Like a Dragon: Ishin! Review (PS5) | Push Square

pushsquare.com:

It's finally here! It's been almost a decade since Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! released exclusively in Japan on PS3 and PS4, with Western fans begging for a localisation effort all the while. But back then, the Yak--, er, Like a Dragon series was nowhere near as popular as it is now, and so here we are with SEGA greenlighting a worldwide launch for Like a Dragon: Ishin!.

This PS5 and PS4 re-release has been officially billed as a remake, but that descriptor is a bit of a stretch. In reality, this is more of an Unreal Engine reskin. The 2014 bones of the original Ishin are still here and they're virtually unchanged; all of the gameplay structure is more or less identical, while cutscenes are beat-for-beat. But it does look better than ever thanks to the visual overhaul, with some enhanced lighting in particular adding welcome depth to the capital city of Kyo.

And yes, before we move on, we'd better explain that Ishin takes place in 1800s Japan, a time when the British Empire was raising an eyebrow at the island nation, and firearms were well on their way to replacing traditional Japanese weaponry. Calling it a volatile period in Japan's history is perhaps an understatement, as both political and societal unrest threatened to erupt in bloody civil war — something that would have the Western world rubbing its hands together.

With all of this potential turmoil at the heart of Ishin's overarching plot, you step into the sandals of Ryoma Sakamoto, the adopted son of an influential lord, a low-ranking samurai, and a skilled swordsman. In real-world history, Sakamoto was a hugely influential figure in bringing about the 'Meiji Restoration' of Japan — essentially a reworking of the country's political direction. Sakamoto's historical