Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Presentation

Like a Dragon: Ishin! transposes the series' formula to 1860s Japan, at the end of the Edo period. The player takes control of Sakamoto Ryoma, a historical figure reimagined with the appearance and voice of Kazuma Kiryu, in a story combining personal revenge with major political upheaval.

After the murder of his mentor, Ryoma travels to Kyo, the future Kyoto, and assumes the identity of Saito Hajime in order to infiltrate the Shinsengumi. His investigation places him at the center of tensions between the shogunate, imperialist movements and the different factions competing to determine the country's future.

The city follows a structure familiar to Like a Dragon players. Shopping districts, inns, restaurants, entertainment venues and more dangerous areas host the main story, side encounters and numerous activities. The historical setting strongly changes the atmosphere, but the contrast between serious drama and much lighter situations remains immediately recognizable.

Combat takes place in real time and is built around four styles. Swordsman focuses on swordplay and samurai techniques, while Gunman allows Ryoma to fight at range with a revolver. Wild Dancer combines sword and firearm at the same time in a fast and mobile approach, while Brawler abandons weapons entirely in favor of hand-to-hand combat.

These styles can be developed separately and switched depending on the enemies encountered. Numerous Heat Actions retain the spectacular presentation associated with the series, while equipment, weapons and their upgrades play an important role in progression.

Ryoma also joins the Shinsengumi and can build formations using Trooper Cards. These companions provide special abilities that can be used during combat and assigned to different styles. The 2023 version expands this system beyond dedicated missions and integrates it more fully into general combat.

Alongside the political intrigue, Another Life offers a completely different pace. Ryoma shares a country home with Haruka, grows vegetables, cooks, fishes and fulfills trade orders. This activity gradually develops the property and the relationship between the two characters without becoming necessary to progress through the main story.

The game also retains the abundance of side content characteristic of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio: substories, bonds with residents and various leisure activities sit alongside the main quest. The overall experience therefore preserves the foundations of Like a Dragon while replacing contemporary Japan with a reinterpretation of the Bakumatsu, the period preceding the Meiji Restoration.

Key points

• A historical spin-off of the Like a Dragon series set in the 1860s.
• Sakamoto Ryoma is portrayed with the familiar appearance of Kazuma Kiryu.
• Ryoma assumes the identity of Saito Hajime to infiltrate the Shinsengumi.
• A story combining revenge, investigation and political conflict at the end of the shogunate.
• Exploration mainly centered on Kyo, with Tosa also appearing in the story.
• Four combat styles: Swordsman, Gunman, Wild Dancer and Brawler.
• A system combining swords, firearms, hand-to-hand combat and Heat Actions.
• Trooper Cards provide additional combat abilities.
• Another Life allows Ryoma to develop a rural life with Haruka.
• Numerous substories and side activities preserve the identity of the series.
• The 2023 version is a modernized reconstruction of the 2014 Japanese game.

Conclusion

Like a Dragon: Ishin! moves the series' conventions into a historical period without abandoning its familiar structure: dramatic storytelling, action combat, a dense city and a large amount of side content.

Its four combat styles place the contrast between swords and firearms at the center of the experience, reflecting a period caught between samurai traditions and Japan's modernization. At the same time, the infiltration of the Shinsengumi makes it possible to use historical figures while reinterpreting them through familiar faces from the franchise.

The result therefore works as a standalone adventure: knowledge of the other games helps players recognize actors and references, but Sakamoto Ryoma's story belongs to its own fictional historical continuity.

Good to know

Like a Dragon: Ishin! was developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA and published by SEGA.

The game was released worldwide on February 21, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC/Steam.

It rebuilds Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!, originally released only in Japan in 2014, with Unreal Engine 4, modernized presentation, a partially renewed cast and various gameplay additions. SEGA and PlayStation present it as a full remake rather than a simple remaster.

Historical characters are portrayed by familiar faces and actors from the series. Takaya Kuroda, the Japanese voice of Kazuma Kiryu, therefore voices Sakamoto Ryoma. This does not mean that Kiryu travels into the past: Ishin! uses the franchise's cast to portray different characters within a separate continuity.

The game features Japanese voices only, with subtitles available in several languages, including French, English and Spanish.

The different editions and DLC mainly add resources, equipment and additional Trooper Cards. This entry focuses on the story and core systems of the standard edition.