What justifies a new edition? Some would say that a completely redesigned graphic is a perfectly legitimate reason to re-release a title. I guess we’re at that point from the number of old games that keep reappearing with a nicer finish. However, Like a Dragon: Ishin, reworked of course visually as well, has another reason why I would say it’s perfect for a remake. The original was only released in Japan in 2014. So unless you speak Japanese and import it, this title was out of reach for everyone else. I would say that the growing interest in the West in the games Like a Dragon and Yakuza and their offshoots means that the rest of the world now has a chance to check it out.
In other words, it’s time to meet Japan in 1860 and become a samurai. Unlike the other more recent installments in the series, this one takes us to the final years of the Edo period. A chaotic time, no doubt.
The protagonist Sakamoto Ryōma returns home after traveling for a year to improve his swordsmanship. Everything happens at breakneck speed at home, and after a series of events, Ryōma flees his village. It ends in the then Japanese capital of Kyo (later known as Kyoto). A fairly classic story follows, where revenge is the engine. It won’t seem amazing at first, in fact the first few chapters of the game are quite disturbing. But like many other stories, the plot thickens.
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As the hours go by, I begin to look past its shortcomings and discover several good things. What we live in the game is for a reason, and once you start spending hours on it, it’ll catch you and you’ll want to see where it all goes. There are many names and faces to see, but most important is the character on the run, a man forced to live under an alias who seeks revenge for forcing him to leave his town. The game offers us a revenge story that requires a little detective work.
Now we will examine the shortcomings I mentioned earlier. Because while this remake is a huge improvement over the original from almost a decade ago, it still feels pretty dated. The characters are rigid and the animations make them look like wax dolls that don’t stop moving. The stage also seems more like a flat backdrop than a living place. If we think, for example, of Ghost of Tsushima, which, despite being from a different era, is the closest comparison (except for the rest of the games in the series, of course), the visual effects still don’t seem to live up to today’s expectations. . Especially when the world of video games sets the bar so high. Small details, like stationary trees and vegetation, empty alleys with a lot of lack of detail and a kind of rigidity, don’t exactly make a good technical optical impression.
However, when night falls in Kyo, the scenery changes slightly thanks to the lights, creating a cozier atmosphere. While it may be unfair to compare it to the more modern titles in the series, loaded with neon lights and colors that bring the streets to life, it’s something I keep thinking about as I play. There are many areas and details that have been neglected, as if they put all their effort into a few spots and forgot about the rest of the game. I also have the same feeling when I go to the main street of Kyo. From time to time we find a few lively details, but the overall impression is far from what I would like.
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To top off my dissatisfaction, we must add that the cinematics are well maintained and good camerawork has been done. The characters suddenly seem to come alive in these sequences. There are also places that have a bit more shine and compared to the original it is clear that there are still a big change in some points. However, it’s nowhere near what we’d expect from a game set in 2023.
The emphasis on action and combat is fluid and overall quite rewarding. Tactics and the importance of defending and changing playstyle are well balanced. There are four different options. You can fight with your fists, with a katana, with a gun, or with a gun and sword, a style known as “wild dancing.” For me it’s best to fight only with the sword. You’ll typically face off against a group of four or five enemies, or you’ll face more difficult one-on-one challenges that require more levels. Combos and abilities are unlocked as you progress. Everything good about an RPG is here in the form of items and gear upgrades.
It’s also packed with side quests and mini-games, many of which feature comedic posing, action music, and a slightly wacky presentation. The one that involves helping to serve the food has a frantic pace that requires you to remember the correct key combinations. It has plenty of craps games and even a western poker room to relax in. If you’re one of those people who likes to slow down and enjoy everything the game has to offer aside from the main story, then here are plenty of hours of gameplay to throw at it. Many side quests will appear as you make your way through the streets and alleys. I like the naturalness with which the characters offer you the side missions, mostly you turn a corner and a short sequence is played, in which the problem of the respective character is presented. It becomes much more dynamic when everything seems to happen randomly, although you can also notice rigidity, at least the encounters with the different characters are entertaining.
As you hang out on the streets, you may come across small gangs and other gangs that are very eager to get into trouble. We can detect a touch of comedy in the presentation of the waves of thugs that start attacking you. Oddly enough, despite the massacre and the gushing blood, everyone is fine afterward, begging for forgiveness, and running away, tail between them. I guess they don’t want the streets to become cemeteries. However, it will certainly not disappoint those who expect a lot of action due to the large number of battles that the game offers.
The game seems to stand out, especially in the interaction with the large number of characters. They all have distinctive personalities and are loosely based on actual historical figures. In addition, they have the same looks and voice actors as other characters in the series. For example, the main character bears a strong resemblance to Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of the main Yakuza games. Many names fly by, and for those who want to delve into Japanese history, you can even learn about places and events and read a little more about them during conversations.
The story unfolds in chapters and after a few hours of long and boring introduction, the good part begins. There aren’t many changes in terms of gameplay, but a big part of it is getting acquainted with everything the adventure has to offer. It’s also more fun to get into a lot of fights after you unlock some skills. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of bloodshed when slicing through bodies with swords, especially when using special abilities, and switching between fighting styles is easy with the digital joystick. With practice, you’ll be able to dodge, block, and create longer combos in fights. Unfortunately, like many others, these movements are a bit slow and not as smooth or clean as you might expect.
Despite all my criticisms, there is a lot about this game that is acceptable, even close to good. It’s packed with content, fans of the series should definitely check out this installment as well. If you’ve immersed yourself in the Like a Dragon series, it’s most likely a must-have in your gaming library. As for me, I would have liked it to be less dated and less rigid. Now there are many small details to take care of. For example, the screen goes black for a second when you switch zones or enter a building. These are also things that justify my own global experience where tiny negative details break my rhythm.
Of course, a title that’s going to travel into the future has to be able to live up to the standards we have today, and by that rule there are a lot of things in this game that could have been worked on more. You spend a lot of time running around in a rather dull place, the intense combat and pace are broken by the long, off-kilter dialogue sequences that are pretty lazy. Most notably, it could have used a little more life and movement than just seemingly frozen characters. The positive part, however, is that it has a story that you’ll enjoy to the end and that it’s packed with content, including in the form of side missions.
I would have liked a lot of things to have been introduced earlier in the narrative, although it’s also good that the excitement of the adventure builds with the hours of play. But in general it is very unrefined and sharp, something that poses a major problem for a samurai and his trusty sword.
