Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 111 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 93 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 81% | 75 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 77 | 75 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 70% | 67 | 18 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 51 reviews sampled · 41 total reviews in window · weighted 27 up / 11.5 down · computed 20m ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (138)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“It’s almost miraculous how such wild tonal swings don’t break the immersion of the game. Instead, they provide much-needed respite from the ins and outs of a bloody, morally charged tale about family, betrayal, colonialism, democracy, and revolution unlike anything that’s ever been released on Western shores. Baked right into the mechanics is the fact that keeping Ryoma away from living something resembling a normal, honorable life will damage him over time. Some of the best perks and armor in the game are hidden behind Ryoma literally keeping his house in order. It’s highly impressive that all that lives in perfect balance in Ishin, where taking up the sword to seek justice is as wonderfully intricate and as it is here.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fantastic remake, and I’m really glad the studio finally decided to release it outside of Asia. Despite some camera issues, it’s still a very well-made game that deserves your attention. If you enjoy action-packed stories spiced with timeless humor and emotion, you’ll definitely enjoy Like a Dragon: Ishin! Add to that crazy combat, a ton of side activities, and subplots. You’ll experience all of this in the beautiful setting of the Japanese city of Kyoto.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Like a Dragon: Ishin is simply another well-made game in this infinitely original series. It may be a bit rusty, not quite up to modern standards, but it nevertheless is a lot of fun and offers all the things people want from and love about the Yakuza series.”
read full review ↗ - 72
“And despite some skepticism about how its historical period would be portrayed, the early turns of its story hooked me thanks to its marriage of murder-mystery, subterfuge, and deeply felt brotherly bonds. Unfortunately, these points of familiarity eventually proved incompatible with the kind of politically charged tale it was trying to tell. While most of my time with Ishin! was a delight, its closing hours are a mess due to its inability to reconcile the series' naivety and optimism with the complexities of history, resulting in a sanitized portrayal of the past that is both bewildering and somewhat troubling.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Like a Dragon: Ishin! sticks very closely to the Yakuza series' formula. Which means it'll bring its players both fun combat, ridiculous side content and some great character moments... and also exceeding amounts of expository dialogue and filler story beats.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Like A Dragon: Ishin at it’s core is still very much Yakuza/ Like a Dragon title despite being completely separated from the mainline series. It has a grand story and characters that will captivate you from beginning to end, incredible action, great over the top moments that will make you laugh out loud, some that will make you question why they’re so weird and of course plenty of mini games and systems implemented that will keep you entertained aplenty when not completing the main missions.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While the storytelling is fabulous and the substories are legendary levels of insane, there are definitely parts of Ishin that could have used a bit more refinement, such as the combat and location design.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While It finds itself in the company of phenomenal ground-up remakes like Dead Space and Metroid Prime: Remastered, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should feel good about what they’ve done here. Not only does it bring a previously inaccessible entry of the franchise to a captive audience, but it also shows that they can breathe new life into them as well. That part alone is worth celebrating. There are times when this remake does walk. But when it sprints, it really turns on the jets.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a good addition to the Yakuza series, it still suffers from its cartoonish humour and jarring ending. The game is a comforting breath of fresh air regardless while it maintains your typical Yakuza mechanics but in a completely different time and place. It's like coming back to your home town after 10 years and seeing how much has changed; familiar but different all at the same time.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While it doesn’t feel like it quite reaches the heights of Yakuza 0 or 7, it still stands out as another fun romp through an insane story with an entertaining batch of characters.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Although Like A Dragon: Ishin presents a compelling story and fun gameplay mechanics but it fails to present a proper remake on the visual side that truly commemorates the original game”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Like a Dragon: Ishin! has finally arrived and I am more than happy to report that it brings exactly what all fans of the long-running franchise want to the table: more Yakuza.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
GRYOnline.pl
Paste Magazine
Fun Factor
ani-game.com
RPGamer
Gamer Escape
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Arabhardware 
Nexus Hub…and 126 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! 1.04 Patch UpdateApr 27, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! 1.06 Patch UpdateApr 14, 2023
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! 1.05 Patch UpdateApr 4, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! 1.04 Patch UpdateMar 17, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Known Issue - Kijin-maru Kunishige WeaponMar 9, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! 1.03 Patch UpdateMar 3, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Upcoming Patch UpdateFeb 23, 2023
- Issue of DLC not displaying on SteamFeb 21, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- How To Access Pre-order Bonus/DLCFeb 17, 2023
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! – Early Access Out Now!Feb 17, 2023
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! Known IssuesFeb 17, 2023