Perhaps as a testament to just how anticipated Like a Dragon: Ishin is among the franchise’s fan base, development studio Ryu Ga Gotoku has already revealed a spate of pre-order bonuses for the game that will be available to players. Ranging from a variety of different perks and benefits, eager fans will surely be welcoming these pre-order bonuses with open arms.
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The Recent Like a Dragon Announcements
It can be said that the Like a Dragon franchise has been relatively quiet since the popular release of the genre-bending 2020 release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, but this recently changed with the recent Ryu Ga Gotoku Summit presentation. The Summit outlined the near-future plans of the series, which involves a plethora of exciting new releases.
The largest announcement at the Summit was arguably that of Like a Dragon 8, the next mainline installment to the franchise which will carry on the story of Ichiban Kasuga as well as Kiryu Kazuma, with both of these fan-favorite characters being dual protagonists. Another smaller-scale game was announced called Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which will reportedly tell the story of Kiryu between the events of Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
The last announcement to come from the Ryu Ga Gotoku presentation concerned Like a Dragon: Ishin, which is set to be a remake of the 2014 release of Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin. The original title has long been a source of debate among the LaD community, with fans in the West long stating their desire for a localized English version of the game which was originally only available in Japanese. This wish has been answered with the upcoming Ishin remake, which offers improved gameplay, English translations, and some more contemporary franchise characters being implemented to the game’s story.
Like a Dragon: Ishin Pre-Order Bonuses
Like a Dragon: Ishin is set to release on February 21 next year, with pre-order bonuses being available to fans. Those who digitally pre-order the title will of course get full access to the game, as well as three powerful weapons to use at launch. Two of these weapons are equippable samurai swords, with the Kijinmaru Kunishige having an elegant white hilt and black blade, and the Tsuyano Usukerenai having a red hilt and blood-stained steel blade.
With Like a Dragon: Ishin also possessing ranged combat, pre-ordering players will also receive access to a black ship cannon which can be used as a ranged weapon, carrying on the Like a Dragon franchise tradition of comedic elements mixed in with serious motifs and tones. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, those who pre-order Like a Dragon: Ishin will also receive early access to the title, being able to play it on February 17 four days before the game officially releases.
Considering that these pre-order bonuses come at no extra cost to the player, they offer a commendable level of benefit and reward for dedicated fans who want to get their hands on the long-awaited title as soon as possible. While offering a range of weapons to supplement the game’s lauded combat as well as a significant level of early access, pre-ordering appears to be a very attractive prospect for Ishin fans who have been waiting for this release for quite some time.
Like a Dragon: Ishin releases February 21, 2023 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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