There are plenty of Samurai games out there, but only one lets you get in a bare-knuckle brawl with your arch-nemesis in an unclothed sauna, or play Texas Hold’em followed by some chicken racing. That game is Like a Dragon: Ishin, a historically-based epic that isn’t afraid to delve into the weird and wacky. Ishin is a spinoff of the wildly popular Yakuza series, which fascinatingly casts its iconic characters as real historical figures. It’s a must-play for anyone who’s a fan of historical period pieces, Samurai drama, or even just solid action games. Even better, it’s currently free with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, so you should jump on it quickly.
Like a Dragon: Ishin takes place in Japan in the 1960s, during what was known as the Bakumatsu era. This was a period where Japan was experiencing great turmoil after the arrival of Western ships, as different sects of the country pushed for modernization and tradition.
In Ishin, the iconic Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu plays the role of Sakamoto Ryoma, a disgraced Samurai seeking revenge for the murder of his adoptive father. Ryoma was an actual important historical figure during the Bakamatu period, who played a vital role in the establishment of the Empire of Japan. Again, if you’re a fan of Japanese history there’s a lot to love in Ishin — especially if you’re familiar with the Yakuza franchise.
It’s almost like watching the Yakuza characters do an extravagant stage-play of a Samurai drama, in the best way. Ishin’s story is a complex web of conspiracies, deceit, covert assassination, and a healthy dose of Samurai honor. There’s all the grit and drama you could want, while like I said earlier, still mixing in moments of absolute buffoonery.
But that’s really the Yakuza franchise’s mission statement, and for all intents and purposes, this is a Yakuza game. You can explore the cities of Tosa and Kyo in an open world setting, pursuing the main story while beating up random thugs, playing minigames, tackling side quests, and all the other good stuff. As is usual for the series, minigames are a massive highlight of the experience, letting you revel in the nightlife of the era, from preparing steaming hot udon to farming and slicing cannonballs in half, and spending an evening in a brothel.
There’s a ton of variety packed into the various activities you can do, and that rings doubly true for the game’s substories, which tell delightful little tales of the citizens. In one you continually bring a young boy vegetables, which he craves because his mother only feeds him meat. In another, you help put an end to a literally infectious dance plaguing the city called Ee ja nai Ka. Many of these substories tie into one another and lead to even more bits of story.
Of course, no Samurai game is complete without plenty of bloody combat, and Ishin has you covered on that front too. Ishin plays out like an action RPG, where Ryoma can switch between four distinct combat styles while outfitting himself with a variety of equipment and accessories. Swordsman focuses on two-handed katana strikes that focus on power, Gunman lets you unleash a flurry of bullets at range, Brawler is a rough and tumble hand-to-hand style, and Wild Dancer lets you elegantly combine the sword and the firearm in equal measure.
Swapping between these four styles on the fly is seamless, and provides a ton of variety. Battles feel visceral with swords clanging off each other, bullets landing with a thud, and every blow having weight behind it. It’s a great mix of arcade-y mechanics and a crunchy feel, that helps drive home the game’s Samurai style.
Samurai games are so often steeped in melodrama and ideas of honor and duty, but Like a Dragon: Ishin mixes all that into its positively wacky personality, creating a cocktail of tones and styles that’s impossible to put down. It’s the Yakuza’s infectious experience put through a historical filter, and there’s nothing else quite like it.
