. Like a Dragon: Ishin! is another quality game in the Yakuza universe, and it's one well-worth exploring for anyone with even a slight interest in its stylish delivery.
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a lost classic that has finally made its way to a global market. Fans of the franchise will be ecstatic to experience an Edo-period drama that features icons of the Yakuza series. Even though it is set in the 1860s, the foundation of the series is evident with each step. It’s a familiar experience that feels similar to its PS3 counterparts rather than the modern releases. The world lacks the hustle and bustle of Kamurocho and the mini-games are not as diverse. However, the card-based combat system and four fighting styles make battles a thrill. While the game may not do enough to alter the perception of those who don’t enjoy titles from the franchise, fans of the series are in for a treat with this samurai-focused epic.
Recovering from the mists of time an old game like a Dragon: Ishin! may be a risky choice, but the restoration operation can be considered perfectly successful. Perhaps the overall variety doesn't quite reach the heights of insanity of the very latest chapters, but the fun offered by the classic arcade combat system is still very much up to date, classifying Ishin! as a successful exponent of the celebrated series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kazuma Kiryu's lineage is ever present even as the streets of Kamurocho are swapped for the well-traveled streets of Kyo at a time when American influence was only starting to reach Japan. Despite being a period piece set during the tumultuous Bakumatsu period, Like a Dragon: Ishin! still feels like that classic Yakuza JRPG that fans already know and love.
You can't go wrong with Like A Dragon Ishin. The game includes what makes the Yakuza franchise so special and combines it with samurais and Edo Period politics. A handful of oddities aside, it leans into its strengths and irons out several of the franchise peculiarities. Every gamer, either invested in the franchise or still uninitiated, needs Ishin in their console.
The wait has been worth it: Like a Dragon: Ishin! is another great instalment in RGG Studio's series. An often gripping story is made even better by the game's historical leanings, while a rewardingly intricate combat system gives the gameplay an addictive hook. Add all of those typically barmy Yakuza side activities into the mix, along with some delightful references to past games, and you've got the makings of a fan favourite.
It's been nearly a decade since Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! released exclusively in Japan, but RGG Studio has finally brought it over to the West in the form of Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and it does not disappoint. Not only does Ishin! touch upon an important part of Japanese history, it does so by excellently balancing ridiculously fun over-the-top action with engrossing narrative pacing and mature character development. It doesn't quite meet the bar of a full on remake though, so that's something worth considering.
It’s been a long time coming but Like a Dragon: Ishin! is finally out for western audiences in remade form. While the game is starting to show some of its age mechanically, the redone visuals and quality-of-life changes also give it new life. The storytelling is also solid, especially for newcomers but can feel a bit too similar to past games for longtime players. Add a plethora of quirky mini-games and Like a Dragon: Ishin! is still worth the long wait.
It’s almost miraculous how such wild tonal swings don’t break the immersion of the game. Instead, they provide much-needed respite from the ins and outs of a bloody, morally charged tale about family, betrayal, colonialism, democracy, and revolution unlike anything that’s ever been released on Western shores. Baked right into the mechanics is the fact that keeping Ryoma away from living something resembling a normal, honorable life will damage him over time. Some of the best perks and armor in the game are hidden behind Ryoma literally keeping his house in order. It’s highly impressive that all that lives in perfect balance in Ishin, where taking up the sword to seek justice is as wonderfully intricate and as it is here.
Like a Dragon Ishin is a must-see for longtime fans of Kiryu Kazuma and other yakuza legends. It is in fact an adventure full of fanservice, both in a purely playful (with the Trooper Card) and narrative, restored in Unreal Engine 4 to be even more pleasant from a visual point of view.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a remastered blast from the past that will appeal to longtime Yakuza fans, but a dated design and some bugs make the game feel rough around the edges.