The remake of “Ijen Yakuza” finally hits theaters worldwide today. The international launch will also be the first for the game, which was previously only released in Japan.
On top of that, Like A Dragon: Ishin is introducing new tricks and mechanics to the game to keep it fast, fluid and intuitive. More specifically, these new additions are made to ensure combat feels as good as possible. One of the most interesting new additions to the game are Trooper Cards, cards with special attacks, abilities, and debuffs that can make or break a battle.
Like A Dragon: One of Ishin’s many Trooper Cards will feature avid gamer and horror legend Rahul Kohli, who rose to fame on iZombie between 2015 and 2019. We were able to chat briefly with Rahul, who you might recognize as the haunted Owen from Bly Manor, Sheriff Hassan from Midnight Mass, or he might have appeared on one of your favorite gaming-centric podcasts one. But not ours. However.
iGamesNews: You’ll be part of a brand new feature called Trooper Cards in the remake of Yakuza: Yishin, which will be cool for Yakuza fans. How did you get involved and what exactly is your role?
Rahul Kohli: I started playing this series during quarantine. Everyone I knew spoke highly of the Yakuza series, so I started playing the game, and I kind of liked it. I started sharing my journey openly, and the community was like that, they were so excited that other people were playing Yakuza.
Late last year, RGG and Sega contacted me and asked if I would be part of the Like a Dragon: Ishin trailer – an opportunity I jumped at. Then, a few weeks later, RGG asked me if I would be interested in using my likeness for the Trooper Card.
The Trooper Card is basically a power-up, a buff, a card that you collect, and you decide which cards to put in there, then as a shortcut. Each card has different buffs and such, and mine is an aggressive, fiery blast. But yes, this is my portrait, and my name. It’s just a Rahul Kohli Trooper Card, and it’s pretty cool. I’ve always played and voiced characters and been other people, so it’s cool to have my name and my likeness.
iGamesNews: Your description on that card is “a chivalrous character who travels through time and reality to serve the Shinsengumi”. Use his experience in law enforcement to keep the peace. Is this referring to your role as Sheriff Hassan in Midnight Mass?
Rahul Kohli: That’s what I thought! When you use the card, it says “Deprive them of their dignity,” and dignity is what Sheriff Hassan talks about all the time. When I read the biography, I immediately thought, ‘Yo, is this Mass? ‘, I think so. I’m sure it is.
iGamesNews: This isn’t your first rodeo in the gaming industry, with voice roles in Rage 2, Gears 5, and even Fortnite. That said, are you planning to use the game more? If so, which series would your dream come true?
Rahul Kohli: I’ve done some now, and yes, there are some that haven’t been published yet. So, I have some that I haven’t recorded yet and they are NDA’d. That’s the thing about games, you make them and then you really can’t say anything.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is probably the shortest from recording to release. All this happened in the same year, which is really rare. Obviously, I’m not a voice actor, and I haven’t even actually auditioned. I tend to be approached and requested, so that’s how it happened.
But yeah, so we have some plans and I want to be part of something else? Yes. I’m an avid gamer and most of all I want to be – I don’t know – be in the next Red Dead or Doom. Again, I have no insider knowledge, I’m just a fan, why not?
iGamesNews: Aside from your role in the game, you’re pretty busy keeping an eye on iZombie. You starred in Mike Flanagan’s “The Haunting of Bly Manor” and “Midnight Mass,” and you just wrapped up filming on “The Fall of the House of Usher.” You also just starred in the movie The Next Exit! So, I have to ask, how does gaming fit into your schedule?
Rahul Kohli: Since I’m working, I can actually play more games. When I’m filming, I can’t and won’t watch TV or movies. I see it through different eyes. After I’ve been on set for 15 hours watching other people perform, I kind of can’t stand watching other people perform. I can see it all, select, mark, I can’t take it apart. So, that’s where games — in a way — Warhammer and miniature painting come in; I’m willing to do anything but consume media on film or on TV.
So, I basically play every night. Depending on when I finish, I’ll be home, and my laptop is always there, so I have my Steam library. I usually have one console, mostly my PS5. When I’m out in the trailer, I have a Steam Deck, and a travel hobby station, so I get a lot of backlog done while filming.
iGamesNews: So you’ll have a setup wherever you go? I see you recently bought a very crap TV for the hotel.
Rahul Kohli: Yes, it’s broken. It didn’t last long so I went out and bought an awesome one and gave it to my friend who lives in Vancouver. But yeah, usually if I’m going abroad for a while, I tend to make sure I have a few things that I need. I usually want a decent TV and a decent internet connection.
iGamesNews: On that note, what’s the deal with you going to a strip club at 1am a few months ago and asking for an ethernet cable so you can play Darktide?
Rahul Kohli: um, yes. We’re playing Darktide and everyone’s waiting for me and I’m having a problem with the Wi-Fi I’m using at the hotel. I don’t know what’s going on, but I just can’t maintain a stable connection.
Either Bruce or Alanah – someone said, ‘Try Ethernet! Try getting an ethernet cable! It was a morning in Vancouver and I was thinking “Where am I going to do this?”, so I hopped on Discord on my phone and plugged in an Airpod. I thought, well, this is their live stream, and I tried a couple of stores. Then I realized, I know about strip clubs. I know the people there well, they’re good friends, and they have offices…so maybe, they have ethernet cables.
So, I went in with my Airpod so everyone could hear me talking and asking questions. It turned into a live scavenger hunt, but, yes, the strip club succeeded. Absolutely love the penthouse on Seymour Street. They provided me with an ethernet cable!
iGamesNews: Beyond that, I have one last question for you; can you tell us what your favorite Yakuza game is?
Rahul Kohli: Now, I haven’t played 2 yet. That’s hundreds of hours left. I’m glad I played it in the order I played it; I played Kwami, then 0, then Kwami 2. I like 0, it’s fun. It was awesome to play like that. It’s sort of a prequel rather than an entry title, so I meet Majima before he’s Majima. I feel like playing it in that order really benefits me, but I’m about to roll the credits on 2 and that might change.
iGamesNews: Are you going to play the entire series?
Rahul Kohli: Oh yes, I must. The thing is, so when the fans asked and really wanted Ishin to come west, I was glad it took another decade because I knew I wanted to finish every game of Yakuza, I wanted to finish like Dragon, and then I want to play Judgment 1 and 2 before playing the derivative game. But then they put my face in the game.
It interrupts the sequence I set, so Like a Dragon: Ishin will immediately be my next game.
like dragons: they are Coming to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on February 21, 2023.
