4.5/5 ★ – Lord_Hazenberg's review of Like a Dragon: Ishin!.

RGG studios proves that a game of theirs from 2014, with a fresh coat of unreal engine paint, is leagues better than the most recent AAA offerings on the market. Like a Dragon Ishin stands out even amongst the very best of the series as it’s a blast to play. I’ve put just under 70 hours in on the PS5, and have beaten the main story along with most of major side content outside of the last few battle dungeons including Amon. I won’t discuss story spoilers so it’s safe to read further on. First off, this game still feels like it’s from 2014. Fits right into that groove between Yakuza 5 & 0. The map, inventory, & activities are all what’s to be expected from a Yakuza/LaD title alongside some unique mechanics. Biggest difference being the combat being mainly weapon focused. Style switching is divided up between sword, gun, both, & bare handed. Bare handed is by far the weakest as there is a full weapon crafting system to keep you dealing good damage at all stages of the game. Story & characters are also very in line with the series formula, although this a much more violent affair compared to the main series. Sworn brothers, underground connections, & plot twists aplenty. Plot armor is rarely found amongst the pretty sizable cast. Speaking of the cast, it was very nice to see more recent familiar faces replacing the one offs from the original game. Characters from 0, 6, & Like a Dragon round out the main cast with all of the big names present as well. Kyo is a distraction filled city as it serves as the sole hub. Farming, fishing, cooking, chopping, dancing, singing, gambling, fighting, drinking, & even a brothel all dot the map. Sub stories & friendship bonds are present as well as is the unique virtue currency you gain for “doing good deeds.” I probably spent the first few chapters solely fishing & building up my farm as I didn’t want to rush through the main story. I have to dedicate at least a little time to the soundtrack. This studio, as well as parent company Sega, always knock it out of the park in this department and Ishin’s still blows me away. Combining the usual metal/electronic sounds with traditional Japanese instruments was a stroke of genius. Remixes of old themes such as “Soar” for Yakuza 3’s “Fly” or “Pseudo Fight” for Yakuza 5’s “Affected Fight” kick major ass. Then there’s “Assassination of Bodhisattva” which I have to listen to every day since I first heard it. Now for my issues with the game that held it back from getting that perfect score. Sub stories are pretty disappointing as a good bit of them are single conversations that introduce a friendship bond quest. Weapon crafting & upgrading is way too expensive & grindy that it might put off some players. Some upgrades solely being off random enemy drops is an egregious sin while others are locked behind the later battle dungeons. Enemy health in those later dungeons is unbelievable, as it can take more than 100 hits to kill a single enemy if you haven’t achieved limit break or forged endgame weapons. Also encountered 1 big performance issue around chapter 12. The serious frame rate drops wouldn’t have been as bad if there weren’t 2 boss fights during said chapter. TLDR/conclusion: I wholeheartedly recommend Ishin which comes as no shock as I adore every game in this series. Easily one of the best entries as well coming from someone who’s played them all. It could serve as an entry point for people wanting to get into the series as it is a spin-off, but the fan service would be missed out on. Being entirely in Japanese could turn away some new ppl, but that’s par for the course concerning series veterans.