Like a Dragon: Ishin
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Action, TPP, RPG elements, remasters/remakes, Japan, samurai, action adventure, 19th century, slasher, PS Plus Premium, PS Plus Extra, singleplayer
Like a Dragon: Ishin is a remake of the samurai spin-off of the Yakuza series. The game takes us to 19th century Japan and casts us in the role of a samurai searching for the murderer of his mentor. The game offers an open world, an arcade combat system and a rich set of mini-games.
Last Update: February 27, 2023
Like a Dragon Ishin Guide
Like a Dragon Ishin guide is the best tips and tricks for combat, character development. We describe all unique weapons, optional activities, mini-games, growing crops, fast travel, romances, arena battles, system requirements, controls.
Shortcuts:
- Secrets and activities, Geography Globe Quiz
- Ryoma and character development, How to change outfits?
- Secrets and activities, Friendships
- Secrets and activities, Another Life
- Ryoma and character development, How to use Special weapons?
- Secrets and activities, Talkin' Tosa Substory
- Substories, Fushimi
Tosa Interactive Map
An interactive map of the town of Tosa from the game Like a Dragon: Ishin will help you find all its secrets and finds and optional activities. We have marked restaurants, stores, mini-games, quest locations and loot containers.
February 22, 2023
Like a Dragon Ishin Review: High-Ranking Samurai
Mixing the classic feel of Yakuza and Like a Dragon games with some Japanese history, Ishin offers you a new way to enjoy the series and even teach you a thing or two about the way of the samurai.
December 7, 2023
Ultimate List of The Best Games of 2023
So which games of 2023 are the best? What's worth the time and money right now, without waiting for discounts? Here's our list of the most interesting games released in 2023. The article has been updated as the year progressed and now is complete!
Videos and Screens
[1:57] Like a Dragon: Ishin launch trailer
[1:49] Like a Dragon: Ishin trailer #8
Gamepressure Review
Like a Dragon: Ishin
Mixing the classic feel of Yakuza and Like a Dragon games with some Japanese history, Ishin offers you a new way to enjoy the series and even teach you a thing or two about the way of the samurai.
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 83% of Critics. There are 134 Critic Reviews.
IGN: 7 / 10 by Tristan Ogilvie
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is an enjoyable and interesting spin-off from the Yakuza series, but not an essential one.
Destructoid: 8 / 10 by Eric Van Allen
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Easy Allies: 8.5 / 10 by Michael Huber
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is an essential entry in the franchise, and it's finally available for us to play.
The main pros of the game
- Engaging Story and Historical Setting: The game provides a captivating narrative centered around the historical figure Sakamoto Ryoma during the Bakumatsu era, appealing to fans of Japanese history.
- Varied Combat Styles: Players appreciate the diverse combat options, including multiple fighting styles (swordsman, brawler, and gunner) that allow for different gameplay experiences.
- Humor and Atmosphere: The game maintains the series' trademark humor and offers an immersive atmosphere that makes players feel like they are living in 1860s Japan.
- Visuals and Presentation: The remastering with Unreal Engine 4 enhances the graphics, and the overall presentation is praised for its cinematic quality.
- Rich Side Activities: There are numerous side quests and mini-games that add to the overall experience, making the game enjoyable beyond the main story.
The main cons of the game
- Clunky Gameplay Mechanics: Many users noted that the gameplay feels outdated and clunky compared to more recent titles in the series, leading to frustration in combat and navigation.
- Grindy Completion: The game is described as excessively grindy, especially for players aiming for 100% completion, which can detract from the enjoyment of the main story.
- Repetitive Side Quests: Some side quests are seen as monotonous and less rewarding, leading to a feeling of tedium during exploration.
- Technical Issues: Users reported bugs and crashes during gameplay, which can hinder the overall experience.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Minigames: Compared to other titles in the series, many players felt that "Like a Dragon: Ishin!" lacks the variety and quality of minigames, making the experience feel less dynamic.
- Character Development: Several reviews pointed out that the story lacks depth in character growth and development, making it feel less engaging than previous installments.
- Combat Precision: Users expressed a desire for more refined combat mechanics, noting that certain moves are difficult to execute accurately, which can lead to frustration during battles.
- Skip Options for Dialogues: The lengthy cutscenes and dialogues are criticized for their pacing, with players wishing for more options to skip or fast-forward through them.
Summary
- Overall, while "Like a Dragon: Ishin!" has its strengths in storytelling and combat variety, it struggles with technical issues and gameplay mechanics that some players find outdated.
Summary generated on:
Like a Dragon: Ishin Description
Like a Dragon: Ishin is an action adventure game and a spin-off of the Yakuza series. It is a remake of Yakuza Ishin from 2014, both these games developed by the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.
Plot
The game is set in Japan in 1867, in the city of Kyo - a fictionalized version of Kyoto. The story of Like a Dragon: Ishin takes place at the end of the samurai era and its protagonist is Sakamoto Ryoma, a historical figure who played a key role in overthrowing the shogunate.
Ryoma heads to Kyo, following the trail of his mentor's murderer. His only clue is an obscure but highly effective combat style used by the killer. The school teaching these techniques has been closed, but Ryoma learns its students are in the aforementioned city.
Curiously, while Ryoma himself is a historical figure, his in-game appearance and personality are based on Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of the series' main installments, while throughout the campaign we'll encounter many other alternate versions of already well-known characters.
Mechanics
Like a Dragon: Ishin is an action adventure game featuring a small open world densely packed with quests and various activities. In addition to the extensive main campaign, the developers have also prepared a ton of optional side content.
The game's core is its arcade combat system, allowing the use of four different combat styles. We can do battle with a sword, our fists or firearms. Throughout the game we develop Ryoma's skills, making him stronger and teaching him new moves.
In addition to combat, the game offers a plethora of different challenges, usually in the form of various mini-games, such as singing, dancing, gambling, fishing, cooking or chicken racing. All these activities have their own storylines, often unrelated to the main story.
Game modes
The game only supports singleplayer.
Technical aspects
As befitting a remake, the game's graphics have been vastly improved compared to the original release. It runs on the Unreal Engine 4, thus being the first game in the series not to use an engine made by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio themselves.
It's worth mentioning that the faces of many characters have been modified to resemble other characters from the Yakuza series, released after the original Yakuza Ishin came out in Japan.
26
GAMES
in Like a Dragon / Yakuza Game Series
Game Series
Like a Dragon / Yakuza Series
Yakuza (Japanese. Ryu ga Gotoku - Like a Dragon) is a series that began as TPP action adventure games, while in 2020 began a love affair with the jRPG genre. The essence of gameplay in productions under this banner are spectacular clashes, in which we mostly use our own fists, white weapons such as clubs or samurai swords, as well as elements of the environment, such as trash cans or bicycles. Firearms are present, but usually do not play a major role. The protagonists have numerous fighting styles, which we can upgrade. Of great importance are impressive finishers, in which opponents are eliminated in a particularly impressive way.
26 video games
Like a Dragon: Ishin Summary
Early Access:February 17, 2023
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: Sega
Age restrictions: 18+
Like a Dragon: Ishin System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (30 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i5-3470 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon RX 460 or better, 60 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: (60 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce RTX 2060 / 8 GB Radeon RX Vega 56 or better, 60 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
How to Unlock Dance of Mourning in Like a Dragon Ishin
If you use the Wild Dancer fighting style in Like a Dragon Ishin, you can learn a move called Dance Of Mourning. You can learn how to do it in this guide.
How to
Agnes Adamus
March 9, 2023
How to Get Platinum Filings in Like a Dragon Ishin
Not sure how to get Platinum Filings in Like a Dragon Ishin? We've covered all the ways in this guide.
How to
Adam Adamczyk
March 9, 2023
How to Get a Gold and Kiwami Hammer in Like a Dragon Ishin
In Like a Dragon Ishin you can upgrade your equipment using hammers. Here you will learn how to get the two rarest of them - Gold and Kiwami.
How to
Agnes Adamus
March 7, 2023
Where to Find Tuna in Like a Dragon Ishin; How to Catch the Fish
Like a Dragon: Ishin has a mini-game in which you catch fish. If you want to catch one of the rare species - tuna - you can learn how to do it here.
How to
Agnes Adamus
February 24, 2023
Like a Dragon Ishin Explained - What Is Its Place in the Yakuza Series?
Do you need to know earlier Yakuza games to understand Ishin? When does the game fit in the timeline? How does it relate to earlier parts? Here you will find the answers!
video games
Matthew Sawka
February 27, 2023
Where to Find Emerald in Like a Dragon Ishin
Emerald is one of the crafting materials in Like a Dragon Ishin. Thanks to this guide, you will learn where to find it.
How to
Adam Adamczyk
February 24, 2023
Like a Dragon: Ishin Launches - West Waited 9 Long Years For This
Today, Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the remake of a samurai spin-off to Sega's gangster series, will debut on PC and consoles.
video games
Adrian Werner
February 21, 2023
Like a Dragon: Ishin Reviews Suggest Another Good Remake
The release of Like a Dragon: Ishin is just around the corner, so the first reviews have begun to appear online. In general, they are very positive, but it is not a perfect remake.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
February 19, 2023
Hacking and Slashing on New Videos from Like a Dragon: Ishin and Wo Long
The beginning of next year will bring us some interesting games going for Far East vibes. Among them we will find Like a Dragon: Ishin and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Both game have just received interesting trailers.
video games
Kamil Kleszyk
December 15, 2022
Yakuza: Ishin! Coming to the West; Sega Makes Dreams Come True by Announcing Remake [UPDATE: Trailer]
SEGA has finally listened to gamers' requests. The company has announced Like a Dragon: Ishin, a remake of the samurai game Yakuza Ishin, which never left the borders of the Land of the Rising Sun.
video games
Adrian Werner
September 15, 2022