After risking everything and switching to turn-based combat with a new protagonist, the Like a Dragon series returns with a more impressive scale, with phenomenal and in-depth optional activities that benefit from the humor and irreverence that makes its essence so exciting.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth builds on everything that came before it to provide one of the medium's most essential RPGs, filled to bursting with an unrivaled bounty.
Loved the game. Had a lot of fun visiting Hawaii and other old locations from previous entries. Gameplaywise, they've improved on every aspect of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, added some fun new classes and allowing you to select any abilities from other classes (rather than only certain abilities being available when), allows for a lot of fun team building and flexibility.
It was great seeing some old faces and the new characters were also very interesting. The social bonds really helped to get to know the supporting cast. My only issue here is how long it took for certain characters to join the party, some came a bit later than I would have liked, but I'm also biased because I really loved them in the previous title. The dual protagonist worked well.
Side content is amazing. The story itself is quite long, but if you ever feel like taking a break from it, there is a lot of other side content you can do. You basically have a mini Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and Crazy Taxi, with other mini games/arcades to visit. The side content is never mandatory for the main story, but they add a lot to the game character wise and to support certain themes throughout the game. They range from ridiculous to serious, but you never know what you'll get until you actually complete them.
Yes, the NG+ being locked behind a deluxe edition ****, but the main game has more than enough content to keep you engaged well over 100 hours, which is more than I can say about other AAA titles released in the last few years. I did end up buying it later on sale because it did have an additional dungeon and a small story to go with it. I will eventually replay it in Japanese (English VA for Kiryu wasn't as bad as I thought he might be, but still love the JP VA), so I don't mind a few extra bucks for the amount of time I'll spend on it.
An absolutely incredible game, I played more than 100 hours of gameplay and I didn't want it to end. Charismatic characters and a narrative of ups and downs.Lots of content, side stories and traditional minigames.However, if you are a yakuza fan and have played the previous games you will enjoy it much more.
A huge adventure, almost infinite in terms of activities, with an improved combat system and a nostalgic look at the almost 20 years that Kiryu has accompanied us. The story is full of epic and emotional moments, but sometimes it loses its pace among so many hours of gameplay. Some graphical details from the past generation and the New Game+ mode not available in all versions are the main drawbacks of this great game.
I can’t exactly sell Infinite Wealth as an easily accessible JRPG for anyone to enjoy. It’s a dense game with at least a 100-hour adventure for players to undertake. However, if you’re willing to brave the time commitment, there’s an amazing story here that feels like the most fitting wrap-up for anyone who has loved Kazuma Kiryu throughout the series. I don’t know where a possible ninth game might take the series, but getting here has been an incredible experience.
At times, Infinite Wealth feels a little unfocused in terms of plot and progression, with all its little mini-games and time-wasters in a positive sense. Then again, maybe that's the wrong way to look at this game. These distractions an essential part of this Hawaiian excursion and a big reason why you're doing it all in the first place. It gives these characters and the world life and vigor - you're here to take a vacation. If you embrace that and let yourself drift through Hawaii instead of running from one quest marker to the next, you'll find this the most positively sunny game of the winter.
Despite an exciting story, the second Ichiban outing suffers from somewhat lengthy grind and filler passages that artificially stretch out the playing time.
Story is alright, gameplay and OST Is perfection, funnest game I've played this year for sure. I recommend it if you've played every other Yakuza game beforehand or at least Yakuza: Like A Dragon
As much as I like the Yakuza series, this is one of the weakest entries in the series. The story just isn't good. There are many forced plot twists, that feel ridiculous even compared to some weird plot twists in other games. Kiryus part feels like filler, because it's completely detached from the main story. The characters most of the time get forgotten as soon as they areintroduced, just like complete plots. The game leaves a lot of loose ends, that the writers probably just forgot about by the end. And making Hawaii the setting wasn't a good idea either. The way the language barrier is handled in this game just rips me out of immersion all the time. Badischen everyone except for 2 or 3people in the beginning of the game speaks prefect Japanese. Some native Americans even have a very strong accent when speaking English. Also because of Hawaii the plot is so devided because you can't just travel as easily between Japan and Hawaii as you can between Japanese cities. And Hawaii doesn't add anything to the game, that Japan couldn't. You could have had the same tropical setting in Okinawa or one of the southern islands of Japan.
The gameplay is great however and an overall improvement over Yakuza Like a Dragon. Also it has the most amount of minigames and side content of any Yakuza game. For my taste it's actually already a bit too much, because I got completely lost in the side content to the point, that I forgot what had happened in the main story.
Overall for me it's just a 7/10 and that's just because of the gameplay. If the gameplay wasn't that good it would have been even lower, because everything else unfortunately is not good. I hope it gets better in the next game again and I hope RGG Studio focuses on Japan again.
I first started playing the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise in 2009 when Yakuza 3 first came out. I’ve played every mainline game and most spinoffs.
First I have to say that RGG studios and the engine it uses for these games are rock solid. I played roughly 120 hours. Not once did it crash. There were no bugs throughout my play through. Sadly, in these times, that needs praise. And they deserve it. It is time to do something about the graphics, as they are subpar. Sometimes the characters can look ugly, there hasn't really been a substantial upgrade graphics wise, even with the updated generation of consoles.
Story wise, without giving much away, is focused on Kiryu. Ichiban, and the antagonist are second and third thoughts respectively. When the story is based around Kiryu, it’s as strong as it gets. It is inspirational, emotional and reminiscent. I absolutely loved my time with Kiryu. Just as I always have.
Ichiban’s story in this suffers because, quite simply, just as Yakuza 7, he isn’t as strong of a character as Kiryu. Though, the humour around him is much better. His unwavering kindness can be frustrating but also commendable at times. I do enjoy this protagonist, i really do, but he’s in a shadow of one of the best protagonists of all time. The similarities RGG decided to give him to Kiryu, in my opinion, are strange. We’ve already had one take the fall for a crime they didn't commit, middle aged once they get out, etc. I just wish they went a different direction with Ichiban’s backstory. Ichiban’s motivation to go to Hawaii is interesting at first, but then loses all momentum about halfway through, then it becomes uninteresting after that. There is a stairwell sequence in the story that was probably one of the dumbest ideas that RGG wrote. After that sequence, i lost a lot of interest in the main story.
The antagonist in this game is there, because you need an enemy at the end of the game. That’s it. The motivation is weak at best. There’s really not much to say. Probably one of the weakest antagonist in the series.
Gameplay wise, there really isn't any difference compared to Yakuza 7. Many of the same jobs (fighting styles), same skill attacks, a few cool new jobs but not much to write about. If you enjoyed the turn based fighting in the previous game, you will in this one. Mini games are back with a vengeance. I was quite surprised with how many were back from previous games and the new big ones were enjoyable.
My biggest complaint, is that there is absolutely nothing new post game. Unless, you pay for the new game plus DLC. As an avid trophy hunter, I wont get the platinum, as one is to get to level 70 with Ichiban. After 120 hours, i’m level 58. With NO enemies the same or higher level than me. So, unless you pay for the NG+ DLC (where you get a high level dungeon), you will torture yourself spending hours to get there. I don’t think that’s right, and RGG needs to be held accountable because that DLC was DAY 1 and should have been in the game. Not DLC. Add ons previously in the series were questionable, but this one takes the cake.
Overall, I like this game. Infinite Wealth is a must play for regulars of the series, for Kiryu’s story alone. Everything else lacks substance/motivation. And RGG’s decision to take out the post game and NG+ just to make it DLC takes a big hit on my rating of the game.
This game looses almost all of what made the other games cool and **** one the mini games and side stories and an assaults. I spent more time listening to dislougue ( reading fialouge) and having complex mini games forced on me than exploring or leveling the first 30 hours. Then there is the subtle esg western cancer seeping in..even the voice acting is more cringe **** game is to ridiculas, by hour 20 I was skipping dialouge fast as a could click the button.. Also Hawaii feels more like Chicago with the excsesive forcing diversity..
All the heart and charm of the first game has been replaced with over the top wakky japanesey cringe..
Worst part is what they did to Kiryu , not only is his dialouge to over the top and just bad, but they got the you tuber Yong yea to do his voice.
Not only is his acting terible, but it just sounds like his videos, so every time Kiryu speaks you hear a tiny soylent drinking korrean guy, not the most badarse japanese character in 20 years..
This game feels like the worst part of western games is getting in. I feel like Sega forced wester devs to help make this game, its just not the Yakuza ive loved for decades.
At first glance the game reveals itself to us as something new, the beginning of the game doesn't give us any reason at all to doubt that this will be a great sequel to the seventh installment. But what the writers of this game did after the 8th chapter leaves it no chance. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a ragged, completely inconsequential, crumpled piece of work that lost a lot of things that this series was loved for. Play through the game to the END and you'll realize just how bad it is. Lack of adequate motivation for the villains, battles with fantasy bosses, and a protagonist who behaves inappropriately for his original character. The ending of this game is a complete disappointment for all fans of the series, which has been turned into a slop-fan service game.Translated with **** (free version)
SummaryEPIC EMOTIONAL DRAMA
Two larger-than-life heroes brought together by the hand of fate, or perhaps something more sinister…
Ichiban Kasuga, an unstoppable underdog who’s no stranger to crawling up from rock bottom, and Kazuma Kiryu, a broken man facing down his last days.
BEST-IN-CLASS RPG ACTION
Experience one-of-a-kind combat with d...