As players prepare to jump back in time with Like A Dragon: Ishin!, they may be wondering if this is a new story for Kiryu — or rather, Sakamoto Ryoma in this case. While the Yakuza franchise has been running strong in the west for a fair bit of time, this may be the first time fans have heard about this particular entry.
As the series has grown and evolved over time, so have the spin-offs that started as something completely different. Let’s dive right into this retelling of events, and find out if Like A Dragon: Ishin! is something completely new, or a retreading of old ground.
Is Like A Dragon: Ishin! A Remake Or a New Game?
Available only in Japan for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, the Like A Dragon series had two spin-off titles that were not available for players in the west. The first, Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! saw the main protagonist in what can only be described as a bizarre stage-play retelling of Edo period Japan.
Alongside a heavier focus on weapon-based gameplay, gamers were treated to something rather unique, while still having something rather familiar. The unfortunate part of all of this, however, is gamers hoping to partake in Ryu ga Gotoku: Kenzan! will either need to jailbreak a PlayStation 3 to use an English fan translation, or play with a guide to understand what is happening, as it has not received any sort of English translation.
However, on the other hand, Ryu ga Gotoku: Ishin! is receiving a full-on glow-up, giving gamers the first chance to experience this part of the franchise. Not only will this title have full English subtitles, but it will be easily accessible for gamers in the States and elsewhere to get for the first time. Rather than just remastering this title, it seems the Ryu Ga Gotoku team has built this title from the ground up, with an improved combat system, and so many other additions to make it fit in with a new audience.
Gone are the days of having to either learn Japanese to follow along or reading a fan-translation guide alongside the gameplay to understand what is happening, Sakamoto and the gang are coming in for a new audience to fall in love with.
Like A Dragon: Ishin! will be available February 21, 2023, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
