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    'Like a Dragon: Ishin' is shaping up to be a worthy Feudal Japan-era 'Yakuza'

    A promising showcase of SEGA's upcoming RPG
    Nov 30, 2022
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    PHOTO: SEGA

    THANKS TO the recently concluded ESGS, we got to play a demo of Sega’s upcoming game Like a Dragon: Ishin and we are very excited. While the demo was fairly short with a mix of exploration and combat, the glimpse already made us more than excited for the game.

    Usually we’d only get to play these kinds of demos at events like E3 or the Tokyo Game Show, but Sega graced ESGS in the Philippines this year and many fans got to try this anticipated remake of a cult-classic.

    What Is Like a Dragon: Ishin?

    With SEGA officially using Like a Dragon as the name of its Yakuza games moving forward, Ishin will be the first game in its reboot of the beloved franchise. When we got Yakuza: Like a Dragon in 2020, we can definitely attribute the new direction the series is going thanks to the game’s major success.

    Everyone loved the turn-based JRPG inspired gameplay and the heroic antics of protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. He was definitely #1 in our hearts and also the first that got to use the Like a Dragon name. Kiryu Kazuma, the main protagonist of the Yakuza series was known as the Dragon of Dojima in the game, and we agree that everyone wants to be like a dragon.

    Like a Dragon: Ishin, unlike most games in the series, takes place in the Edo Period of Japan, instead of the usual modern-day stomping grounds. Ishin provides a nice change of pace from the modern gang wars we normally see in the Yakuza games, presenting sword duels between formidable Bakumatsu-era samurai.

    The characters of Like a Dragon: Ishin

    What also makes Ishin so interesting is the characters. We’ll be seeing lots of familiar faces from the franchise in Like a Dragon: Ishin.

    Instead of Kiyru Kazuma, we’ll be playing as vengeful ronin Ryoma Sakomoto. Ryoma Sakomoto looks exactly like Kiryu Kazuma, and we’re totally cool with that. The Yakuza series has evolved into somewhat of a drama/sit-com with all of the familiarity we have with the characters. Even if we’ve never played Ishin before (Ishin is actually a remake of the game of the same name from way back in 2014), because the characters are all so familiar the game feels like home, despite the different characters and the setting.

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    Here are some of the other familiar characters we’ll be seeing in Ishin.

    Majima Goro, the Mad Dog of Shimano, is back in Ishin with all the zaniness and rage you would expect. This time, his name is Okita Soji and he’s as violent as you would expect. As the Captain of the First Shinsengumi, he's an important character in Ishin.

    If you have Majima, you definitely have to have his partner in crime in Saejima Taiga. Then, the big and bald bruiser is Nagakura Shinpachi, the Captain of the Second Shinsengumi.

    We’ve also got Koichi Adachi, a new character from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as Isami Kondo, a loyal retainer of the Tokugawa clan and the commander of Shinsengumi. Another fan favorite in Kiryu’s brother, Akira Nishikiyama, will be playing Okada Izo. Izo, a brutal and violent member of the Tosa Kinno-to, will be an interesting shift for Akira Nishikiyama.

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    Those were just some of the characters that we’ll meet in Like a Dragon: Ishin and we’re expecting loads more when we actually get to play the game early next year.

    How the game plays

    After the turn-based style of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Ishin will be going back to a more action oriented and QTE style of play. Ryoma will have different fighting styles available to him in the game. From the straight-up two-handed bushido style of the samurai to a hybrid of katana and pistol, Ishin will have a lot of variety in its combat.

    Set in Feudal Japan, it's going to be a joy exploring the world of Ishin since Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios have always brought their settings to life in wonderful fashion. We’re also expecting a lot of mini games to be playable in Ishin. You want us to farm rice like a proper serf? Yes, please.

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    Expect Like a Dragon: Ishin to drop on February 2023. Thanks to ESGS and Sega for letting us play the game early because we can’t wait to become a samurai with Life a Dragon: Ishin.

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    PHOTO: SEGA
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