![]() I was drawn to each character as if I needed no introduction, like seeing old pals and rivals from a movie screen fit right into a stage play. ![]() Facial close-ups where you can see every little expression and the elegantly choreographed duels sell you on the emotion established in each cutscene, making the melodrama feel earnest, as the series always does. ![]() The dynamics between each character make for some hype moments and thrilling battles, especially with its prestige-level cutscenes that perfectly frame the story's pivotal moments. Although no experience with the Yakuza series is required to understand or enjoy Ishin, the little nods and references in dialogue, visual flourishes, and musical themes along the way are real treats for Yakuza sickos such as myself. It's wild to see such an all-star cast don the names and roles of historical figures, but what's more striking is that each character remains true to their ethos and personality from the mainline games. Other favorites like Majima, Saejima, and Akiyama fill in the roles of Soji Okita, Shinpachi Nagakura, and Katsura Kogoro, respectively-just to name a few. Series legend Kazuma Kiryu takes on the role of Ishin's protagonist Ryoma Sakamoto / Hajima Saito (as an alias), loosely based on the revered real-world figures of the same names. Ishin melds these parallel themes gracefully using strong characters as the focal point for both the gripping personal drama and the escalating struggle for power to steer Japan's future.īy using the same character models and voice actors from the Yakuza pantheon, Ishin creates an immediate familiarity that made me feel right at home but ever-curious about the direction of its story. Ishin uses this as a stage to tell another story of betrayal, conflicting ideals, and seeking personal truths, but fits it into a pivotal time of widespread violence and societal turbulence. It's a time in Japanese history when internal conflict and political strife came to a head, with various factions vying for power, leading to a transitional phase for the country. What you really come to this series for is the drama, and the Bakumatsu period of the Edo era is fertile ground for Ishin's historical fiction. While it may not be as dazzling as the neon-lit streets of the modern day, the more low-key setting of Kyo (which is now modern-day Kyoto) is refreshing and a welcome change of pace that lets the Yakuza formula thrive once again within a framework it is comfortable with. The streets are filled with menacing men wanting to cut you down as you mind your business strolling through the markets, restaurants and bars represent the era's cuisine, and tons of side content reflect the culture and traditions of the time. In the same way previous Yakuza games offer a sort of virtual tourism, Ishin's vivid reconstruction of Japan's past (albeit with more creative liberties) delivers the same thrills. Instead of the glitz and glam of Kamurocho, Ishin takes us to late-Edo period Japan, around the time of the end of the samurai class and just before the country's modernization. ![]() Now Playing: Like A Dragon: Ishin Video Review Still, its fundamentals are solid and the main draws of the franchise remain intact, hooking me with its characters and twists that had me eager to see its historical fiction unfold from chapter to chapter.īy clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's This new version lands somewhere between a remaster and remake, but it is based on older iterations of Yakuza games which makes Like A Dragon: Ishin feel dated in several respects, particularly in moment-to-moment gameplay. It's been a long time coming as Yakuza: Ishin, originally a PS3/PS4 game from 2014, was not previously localized and brought to the West like other entries in the franchise. ![]() Even though the context has changed, swapping the gangs of the modern criminal underworld for political factions in a tumultuous time in history, Ishin is yet another example of what developer RGG Studio does best: melodramatic storytelling. The result is Like A Dragon: Ishin, an enticing period piece that also includes the series' action-brawler gameplay and ridiculous hijinx. Take the faces, voices, and over-the-top theatrics that have made the Yakuza franchise renowned, and transport all that back to 19th century Japan. ![]()
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