Like A Dragon: Ishinproducer Hiroyuki Sakamoto recently discussed a plethora of details about the upcomingYakuzaspinoff, diving into the setting, characters, and more. Sega first revealed theremake of the 2014Yakuzaspinoffearlier this year, sending players to the samurai-dominated Bakumatsu period. The upcoming release next year will be the first time the game has released internationally with its previous PS3 and PS4 launch being Japan-only. Now, Sega has given fans a deeper look into everything coming with theYakuzaspinoff.
The original release of the Japan-onlyRyu ga Gotoku Ishinwhisked players away from the franchise’s typical Japanese gangster thematic into a world of samurai. The release ofIshinpre-dated the high-profile releases ofYakuza 0andKiwami, which saw the franchise explode in popularity in Western markets. With theYakuzafranchise receiving several remakes of older games in the years sinceIshin’s launch,Sega announced in February that the spinoff would be making a return next year. Now, Hiroyuki Sakamoto is sharing plenty of details aboutIshin.
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In an interview on Sega’s official YouTube channel, Sakamoto gives fans adeep dive intoLike A Dragon: Ishin, re-introducing elements of the original for Western audiences. Players will take control of Ryoma Sakamoto in his journey to track down the assailant who killed his father figure. The remake will retain the card-based skills ofLike A Dragon: Ishinwhile “refreshing and upgrading the battle system.” Several recognizable characters from theYakuzafranchise are also confirmed to return, playing different roles as Bakumatsu-era samurai.
Sakamoto went in-depth on some of the new features coming with theYakuzaspinoff remake as well. Several new sub-stories will be added toLike A Dragon: Ishinalong with an updated soundtrack, featuring both the original game’s tracks as well as several popular songs from the series' history. Sakamoto also confirmedseveralYakuzamini-gameslike chicken racing and karaoke will be returning inIshinas well. The game’s karaoke mini-game is set to feature both a new rendition of franchise staple “Bakamitai” as well as a brand-new song, which Sakamoto didn’t want to spoil.
The announcement ofLike A Dragon: Ishincoming to the West was just one of a trio of major announcements for the franchise earlier this year. Following its recent official name change toLike A Dragon,Sega officially announcedLike A Dragon 8in September with the next main-series game set to launch in 2024. Ryu ga Gotoku Studio also revealed the upcomingLike A Dragon: Gaidenfor 2023, starring the franchise’s original protagonist Kiryu following the events ofYakuza 6. BetweenIshin,Like A Dragon 8, andGaiden, fans of the franchise have plenty to look forward to in the coming years.
Like A Dragon: Ishin!is scheduled to release on February 21st for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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