Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review - In Kasuga We Trust
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I took my time with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest entry in the long-running Yakuza franchise. My review-in-progress impressions of the game remain accurate after spending 80 hours on this modern turn-based RPG that made me go through a series of emotions, thanks to its cast of characters and story that hooked me from start to finish. As Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth runs with the series’ foundations and events that took place before it to carve a new path, the major changes implemented in the last title, such as turned-based combat and the new wave of characters, remain the driving force to why the series is destined for success without sacrificing the essence of why it’s been so beloved by so many for almost two decades now.
Passing the torch, Hawaii-style
From a narrative standpoint, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth does a fantastic job of using all key characters without one overshadowing the others. Kasuga Ichiban is not the only protagonist in Infinite Wealth, as Kazuma Kiryu is now part of this adventure and doesn’t sit on the sidelines as another body to fill in your party or a nostalgia piece to satisfy avid fans. There’s growth here for both characters, a balance that was perfectly done as a long but satisfying passing of the baton between protagonists.
Regardless, Kasuga Ichiban steals the show as he’s the complete opposite of Kiryu in terms of personality. His idea of friendship and heroism fills the room with optimism despite his struggles, and the pitch-perfect implementation of the character makes Kasuga the perfect frontman to lead this new arc for the series which somehow was able to balance absurdity and seriousness in both combat and storytelling.
The leads didn’t do all the heavy lifting though, as the rest of the cast, in their own little way, made the whole journey worthwhile. From returning party members Nanba and Adachi to newcomers Tomizawa and Chitose, each cast member uplifted the journey as the banter triggered while exploring Hawaii and Japan was always a treat. I’d go off the beaten path to just have them casually chat about their favorite anime or food. We’re treated with personal storylines that provide added context to a particular character, which in turn rewards players with passive bonuses for combat due to their bond with Kasuga growing.
They even did justice to most of the game’s antagonists, as Yamai to even Danny Trejo’s character Dwight all felt like perfect fits for the Yakuza formula. One big bad in particular fell flat, so it wasn’t a perfect cast of characters in this long-running story that’s like a binge-worthy Netflix series. The voice acting for both the English and Japanese versions did a phenomenal job at expressing emotions, from the most intense scenes to the most hilarious ones. The same goes for the facial animations and how each scene was laid out and choreographed.
Embracing change, then doubling down on it
Combat in Infinite Wealth will forever be my preferred style of gameplay in the Yakuza series, as Ryu Ga Gotoku has now shown they have a better grasp of what makes for satisfying turn-based combat. Having characters move on their turn adds more opportunities for effective damage, as back attacks and pushing enemies towards other enemies to damage them or use objects nearby makes Infinite Wealth more than just attacking with your strongest move each turn.
Progression wasn’t all that deep in the end, but the variety of options had me mixing and matching, grabbing specific skills exclusive to a job and pairing them with other jobs so as to craft ideal setups to complement the party as a whole. Jobs are still hilarious, as one character can be a Host, a magic-dealing job that throws birthday cakes and splashes wine onto enemies, a Breakdancer, with moves that always have a chance to buff allies or debuff enemies, or an Action Star to bring out the character’s inner Bruce Lee.
All Jobs felt effective in their own way, and it all comes down to what kind of move you prefer to see while playing the game. They all bring some level of crazy, so it’s hard to find yourself playing the game incorrectly. Sure, you can have one character dedicated to one specific role such as being a healer, but that isn’t necessarily required to progress in the game, as I’ve done the weirdest compositions and found success in the hardest of encounters.
Beyond Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s turn-based combat, the game is filled with not only the typical side activities Yakuza games are known for (arcades, baseball, gambling, etc), but also two new side activities that could be complete games in themselves. After a few chapters in, Kasuga will find himself responsible for Dondoku Island, a resort island that has seen better days. Players can spend time cleaning up the island, gathering resources, and using said resources to build various buildings and attractions to make it a must-visit location in Hawaii. It's surprisingly expansive and felt like the studio’s take on Animal Crossing. Players can easily spend hours customizing their version of Dondoku Island, fishing, or fending off goons that aim to bring the resort down.
The biggest game in the series to date is no exaggeration
If Dondoku Island wasn’t enough, Infinite Wealth also features a Pokémon parody of sorts called the Sujimon League, a side activity that lets players gather unusual people in the game to participate in 3v3 turn-based battles. Ryo Ga Gotaku took the Sujimon concept from Yakuza: Like a Dragon to another level here, as players will have to level up their Sujimon, make the perfect team composition (because of course, there are elemental weaknesses), and become the Sujimon champion by beating their hilarious version of the Elite Four.
It’s a weird addition, but another fun side activity that can easily add 10 to even 20 hours, especially if you want to “catch them all”, as once you have the Sujimon League available, each normal battle in the streets could present you a chance to recruit a Sujimon if your invite and gift is enticing enough for the Sujimon. It’s weird, and I love how insane it is.
But the crazy and absurd side of Infinite Wealth doesn’t end there, as the game doesn’t shy away from showing odd but entertaining activities, and Kasuga is the perfect character to embrace all of it. Even side stories remain comedy gold as you’ll find yourself helping a restaurant owner by being a waiter for the day, or helping out a Japanese tourist being scammed by the locals. It’s funny how everyone Kasuga meets is fluent in Japanese, so there’s no language barrier found here despite it being the first time the series was set outside Japan. However, I wish they would poke at the idea a bit more, as the idea of Kasuga struggling with English is a funny concept in itself.
If you take into account all of the side activities meant to distract you from the main path, it’s no exaggeration that this is the studio’s biggest game to date as there’s so much to do that there’s bound to be something for everyone. It was really hard to stick to the main path as I was enticed one way or another by some side story, a personal conversation with one of the characters, hitting the batting cages, singing karaoke, or playing around with the online dating mini-game.
Infinite Wealth also has dungeons, for those who love the idea of grinding the combat. Dungeons are few and redundant, as they involves clearing one floor after the other. It’s easily the best place for money and gear, and likely the weakest activity in the game as it’s simply just a bunch of narrow corridors with rooms that might have a group of enemies waiting for you. Its purpose was clear, but I was hoping there was more to it than simply being a place to grind.
Infinite Wealth made me a believer in RGG
It’s impressive how the developers were able to cram such a breadth of activities into this game while retaining a cohesive narrative that respects the titles before it, all the while planting the seeds for the series to move on in a new light. I don’t consider myself a massive fan of Kiryu’s journey, but I can definitely see myself being part of the next generation of players that will adore Kasuga’s time in the spotlight, as what they’ve started in Yakuza: Like a Dragon was greatly improved in Infinite Wealth across all of the elements that made that game so successful.
Like a well-crafted season finale, I was left wanting more once the last scene ended and the credits started rolling. I’m now left more invested in this series than I ever was. This is what Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will do to you. On the one hand, the game doesn’t take itself seriously, but on the other, it has the potential to make you care so deeply about the story and its characters that it feels right to get teary-eyed.
Is this the studio’s best work yet? That’s a discussion for another time, but one thing’s for sure - you’ll be glad you invested your time in this and will be left sad that it eventually ends.
Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Fantastic)
PROS
Turned-based combat has greatly improved thanks to small tweaks and changes
A perfect balance between Kasuga and Kiryu during a great story without overshadowing one over the other
A plethora of activities that can cater to all types of players, easily pushing playthroughs past 100 hours
CONS
Dungeons are a great idea but felt half-baked as there’s so much potential if fleshed out more
What I’ve Played
Finished the main story with over 80 hours played
Tried all side activities available and did a good amount of side stories
Explored Dondoku Island for a few hours
Climbed halfway through the Sujimon League
*This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided by the game’s publisher
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