Taste is like a dragon: Ishin! from gamesvideo.com

A historical revenge

The Ryu ga Gotoku writers return with Ishin! a turning point in Japanese history. The end of the samurai and the Edo period merge with the colorful and colorful universe of the Like a Dragon saga in a coveted theatrical and epic adventure. This is how the iconic characters of the franchise interpret the historical figures of the time that shaped the Japanese archipelago. The action begins at the beginning of the Meiji era in 1867 and focuses on the events at the beginning of the Restoration, then the opening of the country after 300 years of self-sufficiency under Tokugawa rule.

The story (dubbed in Japanese and subtitled in French – VOSTFR) mainly focuses on the completely reinvented life of Ryoma Sakamoto. After helplessly witnessing the murder of his adoptive father, he decides to go to the capital to track down the assassin. Against the background of the class struggle, this simple decision will have serious consequences for himself and the whole country. It is a delight to follow the increasingly incredible adventures of this historical figure whose sense of honor is matched only by bravery and righteousness.

Far from being a formal history lesson with a capital H, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is above all a tale of a thousand and one twists, betrayals, manipulations and other conspiracies served up on a plate by an effective, if unsurprising, mise-en-scène. The cinematic impulses of the saga produce over the top sequences, of which only “Yakuza” has the secret and an instant cult following. However, the narrative suffers from a certain rigidity inherent in the saga. The spin-off simply applies the “cutscenes and conversation phases” formula without ever questioning traditions. The narrative revolution will have to wait a little longer.

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A revolutionary theatre

The Like a Dragon franchise has always stood out for its ability to recreate some of the most iconic neighborhoods in modern Japanese cities at a 1:1 scale. with Ishin!, the artists of ryu ga gotoku try to transcribe the very special atmosphere of the city of kyoto in the middle of the 19th century into the heart of an exuberant japan. Despite good intentions, the city of Kyo is struggling to keep up with its illustrious predecessors, starting with Kamurocho (Kabukicho – Tokyo), Sotenbori (Dotenbori – Osaka) and Isezaki Ijincho (Isezakichō – Yokohama).

This remake inherits an era of gaming and an urban fabric constrained by old technological limitations that are felt all the more in 2023. The districts of Kyo are thus connected to each other by “loading zones”. The streets and alleys are also deserted at times. These few shortcomings prevent us from fully appreciating this late 1860s Kyo. Nevertheless, the joy of discovering and exploring remains. The capital is full of side missions, mini-games that have become real institutions for fans and many other activities.

The Japanese studios focused mainly on the graphics and completely reworked the original episode to achieve a satisfactory result. Aside from a few textures and generally too “frozen” environments, this 2023 version of Like a Dragon: Ishin! uses the Unreal Engine 4 to do justice to the adventures of Ryoma Sakamoto. Above all, the characters take on color in cutscenes and fights, which further increases the emotional charge that emanates from the game. After all, this remake shows a certain technical deficit compared to the competition, but without devaluing it.

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The gunpowder and the saber

After giving up the fight in real-time with Yakuza: Like a Dragon for a while, Ryu Ga Gotoku (finally) returns to his first love… Beat’em All. This remake is content to modernize the original game’s video game formula without ever distorting it. Players can thus (re)discover the gameplay based on four different combat styles (Brawler, Swashbuckler, Fierce Dancer, Shooter) to switch on the fly and depending on the situation. Of course, the regulars immediately find their mark, even if the use of swords and especially firearms changes the situation somewhat.

It’s always so enjoyable to face multiple enemies and emerge victorious from epic desired fights, and they certainly are, especially the bosses. Ryoma Sakamoto weaves his way through the seedy streets of Kyo “yakuza-style,” painting the city “bloody red” with unsettling ease. This saber-in-hand existence translates into play through a series of combos, dodges, and parries, culminating in premium contextual moves and devastating attacks. Like a dragon again: Ishin! doesn’t revolutionize his universe, but makes for an exhilarating combat performance… to his credit.

The remake also keeps the RPG dimension of the game released in 2014 without touching it too much. Our hero has different weapons and equipment to craft/upgrade during his journey and unlocks active/passive skills related to the different fighting styles mentioned above. The more our protagonist uses a style, the more successful he becomes with it. Finally our weapon master can count on his troops to help him in battle with special attacks, healing and other bonuses. This light RPG approach allows players to influence the fate of Ryoma Sakamoto according to their appetite for the sword and/or gun.

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