Virtue is a precious commodity in Like a Dragon: Ishin, and it’s something you need to earn to get the most out of some extra effort. Luckily, he’s also incredibly easy to stack up in the game. Once Ryoma Sakamoto finds himself in Kyo, everything he does starts earning him those “brownie points.” You can then spend these points to help with projects such as farming, decorating your second home, and participating in activities around Kyo. So if you’re just starting out, here’s what you need to know.
How to Acquire Virtue in Like a Dragon: Ishin
Once you arrive in Kyo and start walking around town for the first time, you will automatically encounter a Shinto Priest through a scripted encounter and walkthrough. He will introduce you to the Virtue system, which you can access from shrines and temples in Like a Dragon: Ishin. After this initial conversation, you’ll get 50 virtues for your time and learn more about how to put them to good use in the future. You will also see what the temple icons look like on the map (they are blue and look like temples). Additionally, once you unlock your second home in Chapter 4, you will be able to access a shrine on the property.
As for finding a way to acquire virtue in Like a Dragon: Ishin, basically, each additional action you take earns you small sums. Did you join a brawl in the city and beat the bad guys? Virtue! Did you stop to eat at the restaurant? What virtue! Have you participated in Substories? There is a certain virtue for you! How about shopping? Well, aren’t you a virtuoso? Did you visit your second home to farm, cook, or trade? You’ll get Virtue for that too. It constantly accumulates. Which is a good thing, because some of the most valuable and useful unlocks cost thousands of Virtues.
Who Like a Dragon: Ishin Trait unlocks you should prioritize?
I would say a lot of it depends on what you want to do in Like a Dragon: Ishin. The unlock categories are Second Home, Farm, Fishing, Functions, Virtue, and Other. Each tends to be tied to certain activities.
I think the cultivation of virtue is one of the most valuable options. At the very least, I would suggest getting the tier one unlock. That’s 1,500 virtues, which is a lot. However, it increases the amount of Virtue you get for additional tasks, which can be very useful.
If you’re having trouble fighting and moving forward, I’d also recommend taking on some of the inventory capacity boosts. These start at 700 Virtue for the first one. It’s self-explanatory, really. You can take more. However, there are quite a few places where you can adjust your inventory, such as shrines and halls, so I would understand wanting to save.
Also, if you want to cultivate, save a lot of Virtue for it! You’ll need it to increase your farm size, level, and the range of crops you can grow. This is probably the area that could get the most out of your Virtue, so be prepared to partake in a lot of optional time-wasters if you want to focus on farming pursuits. Obtaining the Taro skill will only cost you 3,000 Virtues!
Like a Dragon: Ishin is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.