Well, it happened.Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!, aYakuzagame set in the later years of feudal Japan, is finally getting a Western release. Kind of. Instead of just localizing the original game, Sega and RGG Studio are remaking it from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. It certainly helped the game stand out among the announcements ofLike A Dragon 8,Like A Dragon Gaiden, and the PC release of bothJudgmentgames.
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But there are still some other games in the series that could do with a fresh lease on life, either from getting re-released or remade from scratch. Ranked in order from least necessary to most, here are someYakuzagames that would benefit from a fresh coat of paint.
5Ryu Ga Gotoku Online
This was afree-to-playcollectible card game for PC, Android, and iOS that was released exclusively in Japan. Chances are readers groaned the moment they saw ‘free-to-play’, learned about its cheap gacha mechanics and were thankful this one didn’t make it beyond its home nation. Except it has a few highlights.
For one, it was the first game to follow the new protagonist Kasuga Ichiban across a 22-chapter storyline. It was also the last game (as of this writing) to feature previousYakuzaprotagonist Shun Akiyama. Just in case its ‘Wanderings of a Golden Dragon’ follow-up wasn’t enough, which followsYakuza 2villain Ryūji Goda andYakuza 6’s Joon-Gi Han across Sotenbori, Tsukimino, Kineicho, and Onomichi. It would be fascinating to see it in some form in the West, if only for the story.
4Yakuza 3
Wasn’t this one already released? Yes, as part of theYakuza Remastered CollectionwithYakuza 4and5. It’s why it’s low on this list, as the game still looks and plays fine. Fans spoiled byYakuza 0’s quality of life upgrades and pacing might have a tough time with it though. The enemies love to block, and the story chugs with random asides toKiryu’s adopted kids.
While it was great to get all the side content and minigames that were missing from the original Western release, its take on hostess training, golf, etc., wasn’t very exciting. If Sega can remake a game from 2014 inIshin, this one from 2009 could do with theKiwamitreatment. It might not help with the pacing, as theKiwamigames remake the story almost beat-for-beat. But the side stories, minigames, and graphics (particularly the lush Okinawa setting) would benefit from the boost.
While RGG Studio felt their samurai games were ‘too Japanese’ for the West, this entry was purpose-built for Americans in mind. Everyone else in the West got it too, but Kiryu didn’t get a Maple Leaf, Union Jack, Tricolour, etc., outfit to go with his giant guns. It was a third-person shooter where Kiryu and co have to toastall the zombiesthat have taken over Kamurochō. All while still doing the requisiteYakuzaside activities like charming hostesses, singing karaoke, playing arcade games, etc.
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In execution, the game was janky thanks to some wonky gun controls and a jittery frame rate that messed with the screen. If it were remade, or even re-optimized to fix the visual issues, the game might get a more favorable reception. It was the first game to give fans the chance to play as the series’ favorite Goro Majima, and the only one in the West where they could play as Ryūji Goda, while still retaining the series’ charm.
2Kurohyō 1 & 2
Does combiningYakuzawith theDef Jamgames sound like a recipe for success? These two PSP brawlers focused more on the one-on-one fighting as players took on new lead Tatsuya Ukyo as he fought to uncover a conspiracy and protect the Dragon Heat underground fighting arena. RGG Studio was the main developer as usual, but it was also worked on by Syn Sophia.
They’re better known as AKI Corporation, the company behind theN64 WCW and WWE wrestling games, and the first twoDef Jamfighting games. For extra oddness, they’re the only games in the series (bar one borrowed track inYakuza 5) to feature music fromJet Set Radio&Sonic Rushcomposer Hideki Naganuma. The two games do play rather well, but they’d be worth revisiting just for those quirks alone. It’s a shame they’re Japan-only. There are English language patches, but it would benefit from having an official release.
1Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!
This one was probably pretty obvious to fans.Ishinwas only the secondsamurai spin-off game.Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzanwas the first to feature a Kiryu-like protagonist swinging a sword in feudal Japan, and the first game the series’ developers made for the PS3. Released in 2008, the game follows Kazumanosuke Kiryu (get it?) as he’s tasked by a young girl called Haruka to track down and kill the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The problem is that Kiryu IS Musashi under a pseudonym, so he has to find out who’s besmirching his name.
Being older thanYakuza 3, fans would’ve thought it’d be more deserving of the remake treatment than the fresherIshin. The original gameplay is a little tricky with some difficulty spikes. However, fans have suspected some of its ickier elements (namely going one step further than hostess clubs) might be why it got skipped over in favor of its spiritual sequel. Then again, if theIshinremake catches on, maybe aKenzanremake will also appear. Or even a new samurai game with a wider release. Let’s hope for the best.
