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Like a Dragon Ishin Guide

Raise your katana Like a Dragon Ishin guide is the best tips and tricks for combat, character development. We describe all unique weapons, optional activities, mini-games, growing crops, fast travel, romances, arena battles, system requirements, controls.

Last update: 13 March 2023

Our guide to Like a Dragon Ishin will help you learn all the secrets and attractions in the city of Kyo, where the game's main story takes place. This will help you complete quests and additional activities. It will also bring you closer to 100% completion of Like a Dragon: Ishin.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Guide contents

Most of our guide is dedicated to the game's unique locations. You'll learn how to start Substories (side quests), where to find specific shops and restaurants, where to find mini-games and optional activities (karaoke, chicken racing, courtesans and others), where to find a casino and what it offers, as well as many others. We haven't omitted secrets and collectibles either. You will find information about the locations of secret items (e.g. unique weapons and gear) and what types of rewards are provided for collecting them.

Our guide also features an FAQ section with answers to the most frequently asked questions. We explain e.g. how to unlock Kyo districts, how to use fast travel, do you have to be familiar with the Yakuza series, how to earn Virtue, how to increase your inventory, where is the casino or how to get Seals. This information will make it easier for you to travel around the game's world and complete more important activities.

The main chapters are supplemented by an appendix. Its most important part is the trophy guide, where we explain how to get all the achievements as well as the game's platinum trophy. We've also prepared separate pages regarding the controls, system requirements and how long does it take to beat Like a Dragon Ishin.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Tips and Tricks

Examine loot containers often. Their contents refresh from time to time, letting you acquire more items.
Develop all four fighting styles. Some battles are easier using a specific style. You can also gain useful skills and passive stat bonuses.
Get ready before difficult encounters. These are usually preceded by a text window asking are you sure you want to head out or enter a building. Before doing so, heal Ryoma up and stock up on consumables.
Replenish lost health. Playing with a low health bar may lead to a sudden death. You can heal by using medicine, food or visiting restaurants.
Complete as many challenges as possible. You'll find them in the Diligent Records menu. They revolve around matters such as exploring the world, completing mini-games or defeating enemies. They reward you with Virtue reputation points.

You'll find more tips on a separate page of the guide: Tips and Tricks.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Substories

Fushimi - This district offers the most side missions. You can complete 22 Substories.
Rakugai - This district of Kyo has 12 Substories.
Rakunai - This is the second largest district when it comes to side missions. You can complete 19 Substories here.
Gion - There are 4 Substories in this smaller district. You can gete here starting with chapter 3.
Mukurogai - In the bandit district, you can complete 8 Substories.
Mibu and others - These are all quests from the Other tab in the journal: Mibu, the farm and Kiyomizu Temple. There are 7 Substories to complete.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Secrets and optional activities

Martial arts masters and training - On this page you'll learn where to find martial arts masters in Kyo, as well as where to improve your combat skills.
Fishing - This page describes how to get the best fishing rods, where to fish and what are the rules of the fishing mini-game.
Another Life - farm - On this page you will find advice on how to manage the farm and how to earn money thanks to Trade Orders.
Karaoke - Here you will find out where you can sing songs and how the mini-game works.
Shops and restaurants - Tosa - This page contains a list of locations from the first chapter.
Shops - Kyo - We have compiled all the shops in Kyo and their offers.
Restaurants - Kyo - We have compiled a list of all restaurants and bars along with the meals they serve.
Adopting dogs and cats - Here you will learn where to find 3 homeless dogs and 3 homeless cats, as well as how to adopt them.
Globe quiz - On this page we have listed the correct answers for the Substory #11 Global Fraud.
Bonds (Shops) - This page contains a list of restaurant owners that you can befriend.
Bonds - Here we list the characters encountered during the exploration of Kyo with whom you can form a relationship.
Mini-games - On this page, you will find a list of all available mini-games and where to start them.
Talkin' Tosa - translating letters - The walkthrough for Substory #5 will help you translate the 3 letters.
Battle Dungeon - This page discusses the missions mode in which you explore dungeons to gain XP and loot.

Like a Dragon Ishin: FAQ

Campaign

How to save the game? - On this page we explain when does the game autosave and answer can you save manually.
How to start Substories? - On this page we explain how to find out about new Substories, which aren't initially marked on the city map.
How to unlock other districts of Kyo City? - We've explained how to reach every other district of the main city: Mukurogai, Rakugai, Rakunai, Mibu and Gion.
Is Fast Travel available? - You'll learn how to unlock fast travel and what are its limitations.
How to count currency (Ryo and Mon)? - On the page we've explained how to easily determine how much money Ryoma has. You'll learn what the terms Ryo and Mon mean.
How to change the time of day? - On this page we explain how to change the time of day, for example, in case you wish to roam the city in the evening.
Do I need to know the Yakuza games? - On this page we explain is it required to play previous Yakuza games before this one, and is there any content prepared specifically for fans of the series.
Is the combat real-time? - The page answers whether the fights are turn-based (similar to Yakuza 7) or in real time.
Is there a point of no return? - You will learn about the so-called point of no return here. We explain when the game's finale begins.
Is there Premium Adventure? - Here, we inform whether you can continue playing after completing the story.

Ryoma and character progression

How to earn Virtue Points? - On this page we explain how to unlock the reputation mechanic, how to acquire Virtue and what is the best way to spend reputation points.
How to increase the inventory? - We explain how to increase your consumables carrying capacity and does the cap apply to other items as well.
Why isn't the Heat Gauge rising? - The page has solutions to a potential issue with the Heat Gauge not charging.
How to get Seals? - Here you will learn about the Seals and how to obtain them.
How to get Ginseng? - We inform you how to get valuable ginseng and what it is used for.
How to use Special weapons? - The page explains how to unlock the slot for Special weapons (spears, cannons and others).
How to get Aquamarine? - Here we suggest how to get Aquamarine, one of the rare crafting materials.
How to change outfits? - This page tells you where you can change Ryoma's outfit and whether you can change the appearance of other characters.
How to extend Health and Heat gauges? - We have included tips on how to temporarily or permanently extend Health and Heat bars.

Activities

Where is the casino? - Find out where the Gambling Den is located and what types of gambling mini-games are available in Ishin.
How to play the lottery? - We inform where the wheel of fortune lottery is. You'll also learn about prizes and how to earn Prize Tickets.
How to change the farm's decor? - This page explains how to change the appearance of the farmhouse and the interior of the main building.
Where is the battle arena? - You'll learn where to find the arena, how to unlock it and what are the rewards for winning battles.
How to defeat the Leader of the Bandits? - The page contains a strategy for the Bandits Den boss from the Battle Dungeon mode.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Minimum PC system requirements

This list of system requirements will let you see can your PC run Like a Dragon Ishin on the lowest settings (1080p, 30 FPS).

Operating system: Windows 10 64-bits
Processor: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz
Graphics card: GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon RX 460 with 2GB VRAM
RAM: 8 GB
DirectX: 12
Disk space: 60 GB

You'll find more information regarding recommended requirements and the game's performance on consoles on a separate page - System requirements.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Game editions

Like a Dragon Ishin can be purchased in two main editions - standard and Digital Deluxe Edition, which additionally lets you get the game a few days before its release. We've described the contents of both these versions in more detail on the Game editions page.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Game length

Like a Dragon Ishin, similarly to previous Yakuza games, is quite long and features lots of additional content (mini-games, side quests, optional battles, collectibles, etc.). Beating the game should take you a few dozen hours, with 100% completion requiring even more time. More information available here: Game length.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Trophies and platinum trophy

Like a Dragon Ishin contains 56 achievements, one of them being a platinum trophy only available on the PS4 and PS5. We've described all the achievements and how to unlock them. You'll find this information on the Trophy guide page.

Like a Dragon Ishin: Game launch

The game has two different release dates:

February 17, 2023 - the early access launch, available to the owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition;
February 21, 2023 - the standard release day (both physical and digital).