After being terribly miscast as a Japanese-influenced “Grand Theft Auto” clone when originally released on the Playstation 2 in 2005, “Yakuza” set the stage for a franchise that would take over a decade to gain a solid footing on western shores. The “Yakuza” franchise found itself finally being praised for innovation meeting old school mechanics with the prequel to the original game, “Yakuza 0”. Fans both new & old were off to the figurative races following “Yakuza 0” with remakes, remasters, and even brand new continuations enveloping gaming’s eighth generation. Alongside gaming’s ninth generation came an overhauling of the franchise’s gameplay and who would become the new face of the “Like a Dragon” series.
The aptly-named “Yakuza: Like a Dragon” represented both an homage to the past and a goal for the future both in regards to focusing on a new protagonist and turning the gameplay into a role-playing experience. Over three years later after the adventures of Ichiban Kasuga began, the lover of all things “Dragon Quest/Warrior” has a chance to hit the high seas before smacking someone in the face with a giant fish alongside players both familiar with the series & not to enjoy even if the package isn’t complete at the standard price.
Did I Complete “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth”?
With the promise of being the biggest “Like a Dragon” experience to date, there was a lot of expectation and, of course, belief that “Infinite Wealth” would be flush with varied activities to do beyond the main story and the franchise’s hallmark “Substories”. “Infinite Wealth” doesn’t abandon both its key locations in correlation to the series’ co-protagonists Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu to focus on Hawaiian shores; expanding upon what the player can do from the stereotypical mini-games the former “Yakuza” games are known for, as well as new and/or improved diversions.
Over 140 hours passed when the main story’s credits rolled after yours truly completed all the “Substories”, helped Kiryu relive his greatest moments, fought through two randomized & brutally aggressive dungeons, and turned a ruined vacation location into the world’s greatest vacation resort while becoming the equivalent of a “Pokemon” champion. There is still a big chunk of action to complete including a “New Game Plus” run through on the hardest difficulty and the day-one DLC dungeon known as “The Big Swell” – something that may have to wait until the late spring or early summer when gaming releases slow down a little bit.
What Makes “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth” Unique?
Following the events of “Yakuza 6” seeing the franchise’s main protagonist Kazuma Kiryu literally walk off into the sunset, a new era arrived with Ichiban Kasuga taking the helm as the story’s focal character in the sequel. Kasuga – originally a loyal member of the Tojo Clan’s Arakawa Family – took the fall for a higher ranking member of his crime group who committed murder. When Kasuga was released, he discovered his lack of importance in not only the world he knew, but also in the eyes of his boss – the man he dedicated his life to as a way to repay him for saving a young Ichiban’s life years prior to his imprisonment. Ichiban’s journey for truth and self-discovery unraveled Japan’s criminal underworld as players came to know it from the franchise’s origin while also bonding him with the series’ former lead.
Instead of lavishing in power & recognition for truly becoming the “Hero of Yokohama”, Kasuga took to helping fellow former yakuza gain legal employment. Unfortunately for Ichiban, fellow employee & friend Yu Nanba – a vagrant-turned-hero alongside Kasuga in the previously numbered entry – and former policeman Koichi Adachi are pulled into a corruption conspiracy via a VTuber channel using hidden camera footage to manipulate the perception that the trio were pulling off robberies alongside the struggling former yakuza they helped find socially-acceptable work.
Suddenly, Ichiban is gifted information by the heads of the Seiryu Clan as they attempt to continue what Kasuga started by fully dissolving the yakuza. This info sends Kasuga on a trip to Hawaii in search of his biological mother that, as per the norm for a “Like a Dragon” experience, results in a rather convoluted plot featuring criminal power vacuums, surprising twists, and, most importantly in regards to Kasuga’s status as the franchise’s main character, the return of Kiryu to the spotlight as his battle with cancer allows for Kazuma to become a focal point during the game’s latter chapters. There’s a swapping between playable protagonists with Kasuga mostly teaming with Adachi and new allies Eric Tomizawa (a cab driver that initially tries to rob Ichiban, but changes his ways while angering a local Hawaiian crime boss) and the wealthy, enigmatic heiress Chitose Fujinomiya; who is also the part-time maid to Ichiban’s believed real mother.
In Japan, Kiryu allies with the people who helped Kasuga in “Yakuza 7” including Nanba, club owner Saeko Mukoda, former gang leader-turned chef Tianyou Zhao, and criminal syndicate member Seonhee with Seonhee being playable in this iteration. Seonhee’s second-in-command Joongi Han also returns; joining Kasuga’s team very late in the main narrative. It’s also in Japan that the player is given an additional set of objectives and gameplay options with Kiryu as he can wander around and reflect on moments long past at designated, illuminated spots. These moments of reflection alongside completing various activities & actions – dubbed “Unfinished Business” – will level up Kiryu’s “Body”, “Soul” & “Tech” meters to a maximum level of ten. These meters increase certain base stats and the effectiveness of Kiryu in combat when utilizing his “Dragon” style.
Beyond the switching of core protagonists in “Yakuza: Like a Dragon” was altering the gameplay style with Ichiban & company embracing the prior’s love for role-playing games with adversaries like random street punks turning into monstrous clowns or being wrapped in trash bags. While the insanity of watching a dancing surfer spewing fire is offset by simplistic thugs wielding shotguns, the action is still rooted in what came from the seventh-numbered entry almost four years ago by making Ichiban’s journey into a turn-based RPG.
Players are able to pull off automated attacks by tapping one button, moving through a streamlined menu to use restorative or damaging items, performing a “Perfect Guard” by hitting the “cancel/’Guard’” button right before an enemy’s strike lands, or even utilizing summons known as “Poundmates” that are attained via various ways including through main story moments and “Substories” (summons also cost a good amount of money to use with a new leveling system influencing the “Poundmates’” efficiency).
There are some gameplay great additions including the inclusion of Kiryu as a playable character with the player being able to switch between his most prominent fighting styles from the 3D brawler era with his “Rush” style allowing for two attacks per turn, his “Beast” style giving Kazuma the chance to pull off slams & break the guard of enemies, and his infamous “Brawler” style being responsible for pulling off those devastating “Heat Action” super moves. Kiryu also has the unique ability to use a limited version of his striking prowess from the previous games when activating his metered “Dragon’s Resurgence”.
What isn’t unique to Kiryu, but the entire gameplay system is the implementation of a movement circle for every playable character. During every character’s turn, the player has the option of moving their character around a proportional circle that can give them certain advantages including attacking an adversary from behind for added damage or set up an area-of-effect skill to hit more than two enemies. This ability to move around the battlefields opens up so many strategic options including another addition to the gameplay that allows a character to grab and strike foes with nearby weapons as designated by an onscreen icon.
A very important aspect added to this entry is the “Bond” system. Through anything from successful battles to simply having a meal will increase Kasuga’s bond with every character in his party. The increasing of bonds opens up the option for “Tag Team” maneuvers, AI controlled-follow-up attacks, and even combo strikes if two protagonists are in the same vicinity of an enemy. On the opposite end, the developers didn’t try to fix something not broken including enemy weaknesses to both elemental attacks and certain weapon types like guns and swords, and the Job System. Returning from “Yakuza: Like a Dragon”, every playable character has a base job like Ichiban’s “Hero” class and Adachi’s “Detective” job.
Through a paid in-game service and the increasing of the aforementioned bonds, Jobs open up to give players a chance to produce some variety in their fights. Players looking to buff & heal their characters will use the returning “Idol” job on one of their female characters, while a male character may take advantage of an enemy’s weakness to firearms by utilizing the new “Desperado” job. There are thirteen gender-based jobs available (unfortunately you can’t have, say, Saeko as a “Chef” or Nanba as a “Housekeeper”) alongside the base job of every playable protagonist (with Ichiban getting three of those twelve jobs featuring one connected to an extensive mini-game). Skills & abilities can be transported between jobs with the slots for those skills becoming more numerous depending on the character’s bond level.
The crafting system returns with the items & resources needed to turn a metal bat for Kasuga into a barbed wire, electrified weapon of mass destruction are usually found in various areas including trashcans or from fallen enemies. Players can use particular stones to upgrade a weapon’s effectiveness with certain thresholds reached opening up to three slots for “Brands” that, when purchased and attached to a weapon will increase whatever the “Brand” is described to accomplish like increasing the chance of landing a critical hit by twenty percent or making it more likely for a struck enemy to become poisoned when hit with said object. Another minor point of customization is associated with traversal as the player can equip a segway to zip around both Honolulu and the Japanese cities. Players can buy a bigger battery for the segway to avoid spending more money at charging stations and give it the player’s personal flair skins & paint.
Unfortunately there are some issues in regards to the combat presentation. Though this is a turn-based RPG, the enemies aren’t stationary when the action begins; moving around the environment at any given moment. There will be several times when a player is preparing to use an attack such as Adachi’s battering ram with the gamer’s intent of plowing through a few other nearby adversaries due to their current positioning in the process of hitting an enemy far away. By the time the input is placed & the character initiates the attack, the other non-targeted enemies may have moved far enough away to make the attack mostly useless.
There are also collision detection issues with some environmental objects getting in the way like nearby streetlights or a desk can turn a potential killer attack into an unsuccessful strike – this too can happen with the player’s own characters if they are in the wrong spot at a crucial time. Performing a “Perfect Guard” can also be ruined by the camera’s slowness when focusing on an active enemy not fully onscreen or the camera pointing at the wrong character about to be struck. Another issue unchanged from the previous entry is if Ichiban or Kiryu (depending on the story point and who is the party leader) falls in battle it’s game over even if the rest of the team is alive.
As expected with any “Like a Dragon”, there’s a plethora of side activities beyond the usual “Substories” that prove lengthier than usual even if some of the stories don’t warrant narrative extension (examples of bad parenting and child abuse just go to ridiculous depths). Beyond the usual arcade games and gambling options are the returning can collecting mini-game and a modified dating simulator with the latter leaving something to desired until the potential romantic meeting. Some of the more impressive and/or memorable new mini-games includes a “Pokemon Snap”-esque bus ride where Kasuga takes pictures of perverted luchadors known as “Sicko Snap.” In an ode to Sega’s past, the bicycle-centric take on “Crazy Taxi” dubbed “Crazy Delivery” will have the player zipping around Honolulu in an attempt to collect food items, deliver them in super fashion by performing tricks while cycling, and not become a victim of a hit & run.
But no side activities stand out more in “Infinite Wealth” than “Sujimon League” and “Dondoko Island”. Expanding upon the simple bestiary seen in “Yakuza: Like a Dragon”, the usage of “Sujimon” and the “Sujidex” (the aforementioned enemy glossary) sees Ichiban turning into the Hawaiian equivalent of a “Pokemon” trainer where he is able to coerce fallen foes to fight other captured “Sujimon” in competitive environments both official and in the streets. The tactics used to win any “Sujimon” battle comes down to elemental properties.
A water-based “Sujimon” is able to do massive damage against a fire-elemental beast-man. Grass-types are effective against water-based, fire against grass, and the light & dark types reflect against each other well enough while usually dishing out solid damage against the other elemental types. Winning battles levels up “Sujimon” and their bond with Ichiban while increasing their base stats that are not only effective in doing damage, but also influences the speed at which the meter that determines what team of six “Sujimon” (three on-the-field “Sujimon”; three available to be swapped in or out once a turn as long as they have health) have the turn advantage.
“Dondoko Island” is the game’s attempt to give the player a chance to make heaps of money early while grinding through an “Animal Crossing”-like experience where Kasuga has to clean up a ruined resort, collect materials for crafting everything from Styrofoam models to the various shops seen through the cities of “Like a Dragon” games new and old, and fight off pirates with a baseball bat.
With the previously mentioned bat for hitting pirates, smashing rocks & chopping down trees, Ichiban is gifted a harpoon to catch fish and a net for attaining bugs – all items that either turn into materials for crafting or attractions. Attractions on “Dondoko Island” range from simplistic like a traffic sign to buildings seen throughout the various “Like a Dragon” games including shops and hotels. The entire purpose of building and laying down objects is to delight guests who agree to vacation on the island for three days. Certain vacationers may want to be surrounded by “Rustic” items or need to have a particular object like a golden shark in Ichiban’s inventory.
Full guest satisfaction not only benefits the island’s popularity, but also will encourage the people to spend more at that “Poppo” shop Kasuga placed in the heart of the island; thus giving Ichiban a bigger cut of the profits that can be turned into actual in-game money (though the exchange rate can prove underwhelming a couple of chapters after the activity is introduced). The biggest drawback to “Dondoko Island” compared to the previous business management simulators including “Ichiban Confections” from “Yakuza: Like a Dragon” is the lack of a rival.
In the business simulators, players would have to do everything in their power to ensure that when the deadline came for a rival battle they had the best chance of winning to avoid losing money, status, or both. In “Dondoko Island”, all the player has to do is reach a certain criteria for “Popularity” and “Satisfaction” (the latter coming thanks to the objects crafted and placed on the island), get a rating upgrade, and may or may not fight a few more pirates. The guest are pretty self-sufficient and the few interactions Ichiban can have with the tourists are a waving emote, offering them a gift once a day, and paying for a cinematic bonfire.
Both “Sujimon League” and “Dondoko Island” have rather underwhelming plots and “Substories” attached to them with the narratives paling in comparison to the actual activity & gameplay. With that being stated, the gameplay also suffers as the player attempts to complete everything with the routine of what to do – be it overwhelming an opponent with an overpowered team that comes to be that way due to the “Sujimon” mode’s generous experience points for leveling, or completing the same tasks on day forty of mastering the island that the player was on day five.
From a gameplay perspective, the other side activity is going through the two procedurally-generated dungeons (one in Hawaii and one in Japan) that leaves a lot to be desired in terms of both being impressive in presentation and having an interesting story attached to their completions. These dungeons are mostly good for resource grinding and leveling up the characters, their jobs & bonds.
Beyond a few technical issues like the aforementioned collision detection & camera problems in combat, and a narrative that loses some of its potential in regards to emphasizing Kasuga’s fish-out-of-water story alongside the economic woes of those trying to live in Hawaii or the United States as a whole, “Infinite Wealth’s” biggest drawback has nothing to do with the game itself, but the presentation to the consumer. For the first time on western shores, a “Like a Dragon”/“Yakuza” game opted to hold something usually associated with the standard release behind a pay wall – in this case another optional dungeon and “New Game Plus”.
Anyone who has played a “Like a Dragon” game in the past including the recently released “Like a Dragon Ishin!!” knows that “New Game Plus” mode is a standard in the franchise. The optional dungeons, though not in every “Yakuza” game, was never held back as a separate release unless presented months after the base game became available. Gamers who want the full package will either pay an extra fifteen dollars for the digital-only “Deluxe Edition” or an extra twenty dollars to have “New Game Plus” and the dungeon with the “Standard Edition” digitally or on disc. This is an insult to the loyal fans who have supported these games in their full form as expected of them during multiple past gaming generations.
With this being proclaimed as the biggest RGG game ever, let alone the grandest “Like a Dragon” experience, “Infinite Wealth” had a lot to live up to and mostly succeeded. The gameplay is better than what was provided in “Yakuza: Like a Dragon”, as is the world building and doing a fantastic job of introducing and cultivating new characters & relationships. The story is a little too beefy by trying to split the focus on two protagonists including one who has had his time in the sun fade twice already while Ichiban is still struggling to prove himself as a worthy successor to the “Dragon of Dojima”. For all the positives associated with this must-play experience, the decision to hold standard offerings for the franchise behind a pay wall is a disappointing decision like Kasuga drinking a little too much with a stranger.
Should You Play “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth”?
There is so much to love about “Infinite Wealth” especially if the gameplay of “Yakuza: Like a Dragon” clicked for you after the franchise spent years being a semi-open world 3D brawler. The story has some dips in quality and players may not be as emotionally invested in Kiryu getting the spotlight again. The side content is copious, but does get redundant rather quickly especially in regard to “Dondoko Island” and “Sujimon” battling. Thankfully, a majority of the game’s “issues” are subjective beyond a couple of inconsistent technical hiccups outside of the decision to put an expected mode behind a pay wall.
It’s because of these unfriendly consumer practices that this game only warrants a full recommendation if the buyer can get the complete package (the “Deluxe Edition” or the “Standard Edition” with “Master Vacation Bundle”/“New Game Plus” & “The Big Swell” DLC) for seventy dollars USD. The irony of a game that emphasizes the struggle to be financially stable in its story using its fans’ goodwill to get more money out of them for what should be expected of it is not lost on gamers and long-time fans alike. In the end, “Infinite Wealth” definitely earns its place as one of the all-time greats in the franchise and becomes a must-play experience counterbalanced by some real-life decisions that will make anyone shake their head in shock & disappointment like Ichiban discovering the contents of a runaway baby carriage.
