Like A Dragon: Ishin! Review – A Step Back In Time

Ishin: Like a Dragon isn’t a brand new game. It’s a remake of an old game – 2014’s Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin, released only in Japan on the PS3 and PS4. And yet, despite the age of its skeleton, in some ways, the game stands out as one of the more impressive games in developer Ryu Ga Gotoku’s (RGG) portfolio – even with a few noticeable weak points. 

Ishin is set in the late 1860s at the close of Japan’s Edo period. You play as Sakamoto Ryoma – a real-life historical figure – who, amid his own revenge scheme, finds himself embroiled in the tumultuous socio-political climate of the era. Using the fake alias Saitō Hajime, Sakamoto infiltrates the Shinsengumi, a police force organized to help control Kyoto at this time, searching for the killer of his adopted father. But of course, as these things go, Ryoma ends up in the middle of a much larger plot, impressively finding time to both seek out his revenge and effect great change to the country’s entire political system – as one does.  

This is a riveting drama that can sometimes be difficult to follow. Ishin casts the characters and faces of Yakuza majorstay characters in order to portray its historical figures. Ryoma, for example, is the series’ protagonist Kazuma Kiyu. But there are also Goro Majima and Taiga Saejima as well as a handful of newer characters that I won’t spoil. These familiar faces helped me instantly adhere – or despise – characters, as I was already used to their personality traits; I quickly became devoted to alliances, individuals, and plot threads before they even picked up steam. Ishin is also one of the better-written RGG games, with impressively directed cutscenes – some of the best in the studio’s catalog – that always kept me engaged. Takaya Kuroda’s Ryoma performance is as good as ever. Riki Takeuchi’s acting skills are also excellent.The difference between dead and alive, His Motorbike and Her Island), Hitoshi Ozawa (Gozu, Boiling PointHideo Nakano, (the), OutrageSeries) in an RGG Game after they played such a pivotal role in Yakuza 0.

On the other side, following Ishin’s intricate story can be like trying balance 100 spinning plates using only two hands. The game has a glossary that is somewhat helpful, however, it expects you at minimum to be able to follow RGG’s intricate narratives and have a knowledge of approximately 100 years Japanese history. That’s quite a bit. The ending is a bit too meta for my liking, and it has a strange message. 

Ishin’s historical setting is one of my favorite open worlds. It takes place in Kyo (modern day Kyoto) and is filled with meticulous detail that brings the 1860s alive. It was a joy to walk around the entire world as if I were the first person, admiring all the bustling shops and bars, peaceful suburban areas, and winding back roads. However, sidequests and substories make peaceful trips a hassle due to the endless amount of sidequests. 

Like in other RGG games, substories automatically play when you’re close enough to the mission-giver – whether you want them to or not. You don’t have to watch the introduction cutscenes, and you can skip the rest of the quest. Although these may be the best part of Yakuza’s games, for me, they were incredibly frustrating. I was sometimes stopped up to five times while I was on my way from one place to another so that every side quest could take place. The substories in the game are quite good. Ishin has a series of slice-of life minigames that you can play with Haruka. They have you tending to crops, cooking and raising animals. My little house is my favorite and I wish that I could live there. 

Ishin’s main gameplay is combat, which, for the most parts, is great. This mode reverts back to active combat in RGG games prior 2020’s Yakuza. Ryoma can be a skilled swordsman, but he is also adept with weapons and hand-to–hand fighting. There are four styles of fighting, with their strengths and weaknesses. I enjoy switching between them mid-fight. For quick damage and crowd control, I would often use the sword-and-gun stance. For massive damage, I switched to the deliberate swordsman style of fighting to target specific enemies. To damage distant targets, I would sometimes switch to a gun-only position. It’s not perfect – the camera often works against you in cramped areas, too many enemies hit you from behind when you’re not looking, and one late-game setpiece level is frustratingly annoying – but when it works, Ishin’s combat is greatly satisfying. 

There is also a card system that allows for specific moves. These are acquired by recruiting new members – including some familiar faces – to the Shinsengumi, either through the open world or through the mostly-boring dungeon-crawling side content. Four can be attached to each fighting style, meaning 16 in total. Two personal favorites include the always practical ability to heal large portions of my HP bar and a lightning attack that targets every enemy in the immediate area. The series’ new special moves and heat moves are fun to combine with fighting style. 

Ishin: Like a Dragon is a great spin-off of acclaimed series. I am glad it finally made its way to America. Although it did not land smoothly, the story was captivating and I look forward to seeing more of the combat styles and special moves in other RGG games. It’s also my hope that we get other spin-offs. It will be interesting to see what happens, but it is nice to be back together with my favourite criminals.