Yakuza Ishin and Kenzan
Over the last few years, the Yakuza series has broken away from the solid roots that kept it linked to Japan to reach its various declinations also in the West.In addition to having published the most recent chapters, SEGA has already brought we have remastered editions and real remakes of now various iterations of the action series, but the company's work may not have come to an end. The producer of the series, Daisuke Saito, has in fact expressed the desire that Yakuza Ishin and Kenzan, both spin-offs set in the Japanese Edo period, receive the same treatment reserved for Yakuza 0, and Yakuza Kiwami 1 and 2.
"Personally, I would like to see these titles localized so that Western fans have a chance to appreciate them. For the past few years, we've prioritized trying to win back audiences in the West with Yakuza 0. Time has seemed to fly by then, and we haven't had opportunity to release these titles. In my opinion, the action component in "Ishin" and "Kenzan" is among the best in the series. So I would like to locate the titles if there is a chance. However, the games are already seven years old. So there would like additional work to produce remakes instead of simple ports. This makes the decision a little more complicated ".
In short, if Saito's will is there, SEGA doesn't necessarily decide to care its resources for a restoration project linked to Yakuza Ishin and Kenzan. Who knows that the insistent requests of players who wish to immerse themselves in the Japanese Edo period will finally fail to convince the publisher. What do you think about it? Would you like to play Ishin and Kenzan for the first time, perhaps on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S?
Yakuza’s Producer Interested In Bringing Japan-Only Kenzan & Ishin To The West
Long-time Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato has expressed interested in bringing the Yakuza series spin-offs, Kenzan and Ishin, to the west, after years of them only being available in Japan. Unfortunately, it seems like there’s going to be a lot of effort involved before we see that become a reality.
What Will It Take To See More Yakuza In The West?When speaking to the outlet JP Games, Sato stated that because of the age of the spin-offs, more work would be required to bring them west: “Personally, I would like for these titles to be localised and enjoyed by our Western fans. We were prioritising regaining our ground with the series in the west from Yakuza 0, so time just flew by without an ideal time to release these games.”
He added: “In my opinion, the action is among the best in the series, so I’d like to localise them if we get the chance. However, [Ishin] is also close to seven years old, so we may need to put in additional work to remake it instead of a simple port, so the decision is a bit more complicated.”
Would That Mean Kenzan or Ishin Kiwami?Possibly, though Kenzan might be more of a worthy candidate for a ground-up remake in the Kiwami style, considering it was released for the PS3 in 2008. Ishin is a little more up to date, as it launched in 2014 for the PS4.
While Yakuza 1 and 2 received full Kiwami remakes, Yakuza 3 was just bundled together with 4 and 5 to form the Remastered Collection when it was originally brought to the PS4 (and now Xbox and PC), though that might have been the result of a push to offer the complete Kazuma Kiryu saga on one platform, from Yakuza 0 to Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life. As Kenzan and Ishin are spin-offs, perhaps Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio can take more time to remake the experiences for modern platforms.
Right, But What Are Kenzan & Ishin?Both games are samurai-based spin-offs to the Yakuza series, using character from Japanese history and folklore but replaced with the voices and faces of characters from the Yakuza series. Even though you’re playing as a completely different character, you still look and sound like Kazuma Kiryu. Kenzan is set in the 1600s and follows Miyamoto Musashi, while Ishin is set in the 1800s, as you play as real-life samurai Sakamoto Ryoma who joins the Shinsengumi to avenge the death of his mentor.
READ MORE: If Die Hard Is A Christmas Film, Yakuza Kiwami Is A Christmas Game
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.