Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG) Studio have once again created their 2014 samurai title Like A Dragon: Ishin! This remake is said to bring new content along with an improved version of the original game. Before we get into the details of the game, I have to say that this feels more like a Remaster than a Remake. The only reason I see why they Remade it instead of simply Remastering it is to have it built in the Unreal Engine 4 which allows them to have much better cinematics, which this game is loaded with after all. This release also made it available worldwide and on current platforms, so fans of the Like A Dragon, aka Yakuza, series can enjoy this game in its optimal form.

Back in 2014, Like A Dragon: Ishin! never made it to my side of the world and so this was my first playthrough of this title. While I can’t properly compare it to the original, I will be reviewing the game based on its own merit. So, let’s dive in.

Story

The story starts off laying a lot of groundwork and trying to fill in a lot of details sooner rather than later. First, you are a returning samurai that defends a stranger from wicked gang-like authorities which winds up getting you locked up. Then, you luckily find out your father is the leader of the group that you defied to defend a stranger. He gives you freedom and has you meet with him to discuss matters further. This meeting leads to you learning that he has formed a Loyalist Party as he wishes to take over the city of Tosa, expressing distaste for the way it is currently being ran.

After agreeing to join his cause, he has you meet with your brother who is also in charge of this Loyalist Party. Unfortunately, just when plans are beginning to be set, a masked intruder invades and manages to kill your father, along with a number of men. Being found next to your father’s lifeless body, the Loyalist Party presumes you to be the killer and begins a chase. This leads to you having to leave the town after vowing not to return until you find the killer.

Jumping forward one year, you are going by a sudo-name in a neighboring town that your journey to find the masked killer has led you to. The only thing you have to work with to find him is his fighting style, a rare style that isn’t used by many. In hopes of finding this user, you join the ranks of the towns authority figures which quickly reveals that there are at least two fighters with that fighting style. On your way home, you run into a stranger that urges you to meet them in a more secluded part of town. There you meet up with your brother once more and get an update on the Loyalist Party.

The story continues to be told scene after scene with big changes happening throughout the game. You’ll also come across plenty of small story and sub-story moments on your journey, the majority of which can’t really be skipped once they are triggered. There really is a lot of detail to this story, but it is ultimately a somewhat generic revenge-type of tale. While you are looking for the samurai that killed your father and beseeched your name, your brother is making moves - some of which you don’t agree with - in order to advance the Loyalist Party to their final goal; taking over Tosa. The double edge sword of lore with the Loyalist Party activities is what gives the story more flare and makes it less boring, but it comes at the cost of creating a ton of cinematics.

Gameplay

Gameplay itself is done really well and pretty smoothly in this game. You have four different fighting styles that are easy to change between. You can upgrade each of these fighting styles individually and earn power-up points for their skill trees as you win fights through the game. Most of the time you will earn points that can be used only for the fighting style you are actively using with a few all-purpose skill points that can be used on any fighting style. These skill points can unlock new moves, increase your health, and increase damage in a variety of ways.

My favorite fighting style is Wild Dancer as it lets you use a sword and a gun, which comes in handy with a lot of the different fighting scenarios you end up in. They do offer Brawler for those that like to fight with their fists, Swordsman for pure swordplay, and Gunman for pure gunplay. The gunplay option is honestly a little funny and can be used to wrap up a fight you are almost finished with, but that sucks out some of the entertainment. Brawler is a great second option because you can do some cool grabs and fast-fist combos.

Other than the actual combat, there is quite a bit to do when you have downtime. There are a bunch of different shops to visit, you can find random items in lidded pots, talk to random NPCs, go fishing, and more. The game has a very relaxing side to it if you hang out in the towns in between missions. Plus, gathering food and medicine are items you need in order to heal during combat. You can also find other materials that can be used for other instances, like Blacksmithing.

Not too long into the game and you will come across your first Blacksmith. Here you can have swords made, given you bring the materials for that to happen. You can also upgrade current weapons, as long as you have a core to put into it. Some weapons can’t be upgraded, but they can be crafted into better swords. The better-tiered weapons do have the previous tier weapon on the ingredient list, so don’t just toss weapons you don’t need unless you know you don’t need it for crafting either.

The downside to the gameplay is how often it is simply interrupted. I felt like every 10 steps I took, a new cutscene of some kind started up. Chapters seemed to hold two or three fights in them before you end up in a long cinematic. This does slow down and chapters start giving you a lot more to do in terms of combat, but the first few hours of gameplay will feel cinematic-heavy.

Audio and Visual

The quality of the cinematic visuals were pretty outstanding, but the actual in-game graphics were rather standard. It seems most of the remake’s efforts went into the cinematics, which there are a lot of them so it makes sense. I can’t say that I see a lot of changes from the original version of the game when comparing gameplay, so this honestly would have been better to consider the visuals Remastered instead.

As for the music and sound effects of this game, they are very fitting and do a good job of filling the atmosphere. Plus, the voice acting seemed clean and well-performed, even if it is only in a language I don’t speak. The audio efforts in this game are definitely sure to catch your attention as they truly help bring out that samurai experience.

Replayability

There are a bunch of sub-stories that you can complete, so for someone who likes to complete their games in full, there is some reason to replay the game. Other than that and harder difficulty options, I don’t see much reason to keep playing once it has been beaten.

What It Could Have Done Better

We have reached an age where the term Remake means something much different than a Remaster. The fact that this game only shows the quality upgrade and overall improvements to be considered a Remaster, but since it was built in a new engine they are calling it a Remake, is a bit upsetting. Sure, it has smooth gameplay and the cinematics are beautifully crafted, but the game in full maintains the experience style of its original era.

While I do enjoy a good narrative, the heavy cinematic entrance to this game was far too much to experience. There must have been a better, shorter way to get this information across. Even when the game slows down on being cinematic-heavy, there still seems to be more cinematics than the average title. If you don’t like the story, you are in for a lot of text to skip and scenes that can be skipped before you can get back to the action.

Verdict

Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a title that deserves to be considered Remastered, not so much Remade. That said, the combat is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed taking on crowds of enemies at a time, not to mention the hard fights against fighters that were just better than me before the fight. Even as someone who enjoyed the story, I felt like it was interrupting my actual gameplay experience and it led to me being a bit annoyed with the title. This is a game that is hard to recommend due to its flaws, but if you can get through long cinematics then you are likely to enjoy the gameplay itself.

Like A Dragon: Ishin! is set to release on February 21, 2023, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Those who pre-order the digital deluxe will be able to start their adventure today!