Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG

If you’ve followed Sega’s Like A Dragon/Yakuza series, you know how crazy it can get. Well, the newly-released role-playing game Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth -which is basically Yakuza 8- is no different.

The story is… long, but then again, you get to play two fan-favourite characters: the greenhorn Ichiban Kasuga and series veteran Kiryu Kazuma. Infinite Wealth doesn’t just take place in Japan, but in lush Hawaii as well, which is a breath of fresh air given how detailed the Sega Ryo Ga Gotoku team are with their open-world cities, packing as much as humanly possible. It almost feels like I was in the country myself, felt like a real treat and I’m so thankful to experience the cheery, happy JRPG full of things to do.

But is it excessive? Is it overwhelming for a newbie to the series like myself? Read on and find out!

Jumping In The Deep End Of The Tropical Sea

This is my second Yakuza, the first being Like a Dragon: Ishin! The downside with this eighth mothership entry for me, as you can tell pretty soon, is that it featured a huge amount of lore baggage that I struggled with. Thankfully in this day and age, we’ve got Google to find out who is who and what is what, eh?

Infinite Wealth starts a couple of years after Yakuza: Like A Dragon. We start with Ichiban Kasuga living the ordinary life in a shacked-up place, trying to pick up the pieces years after being involved in the crime life. The story starts light, you’re Ichiban and man, do you really, I mean really need to work on your dating skills! Romance is definitely not your charm.

It gets heavy, with you losing your job, and that, I think will really hit a lot of us in the gaming industry pretty hard. The layoffs we’ve been seeing the couple of months kind of suddenly hit me in the face just at this one scene at the office. I really felt for him, but I admired his ability to get up and make the most out of what was going on in his life.

Either way, the story progresses and well, you’re not exactly escaping the crime life that you thought you had left behind. Fast forward, and you get a tip that, well, your mother, Akane who was apparently supposed to be dead, and all this leads you to Hawaii. You don’t really see Hawaii til more than 5 hours into the game so it’s not really that long of a wait.

Kazuma Kiryu, the original lead from Like A Dragon/Yakuza, makes a return as a playable character here. I think the story in Infinite Wealth really humanizes Kiryu here, which feels great. Although Kiryu here plays a huge role, Ichiban is the star of the show here. The game gives you so much time to expand and get to know everyone, which is something I love. The characters surrounding our protagonists are characters you genuinely want to know more about.

The only thing that disappointed me about the storyline was that it was really hard to care about Akane. Even if every faction wanted her, which by the way, nobody knows why for a pretty damn long time. You’ll have many questions about this story arc, and you won’t get answers until much later, and damn the answers are really just… disappointing. It just comes out bland, and not something your imagination probably came up with.

As I have mentioned, the city of Hawaii in Infinite Wealth is beautiful to look at, experience, and to explore; a paradise if I must say so myself. The graphics, the scenery, oh my; I can almost feel the sun on my skin. You get to do a ton of content, that really does make the game superb. Ichiban’s sunny personality just fits well with the environment in Hawaii.

CHEF’S KISS-LEVEL COMBAT

It feels like the turn-based combat is much more improved than the previous one, making it a fun experience. I love being able to hit multiple people with an item. The interaction with items that can be picked up during a fight also feels much smoother. If you enjoy JRPGs, then Infinite Wealth might be the game for you. The entire combat system is pretty interactive. You can adjust your positioning mid-fight in real-time. By doing this, you can break blocks from enemies or even trigger follow-up attacks. If you also press a button, just before the enemy attacks you,  you can trigger a perfect block.

The jobs system is only unlocked after Chapter, after Ichiban visits Alo-Happy Tours. The system in Infinite Wealth is hecking full of variety. You want to be an Action Star? Go crazy. A topless Pyrodancer? Hey, nobody’s judging you here. Your party can switch their jobs anytime by just going to the clothes-changing booth.

To unlock more jobs, you’ll need to reach a certain Personality Level to unlock the course associated with the job at Alo-Happy. Not only that, but your party members will also have to hit a certain bond to be able to use some of these jobs.

MINI-GAMES GALORE

I found it hard to not spend a bunch of time playing the mini games, but man are they addicting, and the worse is there are so many fun ones. AND I MEAN SO MANY. Crazy Delivery is definitely one that is at the top of my list. You’ve got 3 minutes to make as much money as you can by delivering food to hungry customers. Basically, you’re a damn Uber/Grab driver. You can do crazy wheelies, and stunts when doing deliveries, and it’s absolutely stupid but hilarious.

You’ve also got Sujimon, a parody of the fan favourite monster catching Pokémon. Instead of collecting monsters, you’ll be collecting Sujimons and commanding them to battle it out in a 3v3 battle. That’s not the only parody in the game. Dondoko Island is an Animal Crossing Parody in which you will have to fix up an old polluted island, which really gets addictive the longer you get into it. You know, like the game it’s cribbing from!

TRULY LIVING UP TO ITS NAMESAKE

I may not have played all of the Like A Dragons series, but this one…This one I honestly had tons of fun with.

I was a little too addicted to the side content, and it was hard to focus just on the main story as it could get a bit draggy. But that’s what the side content is for! Sega did warn all of us that this particular entry is long in the tooth, and it certainly lives up to that reputation.

To keep the game fresh and for you to have fun how you choose to. What I love most is that Infinite Wealth truly kept to its comedic side. The story had its fluff and its seriousness, but it still maintained its comedy throughout. If you are a fan of the Like A Dragon series, and still haven’t played Infinite Wealth yet, then what the heck are you doing? While it may be daunting for newbies like myself, it’s worth jumping into the deep end and rolling with it. Because once its metaphoric dragon jaws snag you, it’s hard not to get immersed and enjoy the levity and drama Sega offers in its crime-slash-fun-time gameplay set in a bold tropical landscape.

PROS

• The combat system is interactive and fun.
• Amazing side content.
• Characters are charismatic + great character development.
• The comedy is S+ tier!.

CONS

• Story feels a bit too long, can lose track of it easily.
• Not beginner-friendly.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100

Review copy provided by publisher.