The friends of Ringo Ishikawa (2018)

The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa is a very hilarious open world beat'em up game that offers a lot of fun and different things to do. The story will show you what true friendship is, but also where the limits are, where even friends won't go. The question of what all has to happen to turn friends into strangers and strangers into true friends is equally addressed, and last but not least you will see how fragile student love can be. The play is definitely not for everyone. Its loose structure won't appeal to players who want specific goals, and its refusal to explain anything can feel clunky. This is an open-world game where you can do whatever you want, but unfortunately there is no map and sometimes the interaction is a bit of a drag. You do get a great feel for the life of a teenage high school gang leader, though, who has to contend not only with a rival gang, but with his own life.

If you’re a fan of titles such as Yakuza and Shenmue then there is a great chance you may just enjoy The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa. Developed and published by yeo, The Friends Of Ringo Ishikawa is an existential open-world beat ’em up with some school sim elements.

Ultimately, though, the game ended up not being for me. I do believe it's worth a look to the right person, but you should know what you're getting into before taking the plunge. I'd also recommend you check this out on PC because that random bug in the Switch version could wind up causing you to waste a ton of time without you even knowing it.

Screenshots really don't do The friends of Ringo Ishikawa justice. What looks like a traditional side-scrolling brawler is actually something far more intricate. It's more of a teenage simulator than anything, and with some really well-written dialogue (filled with the kind of malaise and sense of directionless rebellion we all experienced in our formative years) there's a really interesting story to be found. Its everyday activities will remind you more of Bully or Shenmue than Street Gangs/River City Ransom, just don't expect to have your hand held as you head out into the world to discover them.

The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa is quite weak in its pure playful proposal but has a real personality that could well embark you, if you are sensitive to this typical Japanese atmosphere carried by hip hop melodies and retro graphics successful in this small city, free to live the existence often in slow motion of a rascal high school and his friends. In this, again, the fact of being able to play in a nomadic way with the Switch is a plus.