The Yakuza series (or as it’s now known, Like a Dragon) is finally getting its flowers. The long-running franchise had a niche following in the west until it finally entered the mainstream with 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon. With that success in mind, publisher Sega decided to pull a deep cut from the series' past. Originally released in 2014 as a Japanese exclusive, Like a Dragon: Ishin! comes to modern platforms, this time fully remastered in Unreal Engine 4. The oddball title takes Yakuza's familiar faces and voices and sends them back in time to the 19th century. Despite the new locale, this $59.99 samurai tale nails the series' melodrama and ridiculous humor. That said, this PlayStation 5 game is also built atop the older Yakuza title's foundations, so it comes with some dated choices that may deter you if you aren’t already a fan of the series. Like a Dragon: Ishin!'s Story Ishin! is a spin-off of the Yakuza series and is even further removed than the detective-driven Judg...
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a remastered blast from the past that will appeal to longtime Yakuza fans, but a dated design and some bugs make the game feel rough around the edges.
Excellent voice performances; Hilarious sidequests and minigames; Attractive remastered graphics; Great localization and glossary
Minor bugs and glitches; Unbalanced combat; Some dated gameplay design choices