As is usually the case with Ryu Ga Gotoku titles, Like a Dragon: Ishin! has a wide array of content to enjoy in addition to the main story. There’s so much, in fact, that focusing all of your time on finishing the content related to the plot won’t even bring you to 50 percent of the way toward completing the game. Fortunately, this means there’s plenty to do in the post-game, and we’ve compiled a list of 10 things you can do after beating Like a Dragon: Ishin! that’ll be well worth your time.
Complete Every Substory
It should come as little surprise that Substories make a return in Like a Dragon: Ishin!, though you might be happy to know that the game has several which are well worth experiencing in their entirety.
Ranging from lengthier fetch quests and races with elite package couriers to trivia quizzes based on 19th century world maps, these side stories place Ryoma in all sorts of random situations. Even better is the fact that you can rather easily stray from the intended storyline they’re meant to follow, resulting in awkward exchanges that will have you chortling and cringing in equal measure.
Topping things off is the fact that completing each Substory will net you valuable materials which you can use to craft better armor and weapons. Doing so will make you that much tougher, and give you that extra bit of strength needed to overcome the rest of the title’s post-game content.
Max Out Every Friendship Bond
Acting as pseudo-Substories of sorts, the Friendship Bonds Ryoma can establish with different characters throughout Kyo serve as some of the best post-game content.
Most all of them see Ryoma dragged into strange interactions and situations, and you’ll need to carry out specific actions to see him out of them safely. In exchange though, he’ll end up gaining unexpected allies which can aid him in battle, join him at his Villa with Haruko, and otherwise ensure he has a smiling face to greet him as he runs back and forth along the streets of Kyo completing the other tasks scattered throughout the game.
And just so you know, six of these friendship bonds are related to dogs and cats which Ryoma can adopt as his own once they’re maxed out. Doing so will allow you to pet them too, so do with that info what you will.
Gamble via the Prize Wheels and Gambling Minigames
Feeling the gambling itch, but don’t want to waste your real-world money on a risky pass time? Like a Dragon: Ishin! has you covered with a variety of virtual gambling minigames.
The game features the usual series staples like Mahjong as well as card games like Poker, and you can take part in these distractions for a pretty insubstantial amount of in-game currency. There are also the less traditional minigames which are exclusive to Ishin, such as Chicken Racing and the Prize Wheels that allow you to make use of the glut of Prize Tickets you more than likely amassed as you made your way through the main story.
At worst, you’ll end up losing some of the Mon and Ryo you no longer have any use for. On the other hand, you could end up rapidly increasing your funds with a well-placed bet, and have a massive windfall of cash that’ll make clearing the other post-game content available a tad easier.
Compete in the Arena
While the arena is always a big draw in Ryu Ga Gotoku titles, the one in Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a cut above.
Featuring a wide array of opponents to take on, the combat-centric attraction found in Mukurogai is best left to those who have cleared the game and leveled up their character pretty substantially. Every competition, from the more standard Knock Out matches to the 100-man survival challenges, will see you forced to utilize every technique at your disposal and pull out all the stops to emerge victorious.
In exchange for this effort, you’ll be rewarded with a solid amount of money and points which can be put toward rare gear and materials for crafting. Both will prove useful when attempting to complete other bits of content on this list too, so it’s well worth putting the time into this optional gameplay.
Max Out Every Combat Style
While you probably ended up getting a decent way toward maxing out at least one of the Combat Styles in Like a Dragon: Ishin!, it’d be a miracle if you managed to max all of them out by completing the main story alone.
This is because doing so requires you to not only reach the maximum level of 99 and achieve level 25 in each individual style but also complete the storyline for each Style master and the Scarecrow Chateau. Achieving all of this would take several dozen hours and would be substantially more difficult to try and do without being fairly well-equipped first.
And yet, when this is attempted in the post-game and done in tandem with the other options presented on this list, things become markedly more enjoyable. You’ll almost certainly level up quickly as you complete each task we’ve laid out here, and can put the ability orbs you earn toward maxing out each Style or unlocking new Heat actions to use in combat.
This will in turn make the more combat-heavy optional gameplay segments more engaging, and keep you immersed in the game far longer than you otherwise might have.
Complete the Another Life Side Story
If you want to spend more time in Kyo but don’t want to waste as much time diving in and out of combat, then the Another Life side story is the best way to go.
Centered around gameplay that feels more in line with a farm management sim, this segment of the game will allow you to enjoy the less intense and stressful aspects of the game. You can fish for different aquatic critters in the nearby rivers and sea, nurture plants and crops at Ryoma’s Villa, and otherwise help Haruka pay off a debt incurred by her parents before her death.
There’s not any pressure to complete a given task either, so you can enjoy the different minigames and tasks tied to Another Life at your own pace.
Hunt Down Every Wanted Man
Whereas titles like Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon feature lengthier side missions centered around building up businesses, Like a Dragon: Ishin! instead sees you tasked with cleaning up the streets of Kyo by tracking down dangerous bounties.
Taken on via a home base in Mukurogai, this side story blends action with a winding tale of intrigue nicely for a more substantial optional experience. It also features some legitimately challenging fights with the boss characters found throughout it and will net you a sizable amount of Ryo in exchange for all of your efforts.
Do be warned, though, that you’ll rarely be given a map marker for where you’re supposed to go and will instead need to use your knowledge of Kyo to track down specific objectives and targets.
Create the Ultimate Weaponry
While it may seem easy enough to craft top-grade weaponry during your initial playthrough, doing so will likely not prove feasible until you reach the post-game.
This is largely due to how difficult it can be to obtain rare crafting materials through the main story alone. While you’ll certainly receive enough to increase your smithing level a few times, and should be able to reach a point wherein you can make a passably powerful weapon, the truly top-grade armaments won’t be craft-able until you complete some Substories and delve into other post-game options.
Luckily, you’ll be well-rewarded for going the extra mile to nab these legendary arms. Most all of them will turn battles into little more than a flex as you decimate everything in your path.
Clear Out Every Dungeon With the Best Troopers
While the dungeons found in Like a Dragon: Ishin might not be the most fleshed-out content in the game, they’re still well worth playing once you hit the post-game.
This is less so because they become more fun after the story is complete, and is more due to how different the gameplay centered around them is. In addition to exploring cavernous tunnels and battling enemies, you’ll also be tasked with amassing forces to aid you in the form of Trooper Cards. These Cards grant you special abilities that can do everything from slow down time to assail your opponents with a rain of demonic blades.
Acquiring new Trooper Cards is a blast too, as you’ll either need to explore Kyo for new potential allies or take part in a Gacha-style mechanic that sees you earn a random new card for a price. It’s a simple, yet effective bit of side content you can easily lose yourself in for hours.
Complete the Ultimate Challenges
For those looking to truly test their prowess in mastering the game’s combat mechanics, there’s the Ultimate Challenges.
Offering a variety of combat scenarios where you’ll need to complete battles in specific ways, this post-game mode is for those who truly want to test the limits of how well they can play the game. Some challenges will see them forced to battle enemies while trying to execute specific moves. Others will see them forced to defeat a slew of adversaries in a limited amount of time, while others still will require surviving a gauntlet of attacks without being hit even once.
It’s a perfect final test for those who have dumped dozens of hours into the game, and we highly recommend it to anyone who’d like to squeeze that extra bit of enjoyment out of their experience.
