2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon was a massive shock to the system, as after years of coming to grips with the franchise’s beat-’em-up action, the shift to old-school JRPG turn-based battles took some getting used to. The core combat may have been the equivalent of ordering a steak and getting a grilled hake instead, but once you made peace with it, Like a Dragon’s gameplay was a refreshing change of pace. Arriving at the beginning of the current console generation, Like a Dragon was the start of a new era in the franchise, as series stalwart Kiryu Kazuma made way for a lovable goofball in the form of Ichiban Kasuga.

With the Yakuza franchise now having been rebranded, the latest game in the series Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth builds on the ideas introduced in the seventh mainline game, fine-tuning and tweaking them to offer something that hits the sweet spot for tactics and action. If you’re in the mood for some Hawaiian Punch, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth offers not only a thrilling adventure covering a wide range of topics, it also pulls at your heartstrings with emotionally devastating moments of character development.

It might be a little presumptuous to say this in February, but Infinite Wealth is already a strong contender for Game of the Year.

Crossing the border and touching down in Hawaii, Infinite Wealth pairs the upbeat Ichiban with the stoic Dragon of Dojima for this new adventure. What starts as Ichiban’s journey to finally connect with the biological mom he never knew quickly evolves into a sprawling tale of crime, counterfeits, and corruption. Delivered in the trademark episodic structure of Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, Infinite Wealth takes its time to set up various pieces on the chessboard, but once it has built up enough momentum, it proceeds to barrel along like an unstoppable freight train until it finally reaches an explosive conclusion.

Also, Danny Trejo voices a Hawaiian mob boss with a penchant for machetes, so if that doesn’t spell GOTY-contender, then I’m ready to hand in my badge and gun.

While the vast Honolulu map is where you’ll spend the bulk of your time in Infinite Wealth–literally dozens of hours of gameplay await–the game still finds time for you to return to Japan and revisit the Yokohama and Kamurocho maps, but for reasons which I won’t spoil here. Overall, Honolulu is a terrific addition to the handful of locations that developer RGG has created over the years. It’s a vast expanse of sun-soaked land to explore, grab a bite to eat, and pummel various hoodlums across.

You’ll be scrapping a lot in Infinite Wealth, and here is where the game truly shines thanks to the retooling done to franchise RPG mechanics. Yakuza 7 could be an absolute chore to play due to stiff design choices, but this time, Infinite Wealth embraces flexibility to give you more strategic options for spewing 80-proof alcohol flames into someone’s face. Repositioning a character–similar to what several other XCOM-inspired games have done recently–opens up a variety of new choices for you, allowing you to deal more damage when you take advantage of these tactics. Striking from the rear, using attacks to shove enemies into each other, and tag team assists all help, while other Yakuza traits include using the environment to your advantage. Like grabbing a nearby bicycle and causing massive property damage.

If you know how to take proper advantage of this system, you’ll be a pinball wizard as you bounce enemies between the barbed wire of your baseball bat and into your allies, dealing impressive damage numbers in the process. Meanwhile, Kiryu literally breaks out of the gameplay when you activate his signature Heat Gauge, controlling like the berserker who headlined several Yakuza games. Even when he’s being used as a JRPG party member, he’s still a versatile fighter who can switch between his polished combat styles to deliver a fresh supply of broken bones and bruises.

While rank-and-file enemies exist solely as a meat grinder for you to level up with, Infinite Wealth is at its best during story missions, when you run through a gauntlet of fights. It’s here where the game switches things up, throwing more environmental hazards and opportunities your way to keep battles engaging and entertaining. One level inside an underground shopping mall is full of poison gas that forces you to punch first and ask questions later, while another stage set on a boat allows you to pummel enemies directly into the toothy maw of a massive shark. Don’t worry, nobody dies! Being gently chewed up and spat out by a shark big enough to make Jason Statham sweat is something that criminals can recover from in the Like a Dragon universe.

These tweaks create a more enjoyable experience overall, but Infinite Wealth also expands on these ideas with a larger pool of jobs to choose from, each one offering more specialty skills as you increase your proficiency in them. The selection includes brutal ballet martial arts in Heiress, multitasking mayhem as an Assassin, and unleashing a bullet barrage as a Desperado, to name a few. Each one has something to offer, and mastering these jobs while keeping your party balanced adds some delicious flavour to the experience.

But perhaps the biggest improvement in Infinite Wealth is in how it provides a consistent challenge without throwing up roadblocks. Yakuza 7 was notorious for savage spikes in difficulty, ones that required hours of grinding just so that you could last an extra turn against a boss who would laugh off your best attacks and one-shot party members with ease. While the final chapter of Infinite Wealth will put everything you’ve learned to the ultimate test of endurance, the majority of the game offers a fairer challenge and keeps you informed of when you need to keep a fresh stock of health-restoring bento boxes, enhanced weapons, and stylish armour on hand.

I’m particularly fond of the new feature where you can just hit the left trigger when you encounter enemies who don’t stand a chance against you. This further removes some unnecessary bloat from the game.

Infinite Wealth’s meaty campaign will keep you occupied for weeks if you decide to stick to a chapter a day of Ichiban’s Hawaiian odyssey. However, like other games in the series, there’s so much more to do than just rearrange someone’s teeth on the street. The absurdity of the American culture of side hustles shines in Super Crazy Delivery–imagine Crazy Taxi meets the gig economy–Sujimon battles return for a fresh round of colourful loony battles, and various other side-activities will easily gobble up hours of your time.

The biggest of these mini games is easily Dondoko Island, Infinite Wealth’s take on Nintendo’s hit Animal Crossing series. But also legally distinct! Separate from Honolulu, Dondoko Island is a home away from home where you can build the ultimate island resort. While it probably won’t appeal to Like a Dragon fans looking to indulge in some bone-breaking action, there’s a surprisingly deep system at play as you work to create a five-star getaway experience.

With plenty of new and wild substories to experience, Infinite Wealth always has something to offer you. None of its content feels like padding and there’s always something of value to earn from these optional hustles. Just don’t expect this game to value your precious time, because you’re on its clock, not yours, so expect to be committed for the long haul (think 50 hours+ minimum).

Having released on 26 January, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is out now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.


Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth revels in slow-burn storytelling and explosive revelations, but if you can set aside time to properly absorb a dynamic and gripping tale of love, loss, and making your time in this world matter, you’ll find that it’s one of the best Yakuza games ever made. And an early Game of the Year contender to boot.

 9
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was reviewed on PS5