![]() ![]() ![]() It’s just a side product of a sword being slapped onto the existing Yakuza combat system rather than Ishin being a game built around swordfighting like Ghost of Tsushima with its multiple stances and stamina meters. There are combos, but it’s still very straightforward and too basic to be one of the stronger parts of the experience. Even if you do opt for the greater challenge, the overall swordplay lacks the depth that these samurai encounters would need to feel truly epic. Using swords to kill foes is a more enjoyable because it is much more engaging, yet it comes at the expense of making Ryōma far more vulnerable. Some enemies do have ranged attacks, but that doesn’t nullify this strategy. It’s pretty hilarious - and all too easy - to just stand far away and essentially play a game of violent keep-away. The guns are particularly broken since players can simply use a pistol with unlimited ammo that doesn’t need to be reloaded to take out enemies from a distance. In its current form, combat is very uneven (although this isn’t exactly a new problem for Yakuza since its actual brawling had always been the weakest element of the series until recently). ![]() It’s an interesting change and one that mostly works, although there are enough rough edges that show that this system needed to be iterated upon in order to unlock its true potential. Rather than these tools of destruction being limited-use items, they’re fully integrated into combat as you’ll be using guns to shoot from a distance and katanas to slice enemies up close. However, what sets Like a Dragon: Ishin apart is that each style is weapon-based. Like the other recent Yakuza and Judgment games, there are multiple different fighting styles available for players to use during brawls. It’s quite the unique approach for such a narrative-based game, and this familiar cast winds up working in its favor because of those established roots. It’s not unlike seeing your favorite actor perish in a movie you can’t fully separate your memories and feelings toward them from what you’re seeing. Likewise, seeing a character die in the story resonates more because of that existing knowledge of them, even if it’s technically someone else. For example, if someone shares the character model of a past villain, it’s cleverly foreshadowing bad news. It also imbues these historical figures with an added sense of familiarity and reasons for players to care about them since their personalities from the prior games are also intact. The remake even has characters from newer entries, so iconic and recognizable faces and voices pop up often in both the main story and substories. ![]() The most notable example is that Ryōma is just Yakuza series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in both looks and personality with his unique set of morals and honor system that’s at the forefront of the story and his choices. What’s most interesting for longtime fans is that Ishin eventually features an all-star cast of Yakuza characters from throughout the entire series as all of the historical figures feature familiar character models. Ryōma’s search for justice in what is objectively an unjust world and society offers the personal touch a setting like this needs, meaning Ishin has a well-realized setting with a protagonist that offers a welcome human touch to it. Like today, the class system is at the core of much of the injustice, but there’s also an intriguing element of Japan being in a state of flux - a country coming to terms with the outside western world as well, which is symbolized perfectly in its combat of samurai using guns. The time period it takes place in was a particularly turbulent time in Japan and both its main story and side quests touch on many of the elements that make it so interesting. While it’s a period piece, a lot of Ishin is more relevant than ever. But unlike Ubisoft’s inconsistent powerhouse franchise, this Ishin remake offers a well-spun tale that earns its place within the series, despite its few lingering antiquities. Players control the legendary samurai Sakamoto Ryōma and get to interact (and fight with) plenty of pivotal historical figures of the time not unlike an Assassin’s Creed game. Since 2014, fans of the franchise have long wanted to play Like a Dragon: Ishin, which is the second historical spin-off of the series and takes place in 1800s Japan during the later stages of the Edo period. The boom in popularity for Sega’s Yakuza series has been a delight to see over the past decade and has opened the door for worldwide releases of obscure spin-offs. ![]()
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