If Yakuza: Like a Dragon was SEGA setting up a baton toss so legendary protagonist Kazuma Kiryu could finally retire after eight games' worth of story, then receiver Ichiban Kasuga needs to work on his handling technique. The new kid on the block doesn't just require the Dragon of Dojima to handle a few side stories as his hair greys; he needs him for an entire game. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, therefore, demands RGG Studio carry the baggage of eight mainline entries all the while setting up something fresh and new for the turn-based future of wild child Ichiban. That's a weight heavier than anything that's come before it, but it's proved to be no sweat off RGG Studio’s back: it's just gone and created the greatest Yakuza game ever made.
To a degree, you're sort of getting two Like a Dragon games in one. Much of the epic 60-hour main story sees Ichiban and Kiryu teaming together to solve a common goal: find the former's mother Akane in the new destination of Honolulu City, Hawaii. New and returning characters help them in their plight, but there comes a point where real life gets in the way of Kiryu, and the RPG becomes about fighting on different fronts.
With two parties to manage across three huge cities (Kamurocho, Ijincho, and Honolulu City), it's in the back half of the experience where it pays to have played the past titles as Kiryu reflects on his life while Ichiban gets caught up in present events. This nostalgic focus from the campaign almost feels like a side game ala Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name has been seamlessly integrated into Infinite Wealth — it's that comprehensive and inviting. New interactive memories litter the two Japanese maps, allowing Kiryu to ruminate on events from past games (even Like a Dragon: Ishin! and Yakuza: Dead Souls) and reunite with some old faces. It's very touching as Kiryu remembers everything from the comical to the serious; fans who've stuck by the veteran hero for generations will get a real kick out of proceedings.
Up until that change of perspective comes — and still well past it — the game remains a storytelling elite. Searching for Akane only scratches the surface of what Ichiban and Kiryu get up to in Hawaii as they uncover the not-so-secret criminal underworld plaguing the holiday hotspot. Gripping and entertaining throughout, returning characters like Nanba and Adachi complement another new cast of faces, all with their own secrets and revelations to reveal. The surprising twists are aplenty. The serious tones of the main narrative are played wonderfully against a backdrop of funny side stories. It's another exceptional Yakuza story that goes so much deeper than you might expect.
The only slight snag is you'll need to invest a few hours before the plot really gets going. Much like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the game starts slowly, playing around with what feels like a tad too much set-up. Virtually every plot point it introduces will have been addressed by the title's end, but in the moment it feels like padding — particularly so when you'll need to play 50 hours before you see any pay-off. Thankfully, you won't be interested in playing anything else once you reach the good stuff.
What ties those special character moments from one cutscene to the next is combat, and Infinite Wealth has built and expanded upon the turn-based groundwork its predecessor laid to tantalizing effect. The basic flow of trading turns with the enemy remains, but the ability to move each party member when it's their go has transformed the system. No longer do you simply attack or use an ability; now you can involve your position in damage dealing. Knockbacks let you hit an enemy in the direction of another party member for a combo, back attacks deal bonus damage when you land a hit from behind, and standing close to objects turns tables, chairs, and barrels into weapons all over again. Kiryu has his Heat Moves back, levelling up your bond with each character unlocks combo attacks, and assaulting from a specific angle can launch one enemy into another so they both take damage.
The addition brings so much more strategy and depth to battles, turning even a basic attack into a chance to completely wipe out an HP bar if you can position yourself correctly. This extends to your repertoire of abilities. Some skills will deal damage in a line or within a circle, meaning you could injure multiple enemies at once if you put yourself in the right place or wait for them to become bunched up.
If Yakuza: Like a Dragon was the first draft, then what Infinite Wealth has to offer absolutely feels like the polished, final version of what RGG Studio is going for. With new jobs to help transform your party members' look and moveset, it's a deeply customisable and inventive combat system that could more than hold its own against any other modern turn-based title. Actually, with not a whole lot around nowadays, Infinite Wealth is probably one of the best examples in the modern era.
Though, with traditional turn-based combat, there always comes the possibility of grinding. Those who saw Yakuza: Like a Dragon through to its end will remember the infamous chapter 12 grind, and luckily, RGG Studio heard your cries when making the sequel. At various points in the main story, a pop-up notification tells you a recommended level and equipment rating for the fights ahead. In our experience, we were never more than two levels behind the suggestion, so grinding for 15 minutes or so was never enough to kill the pacing. Confusingly, however, this guidance is completely absent from the final chapter, when we actually did fall far short of what was expected. A frustrating hour of grinding later and we were where we needed to be. Infinite Wealth does a much better job of guiding you through its difficulty curve, but why its advice goes missing when it's arguably needed most (as the game leaves the open world for linear progression) is baffling.
Random battles are a constant throughout the three sprawling cities in the game, though new destination Honolulu City is very much the star of the show. Suits and ties are swapped for shorts and sandals as Ichiban, Kiryu, and co jet off to Hawaii in search of Akane following a tip-off she's still alive. The lush, sandy beaches and palm trees are quite the contrast compared to the neon-lit streets of Ijincho and Kamurocho, and it's a welcome change. There’s a warmness and sense of fun to the place you don't get anywhere else, with a new phone app to let you make friends with strangers and greet them no matter where you are.
All the shops — from the designer brands in the shopping centre to the independent outlets on the seafront — sell appropriately themed items, weapons, and armour to help you improve your gear, while secret upgrades are hidden inside safes along the back alleys of Honolulu City. With a segway helping you get around the series' biggest location to date, you'll be searching for better Hawaiian shirts rather than tuxedos to enhance your party. All expertly themed, the place is a joy to explore.
So too is the wealth of side content it has to offer. RGG Studio has always gone above and beyond in this aspect, but its latest effort is just kind of absurd. Alongside the 60-hour main story, there are two rogue-like dungeons to master, an evolved Sujimon minigame where you can battle the enemies you capture, and over 50 side stories that bring back some old faces and introduce you to new ones. Just like past games, these short but sweet tales are where you'll encounter the downright weird but wonderful scenarios Yakuza/Like a Dragon is known for.
Other distractions include a dating sim, food delivery, photography, classic SEGA titles to play at the arcade, karaoke, exams to boost your personality traits, gambling, and darts. There's so much optional content to invest in — and it's worth doing so — that your playtime could quite easily reach triple digits before you're done with the game — but then there's Dondoko Island.
RGG Studio has developed its own take on Animal Crossing, complete with its own storyline, objectives, and menu system. Here, Ichiban must transform a rubbish-stricken island into a new holiday haven by clearing it of waste and building lodgings and attractions to entice tourists into visiting. Your goal is to create a five-star resort, catering for all the needs of someone on vacation. With its own DIY building system and fishing minigame, it's an incredible addition to an already jam-packed game. Dondoko Island wouldn't look out of place if it was sold separately on the PS Store; it's that good.
No matter whether you're pushing the main story forward or dipping into some optional content, though, Infinite Wealth does it all with a presentational shine that makes it comfortably the best-looking game in the franchise yet. Ichiban, Kiryu, and the supporting cast have never looked better, with very detailed character models bringing their performances to life. Matching them is Honolulu City, which can be experienced at day and night. There's a spectacle to its structures and environments that hasn't been present in past titles, making it a real looker in the right light. And, in typical RGG Studio fashion, it's all presented at a consistent 60 frames-per-second without a single bug, crash, or glitch in sight.
It's only the voice acting that can sometimes come across poorly. We played the game in Japanese with English subtitles, but there are points where the Hawaiian locals still speak to each other in English. It's quite jarring to hear a character sound completely different when speaking English as opposed to Japanese because it's quite clear a different voice actor has been used for each language. A police officer can go from sounding threatening in Japanese to rather timid and a lot more friendly when speaking English — when this happens within a single cutscene, it can be very distracting.
Conclusion
Like a Dragon fans will turn up in their droves for a new Yakuza story regardless of overall quality, but never has one been as utterly essential as Infinite Wealth. Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga return for the most gripping of narratives that sends the squad globe trotting across three vast cities, all the while feeling at home with its serious plot and comical side stories. There's more to see and do than ever before, the turn-based combat has gone up a gear, and the entire experience has a visual shine that makes it the best-looking game in the series. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the best Yakuza game ever made. No ifs, no buts: you absolutely have to play this.
Comments 78
Hey everyone, I've played close to 70 hours of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth these past few weeks. So, if you have any questions, feel free to copy me in.
Glad to hear they sorted out the ridiculous difficulty spikes from the first game. It made me think about quitting a few times.
Surely it should be docked at least another point for having NG+ locked behind a £15 paywall?
is new game+ still behind a paywall?
@Ninjadeath2023 It's a shady move from Sega but tbh most people won't care and therefore for them it won't be a con
Let's fu****g gooooo😍
So much for my principles. I was planning on waiting for a sale due to the ng+ fiasco. But nope, the game is as amazing as it looked in previews
@LiamCroft Nice review mate. How is this game for newcomers to the series?
Played Yakuza 7 and Lost Judgment within the last 2 month and I'm really excited for this game. Guess I'm in a Yakuza fever right now
Well that's me sold, I love the Yakuza games and Like A Dragon Gaiden was one of my favourites last year and I really enjoyed the combat in the demo
9/10 and this despite another disgusting new trend.
No wonder no one can take gaming reviews seriously anymore. The current status is thanks to both the press and players.
@Ninjadeath2023 yeah sh*t move ,but I don't feel a point should be deducted ,I doubt it was the devs that decided such a move
Not even going to read this. The best game in the greatest gaming series ever? No brainer, no spoilers.
I tried the man erased his name and found it dull as dishwater and did not make it to the end. I Really wish I could get into this series, but every time I try, I just can't seem to enjoy them. I am a huge fan of Shenmue as well, so you would think these games would click, but they do not.
And as a side note: How are we ever going to stop getting fleeced as customers, when Sega's shady practises are brushed over every time by the media and the game scores highly regardless. We get what we deserve to be honest
I'm on Chapter 10 of yakuza 7 now and this review makes me want to finish it, play the man who erased his name and then jump into this one after the other. Can you have too much yakuza??
N.i.c.e. yakuza like a dragon is a amazing game.and like a dragon infinite wealth looks amazing also.word up son
The fact that it references Yakuza Dead Souls has me really hopeful for a remake/remaster. It deserves to be freed from PS3.
@mariomaster96 While I do agree with you to a point, this time the NG+ actually has a new chapter with new sujimon, characters and other stuff. There are also trophies/achievements for that part (although they're not tied to the platinum)
Hell yeah, let's gooooo! Super hyped! Can't wait to get back to playing as Ichiban.
@LiamCroft One of the other reviews for this criticises it for having an "incomplete ending". Without spoilers (obvs) is that a criticism that you can understand? No other reviews I've read seem to be complaining about the story.
@mariomaster96 True, most players might not even make it through the whole game 1 time.nevermind NG+.. Still a really ***** thing to do.
@LiamCroft do you think it is still fun if you haven't played much of the other yakuza games or would seem a bit confusing?
I would be gladlu surprised if this is better than Yakuza 5 but won't believe it until I have played it myself
Omg that headline got me hyped!!! Mannnn between this Granblue and Persona 3 I truly have no idea which direction to go in. Brutal decisions but happy to have an amazing group of games to choose from
@Ooccoo_Jr Thanks! I wouldn’t recommend it as your first game in the series, it’s building off Yakuza: Like a Dragon story-wise. That would be the best place to start.
@johncalmc Errm I wouldn’t call it incomplete, but I can understand why someone might not be entirely satisfied by it.
I will play it as some point! I also think they have been exposed enough for their dlc practices and definitely the game score shouldn’t suffer for it!
@LiamCroft Oh man this concerns me as someone that plays these games mostly for the story. Oh well, we'll see when we get there I suppose!
If Persona 3 Reload weren't coming out so soon I would be all over this game. Looking to be a great year for Sega.
Later, I’ll get this game much later. Tekken 8 and the Ace Attorney Trilogy I’m dealing with first.
Another slow start doesn't exactly thrill me. I only really got around to plowing through Like a Dragon a few months ago despite owning the game since it's launch because the game just took forever to get going for me. The change in gameplay didn't help either.
As much as I want to know what will happen to Kiryu, I think I'll wait for this one until cheaper.
@LiamCroft quick question as I haven’t seen confirmation of this but the clothes you buy in shops does this change the look of the character like with Kiryu in gaiden or is it just stats? Thank you 🙏 bring on Friday! 😃
@R1spam nice. I completed Yakuza 6 the other night and am on chapter 5 of LAD. Im finding it very slow, even compared you the other games. Yakuza 7 can be done within 15 hours tho so i may grab that in between but i know i will be wanting to start this friday.
@MeerkatSimples I’m afraid not, they’re purely for stat boosts.
@Elodin The story will definitely be a lot harder to follow, but the gameplay itself and standalone stories are incredibly enjoyable.
Just finished Gaiden and will definitely get this at some point although not a big fan of the turn based system. I understand why people are upset with new game plus but for me I'm not sure ill be able to get that far. Animal crossing kiwami may be where I spend the rest of my days.
When a company like Push Square takes ad revenue from a company that puts new game plus behind a paywall and gives it such a high review score I can't completely trust that company to be completely honest. I will not participate in anti consumer practices just because Push Square says the game they get ad revenue from is a great game. I'm sure the game is great but Sega nor Push Square is to be trusted when it comes to this game.
I'm all for ripping on these companies for the shady and disappointing stuff they do but this ng+ furor comes off so incredibly forced sometimes. It would be cool if it were included but it's hardly some grave offense that makes the idea of buying this game unfathomable. Not being able to replay a 100 hour game at a little bit of a higher difficulty is enough to dissuade people from actually playing it the first time? I guess I don't understand that.
Buying the game is not unfathomable. Buying the game, at full price, while they are stripping out a feature and putting it behind a paywall is a guarantee that I will not be buying the game until it's on sale. It's the only leverage I have as a consumer, and I plan on using it.
Is playing the first game a MUST or do you get a recap?
Wow. And thank God for Steam Deck which has made playing these super long games possible for me. Now if I could just finish Yakyza 0...
I was considering this, and of course, FF7 Rebirth, but I'll just get this aways down the line.
Even though I won't be playing NG+, I bet they reverse the decision "we listened to the fans...".
@LiamCroft
How close are you to the platinum? Took me roughly 70 hours with Like A Dragon and I hope to do the same with this game.
@luisterr there was in Yakuza 6 but you will get a more indepth recap on youtube.
Just wish it isn't a trun-based. Why can't they do like old Yakuza or judgment games?
@OtsutsukiBoruto Why would you punish the developer (RGG) for a choice the publisher (SEGA) made? It makes no sense at all. SEGA are the ones that decide the dodgy DLC practices for their published games. RGG made another great game.
@LiamCroft are you allowed to say what level that last chapter needed you to be? The one you say they don’t give a recommendation for? Would love to know what level to aim for by endgame.
@Ryne-Gaia To get through the final story battles comfortably, try to get both parties to at least 50.
@OtsutsukiBoruto Well, it's a review of the game, not a review of Sega and their sleazy decision. I want an honest review of the game content on the disc I'm going to get Friday as that is what I'm paying for.
Thanks Liam, thats an insightful review which mentions important things others havent, and seals my fate. I was hoping this wasn't essential, as I have far to much to play and finish. But it clearly is essential and Im going to be playing this all year. 😊
Yeah it sound good but I'm still getting Tekken 8 over this.
Still a shame it switched to turn base... I love the yakuza games but like a dragon killed it for me. It was so grindy and difficultly spikes were ridiculous like many other I just gave up on it 🤷
I'm also just not a big fan of turn based for games like this.
Sega should also be called out for their 💩 decisions on new game +
That lady's legs in the 3rd image looks like tentacles to me. Creepy 🤔
Damn... I was hoping I could wait on getting this but I might have to just get it day one.
Maybe I'll buy the deluxe version in a sale when it ends up half the price that people are paying for the base game now. Only a sap would buy the feature stripped version for full price this week.
@Stickleman really ? I love the turn based in this game ,the yakuza style of fighting was getting kind of old, its been the same for years and this over the top style of fighting was just what it needed, difficulty spikes ,ive seen someone else mention this ,and I didn't seem to have any ,maybe I'm just really good at these type of old school turn based games 😂
It's arguably the most marketed Yakuza game ever made. I (ashamedly) never knew much about Yakuza games until I heard there was this weird little turn-based RPG game on sale for PS4 called Like a Dragon. Not knowing much about Yakuza but turn-based RPG being my favorite genre, I picked up this little novelty. I've since immersed myself in Yakuza games, including some of the earlier games, both Judgement games, and more recently completing Gaiden and Ishin! (and wow!) RGG has quickly became one of my favorite game studios. I know, I know, you all knew about it already, but I can't believe I slept on these games before now.
@Pranwell My point of view is the game is it's supposed to be one of the longest games, yet. If you really think you'll feel like playing back through the game fully powered, just wait for a sale. For a long RPG, with probably the same characters, a replay through fully powered seems like a waste of time but I get if people want to do that.
@LiamCroft please help me! I am a 45 yr old Sega crazed gamer. To me (USA), Sega died on Dreamcast (😪) and local arcades (😪😪). I loved Dynamite Cop and Shenmue but Yakuza has just become localized (2-4 years?) to me. I have the PS Plus+++ (or whatever) and all Yakazua titles might be available but I have no idea where to start. Please consider a Push Square video educating us "behind the times" westerners on a timeline with recommendations for progression. Please! I want to kick some Sega butt, badly! Love you PushS!
I've been playing Yakuza games since the first one on PS2, right through PS3 and PSP, PS4 and the Judgement games.
Played through the Man with No Name and it had completely lost it's magic, even down to the combat. Unlocked the demo for this and was bored. Never ever thought I'd get bored of any Yakuza game, I play through them all regularly.
You can see a mile away that Nagoshi and his team weren't involved in these, they lack soul.
I just knew this one would be a 9 or 10 with reviewers, it's gone western.
For the first time in 19 years I'm passing on a Yakuza game.
Another game, another release for 10 year old hardware.
@hookedWORM17 if your wanting to actually play them in order (over 250hours minimum just to get through them) you will want to start with Yakuza zero then Kiwami, Kiwami 2,3,4,5,6,Like a dragon, Gaiden: the man who erased his name then the new one. If you dont have the time and want to get in to the new one or you just want to dabble then 6 has a recap of each previous game but you will get a better, more indepth recap on youtube. Or you could just recap them all right up until the new one. You may miss insight on a few returning characters but you will atleast know the story. Ishin and the 2 judgment games are not required to follow the Yakuza story, although the Judgment games are still great. If you really want to play some of them now i recommend 0, that will introduce you to kiryu, kiwami 2 and 6 using the recap. Imo the best of the bunch and use a more updated engine.
@LiamCroft how do u feel about the performance of the English cast 🤔
Three games in a row getting a 9/10. We gamers are so spoiled with options. One day I'll get into Yakuza/ Like a Dragon games. Not today, but one day!
Doubt it can reach the emotional heights of previous entries but I'm sure as hell hyped for this. Studio RGG is among the best out there. Wouldn't actively punish them for the Ng+ debacle, but just not buy the Ng+ option instead. It's not essential anyways.
@OtsutsukiBoruto @Ninjadeath2023 only 12 percent of players even finished the main story of yakuza 7 on PS5. The game is really long and jam packed with side content, as is the sequel. It’s a full game getting a full review. People are welcome to condemn the handling of the paywall for new game plus but it’s not going to impact most people’s experience and it doesn’t factor into the quality of the game.
@bozz thanks for saying this. I guarantee a vast majority of the people complaining about this rarely, if ever, touch new game plus and just want to take a stance on whatever the new consumer outrage is. Big eye roller from me
The DLC thing is a nasty practice but people asking for the game to be docked points is over the top ridiculous. highlight the DLC as separate issue andscor ethe game onit's actual merits.
Docking points for that is what crazed review bombers do, get a hold of yourselves. also likely that te devs didnt make this decision.
Anyway i loves me some yakuza, will get this on payday!
I'm surprised, honestly. Given that you're calling it the best Yakuza game of the series and gave most of the other Yakuza games a 9/10, I was very much expecting a score of 10/10.
@Mephisto2869 The difficulty spike was only really bad if you didn't stumble upon the Sotenbori Battle Arena, which was also introduced at that point in the game. That arena levels you up quite a bit in no time. I'd bet you and I found and participated in that while others didn't.
@jmvalone I most certainly did ,spent a bit of time in there ,the sequel looks to be everything that made the first game great ,but far more content ,can't wait to play it ,im gonna level up ,thats for sure 😁
@LiamCroft if one has never played a Yakuza game which would recommend before playing this?
@Kidfunkadelic83 thank you for this info! I'm going to start from scratch!
Actually the voice issue you mention was present in Yakuza 7 the other way around as well. You chose english voice, but locals would still talk japanese in the street when trash talking.
I noticed in the demo that it was the opposite. I actually like it cause i can listen to the superior japanese voice over and still understand what the locals are saying when picking a fight. 😆
Removed - offensive remarks; user is banned
@LiamCroft Kids those days, LAD is too griding? Two or three runs in two dungeons and you are lv 60 and ready to beat it! Slow start? C'mon guys anybody play Zelda around here?
LAD is one of the most fluid and grindingless jrpg ever, its a mix of persona style with dragon quest mechanics, what more are those guys asking for?
@SteveJameson see comment #60
WOW the headline alone... trying to get into this as spoiler free as possible but that's some shoes to fill here.
Amazing! Thanks for the review
It will be my handheld game for work travel. It is Steam Deck verified from Day 1.
This + Granblue Fantasy: Relink on PS5... and I am set. Good times.
I’m sure it’s amazing, but I’d be absolutely shocked if it’s actually better than Y0.
Tap here to load 78 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...