After Like a Dragon: Ishin, a Kenzan Remake Seems Inevitable

Like a Dragon: Ishin released on February 21, with the title being a remake of a 2014 game which was originally limited to Japanese audiences. With the unique nature of the game and the presence of fan-favorite characters in a different historical setting, it is no wonder that Western fans of the franchise have long been voicing their desire for a global release of the title.

These desires were recently made a reality with the release of Like a Dragon:Ishin, which offers increased graphical fidelity, comprehensive new content, and an updated roster of more contemporary iconic characters. Given the anticipation and success of Ishin, it is clear that Ryu Ga Gotoku is becoming more comfortable with expanding the scope and reach of the franchise even further, and so a remastered release of Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan could very well come in the near future.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan

While the aforementioned Ishin has been the source of a lot of fan discourse in more recent years of the wider Like a Dragon franchise, it is not the first IP title to feature a dedicated historic Samurai setting. The first was Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan, which released in 2008 solely for the PlayStation 3, spawning a spate of ambitiously set spin-offs for the franchise such as the zombie shoot-em-up Yakuza Dead Souls.

Importantly, Kenzan is set over two centuries before the events of Ishin, and thus features a narrative and a cast of characters completely unrelated from the latter game. Because of this, Kenzan is a much more traditional Samurai game, being set in the Edo period of Japan in 1605 and subsequently doing away with the likes of firearms and more modernistic themes that Ishin features.

Like most franchise titles, Kenzan features four distinct fighting styles, with Kenzan's being focused on unarmed combat as well as a variety of different sword types. The story of Kenzan follows a loose framework to some of the narratives of the mainline franchise story, but does so in a layered and period-appropriate manner, making it just as worthy of a remake as Ishin.

Like a Dragon: Ishin and a Kenzan Remake

While there are currently no confirmed plans for Ryu Ga Gotoku to produce a Kenzan remake in the franchise's near future roadmap, recent developments for the IP make it a very plausible prospect. Mainly, the huge reception and longstanding anticipation of Like a Dragon: Ishin is a huge indicator for Ryu Ga Gotoku as to the growing profile of the wider Yakuza franchise across the globe.

Historically, the franchise has shyed away from going through the process of language localization for foreign audiences for its more obscure spin-off titles, with Kenzan and Ishin being the most high-profile examples of this. With Ishin already receiving its own comprehensive remaster, it seems almost inevitable that the same courtesy will now be extended to Kenzan, given the similar motifs and initial small scope of release that both titles received.

With Western audiences recieving Ishin with open arms, Ryu Ga Gotoku has a confirmed understanding of how successful a Kenzan remake would likely also be received, only further increasing the likelihood of an eventual remaster. When also considering how Kenzan is considered by many to be one of the best spin-off titles to come under the Yakuza name within its own right, the game is more than worthy of a remaster that could very easily become a reality in the near future.