Chris InglisLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest entry in the Yakuza series by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA and launched on January 25, 2024. The game throws you headfirst into the neon-lit streets of Kamurocho, Japan, after the events of 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon. While retaining the series’ signature blend of absurd humour and heartwarming drama for protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, and bone-crunching brawls with his friends, Nanba and Adachi, Infinite Wealth expands its explorable locations, introduces a dynamic protagonist, and throws you headfirst into a thrilling conspiracy.
The story unravels and centralises around the unlikely partnership of Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu, the legendary Dragon of Dojima, once Kasuga finds himself in Hawaii. Their paths intertwine amidst a financial scandal that forces them to navigate the treacherous world of money, power, and betrayal. The writing is sharp, balancing light-hearted moments with some crazy twists, keeping you hooked until the very end of the 14 chapters and around 40-50 hours of play time. Each character is memorable, and I noticed increased quality of the character models, particularly Kasuga and his signature pink suit.
While the story is engaging for the most part, I personally struggle with the way it is delivered. There will be a solid 10-15 minutes of in-depth cutscenes, then you’ll take control of Kasuga to run to the next quest point (or catch a taxi to save time), and then you’re straight back into another long cutscene. I had this issue when I played Yakuza: Like a Dragon, only in that game I had Japanese voice acting with subtitles to try immersing myself more. I would start drifting off to sleep and snap back not knowing what’s going on. At least this time I chose English voice acting, but I still found myself nodding off when it was getting later in the evenings. Yes, I’m getting old – #dadlife.
Both Kamurocho and Hawaii feel vibrant and alive more than ever on the PS5. The bustling crowds, dazzling lights, sunsets at the beach, and intricate details immerse you in the atmosphere. Whether you’re chowing down on delicious ramen at a back-alley stall or belting out karaoke tunes in a smoky bar, the cities pulsate with life. The DualSense controller further enhances the experience, with its haptic feedback adding weight to punches and the adaptive triggers simulating the tension of minigames.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth retains the series’ signature blend of turn-based combat and environmental interaction. If the active character is standing near loose objects, from traffic cones to park benches, they can be used as weapons to unleash over-the-top attacks. The new “Dual Dragon” system allows you to seamlessly switch between Kasuga and Kiryu, each with their own unique fighting styles and skills. Kiryu also comes with his combat stances from previous games for additional perks in combat. This adds a strategic layer to battles and gives you a chance to change up your gameplay to keep it vibrant as you adapt to different enemy types and situations.
While the core yakuza elements remain strong, Infinite Wealth expands the series’ horizons with new activities and side quests. Run a successful business, participate in hilarious substories, take on challenging minigames like Super Crazy Delivery and hunt for strange men with Sujimon. These activities add variety and humour to the game and are a good break between major story elements, especially when my concentration is starting to flag with the lengthy cutscenes. There’s always something fun Kasuga to do outside the main story.
Overall, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a fantastic continuation of the series, offering thrilling stories, engaging turn-based combat, and a vibrant world to explore with the addition of Hawaii. With its dual-protagonist system, expanded side activities, and stunning PS5 visuals, this is a must-play for fans and newcomers alike. As a casual series player, I struggled with the length and ratio of cutscenes to gameplay, but if you enjoyed Yakuza: Like a Dragon, this is more of the same, but better.
This review utilised a PS5 key provided by Five Star Games and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is available now on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam.
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