onslajouepointcom Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review

Infinite Wealth turns out to be the ninth mainline title in the Ryū ga Gotoku series (Yakuza in the West) and a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023). At first glance, I believe it’s essential to complete at least the two previous games before diving into this one, so you don’t get too lost or confused. Infinite Wealth aims to be a bridge between the beloved pop culture icon Kazuma Kiryu and his successor Ichiban Kasuga, who will lead the franchise in the upcoming titles. Continuing the transition begun in 2020, Infinite Wealth taps even more into the nostalgia surrounding the legendary character of Kiryu, in order to give greater importance to the conclusion of his own saga. Die-hard fans and admirers of Kiryu will quickly notice that he’s been given top-tier quests and even his own menu — the content dedicated to him is impressively rich. What I liked: The turn-based combat system has been improved and now offers great flexibility. The game runs smoothly without graphical hiccups. The engine continues to work wonders. Attack combinations are varied and very entertaining. You can play as Kiryu in dynamic brawler mode, just like in the older games. Building bonds with your teammates is genuinely useful and unlocks additional combo attacks. As always, the mini-games are in-depth and crafted with care. You can easily spend hours just playing a single mini-game. The new job classes are fun and allow you to form a team based on your preferred playstyle. Dodonko Island will appeal to Animal Crossing fans, and the Sujimon fighter collection is perfect for Pokémon lovers. What I liked less: Just like the 2020 game, several enemies and job classes can feel repetitive. The in-game economy in the early chapters is frustrating and limiting, as weapons and accessories are extremely expensive. Story-wise, you’ll get a weakened and very different Kiryu, which contrasts with previous episodes. If you play with the original Japanese voice track (which is encouraged), you'll constantly encounter a mix of broken English and Japanese that lacks consistency with the Hawaiian NPCs. Enemies just two levels above you can sometimes completely obliterate you. On a separate note, for those who enjoy farming, you’ll be well served. Special dungeons are available to help you level up before key moments in your adventure. Also, it would be nearly criminal not to mention SEGA’s questionable business practices, particularly locking the New Game+ mode behind the purchase of the deluxe edition of the game. In conclusion, despite the weight of some gameplay elements and the highly questionable decision to lock New Game+ behind a paywall, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth lives up to its status as a must-play in the world of turn-based RPGs. It’s a moving, funny, and action-packed epic. Like all the Ryū ga Gotoku titles, you’ll laugh, cry, and be surprised — often all at once. For longtime fans, it’s clear that a respectful tribute has been paid to Kazuma Kiryu. If I had to rate the game, I’d give it a 9.5 out of 10. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next generation of games from SEGA and RGG Studio. Bon voyage!