In the recent ESGS 2022, SEGA has given us a chance to test out one of the newest Yakuza games this February, and in this article, we will let players know about our Like A Dragon Ishin Hands-On Impression. This will cover the story of the game, its gameplay, and many more.
Like A Dragon Ishin or those loyal to the original name, Yakuza Ishin is a remake of Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin which was launched for Playstation 3 and 4 back in 2013. The game focuses on the story of one of Japan’s greatest heroes of all time who launched a revolution of change and brought the age of war to an end, Sakamoto Ryouma. But what players do not know is that in Ishin, there is a dark secret that historians don’t know and SEGA really knows how to make a twist to it.
In terms of graphics, after playing it on the Playstation 5, its visual appeal is stunning and it makes me want to upgrade my TV specs and play it on 4K. Environmental details of the game surrounding Ryouma are very realistic and bring out Edo history back to life to point that makes me want to visit the historical landmarks of Japan once more. Character rendition and the usage of familiar Yakuza characters posing as some of Japan’s famous characters give it a nice touch that makes it even more appealing than ever.
The battle gameplay is still the same as ever however, it does not only revolve only on fist-fighting. Players using Ryouma can focus not only on fist-fighting but also on sword-fighting and gun-wielding separately or both at the same time. Moves and combos of Ryouma are very easy to maneuver plus the realism of getting hit with the blade or being shot with bloody effects is really intriguing.
Many of you are thinking that this remake will just have the same style of exploring from its original source but what players do not know is that there is a new feature added to the game known as Troopers. This gives unimaginable skills that do offensive moves, buffs stats, and even heal Ryouma during battle. It is pretty impressive and I could speculate that new side quest missions will be added to the game once it is fully out next year.
Each trooper is equipped based on the fighting you are using. In total, at least 16 troopers can be used, and each fighting style can be fitted with 4 troopers. Plus, during battles or rather at the end, troopers’ skills are leveled up making them even stronger or can unlock unexpected hidden gems.
Enemies in the game are mostly opposing sides that make use as well of Yakuza-themed characters and what I love about it is that both their looks and traits really make them imposing and challenging to face. I expect that this game will have more than just samurai as enemies. And I’d even wager that there will also be wild animals and ninjas for players to face in the full game.
Overall, I have high expectations for the game once it comes out. Not only that, I am really hoping to see more interactions with familiar Yakuza-themed characters and more challenging side quests in the game. Plus, I also want to see more historical Japanese figures so that I can learn more about the deep history of Japan’s new era to get enlightened.
Like A Dragon Ishin is set to be released on February 22, 2023, for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (via Steam).
If players are interested in looking for more Yakuza or Like A Dragon Related Articles, you can visit the links below for more info:
- Like a Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name Announced
- Like a Dragon 8 Revealed at RGG Summit 2022
- Like a Dragon Ishin! Launching Next year
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the Most Successful Title of the Franchise
- Like A Dragon Ishin Gameplay Trailer Revealed
Check out the latest trailer from SEGA showcasing the game’s Swordsman-style combat.
