Posted on Feb 18, 2023
'Like a Dragon: Ishin!' Review: An epic samurai tale leaves Japan for the first time
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https://www.npr.org/2023/02/17/ [login to see] /like-a-dragon-ishin-review
It's easy to forget nowadays, but the Yakuza franchise actual struggled outside of Japan for many years. With its mainline games floundering in the West, spinoffs didn't have a chance at localization for an international audience.
One of these titles, 2014's Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!, never made it out of Japan. But the franchise's fate improved with Yakuza 0's Western release in 2017. That game's popularity paved the way for future games such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon to make their way overseas. It also sparked a remastering renaissance, as older games got released on new hardware, such as Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 3 Remastered.
Now, after nearly a decade, samurai epic Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! comes to international audiences and modern consoles with the English title Like a Dragon: Ishin!. It's a heart-wrenching story about brotherhood and found family, complete with the charismatic characters we've come to expect from the franchise. However, its combat can't always escape its dated PlayStation 3 roots.
It's easy to forget nowadays, but the Yakuza franchise actual struggled outside of Japan for many years. With its mainline games floundering in the West, spinoffs didn't have a chance at localization for an international audience.
One of these titles, 2014's Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!, never made it out of Japan. But the franchise's fate improved with Yakuza 0's Western release in 2017. That game's popularity paved the way for future games such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon to make their way overseas. It also sparked a remastering renaissance, as older games got released on new hardware, such as Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 3 Remastered.
Now, after nearly a decade, samurai epic Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! comes to international audiences and modern consoles with the English title Like a Dragon: Ishin!. It's a heart-wrenching story about brotherhood and found family, complete with the charismatic characters we've come to expect from the franchise. However, its combat can't always escape its dated PlayStation 3 roots.
'Like a Dragon: Ishin!' Review: An epic samurai tale leaves Japan for the first time
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Japan
Video Games
Japan Video Games
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 1
2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A remake worth discovering
Like a Dragon: Ishin! joins a long line of recent remakes in the video game industry — from The Last of Us Part I to Dead Space to the upcoming Resident Evil 4.
But Ishin! is unique in that it'll be a fresh adventure for most players. It's a sign that the game's publisher isn't afraid to localize an overlooked gem with such a distinctly Japanese story and setting. Despite some clunky combat, Like a Dragon: Ishin! offers a top-notch narrative, memorable characters, and an overall experience worthy of the Yakuza franchise."
..."A remake worth discovering
Like a Dragon: Ishin! joins a long line of recent remakes in the video game industry — from The Last of Us Part I to Dead Space to the upcoming Resident Evil 4.
But Ishin! is unique in that it'll be a fresh adventure for most players. It's a sign that the game's publisher isn't afraid to localize an overlooked gem with such a distinctly Japanese story and setting. Despite some clunky combat, Like a Dragon: Ishin! offers a top-notch narrative, memorable characters, and an overall experience worthy of the Yakuza franchise."
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