...

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Surpasses All Predecessors [Review]

Published: Jan. 30, 2024
Updated: Apr. 23, 2024

German English

In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, former Yakuza Ichiban searches for his unknown mother, who is being pursued by gangsters for mysterious reasons. Our review shows why Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio outdoes itself with this role-playing game.

The turn-based action RPG Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth takes the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga to the dazzlingly sunny Hawaii. There, the naive ex-Yakuza is tasked by the Captain of the Arakawa Family to find his mother. However, this turns out to be a dangerous endeavor as several shady factions are inexplicably after the said Akane-san.

True to the series' tradition, this premise develops into an emotional rollercoaster, which actually commands a “stick with it” attitude. Anyway, because the virtual Waikiki raises the bar for side activities to a new level, it’s easier than ever for Ichiban, Kiryu & Co to literally take a break from the fist-heavy main quests. Could a top rating still be hindered by the lack of depth in some mini-games? We'll clarify all the strengths and weaknesses of Infinite Wealth below.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Picks up Where Yakuza 7 Ended

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Review

The new installment of the Yakuza series picks up a few years after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The formidable trio of Ichiban, Nanba, and Adachi are pursuing legal and respectable jobs, but not for long. Ichiban becomes a victim of cyber-slander, likely due to his Hello-Work activity aimed at rehabilitating former Yakuza, leading to his friends also losing their jobs.

Curious about gameplay from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth? We’ve recorded an hour-long video showcasing a mission, the dating mechanics, and open-world gameplay.

YouTube

By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video

The daring trio's investigations once again lead into Japan's (extended) underworld, making the start not uninteresting, but somewhat unspectacular. After initial slow parts, things get much more exciting with Ichiban's meeting with Jo Sawashiro, the ex-Captain of the Arakawa Family, who sends Ichiban to Hawaii in the context of his misery. There, the reluctant Afro-wearer is to search for his mother Akane-san, whom he never met.  Also, she's pursued by some unscrupulous criminals for unknown reasons.

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Review 05
Above: The boss fight against the leader of the Barracudas. This nasty guy is somewhat reminiscent of Danny Trejo. (Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth)

From this point on, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth consistently captivates with its quite complex plot. This is particularly due to two dramatic developments, one of which affects the long-standing series star Kazuma Kiryu. The new hero group (Ichiban, Tomizawa, Adachi, Nanba, and Chitose) clearly outperforms him in terms of development, design, and humor, convincingly completing the generational change. Yes, we love Kiryu, but the new crew is simply a little masterpiece of character design.

Slums, Criminals, and Endless Vacation

Although Isezaki Ijincho, a game area from the prequel, is present, the focus of Infinite Wealth is on the new, mostly open Hawaii map; and rightly so. The visual improvements compared to the predecessor are immediately apparent. With sharp textures, bright colors, and beautiful lighting, the virtual tourist paradise is atmospherically convincing. What we found particularly impressive, was the long shadows at twilight beach and the authentic water reflections in the hotel pool.

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Review 03
The new Hawaii map is quite large. It extends quite a bit further to the west.

But what's even more important is what Honolulu's palm-strewn city district has to offer in terms of gameplay. And my goodness, there's a lot. For example, there's a city tour in an original trolley bus, optionally with an attached rail shooter mini-game; stunt-rich fast-food delivery tours by bike; the cleanup and restoration of a holiday resort (with its own game mechanics); life-guard and waiter jobs, diving for trash in the sea; a dating app with profile customization and multiple-choice chats; and much more.

However, Infinite Wealth shows Hawaii's dark side as well. The story leads to District Five, a slum controlled by the local mafia. Directly below, there's a subterranean shopping center dealing in illegal counterfeit goods. The numerous side quests also occasionally address the island's issues, not to mention the countless random fights against thugs. Still, Waikiki is primarily Sega's fulfilled marketing promise, claiming Infinite Wealth delivers the "ultimate entertainment." Only the life-guard and waiter activities seem superfluous due to their overly straightforward distribution of drinks.

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Review 07
Below District 5 lies a criminal copy of a covered shopping mall.
Problems with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth? Our Guides Can Help!

Thanks to Jobs: Beating Up With Fun Factor Ten

Just like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth also relies on a turn-like combat system. That means the hero group and their opponents attack in turns, while some other actions (defending against attacks and positioning characters in battle) happen in real time. As such, the skirmishes contain a tactical component, as certain combinations of hero position and special attack make a big difference. However, this also applies to the adversaries.

Also included is the job system from the predecessor. These specialized combat classes for Ichiban & Co are even more bizarre this time. For example, a taxi driver can discharge car batteries towards the enemies; the housekeeper scrubs enemies squeaky clean at the cost of her HP; a fire dancer throws on the grill in the midst of battle to distribute healing meat; and the Samurai lives up to all legends with his devastating blade strikes. In total, there are 20 jobs and it's truly worth unlocking them all.

As each job offers 4 to 10 special attacks, a small Eldorado of possibilities emerges. The quirky opponents, such as sleeping bag worms, giant clowns, and magic monarchs, can also be tackled using Poundmates and as a tag team. The latter is limited to a rather boring movie sequence, though. Nevertheless, in Yakuza or Like a Dragon, there have never been better reasons to split enemy skulls. And that never becomes too easy, despite the ability to save freely outside of battles. Especially not so in Waikiki's eerie dungeon; a huge underground in the style of Dark Cloud or D&D.

Conclusion: A Serious Contender for Game of the Year

From Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, we are accustomed to moving stories, excellently designed characters, and brilliant over-the-top humor. The Japanese developer adds even more to this with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, establishing Ichiban's crew as the definitive replacement for Kiryu. For us, the hero from Yokohama's Hawaii "vacation" is already one of the games of the year 2024, as we've rarely been entertained better and more diversely for 100 hours.

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Review 04
Variety is a big deal in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Here Ichiban has to get behind some light barriers.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is available from January 25, 2023, for PC (Steam), Playstation 5/4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. The price for Sega’s action RPG is 70 euros across all platforms, with a total of 19 DLCs being offered. These include not only cosmetic items but also those that provide in-game minor advantages to purchasers.

Want to join our community and discuss Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth? Then join our Discord server, we look forward to having you!

Rating for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Graphics - 9
Sound - 9
Story - 8.5
Gameplay - 9.5
Technical Impression - 9

9

Outstanding

While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth maintains the narrative quality of its predecessors, it surpasses them in every other respect. The once-great Kazuma Kiryu? Next to Ichiban and his crew, he now seems just like a blank wall. Kamurocho, Sotenbori, Tsukimino? They all pale in comparison to the wild mini-game madness of Hawaii. Here, trolley bus tours and photo rail shooters open a whole new chapter of gaming fun, one that will hopefully continue for many more.

User Rating: Be the first one !
After graduating from high school, I initially wanted to study instrumental music. However, eventually I pursued a career as a video game journalist, which I started at the prestigious Ehapa-Verlag publisher, among others. Today, I share my extensive video game expertise with Guided. I benefit from over 40 years of experience with PC and console games, as well as my work in game development for the indie studio Knights of Bytes. I understand how video games work, and I also know how to convey my knowledge in an understandable manner.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Please read our Privacy Policy
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments