Game Rant was recently able to play around two hours of Like a Dragon: Ishin, completing the main story of Chapter 3, playing through a few substories, engaging in a few mini-games, and exploring the new city of Kyo during this time. Like a Dragon: Ishin packs a lot of new content into an otherwise familiar package, and it shouldn’t be disregarded by fans just because it is a spin-off.
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At first, the biggest challenge fans may face is acclimating to an environment that is entirely unlike Kamurocho and other Like a Dragon settings. The glitz and glam of the late 1900s and 2000s is gone, but fans will find themselves settling into the rustic location with relative ease. That’s because it retains all the charm and livelihood that Ryu Ga Gotoku is known for. Citizens travel the streets, shopkeeps engage with new protagonist Sakamoto Ryoma, and a group of ne’er-do-wells is never far. Players will stumble across substories as they try to move through the main story, and before they know it, Kyo and its districts will be as familiar as Kamurocho—just with a historical twist.
What helps with this tonal/period shift in the returning, familiar cast of Like a Dragon: Ishin. Most Ishin characters have a counterpart tied to the mainline games, and it’s clear how well each of these characters reflects that. Players may be new protagonist Sakamoto Ryoma using an alias as Saito Hajime, but it’s impossible not to call him Kiryu when his face and actions line up so well. This is true of every character we encountered, where Okita Soji shares a face and mannerisms with Goro Majima. In fact, it felt as if we were waiting for him to pop off with a “Kiryu-chan!” at any moment. There was also a subtle nod with the counterpart of Masaru Sera toward his role as the Third Tojo Clan Chairmen in the baseline games, which was a fun moment.
Beyond the story and setting, the combat of Like a Dragon: Ishin introduces a few new elements while retaining the core gameplay fans have come to love. Ryoma has four combat styles players can utilize: Brawler (fists), Swordsman (sword), Gunmen (gun), and Wild Dancer (a sword and gun combo). Each has its own flair and use, which makes switching between them fun but also strategically viable. The Swordsman, for example, is able to block with his sword, while the Gunman is more exposed but has a better range. What’s more, despite guns being more commonly used in this period of transition, they don’t really feel weaker than firearms in the mainline games. The Brawler style feels the most like fighting as Kiryu, and it also comes with the ability to use environmental weapons. The Wild Dancer combo is great for when surrounded by multiple enemies, but it is still a good choice against solo targets as well.
While some games have somewhat limited Kiryu’s moveset, Like a Dragon: Ishin captures some of the most versatile combat in the franchise. After all, learning the combat styles and their combos is just the start. Players will be able to increase their abilities as they level up, and the Heat Actions of Like a Dragon games return, but that’s not all. There are special moves, aside from Heat Actions, associated with each combat style, and they require Heat to use too. Performing a quick, decisive slash in the Swordsman style or spinning wildly with the sword and gun in the Wild Dancer combo was fun and oftentimes effective. The Trooper Cards of Like a Dragon: Ishin were not available during our preview, but these promise to add another layer to the combat as well.
Adding to Like a Dragon: Ishin’s combat is an extensive crafting and equipment system, something not necessarily new to the franchise, but this may just be the most in-depth experience yet. The options we saw in weaponry, in firearms, and other equipment seemed to be just enough in the best ways; it wasn’t an overbearing system with far too many options. It seemed to be perfectly natural, and changing/improving weapons had a palpable impact on the combat. It seemed to walk a fine line where players who underutilize it are not necessarily punished but players who learn its depth are equally rewarded. That’s hard to say for certain, but the crafting and equipment system had a lot to offer nonetheless.
The substories and mini-games scattered around Kyo are everything fans would expect of the Like a Dragon franchise too. Players are able to engage in the following mini-games in Like a Dragon: Ishin - Singing, Buyo dancing, pitching in at the Udon shop, visiting a Yamabuki Brothel, cannon coaching, Scarecrow Chateau, fishing, wood chopping, chicken racing, Shogi, Gambling Dens, and Mahjong. The singing and dancing are as intense as any mini-game in the franchise, while the Scarecrow Chateau saw us trying to quickly take down animatronic scarecrows. Wood chopping was surprisingly therapeutic, while chicken racing was as hilarious as it sounds.
As far as substories go, we helped two children (best friends) say goodbye to each other as one moved, waited in line for some delicious food, got pulled into a conversation that never seemed to end, had our clothes stolen, and more. Part of the Like a Dragon experience is being involved with the surrounding city, with some players completing every substory as they come up, and those players seem to be in for a real treat. At the same time, those who do not want to participate in these events shouldn’t be negatively impacted, and some of these are more natural occurrences. For example, Ryoma forms a relationship, or “bond,” with the shopkeepers of Kyo. It’s uncertain how deep these interactions go and impact Like a Dragon: Ishin, but it was impressive just how naturally this was worked into the gameplay.
Overall, Like a Dragon: Ishin was impressive. If every chapter reflects this same level of quality in its stories, world interactions, and so on, many fans will likely find themselves in Kyo for hundreds of hours. If this holds true, it’ll prove this title isn’t a pitstop on the way to the release of Like a Dragon 8, but more of a full-fledged title in its own right than a simple spin-off.
Like A Dragon: Ishin releases on February 21 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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