Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review

Yakuza, I’m in love, still in love, still in love with you.

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has long been rooted in contrasting forces. One moment, the mobster-driven melodrama delivers poignancy- whether it’s the stoicism and sacrifice of Kiryu Kazuma or flashbacks that detail Ichiban Kasuga’s impoverished upbringing. But deftly, the tone can swiftly switch to absolute absurdity. From beating down grown men wearing diapers and sucking on pacifiers to aiming your urine steam in a ToyLets mini-game, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio can switch to silliness faster than Kiryu swaps fighting stances.

Following The Dragon of Dojima’s all too brief appearance in Yakuza: Like a Dragon RGG Studio does the obvious thing and reunites its two protagonists, letting the duo loose in Waikiki. But before getting there, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth delivers one of the most wonderfully emotive set-ups around.

Click Bait Vtubers and Religious Dogmatism

Sure, getting canned from your job, becoming friendzoned, and tarnishing your reputation as the Hero of Yokohama doesn’t sound like a gratifying way to kick things off. But Infinite Wealth digs into the anguish of Ichiban’s setbacks, delivering an emotional sting when your coworkers snub you as you say your goodbyes.

As such, it’s easy to see why Hollywood is so fascinated by gaming. Infinite Wealth’s writing is sharper than most modern screenplays. Whether it’s a group of ex-yakuza re-examining a woman’s role in society or the impact of cancel culture, the writing is thoughtful and remarkably relevant. And in the interest of not spoiling the main story, that’s just two examples from the first two hours.

What follows is a thorough examination of contemporary society that’s superbly perceptive but rarely preachy. Brilliantly, Wealth reconnoiters a wide emotional spectrum, depicting everything from a character facing terminal illness with quiet dignity to the thrill of being reunited with a long-lost parent, all viewed through a lens of compassion. Had Infinite Wealth been a film, it would surely be an Oscar forerunner. (But Hollywood, please don’t attempt a live-action adaptation. You’ll surely screw it all up.)

Of Dissolution, Dying, and Food Delivery

But naturally, serious storytelling is just one part of RGG Studio’s worldview. Like its capricious cast, Wealth rarely sustains a single emotion for too long, continuing the franchise’s jazzy legacy. Although combat remains rooted in Like a Dragon’s turn-based approach, several improvements ensure fighting remains gratifying. This time out, turn order is more predictable, allowing for tactical opportunities as you stun a foe who is about to act.

Taking a cue from Death end re;Quest’s Knockback system, combatants can aim attacks that launch assailants into other enemies or even attack-ready allies. But there’s also a bit of Paper Mario-style interaction as well, with well timed button presses intensifying an attack or strengthening a defensive position. Perhaps Ichiban wasn’t just a Dragon Quest fan.

Arguably, the most satisfying improvement to combat stems from being able to pick up any adjacent items and turn them into makeshift weapons. If a bicycle or explosive drum happens to be in your movement ring, you’ll be able to wear down enemy numbers, which is an invaluable defensive assist. I also appreciated how enemy awareness has been softened, and challenge level is signaled by icons, lessening the tedium of tackling low-level goons and being unexpectedly overcome by street leaders.

A Real Shaka

For the past eighteen years, the Yakuza series has been one of the best examples of virtual tourism, escorting players through stylized but convincing replicas of Shinjuku, Fukuoka City, Osaka, Okinawa, Hiroshima, Sapporo, and Yokohama. Pleasingly, Infinite Wealth expands on this legacy. The first chapter and much of Kiryu’s plotline revisits Yokohama, with a detailed recreation of the city’s Chinatown as well as plenty of seaside shots that flaunt the neon-hued Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel.

But undoubtedly, Honolulu is the star of the show, bringing the series stateside for the first time. When it comes to sheer size, this is undoubtedly the largest biome to appear in a Yakuza game, as evidenced by the Segway that Ichiban gets to tool around on. Having spent a few years on Oahu, I can tell you it’s far better than any previous game adaptation, capturing the feel of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, only without the compressed throngs of bothersome sunscreen-slathered tourists.

RGG Studio imagines an elaborate criminal underworld on the island, that isn’t as orderly or polite as their trans-Pacific peers. Like such of their storytelling, it’s a bit incredulous, but play that was centered around price fixing across ABC Stores wouldn’t have made for an interesting adventure. Instead, new job classes like surfer-dude Aquanaut, grass skirt-clad Geodancer, Action Star and Housekeeper toy with stereotype. I just wish that some of the classes weren’t locked to a specific gender.

A Celebration of SEGA History (and some Nintendo Envy)

Expectedly, Infinite Wealth doesn’t skip on the supplemental offering the traditional selection of mini-games, classic SEGA titles like Sega Bass Fishing, SpikeOut, and Virtua Fighter 3 Team Battle, as well as a Crazy Taxi-inspired food delivery diversion. Of course, classic diversions like battling cages, karaoke, mahjong, koi-koi, and dating app antics all return- and they feel less like a lazy rehash than a hearty ‘thank you’ to series fans.

Additionally, both Dondoko Island and Sujimon battles can be an alluring detraction from the main storyline. The former is an Animal Crossing-like offering where you turn a shabby island into a top-shelf tourist resort. What’s surprising is the amount of depth that Dondoko offers, rivaling the sense of progression and substance of a standalone title. Meanwhile, Sujimon is yet another take on Game Freak’s venerable Pocket Monster trainer. While it has all the rock-scissors-paper battling of gym leaders, and a plot that revolves around a conspiracy, it’s a bit too deferential to Pokémon convention. A bit more lunacy or at least lasciviousness would be welcome.

In size, scope, and sophistication, Infinite Wealth ranks as the best entry in the well received franchise. But there are a few traits that might displease. Although Kiryu and Ichiban’s stories periodically intersect, for most of the game, the protagonists are doing their own things. I was glad the tale of redemption and an acceptance of the inevitable wasn’t forced with Ichiban’s more lighthearted antics, but some might wish these too luminaries shared more screen time. Yazuka’s had some superbly complex villains and some mere fist-fodder. Infinite Wealth doesn’t subvert this trend, and it’s hard to not wish that characters like Danny Trejo’s mob boss Dwight were written with a bit more intricacy.

Then, there’s the elephant in the room: SEGA’s decision to lock the conventionally free New Game+ component behind a fifteen-dollar paywall. On the surface, this feels excessive given Infinite Wealth’s seventy-dollar MSRP. Unfortunately, I can’t speak to the value on offer as I didn’t receive access to the post-game content. But I will state that Wealth has kept me persistently entertained, engaged, and eager for more, so without hesitation I’ll be opening my wallet.

Conclusion

Kiryu Kazuma’s sendoff has been teased multiple times. In each instance, it’s been difficult to let go of the charismatic protagonist, with RGG Studio and audiences sharing the same reluctance. If Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is indeed the Dragon of Dojima’s final appearance, it’s a fitting farewell, with a search for redemption and a sense of closure that probably couldn’t be bettered. It’s also a consummate passing of the proverbial torch to Ichiban. If his follow-ups are as good as this, they deserve to be plentiful.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.