Info about Like a Dragon: Ishin!:

Official game description:
Digital Deluxe Edition
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About the Game
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Don the clothes and weaponry of the elite to become the samurai of legend, Sakamoto Ryoma.  
The Deluxe Edition both adds challenge to your journey and gives you additional resources to overcome it. The Deluxe Edition includes:  
*   Shinsengumi Captain’s Set  
*   Ryoma Growth Support Kit  
*   Sword Upgrade Materials Kit  
*   Gun Upgrade Materials Kit  
*   Third Division Armament Expansion Kit  
*   The Dragon of Dojima Skin
1860s Kyo is plagued by widespread inequality, and one samurai will change the course of history in his search for justice. Take up the sword of Sakamoto Ryoma and venture to Kyoto to find your father’s killer, clear yourself of a framed murder, and restore your honor. In doing so, you will bring an end to the samurai era and forever change the future of Japan. Draw your blade, load your revolver, and join the revolution in this heated historical adventure that only the creators of Yakuza: Like a Dragon could produce.

Release date: 21 Feb, 2023

Categories: Single-player Story, Action-adventure, Character Progression, Real-time Combat, Mini-game Collection, Character Customization, Resource Management


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent Spin-off Experience (weight 0.69): The game is widely regarded as a successful and enjoyable spin-off, offering a fresh take on the familiar Yakuza formula. Players appreciate its unique historical setting while retaining the core charm, humor, and engaging side content of the main series.
- Engaging Story & Narrative (weight 0.66): Players consistently praise the game's story for being captivating, well-paced, and full of intriguing twists and turns. Many found the plot to be on par with the best in the series, with strong character development and emotional depth.
- Unique Samurai Setting (weight 0.41): The feudal Japan setting, particularly the Bakumatsu period and Shinsengumi elements, is a major highlight. Players love the blend of historical drama with Yakuza-style action, finding it immersive and a refreshing change of pace.
- Overall Engaging Gameplay (weight 0.28): Beyond specific features, players find the overall gameplay experience to be highly engaging and satisfying. The game successfully combines its various elements—story, combat, and side activities—into a cohesive and enjoyable package.
- Rich Side Content & Mini-games (weight 0.18): The game offers a wealth of enjoyable side quests and mini-games, ranging from humorous diversions to engaging activities like farming and fishing. This content adds significant replay value and enriches the overall game world.
- Improved Graphics & Cutscenes (weight 0.13): The remastered version boasts enhanced graphics, particularly in cutscenes, with detailed character faces and realistic lighting. These visual improvements contribute to a more immersive and cinematic storytelling experience.
- Excellent Soundtrack (weight 0.08): The game's music is consistently praised for being very good, catchy, and atmospheric. The soundtrack, including boss fight themes and karaoke songs, significantly enhances the overall experience.

Common complaints:
- Outdated & Clunky Core Gameplay (weight 0.99): Players widely criticize the game's core mechanics, including controls, combat, and overall gameplay feel, as stiff, clunky, and outdated for a modern release. Many feel it's a significant step back from previous titles in the series, leading to a frustrating and unenjoyable experience.
- Excessive & Repetitive Grinding (weight 0.74): A major point of contention is the pervasive and often meaningless grind required for progression, upgrades, and 100% completion. This includes leveling, crafting, money earning, and side activities, which many players find tedious, boring, and artificially extended.
- Weak & Repetitive Side Content (weight 0.52): The side quests, mini-games, and other secondary content are frequently described as boring, repetitive, and uninspired. They often interrupt the main story, lack meaningful rewards, and contribute to the overall grind, failing to meet the high standards set by other games in the series.
- Inferior to Other Yakuza Titles (weight 0.37): A recurring sentiment is that the game falls short when compared to other entries in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, particularly Yakuza 0. Players highlight inferior combat, story, mini-games, and overall gameplay experience, suggesting it's one of the weakest titles in the franchise.
- Unbalanced & Frustrating Combat Styles (weight 0.25): The combat system is heavily criticized for its poor balance, with several fighting styles (especially Brawler) being deemed largely useless due to low damage output and ineffectiveness against armed enemies. This forces players into specific styles, limiting variety and making combat feel repetitive and unsatisfying.
- Disappointing Remake Quality (weight 0.23): Many players feel the game fails to live up to its 'Kiwami' (remake) title, perceiving it more as an HD remaster or port. They note a lack of significant graphical improvements, new content, or modern quality-of-life features, leading to disappointment given the full price.
- Technical & Visual Shortcomings (weight 0.2): The game suffers from various technical issues, including crashes, stuttering, and inconsistent graphics quality. Many players note that visuals, especially outside of cutscenes, appear dated and do not meet modern standards, with some cutscenes locked at 30 FPS.
- Frustrating Boss & Enemy Design (weight 0.2): Boss battles and enemy encounters are frequently criticized for being frustrating and unfair. Issues include bosses with excessive super armor, spamming attacks, inconsistent hit detection, and a lack of player stun opportunities, making fights feel like a tedious war of attrition.
- Lack of Immersion & Engagement (weight 0.13): Several players struggled to immerse themselves in the game, citing issues like limited scene interaction, frequent black screen transitions, and a historical setting that didn't appeal to them. This led some to abandon the game early on.
- Unpopular Trooper Card System (weight 0.11): The Trooper Card mechanic is widely disliked, with players finding it immersion-breaking, silly, and a forced element that contributes to the grind. Its impact on combat balance and the inability to disable it are significant points of frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Diverse Combat Styles (weight 0.52): The game features a robust combat system with four distinct fighting styles: Swordsman, Gunman, Brawler, and Wild Dancer (combining sword and gun). Players can switch between these styles, each with its own skill tree and unique moves, adding strategic depth to battles. The system is reminiscent of earlier Yakuza titles like Zero and Kiwami.
- Historical Yakuza Spin-off (weight 0.38): This title is a historical spin-off of the Yakuza series, set in Japan's Bakumatsu era (1860s) during the Meiji Restoration. It features familiar Yakuza characters portraying real historical figures, most notably Kazuma Kiryu as Sakamoto Ryoma, offering an alternate history narrative with a classic Yakuza feel.
- Trooper Card System (weight 0.22): A unique 'Trooper Card' mechanic allows players to recruit historical figures as cards, which provide passive stat boosts and active abilities during combat. This system can be expanded for strategic depth or ignored for a higher difficulty, and it integrates with the game's progression and gacha-like elements.
- Remake of Japanese Exclusive (weight 0.09): This game is a remake/remaster of 'Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!', originally released in 2014 exclusively in Japan for PS3/PS4. The current version features improved graphics, translation, and additional content, utilizing the Unreal Engine.
- Adjustable Difficulty (weight 0.05): The game offers adjustable difficulty settings, including a 'Legend' difficulty for a greater challenge. While some found the game easy even on higher settings, others noted a significant spike in enemy damage on Legend, particularly in later chapters.

Performance notes:
- Generally good PC optimization (weight 0.09): Many players report decent PC optimization, with the game running well on various handhelds like Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go, often achieving smooth frame rates. The PC version is also noted to be smoother and visually superior to its console counterpart.
- Inconsistent graphics quality (weight 0.09): Player opinions on graphics are mixed. Some find them great, while others describe them as mediocre or poor for a remake, sometimes resembling older titles with mods. There's a general sentiment that while upgraded, the visuals aren't consistently impressive.
- Cutscene frame rate limitations (weight 0.03): A significant number of players are bothered by cutscenes and certain rhythm game sections being capped at 30 frames per second. While a patch exists to uncap this limit, it's a common point of frustration.
- Unreal Engine implementation (weight 0.03): The game's use of Unreal Engine 4 is frequently mentioned, with some players praising its contribution to improved shadows and lighting compared to other releases. This indicates a positive reception for the engine choice.
- DX12 stability issues (weight 0.03): Players report severe crashing issues specifically when using DirectX 12. Switching to DirectX 11 is a common workaround that resolves these crashes and can also mitigate stuttering problems.
- Shader stuttering present (weight 0.02): Some players experience shader stuttering, particularly when the cursor moves, indicating a potential optimization issue related to shader compilation. However, one reviewer noted it wasn't too frequent on their specific setup.
- Game size and loading (weight 0.02): The game has a moderate size of approximately 58GB. Despite this, some players note that the relatively small locations require separate loading, which could impact the sense of seamlessness.
- Support for upscaling technologies (weight 0.01): The game includes support for modern upscaling technologies, specifically FSR 2.1 and DLSS, which is a positive for players looking to improve performance or visual quality.
- Native anti-aliasing is TAA (weight 0.01): The native anti-aliasing solution is limited to TAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing), which some players might find less desirable compared to other options.
- Resolved crash issues (weight 0.01): One player noted that crash issues they experienced were resolved, suggesting that some stability problems might have been addressed through updates or specific configurations.

Recommendations:
- Best for Yakuza/RGG fans (weight 0.75): The game is highly recommended for existing fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, especially those who enjoy Japanese history or samurai themes. Many suggest it's a must-play for series completionists or those seeking more content after playing other titles. However, it is generally not recommended as a starting point for newcomers.
- Consider other games first (weight 0.5): Many players recommend trying other Yakuza titles like Yakuza 0 or the Judgment series before playing Ishin. Some even suggest skipping Ishin entirely in favor of other entries or waiting for future releases like 'Rise of the Ronin' or 'Gaiden'.
- Mixed reception, average rating (weight 0.33): Player opinions on the game's overall quality are divided, with ratings ranging from highly positive to strongly negative. While some consider it a masterpiece or a solid entry, others find it disappointing or not worth playing. The average sentiment leans towards a decent but flawed game, often rated around 7-8 out of 10.
- Wait for a deep sale (weight 0.26): A significant number of players advise against buying the game at full price, recommending to wait for a substantial discount (often 50% off or more). Many feel the game's value is only justified when purchased on sale, especially for those primarily interested in the story or who are not hardcore fans.
- Issues need fixing (weight 0.04): Some players note that the game has various issues, including combat system refinement and locked 30FPS cutscenes, which prevent them from fully recommending it until these problems are addressed by the developers.
- Hopes for Kenzan remaster (weight 0.02): A small but notable sentiment among fans is the desire for a remaster or PC port of the older Yakuza title, Kenzan, indicating a preference for other historical spin-offs.

Other player notes:
- Familiar Yakuza Characters in New Roles (weight 0.31): The game features an extensive cast of characters from previous Yakuza titles, reimagined in new roles within a historical setting. This provides significant fan service for long-time players, though some new players might not fully appreciate the character connections.
- Historical Narrative Liberties (weight 0.11): The game's story, while set in a historical period and featuring real figures like Sakamoto Ryoma, takes significant creative liberties. This results in a fictionalized narrative that deviates from strict historical accuracy, which some players found confusing or overly dramatic.
- Remake/Remaster Identity (weight 0.1): Players perceive the game as a blend of a remake and a remaster of the original 2014 Japanese-exclusive title. There's discussion about the extent of graphical updates and the transition to Unreal Engine 4, which some found controversial.
- Character Recasting Concerns (weight 0.04): Some players noted that certain original actors were replaced in the remake, leading to questions about the reasons behind these changes and how they impact the plot or character allegiances.
- Desire for Kenzan Remake (weight 0.02): A small but vocal group of players expressed a strong desire for a remake or remaster of Yakuza Kenzan! on modern platforms, indicating a broader interest in historical Yakuza spin-offs.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.24): Players found satisfaction in the game's engaging story, rich historical setting, and the successful blend of Yakuza elements with samurai themes. The diverse combat styles, memorable characters, and abundance of side content, including mini-games, also contributed significantly to overall enjoyment and a sense of a complete, high-quality experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.23): Disappointment stemmed primarily from the game's perceived lack of true 'remake' quality, with many feeling it was merely a remaster with outdated graphics, clunky controls, and repetitive gameplay. Issues with the story's pacing, uninteresting side quests, and grindy mechanics also contributed to a sense of unmet expectations, especially for fans of the Yakuza series.
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Frustration was frequently caused by the game's excessive grinding for money, upgrades, and completion, coupled with clunky controls, camera issues, and unbalanced combat. Players also expressed annoyance with repetitive side quests, unskippable cutscenes, and technical problems like crashes and poor optimization.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement was generated by the game's unique concept of 'Yakuza with swords' in a historical setting, offering fresh combat styles and an engaging story with unexpected twists. The appearance of familiar characters in new roles and the overall immersive experience, including various mini-games, also contributed to a highly positive and captivating feeling.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger arose from the perception of the game as a 'cash grab' due to its high price, lack of significant improvements as a remake, and perceived predatory monetization practices (e.g., single-use DLC). Poor combat design, frustrating difficulty balancing, and technical issues like lag and censorship also fueled strong negative reactions.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Players enjoyed the game's fresh historical setting, the engaging main story, and the variety of side quests and mini-games. The dynamic combat, particularly the Wild Dancer style, and the overall Yakuza charm, including familiar characters and humor, contributed to a fun and immersive experience.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Joy was derived from the game's ability to deliver a fulfilling Yakuza experience in a new setting, with engaging combat, humorous side content, and the excitement of seeing familiar characters. The successful localization and remake for PC also brought joy to long-time fans.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciated the game's detailed historical setting, the delicate portrayal of historical events, and the strong narrative that blended Yakuza elements with historical drama. The well-crafted characters, visual improvements, and the overall existence of the game as a spin-off were also highly valued.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement came from the game's humorous side stories, quirky mini-games, and the comedic contrast between serious historical drama and the typical Yakuza absurdity. Seeing familiar characters in unexpected, often silly, roles also provided significant entertainment.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom was primarily caused by repetitive combat, unengaging side content, and excessive grinding. Some players found the overall gameplay loop and story uninteresting, leading to a lack of motivation to continue playing.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion stemmed from specific plot points, an unclear narrative after completion, and the chaotic nature of the story. Illogical aspects of combat and the trooper mechanics, as well as forgetting the main game due to side content, also contributed to this emotion.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players experienced surprise from the game exceeding their expectations, the unexpected appearance of familiar characters, and how much time they unexpectedly spent playing. Specific plot twists and the quality of the social bond system also contributed to pleasant surprises.
- Caution (weight 0.01): Caution was expressed regarding recommending the game to new players or non-fans of the Yakuza series, as its specific gameplay style, historical setting, and potential grind might not appeal to everyone. Completionists were also advised to be cautious due to the demanding nature of 100% completion.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance was caused by small quality-of-life issues such as unskippable ending credits, weird pauses in actions and menus, and minor technical flaws like camera issues and loading delays. The high price for a game perceived as old and poorly optimized also led to annoyance.
- Regret (weight 0): Regret was felt by players who purchased the game at full price, finding it not worth the cost despite enjoying some aspects. Not buying the game on sale or realizing its issues sooner also led to feelings of regret.
- Nostalgia (weight 0): Nostalgia was triggered by seeing familiar faces from the Yakuza series in a new setting, reminding players of older Yakuza games and a style of gaming that is less common today. Playing an older system after newer titles also highlighted the series' progress.
- Engagement (weight 0): Engagement was characterized by players losing track of time while playing, unexpectedly investing many hours, and being drawn into the game's story with its plot twists and betrayals. The intriguing use of familiar characters and plentiful side content also fostered deep engagement.
- Admiration (weight 0): Admiration was expressed for the game's exceptional quality, improved combat styles, and its portrayal of specific characters. The game was often lauded as a masterpiece, particularly for its music and strong narrative.
- Neutrality (weight 0): Neutrality reflected a balanced view, where players found the game neither awful nor compelling, describing it as 'standard run of the mill.' Familiarity for series fans could lead to fatigue, contributing to this neutral stance.
- Interest (weight 0): Interest was sparked by the game's unique feudal Japan setting, its historical basis, and the opportunity to learn about the Shinsengumi. The concept of a Yakuza game in this historical context was a significant draw.}