Like a Dragon: Ishin! review

A Yazuka spin-off where you’ll sing, dance, fish, farm, and adopt animals when you’re not looking for your father’s killer.

Largely, the Yazuka franchise has eluded failure.  The closest the property has come to disappointment was 2011’s Yakuza: Dead Souls, a non-canonical spin-off that attempted to shoehorn in House of the Dead-style gunplay where you blasted zombies. In the West, it was released within days of the exponentially more accomplished Yakuza 4, which helped prevent the series from being stigmatized. Moving forward, Ryu Ga Gotoku has been more protective of their property.

While sequels have dominated, the Shinagawa-based studio produces conscientious spin-offs. Notably, the 2014 release of Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! shifted to the context of the turbulent Bakumatsu phase of the late Edo period. Although using traffic cones and bicycles as improvised weapons were missing, the title retained the mechanics that are essential to mainline Yakuza titles. Here was the pulpy drama that plumbed the virtues of honor and justice, sharing the spotlight with habitually engaging combat. And naturally, Ishin extended the series’ characteristic collection of mini-games and the customary dose of whimsy.

Ryoma Channels Kiryu’s Glare and Sense of Justice

Nine years on, the title has returned, rebranded as Like a Dragon: Ishin! for Western audiences. A remake that can occasionally flirt with feeling like a remaster, it’s not a flawless outing. Some of this stems from the change of context. Journeying from Yakuza 0’s pre-bubble, staggeringly dense streets of Kabukichō to the pathways of 19th-century Kyo might be off-putting at first. Likewise, seeing the face and voicework of beloved characters like Kazuma Kiryu, Haruka Sawamura, and Goro Majima transferred onto new characters can produce the kind of dissonance associated with watching a ‘deepfake’ video. But Ishin’s mix of melodrama, mechanics, and over-the-top mayhem ends up being skillful enough to help overcome its blemishes.

The game’s premise remains remarkably relevant nearly a decade later. The plotline centers on Sakamoto Ryoma who has returned to the Tosa province after extended training in Edo. But life in the village has significantly changed. Fear of U.S. colonization, public turmoil following the loss of authority from the shogunate, and a push toward rapid-fire modernization are transpiring.

Not Quite Enough “Sonnō Jōi”

These issues are conspicuous in Tosa. Ripping a page from history, upper-class samurai called Joshi strode into the province, displacing the existing swordsmen, who were now designated as Goshi. Like any sudden shift in power dynamics, Ishin’s early hours are filled with scenes that demonstrate the callousness often prevalent in rigid hierarchies. But just as remarkable is the exploration of the deeds people will do to preserve power and protect themselves from the perceived threat of cultural dilution. There’s a palpable concern for the loss of tradition across the plotline, mirroring real-life occurrences of xenophobia across our globe.

But Ishin delivers more than just searing political intrigue. Ryoma is framed for his father’s death, inspiring a trip to Kyo to find the actual killer. The suspect appears to be a member of a special police force called the Shinsengumi, goading Ryoma to go undercover with the organization. Like most procedurals, Ishin rarely misses an opportunity to intensify the intrigue, making for a consistently compelling tale. Likely, the seeds of Judgment were planted here.

Singing, Dancing, and Cavorting

Like most of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s efforts, playtime is broken up between compulsory events that push the plot along and a superfluity of optional side-quests. For the latter, the developers use a multitude of different motivations. While the compassionate will spend their time finding shelter for stray dogs and cats, gamblers might want to visit a den where Koi-Koi, Oicho-Kabu, and Cee-Lo are all offered. Of course, there’s also the option to relax with a cordial courtesan, drinking and playing various pastimes of the era. Occasionally, some of these tasks feel like satirical reworkings of Kabukichō’s nightlife, with low-key adaptations of dancing and karaoke, as well as interpretations of homestyle cooking and woodcutting.

In keeping with custom, there are also some long-term-oriented pursuits. Back at the Shinsengumi barracks, you’ll find a collection of 40 dungeon-crawling missions. The extermination of bandits can grow a bit tedious but provides the raw materials needed for forging better weapons. It’s also the process used to augment your Trooper Cards. Players can equip these collectible cards to supply battle perks to Ryoma, ranging from the rejuvenation of health to the ability to dish out damaging special attacks. Not only do the Trooper Cards contribute a bit of dynamism to combat, but they often inject the kind of madcap silliness that has become a franchise trademark.

Embrace the Agrarian Lifestyle

Undoubtedly, the largest of Ishin’s activities is found in the Another Life component. Here, you’re tasked with building a homestead with Haruka, extending a Story of Seasons-style undertaking. Although the dividends of rural life can trickle in slowly at first, Ryu Ga Gotoku ensures there’s a recompensing payoff for players who invest their time cultivating a multitude of different crops. Pleasingly, Another Life is tied into the rest of the game through the virtue system, where you’re rewarded for the completion of basic tasks. Although you can use Virtue Points for things like increasing Ryoma’s sprinting speed, it’s also essential for expanding your ranch.

But likely, you’ll be doing more fighting than farming and Ishin provides plenty of ways to defend yourself. Ryoma’s training results in four different fight styles than can be switched on the fly. As such, you’re always a directional pad press away from shifting between bareknuckle brawling, using swords, and pistols, or appreciating the unconventionality of the Wild Dancer Style, which combines techniques into a wonderfully ostentatious playstyle. While each approach has its strengths and weaknesses, when it comes time to enhance Ryoma’s skill grids, you’ll have to make some thorny decisions when it comes to upgrades.

Conclusion

When intermixed with 400 different Trooper cards, there’s enough variability to keep combat interesting across Ishin’s 25 to 50-hour playtime. But across that duration, you’ll likely find a few areas that Ryu Ga Gotoku could have refined. In confined areas, the camera can become as belligerent as a street thug. Some of the side quests can ramp up the level of difficulty unexpectedly, likely because some of the key unlockable abilities are inaccessible across the game’s early hours.

But given the sheer expanse of things that vie for your attention, a few rough edges are understandable. Like the franchise’s best efforts, it’s astonishing how much autonomy Ryu Ga Gotoku extends, whether it’s connected to the main storyline or some odd job that provides insight into late Edo period life. The concept of a Yakuza game set in the 19th century carries high expectations. And largely, Like a Dragon: Ishin! makes good on almost all of them.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! was played on Xbox Series X
with review code provided by the publisher.