For starters, there is, of course, the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, which is available to subscribers of both tiers. Among the many games that this library will add on November 19, some of the more notable ones of Grand Theft Auto 5, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and Chivalry 2, among many others.

Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers also get access to legacy and VR titles every month, with this month’s offerings bringing Synapse for PS VR2, as well as classic PS1 and PS2 action-adventure titles Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2, ahead of the December release of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered.

Finally, Insomniac Games’ beloved PS3 first-person shooters Resistance: Fall of Man and its sequel Resistance 2 will both also be available to PS Plus Premium subscribers, but only via streaming. You can check out the full list of upcoming additions across both tiers below.

PLAYSTATION PLUS GAME CATALOG

• Grand Theft Auto 5 (PS5, PS4)
• Dying Light 2 Stay Human (PS5, PS4)
• Like a Dragon: Ishin! (PS5, PS4)
• MotoGP 24 (PS5, PS4)
• The Sims 4 Island Living (PS4)
• Digimon Survive (PS4)
• Overcooked! All You Can Eat (PS5, PS4)
• Stick Fight: The Game (PS4)
• Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (PS5, PS4)
• Killer Frequency (PS5, PS4)
• Hungry Shark World (PS4)
• Chivalry 2 (PS5, PS4)

PLAYSTATION PLUS PREMIUM

• Synapse (PS VR2)
• Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PS5, PS40
• Blood Omen 2 (PS5, PS4)
• Resistance: Fall of Man
• Resistance 2

Speaking in a recent interview with Japanese outlet Type, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio technical director Yutaka Ita touched on the aforementioned topic, saying that development of Like a Dragon games should ideally always be on the Dragon Engine (or some other internal toolset), owing to ease of use, and the fact that the toolset was designed specifically to suit the needs of the series.

“In order to develop Like a Dragon, the Dragon Engine is something that must never be lost, and we will continue to develop an in-house engine,” Ita said. “Dragon Engine concentrates its development resources on the functions necessary for Like a Dragon, and above all, the speed at which new functions are added is a big advantage. If you’re using a general-purpose engine, you can email support and get a reply in about 3 days, but if you ask the programmer next to you, it only takes 5 seconds. I think this difference is significant.

“But it’s not a good idea to think, ‘Our game engine is the best!’ In particular, I believe that we programmers should always have a sense of urgency that ‘that one is greater, and we need to work harder.'”

So why exactly has Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio been dabbling with external, third-party engines like Unreal Engine and Unity of late, like the former being used in Like a Dragon: Ishin! last year? According to Ita, that was down to the studio want to expand its familiarity with multiple engines rather than becoming too reliant on a single one, as well as the potential ways that could improve the Dragon Engine as well.

“We made this choice because we have to adapt to changes in the gaming industry,” Ita explained. “Perhaps, in the future, if a very good general-purpose game engine comes out, all the game companies in the world will use it.

“At that time, if Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio was in a state where only the Dragon Engine could be used, it might not be able to compete in this world anymore. We don’t know which direction the game industry and development environment will take in the future. That’s why in the training for new employees at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, they learn how to make games using three engines- Unreal Engine and Unity, in addition to the Dragon Engine.

“Knowing the other two engines will help us make the Dragon Engine better, and we’ll be able to keep up with it whenever the direction of the gaming industry changes. That’s what trilingual education is for.”

For instance, Ita explained that the visual and lighting improvements enabled by Unreal Engine in Like a Dragon: Ishin! prompted the studio to implement similar improvements in Dragon Engine for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

“We began to see what we had been lacking until now,” he said. “One of those things is the expression of light. Because we used Unreal Engine for Like a Dragon: Ishin!, we were able to create a very beautiful expression of gloss in a bright daytime environment and a high level of depth of field.

“On the other hand, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was developed with the Dragon Engine, but after receiving a request to incorporate the expressions that we were able to achieve in Ishin! into Infinite Wealth, we added new lighting features to the Dragon Engine.”

Of course, a lot more is inbound, including F1 Manager 2023 on October 19th for cloud, consoles and PC. Cities: Skylines 2 launches on October 24th for PC Game Pass, while Dead Space Remake arrives on October 26th for cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S via EA Play.

The same day sees Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery for cloud and consoles, collecting all three Frog Detective cases in one game. Mineko’s Night Market will also launch for cloud, consoles and PC. Finally, October 31st sees the launch of Headbangers: Rhythm Royale and Jusant, both for cloud, consoles and PC.

Those with EA Play (included in Game Pass Ultimate) can also play the early access trial for EA Sports UFC 5 on October 24th. Check out the games leaving Game Pass on October 31st:

• Gunfire Reborn (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Kill It With Fire (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Persona 5 Royal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Signalis (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Solasta Crown of the Magister (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Chief among them is, of course, Forza Motorsport, the next instalment in Turn 10 Studios’ racing sim franchise (and the first in roughly six years), which, like all first party Xbox titles, will be available via Game Pass on PC, console, and cloud on the day that it releases, October 10.

Before that, on October 4, Fatshark’s acclaimed co-op first person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Darktide will also become available to subscribers on cloud and Xbox Series X/S, having already been available via PC Game Pass since November last year.

On October 12, Triangle Studios’ sci-fi co-op action game From Space will join the service on console, PC, and cloud, while on October 17, as announced recently, Like a Dragon: Ishin! – which launched earlier this year – will join the Game Pass catalog on console, PC, and cloud.

Meanwhile, starting today, The Lamplighters League and Gotham Knights have also joined the service, as previously revealed.

It’s out on November 9th consoles and PC and focuses on Kazuma Kiryu as he takes on the name “Joryu” following the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Despite laying low, it’s not long before Kiryu faces overwhelming odds, which affords plenty of opportunity to use the new Agent Style.

However, that’s not all, as Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the recent remake of Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin!, is also coming to Xbox Game Pass later this year. Set during the Bakumatsu in Feudal Japan, it focuses on Sakamoto Ryoma as he hunts for his master’s killer. It will also be playable on Xbox and PC. Check out our review for more details.

Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 may start fairly linear with some levels but quickly expands into more open environments like Rosaria and Sanbreque. The vistas are gorgeously rendered, and you’ll discover more side quests, interesting characters, and Notorious Marks to take down. Later, you’ll probably search for some rare materials and maybe take on some high-level Hunt targets.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Tears of the Kingdom’s events are in the same Hyrule as Breath of the Wild, and while there are similarities between the two maps, the sequel’s size is simply breathtaking. The Sky Islands hold numerous secrets, while the surface has been revamped with new dungeons, Shrines, Skyview Towers and areas. Then there are the Depths with overwhelming Gloom and hidden secrets that beg to be explored. Suffice it to say that the new Zonai vehicles are a must when getting around.

Diablo 4

Even if one region can blend into another at times, Diablo 4 has an impressive scale. The Fractured Peaks with their snow-covered surroundings; Scosglen with its creepy woods and shores – there’s a lot to take in, and that’s before you wander off towards the dozens of different Dungeons. When that’s not enough, Strongholds with unique goals, side quests, World Events, and more await your frantic clicking.

Everspace 2

It’s crazy to think that Everspace 2 wasn’t supposed to start with this massive scale when it entered early access. The full title offers multiple star systems, each with random distress calls, side missions, puzzles, High-Risk Areas and much more to explore. You can pick up new spaceships, mine materials, take on new companions and maybe venture into Ancient Rifts for some end-game challenges.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

Burning Shores is an expansion, meaning it won’t approach the base game’s scope and scale. However, considering Forbidden West’s massive size, being one-third as big is still pretty significant. Along with venturing into Fleet’s End and meeting its various characters or venturing to the newest Cauldron, underwater exploration expands significantly thanks to the new Waterwing, while the skies are like their own region due to the massive clouds.

Forspoken

Its open-world design leaves much to be desired, but you can’t accuse Forspoken of not being large in scale. Each region has its share of treasure chests, resources, activities and hidden Labyrinths. There are even powerful world bosses providing a tough challenge, side quests, the standard towers, refuges and much more to discover. Traversing all of it is also pretty enjoyable once you master the magical parkour.

Hogwarts Legacy

Not factoring in the 100-plus side quests, the world of Hogwarts Legacy can be pretty absurd in its scale. When you venture outside the school and start taking in the Highlands with its enemy outposts, Trials and powerful foes, there is much to discover. Whether you’re content with raising fantastic beasts in the Vivarium or battling in Dark Arts Arenas, the world provides plenty of chances to test your spell-wielding.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was already incredibly vast with its environments, but Jedi: Survivor goes much bigger. Some areas like Coruscant are straightforward but offer plenty of chests, Bounty Targets and secrets.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has prided itself on packing its worlds with stuff to do, and Like a Dragon: Ishin! is no exception. Kyo during the Bakumatsu is full of restaurants to eat at, schools to train and even underground arenas to fight (not counting the dungeons). You’ll spend much time running around, helping people in deep Side Stories, and maybe some farming on the side. Even if its structure is from 2014, Ishin!’s world design carries over into the modern era quite well.

Sons of the Forest

Despite being in early access, Sons of the Forest offers a vast sandbox to mess around in. The expanded building and options allow for creating extensive bases, but there’s plenty to see when you venture into the caves or discern the island’s mysteries. Foraging for resources during different seasons with Kelvin, sledding off the highest peak or fighting for your life – Sons of the Forest truly has it all.

Dead Island 2

Forgoing its predecessor’s open-world approach, Dead Island 2 relies on self-contained levels teeming with zombies. However, when you’re not progressing through the main story, there are plenty of weapon quests, Missing Person reports, Special Infected and more. There are tons of activities to experience, even if you’re just looking for better weapons to slay the undead.

Miasma Chronicles

Like Mutant Year Zero, Miasma Chronicles offers a massive world with side quests and secrets to explore. However, the post-apocalyptic United States is two to three times larger, with varied locales, tons of buildings to explore, containers to loot and enemy outposts to sneak through or attack head-on. It further feeds into letting you approach conflicts in any way you choose, even if combat could be improved.

Atomic Heart

Much like several other titles on this list, Mundfish’s action RPG shooter isn’t a massive open world but one broken up into different biomes. There are dozens of main story chapters to complete, but wandering through the different biomes reveals memorable side content, lore, loot, flying houses to find and robots to alert and subsequently fight. The story is the main appeal, but these little detours are worth it.

LEGO 2K Drive

LEGO 2K Drive has its share of issues, which is a shame, given the game’s potential. Bricklania is a fully realized playground with lots of content to experience, whether you’re venturing through the canyons and rivers of Big Butte Country and taking in the sights at Prospecto Valley. It’s not a seamlessly connected world like Forza Horizon, but each of the four biomes has enough to keep you busy.

WILD HEARTS

While Monster Hunter Rise saw Capcom going smaller scale with its levels, Omega Force saw the scale of Monster Hunter World’s levels and went even bigger. The different Hunting Grounds of Azuma each sport unique Kemono to hunt and are massive, making traversing them equally enthralling thanks to the combination of zip-lines, Rollers, and gliders.

Quick Time Events

There was a time when Quick Time Events or QTES were in nearly everything. What was it about hitting the right button at the right time that felt so exhilarating? Maybe it was the minimal effort to do cool things, but entire franchises leaned on them, from shooters and cinematic adventures to hack-and-slash titles.

Nowadays, however, they’re rare, most likely due to oversaturation. Despite being present in the original, Resident Evil 4 Remake removed them and added new mechanics like knife parries. Like a Dragon: Ishin! has them for certain attacks and climatic battles, but it is a remake of a 2014 title. While they won’t go away entirely – who knows with the next Dark Pictures Anthology title – QTEs aren’t as favored as direct control over gameplay scenarios.

Spending on video game content hit $3.9 billion, a one percent increase over the same period last year. Several new titles debuted in the charts, like WILD HEARTS in eighth place, Like a Dragon: Ishin! in ninth and Octopath Traveler 2 in tenth.

Factoring in non-top ten titles, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe debuted in 15th place, Company of Heroes 3 in 16th, and Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line came in at 20th. It’s also worth noting The Last of Us Part 1, which rose from 11th place to sixth place, likely due to the popularity of the HBO series. Even The Last of Us Part 2 benefitted, going from 41st place in January to 18th in February.

February 2023 Top 20 Best-Sellers (Dollar Sales, Excludes DLC/MTX) pic.twitter.com/IopOK1rfQf

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

2023 YTD Top 20 Best-Sellers (Dollar Sales, Excludes DLC/MTX) pic.twitter.com/o1MOYDFgpV

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

Hogwarts Legacy was the best-selling game of both February 2023 as well as 2023 year-to-date. Hogwarts Legacy also ranked 1st in February sales across each of the PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam platforms.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

Spending on video game content increased 1% in February when compared to a year ago, to $3.9 billion. Growth in digital content across Console and PC platforms, as well as non-mobile subscription spending, offset a decline in mobile.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

Seven of the top twenty best-selling games of February were new releases, with Wild Hearts (#8), Like a Dragon: Ishin! (#9) and Octopath Traveler II (#10) also ranking among the top 10 best-selling titles during February.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

The Last of Us: Part I rose 5 spots on the February chart, placing 6th after ranking 11th in January. The Last of Us: Part II returned to the top twenty in February, finishing 18th overall following a #41 placement in January.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) March 29, 2023

As for other platforms, PlayStation players should receive a patch with bug fixes today. Xbox and Windows Store users will receive the same update in the “near future.” In the meantime, the development team is busy with the next patch, which includes more bug fixes and balance adjustments.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. It’s a remake of 2014’s Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! with revamped visuals and cinematics. Other major changes include Trooper Cards being usable in regular combat. Check out our official review here, and stay tuned for future updates.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! Patch 1.03 is now live on Steam and includes the following fixes:

– Stuttering
– Crashes on startup
– UI elements positioning on ultra-wide displays
– Monitor selection/resolution settings displayed in a multi-monitor environment
– Various bug fixes

(1/2)

— RGG Studio (@RGGStudio) March 3, 2023

PlayStation users will see a patch including various bug fixes go live later today, while the update will arrive on Xbox/Windows in the near future.

In addition, the team is currently working on the next patch that includes bug fixes and balance adjustments.

(2/2)

— RGG Studio (@RGGStudio) March 3, 2023

How to farm money quickly in Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Fishing

Fishing is a safer but not the most efficient way to earn money. It becomes available in Chapter 2. You start with a basic fishing rod and can catch fish even without bait, but it’s recommended to use bait to catch rare fish.

Visit Ichikura’s Shop in Fushimi to purchase bait and quality bait, or unlock Rakunai and find the Bait Monger to buy special bait and top-grade bait.

There are four fishing spots in the game: near the Teradaya Inn south of Fushimi, Kamo River, and two spots that can be accessed by talking to the fisherman on the boat south of Fushimi.

Fish size depends on the location, and you can upgrade your equipment to catch better fish. You can catch as many fish as you want as long as you have enough inventory space.

To sell your fish, go to the commercial district in the center of Fushimi.

Another Life (Peddlar)

The side quest “Another Life” becomes available in Chapter 4, where you’ll assist Haruka to repay her debt and earn a second home. It is a farming simulation that offers various ways to earn Ryo, but the most profitable one is completing orders ranging from simple vegetables to cooked dishes.

You can sell them to shops or complete individual orders by interacting with the furniture near the resting point. Initially, farming yields less money, but by upgrading the farm and your abilities, you can increase the overall yield and income. You can upgrade various parameters to protect your crops, all of which are worth getting and will pay huge dividends in the long run. Check out the list of upgrades and their costs below.

1. Farm Expansion

2. Farm Level

3. Scarecrow Level

4. Crops

A typical order rotation from beginning to end:

Use fertilizer to increase the yield of your crops, which can be purchased from pawn shops in Kyo.

Start by planting fast-growing vegetables and keep a stockpile of them for cooking and completing orders.

Divide your farm into two sections: one for fast-growing vegetables and the other for slower-growing ones.

When going out on quests, plant slow-growing vegetables to avoid affecting your farming efficiency.

Get into Fights

Brawls with thugs and enemies can earn you decent money.

Enemies drop even more money per encounter as they get stronger.

Battle Dispatches

The battle hub becomes available after joining the Shinsengumi.

Enter battle dungeons from there and earn money and equipment.

The bandit cave has easy missions that give good rewards to early- to mid- game players.

Final mission gives 20 Ryo per clearing.

Virtue Vendor (late game strategy)

Max out the virtue vendor and visit the NPC.

Buy platinum plates in exchange for virtue and sell them for a decent amount of money.

Not a reliable way to make money, as the vendor also has other items that might come in handy.