Summary
The formerly Japan-exclusiveLike a Dragon: Ishinfinally reached the rest of the world last year via its remake, which added a bunch of quality-of-life improvements. The original PS4 game was the first to introduce the style-switching seen inYakuza 0, as Ryoma Sakamoto switches between his fists, sword, and gun, and the sword and gun at the same time.
It’s not exactly the hardest game in theYakuza/LADseries, though if players head into big encounters without preparing, they could end up paying dearly for it. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to recover health in the game, with plenty of restaurants, rest stops, and healing items. Whether they’re bought, earned, or crafted, these are the best ones in the game.
10The Special Omusubi
Divine Grace Wrapped Up in Rice and Nori
Perhaps better known as onigiri (or jelly donuts toPokemonfans),Omusubiare rice balls with a filling inside. It’s basically the rice-based equivalent of a sandwich, and there are a few bog-standard ones inIshinthat’ll recover slivers of health. However, there are some specially-made omusubi in the game that’ll heal more than any storefront riceball.
With 50 Virtue, players can buy specially handcrafted ones from the Priest. At first, they’re nothing special, but if the player fully maxes out his Exchange Level to 5, his Musubi will heal 1,000 HP per serving. Akari the Shrine Maiden and Haruka will offer better riceballs, healing 1,500HP and 2,000HP respectively, but they only hand them out occasionally, and they require maxing out their friendship. It’s RNG, but at least it’s free RNG.
9Special Vitality Pill
The Best Form of Faith Healing
Not that players need to completely top up their friendship with the Priest to get special health recovery items. TheSpecial Vitality Pillbecomes available right at Level 3, and will completely max out Ryoma’s health when taken, even if he’s at death’s door. However, it can only be bought with Virtue, not with cash, and it’s 200 Virtue per pill.
That’s still cheap compared to the other upgrades, but it all adds up over time. If players don’t have enough to spare, they can swig some Spirit Sake to earn 500 Virtue at once. That is if they can find it in the pots lying around town or win some at the prize wheel. Otherwise, if they get a gold ball on the Rare Prize Wheel, they can get the Enlightenment Manju, which will give them more than enough Virtue to stockpile these pills.
8Ultra All-Purpose Medicine
A Rare Prize That Offers a High Reward
The Enlightenment Manju can also help the player afford 6 doses of the Special All Purpose Medicine from the Priest’s Virtue Exchange. It’s 500 Virtue per dose, recovers 1,000HP, and gives Ryoma 3 Heat to work with. As powerful as it is, it’s not quite as economical as just stockpiling on its weaker Deluxe equivalent, which can be bought with cash at the pharmacy.
Since the game practically throws prize tickets at Ryoma at every step, players could try their luck at the prize wheels. On top of the Manju and Spirit Sake, it can offer other goodies, like theUltra All-Purpose Medicine. If players get this from the Rare Prize Wheel, they’ll get to max out their health and heat in one go. Good luck getting more than 1 or 2 of these at a time though.
7Longevity Pill
Does What It Says in the Title
If players would rather save their Virtue for their farm in Another Life or other upgrades, then they can get their hands on theLongevity Pillfrom Ecchudo Pharmacy. It offers 1,300HP per dose, and +3 Heat for a bonus. It’s 8,000 mon a pop though and requires testing the apothecary’s experimental medicine.
It’s a substory that’ll see Ryoma take all sorts of drugs as a test, and usually come out worse for wear until the last trial (thank Buddhathere’s a Sushi Zanmaiaround the block from the pharmacy). Once complete, the finalized Longevity Pill will be ready. Despite this rigamarole, it’ll give Ryoma more pep in his step than the cheaper but weaker Deluxe Vitality Pill, which recovers 500HP per dose for 3,500 mon.
6Refreshing Kakiage
Refreshing Health Bars With Each Dish
When starting out inIshin, players should save as much Virtue as they can, and pile it all in upgrades forthe Another Life farming minigame, from the field capacity to the kitchen. It’ll allow them to grow a ton of fruit and veg for fulfilling orders, making a ton of cash and a ton of dishes that could fix Ryoma up in a pinch.
For example, theRefreshing Kakiagerequires the Home Cook Kitchen Upgrade, then an Octopus, 4 Burdock Roots, 1 Onion, 1 Green Onion, and 1 Ginger root. If they cook it successfully, it’ll recover 750HP and make Ryoma briefly immune to status ailments. Then, if they do each cooking section perfectly, it’ll become a premium dish and recover 1,500HP.
5Refreshing Vegetable Salad
The Handiest Dish for Vegetarian Runs
The issue with cooking dishes is that they require a lot of work to stockpile compared to just buying pills or ducking into restaurants. They must grow a ton of fruit & veg and go fishing regularly. However, some dishes are easier to stock up on than others, like theRefreshing Vegetable Salad.
All its ingredients can be grown in bulk on the farm, requiring 2 Turnips, 2 Eggplants, 2 Onions, 2 Carrots, and 3 Spinaches. If done perfectly, its premium version will recover 1,500HP and increase Ryoma’s elemental attack power. However, if they mess up, they’ll have to make do with 750HP instead.
4Revolutionary Croquettes
Revolutionary Recovery
Quick dishes like the Vegetable Salad and Katameshi will come in handy for befriending the Revolutionary Chef. He requires a regular delivery of Ryoma’s home-cooked meals until he’s pleased enough to producehis own tasty dish, theRevolutionary Croquettes. He’ll also share the recipe with the player if they want to make their own.
It’s worth cooking too. With 2 packs of Udon Flour, an Egg, 3 Potatoes, a Carrot, and a Cucumber, Ryoma will cook a dish that’ll recover 1,500HP and +2 Heat. It’s a hard dish to make perfectly, but if they do, it’ll max out Ryoma’s health instead. It’s a lot of work that results in a strong reward.
3Shrewd Castella
Requires Shrewd Thinking to Make Consistently
TheShrewd Castelladoesn’t require maxing out friendships, but it does require the True Chef Kitchen Upgrade to unlock the rest of Ryoma’s recipe list. It also requires 3 packs of Honey, 2 Udon Flours, and 15 Eggs per dish. Even with a fully upgraded chicken coop, players will have to buy a ton of eggs in town to make it.
It’s tricky to make too, as its cooking sections require tight timing. Getting it done will only recover 1,000HP, and temporarily increase the amount of EXP Ryoma gains from battle. If players master the cooking sections enough to make Premium Shrewd Castella, it’ll recover a beefy 2,000HP. Which would make it a handy lifesaver if players ran out of other items.
2Food Be Thy Medicine Box
The Healing Power of Homemade Bento
The True Chef Kitchen Upgrade will also help players make full bento sets, where they can combine completed dishes with others to produce a beefy pick-me-up. If players have the time to make 1 Refreshing Kakiage, 1 Tekka Stew, 1 Refreshing Vegetable Salad, 5 Broad Beans, and a Cabbage, they can make theFood Be Thy Medicine Box.
It’ll provide 1,500HP if done right, and max out Ryoma’s health if done perfectly to go premium. Still, that’s a lot of cooking to get the same perks as the Revolutionary Croquettes. Only instead of boosting Ryoma’s heat gauge, it’ll make him regenerate his health for a while. That way, if they get knocked down after eating it, they can recover that lost health in a jiffy.
1Unagi Mabushi
For the Warrior on the Go
But what if players don’t want to spend their whole session cooking up stuff? What if they just want to buy a bunch of healing items before pressing on with the story, substories, Battle Dungeons, etc.? Most restaurants will recover Ryoma’s health on the spot, though that won’t help them if they’re locked in a combat encounter with nothing in their inventory, and the different pills can only recover so much per dose (usually 500HP).
Luckily, the game offersthe Bakumatsu eraequivalent of takeout. They can pop into Kamatora in Rakunai, where they can buy dishes to scoff later. Their meals will recover at least 1,050HP each time for less than 2,000 mon, with their best dish being theUnagi Mabushi. It’s an eel-based rice bowl that’ll recover 1,500HP for 1,980 mon per serving. With enough mabushi in their inventory, players will be able to stay in the fight for longer.
