Summary

• Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the best Yakuza game ever made, with deep and enriching stories, franchise-best combat, and charming side content to get lost in.
• The game combines Ichiban and Kiryu's stories into a sprawling epic set across multiple continents, offering a satisfying ing of the torch from Kiryu to Ichiban.
• The exploration in Infinite Wealth is a standout feature, with gorgeously realized maps, intriguing side quests, and a combat system that allows for strategic positioning and varied options.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is RGG Studio's latest entry into the formerly-known-as Yakuza franchise, and it's probably the developer's most ambitious project yet. After just giving protagonist Ichiban Kasuga his start as the face of Like A Dragon, his second adventure puts him side-by-side with the most iconic character the series has ever had - its former protagonist, Kiryu Kazuma. It's the kind of decision that could easily sink a promising hero, and to be honest, there are moments where the game threatens to do just that, barely containing the myth of Kiryu to allow Ichiban more space to grow.

As the journey unfolds, it feels more and more like Kiryu is threatening to usurp Ichiban and re-establish himself as the face of Like A Dragon - a problem, given that the whole point of Ichiban was the fresh start he allowed both the game's design elements and its narrative beats. In a few strokes of narrative brilliance and another incredible closing act, however, the threat dissipates and what emerges is the true ing of the torch that the series needed to make Ichiban a made man. It's a hell of a ride, but at the end of it is the best Yakuza game ever made, a fitting end to Kiryu's time in the spotlight (if, of course, that's truly it) and the foundation for another decade-spanning story with Ichiban and friends.

An Enriching Double Narrative Steeped in Emotion

Shedding the Yakuza Label

Much of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth centers around one thing: the dissolution of the yakuza, and with it, the series attempting to create some distance from the criminal underworld that's colored so many of its moments up until this point. There's still plenty of action that's not exactly above board, but it's pretty clear from the get-go that this is a story about how anti-heroes come in all shapes and sizes, not just as part of a long-standing criminal organization in its dying days. Both Ichiban and Kiryu are stirred to action because of the threat of yakuza activity becoming a problem once more, and it's this concern that unites both their stories, however much they veer away from each other after.

For Ichiban - as one might expect of his character - much of his journey centers around friends both old and new. After getting unceremoniously fired from his job at Hello Work and no longer being able to help rehabilitate ex-yakuza into society, he's swept up in a mad quest to Hawaii to find his mother. There, he meets two new allies in Chitose and Tomizawa, alongside Kiryu himself, sent to Hawaii by the Daidoji faction. What begins as him attempting to reconcile his broken family quickly becomes a global conspiracy plot featuring a cult that's exploiting ex-yakuza , something that Ichiban simply can't stand for.

For Kiryu, the story unravels in a way that has him confronting his demons and becoming more reflective. In the late stages of cancer and refusing treatment, he's attempting to reconcile a heroic past at odds with his profession. Kiryu's journey is also one that pays homage to a slew of franchise history, with so many nods to old characters that also tie up some loose ends. At the end of it all, it really does feel like the send-off Kiryu deserves (finally, after multiple attempts) and the torch being ed more definitively to Ichiban.

Both these stories intertwine and expand a world that's thrilling to be a part of. Shark attacks, gang paradises, Vtuber conspiracy theories, shady underground factions, government secrets, and a healthy dose of heartwarming party member interactions color a beautiful narrative. While returning favorites get plenty of screen time, two standouts are Chitose, whose story never ceases to be more interesting, and Yamai.

Yamai is the head of his own criminal syndicate in Hawaii and, without spoiling too much, could easily be Ichiban's Majima, if that's the direction RGG chooses to head with the character. He steals most of the scenes he's in, represents a mix between Kiryu's stoicism and some more visible character qualities, and has a backstory that helps explain his criminal activity and peculiar affliction. It's a home run for Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth when it comes to its characters - they're all deserving of more attention, and the side quest potential for them is there for the taking.

Combat & Exploration That Has Depth

Hawaii & Japan Shine

The core gameplay experience of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the best it's ever been. Sprawling across a gorgeously realized Hawaii and more familiar territory in Yokohama and Kamurocho, exploration begins feeling like something to look forward to as early as a few hours into the story. In Hawaii in particular - a brand-new map even for veterans - there feels like something around every corner, whether it's an elite mob of enemies or a container of loot to open. A few extra features in Hawaii, like the ability to wave and make friends, incentivizes players to stay on foot to explore even when there's the convenient electric scooter to zoom around the map.

A striking feature of exploration in Infinite Wealth is simply the ease with which the game juggles random enemies prowling the streets, collectibles, and sub-story locations. There's a natural flow in Infinite Wealth that carries Ichiban and friends through the main narrative while providing ample time to take detours, and no chapter feels truly rushed. With three maps, there exists a danger in overwhelming the player with the sheer number of things to do, but an emphasis on well-paced, gradual map unlocks helps smooth out these elements and create a pleasant climb up a mountain of content that rarely feels like more than a hill.

Once players find themselves sucked into the delusional combat state Ichiban's perception of the world creates, Infinite Wealth truly shines. This is RGG battles at their peak - a seamless blend between the familiar beatdowns of past, action-based entries and the tactical combat that made Like A Dragon's debut so intriguing. Infinite Wealth revamps the turn-based combat with two key features that make it significantly improved from its last time out: an increased focus on positioning, and doubling down on the best elements of its predecessor to create new options.

Positioning is everything in Infinite Wealth. Forcing enemies into bunched-up groups creates opportunities for AoE attacks to sweep the field, and helpful arrow indicators show where an attack will launch an enemy, assisting the player in setting these combinations up while they're selecting their abilities. The ability to control how a character positions themselves pre-attack - and that field of movement growing at certain keystone level moments - also opens up a wealth of strategy. It's easy to set up weapon attacks and back attacks, and the different variations of AoE - from a straight line, to a circular motion, to a wide but short breadth - ensure there are rarely a lack of solutions to a given problem.

Infinite Wealth also takes the job system that was so brilliant in the original Like A Dragon and makes it more accessible. Returning jobs like Hero, Homeless Guy, and Hostess are all fun, but new jobs steal the spotlight, with Samurai, Desperado, and Kunoichi some of the best of the bunch. Characters simply level their jobs at a better pace in Infinite Wealth, which means there's less slogging through repeated content and grinding to unlock better combinations of job skills. Bonds between teammates, which are raised through combat, gifts, special dialogue scattered across the map, and more, also play a key role. Certain levels of bonding unlock combat options like follow-up attacks, tag team specials, and chain attacks, all of which expand the combat's tactical system even more. Combining three different job skills and coming up just short on damage only to have your favorite character's bonds result in that last bit of extra damage is an extremely satisfying experience.

Side Content That Feels Like Entire Games

Dondoko Island & Sujimon Are Captivating

While just main content progression will probably absorb 40 hours of your time at minimum - more if you, like me, required a few trips through the roguelike dungeons of Hawaii and Yokohama to grab some extra levels - there's way more to explore on top of that. Dondoko Island, the Animal Crossing-style addition to Inifinite Wealth, is an exceptional side game that really does feel like it has the potential to engross people across dozens of hours. There's a whole sub-story's worth of progression here, on top of a few extra bits of lore, and then there's the matter of building your own island, which can be a recreation of popular blocks of Kamurocho or a gaudy tribute to famous yakuza of the past.

Sujimon battles are another example of seemingly impossibly deep side content. It's a whole gacha game housed within an RPG, complete with rock-paper-scissors team combat and Sujimon leveling. There are trainers scattered across the map to battle, gym leaders, a shady conspiracy, some character lore, and an entire job called the Sujimancer all tied to the mode. It's easy to lose another dozen or so hours without realizing it, and there's a strange satisfaction in collecting all of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth's various degenerates and perverts.

These two major additions complement what people have come to expect from an RGG title - batting cages, SEGA Arcades, a dating app, a riff on Uber Eats delivery, and plenty more are scattered across the maps waiting to be explored. That's to say nothing of the most emotional side content, which is Kiryu's reminisces found across Japan. Here he'll reflect on some of his previous adventures and provide little comments on them that show how he's grown to feel about events or characters, and some small paragraphs are tear-inducing for long-time players.

Correcting Mistakes & Avoiding Them

Kiryu's Downfall Undone

An understated but deft bit of writing in Infinite Wealth also helps the franchise escape - arguably - some of its worst decisions when it comes to Kiryu. Without spoiling anything, the Dragon of Dojima is given more room to breathe as a character in this one, both emotionally during his battle with cancer and coming to grips with his life, and narratively with his inclusion in ongoing plots. The former is especially relevant for Kiryu. As someone who has been characterized as solving problems with his fists, his first instinct when confronted with an enemy he can't punch is to simply give up. Only Ichiban's charisma and reliance on others helps Kiryu start to realize he isn't as alone as he thought he was.

The latter correction, which helps Kiryu be slightly more present in Infinite Wealth's more relevant story beats, helps make sure there are options for him going forward, even if his status remains murky at best. Kiryu's ability to break out of turn-based combat and slug it out like a classic Yakuza title is one of the best parts of Infinite Wealth - and a key element in one of the best boss battles in franchise history - and it would be a shame to lose out on it moving forward from a gameplay practicality standpoint, too. Even if Ichiban inherits it from his time spent with Kiryu, there should be someone capable of it in following games. It's way too fun not to.

Review Score & Final Thoughts

5/5

I'll be the first to it that Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is not an inherently perfect game by any means. It's a sloppy narrative at times that is barely held together by the charismatic cast and the world it inhabits, with villains and anti-heroes alike salvaging some of its more questionable beats. It sticks the landing emotionally but could've done more with its conclusion, and the sheer amount of content probably could have been trimmed down somewhat to include only the best examples of its substories, exploration, and broader range of options.

I'll also be the first to it that those negatives really don't matter at all. Infinite Wealth is, simply put, the best RGG experience to date. It's an engrossing blend of old and new, with an incredible retrospective on the hero that got the series this far combined with the evolution of a new hero who will take it further. Improvements across the board to gameplay, style, and character interactions make it a sublime journey into the underworld of two separate countries. New characters like Yamai carry scenes on their shoulders and beg for more screentime. It's the perfect recipe for a long-running, Ichiban-centric series spanning decades - where have we seen that before from RGG?

Anyone who previously thought about giving Like A Dragon a try will want to start here. It may be a lot to catch up on at first, but it's well worth it. For those already invested, it's hard to overstate just how important a landmark this is for the Like A Dragon series - a true ing of the torch, finally, and a game worthy of succeeding the action-based legend that preceded it. 2024 is picking up exactly where 2023, and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a game of the year contender and a tremendously high bar for the rest of the year to follow.