Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
WHERE TO PLAY
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is full of content for anyone willing to sink into the beautiful island of Hawaii. While its main story may take a while to boil, and never feels quite as good as the side stories, Ichiban’s adventures always entertain and delight.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest game in theLike a Dragon/Yakuza series. You’ll spend a lot of time with the fan favorites Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu. While Infinite Wealth is an imperfect game, it’s one filled to the brim with charm and activities. Instead of fully taking place in Japan, a very familiar setting for the series, Ichiban is given a mission to go to Hawaii to seek out his long-lost mother. While in Hawaii, he meets a number of interesting companions who, as you may expect, don’t start off on the right foot. Nonetheless, Ichiban wins over just about everyone with his charm and good-natured heart.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Pre-Order Guide, Bonuses & Special Editions
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Hawaii itself feels like a living, breathing character within the story. The beautiful scenery, engaging activities, and laid-back citizens all bring paradise to life. However, you’ll soon discover that paradise has its own problems and, perhaps, the grass is truly always greener on the other side. As you make your way through Hawaii, you’ll engage in a number of thrilling activities that add to the feel of the setting while also adding engaging side content to interact with. If you love the Like a Dragon series, you’ll likely love this fresh twist on an old favorite.
Fill Up On Sides
While the main story for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is decent, it often failed to grab my attention. I enjoyed the characters and their development, but I didn’t find the hook to be terribly interesting. Ichiban’s quest to find his mother in Hawaii was often shrouded in a mystery that lacked depth. With no real attachment to the character being sought after, it was hard to care about her disappearance. Ichiban’s own ambivalence toward the idea of having a mother made it hard to get invested. As you find out that faction after faction is interested in hunting this woman down, nobody seems to know why for quite some time. The first half of the game offers more questions than answers, but the questions failed to spice up a rather bland story.
If you’re looking for something cozy to break up all the action, Infinite Wealth’s Dondoko Island has you covered.
However, I’m happy to say that the side content for Infinite Wealth is some of the best I’ve ever experienced in a video game. Nobody does games within a game quite as well as Like a Dragon. Hawaii invites you to take it slow and see the sights, which you should absolutely do. Whether you’re greeting locals for your social network or swiping left and right in the dating app, you won’t run out of things to do for quite a while. Somehow, saying this game is massive still feels like an understatement.
If you’re looking for something a bit like Pokemon, then buckle up and get a load of Sujimon. As one game announcer put it, these “wholesome creeps and perverts” can be bribed into joining your Sujimon roster. you’re able to level them, evolve them, fight with them, and even use them to face off against the Discreet Four. The Pokemon references in this section of the game are numerous and humorous. As you travel around Hawaii, you’ll encounter Sujimon trainers to battle and even raids to take part in. If you love the idea of a Pokemon game starring the underbelly of Hawaii, look no further than Sujimon.
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I was quite taken with an area called The Labyrinth, which is something of a dungeon. Every time you enter, the layout is changed. You have to work your way down each floor as enemies progressively become tougher and tougher. It’s a test of your team’s endurance and strength. If you’re looking for a traditional dungeon-delving experience, this part of the game is perfect. Moving down each floor is satisfying, and you’re likely to save some poor souls who’ve lost their way in the process. Given the ever-changing layout, diving in never gets old.
As for the very best side content, I lost hours upon hours in Dondoko Island. If you’ve seen the previews and promotions, this is Infinite Wealth’s take on Animal Crossing. When Ichiban ends up on the island, he promises to help restore the former resort to its glory days. It’s your mission to clear the trash (and the Washbuckler pirates using the island as a dump), build up the island, and turn the place into a five-star resort once again. You’re also given a house you can expand and decorate to your heart’s content. Don’t worry, you’re not just decorating for the hell of it. Decorating your house will make it feel more like home, which will earn you more hearts. These hearts act as your life pool on the island. The better your home, the stronger you are. I can’t say enough good things about this mode. You can fish, catch bugs, gather resources, and build away. If you’re looking for something cozy to break up all the action, Infinite Wealth’s Dondoko Island has you covered.
Relatable Relationships
Ichiban’s companions are one of the best parts of the game. It’s charming to see how this lovable oaf makes friends out of enemies and surprises nearly everyone with his willingness to forgive and forget. For instance, one of Ichiban’s closest friends first met him as a cab driver who tried to rob him at gunpoint. Their path to friendship makes for a good bit of humor while also showing the depths of Ichiban’s kindness.
If you’re the kind of person who loves New Game Plus, it’s a real shame that you’ll have to decide between paying more money or taking part in what I would consider to be an incomplete experience.
As you recruit companions, you’ll unlock a bingo card for each one. If you travel around the city to key locations, you’ll trigger conversations with your companions. These conversations provide insight into who they are, what they like, and who they wish to become. Take part in enough of these conversations, and you’ll fill the bingo card, increase your bond, and unlock heart-to-heart conversations over drinks at the local bar. Drinking with your buddies is great! You’ll be able to choose Ichiban’s responses, which will enhance certain social characteristics like Charisma, Passion, and Kindness.
I often found myself traveling to locations in the hopes of filling out the bingo cards so I could learn more about my companions. These interactions also come with a combat bonus. Your companion will eventually learn how to Tag Team enemies with you. This is incredibly useful in combat, as it’s often a powerful move capable of knocking out enemies in one swift hit. Each Tag Team move is unique, adding to the flair and personality of engaging in combat alongside your allies. In any other game, these companions might steal the show. However, Ichiban has enough personality to always hog the spotlight.
Infinite Wealth’s turn-based combat isn’t your typical turn-based system. Your characters are free to move around the battlefield. You’re given bonuses for attacking within close proximity of an enemy. You can pick up street weapons and use them against your foes. There are quick-time commands that allow you to add a bit of extra damage to your attacks. Attacking an enemy from behind will also deal extra damage. If an enemy falls prone, you’re rewarded for acting quickly and hitting them while they’re down. The real-time influences within the turn-based combat keep things engaging. While you may be taking turns, there’s no real opportunity to zone out and press the same moves over and over again.
The side games are anything but mini, and players should feel free to take their time with this one.
Unfortunately, the main story can present a bit of a grind. As you progress, major events will warn you that your party should be a certain level with specific equipment. You can forge ahead at lower levels, but you’ll likely regret that decision pretty quickly. Instead, you’ll need to stop your main story progress and go fight some enemies in order to gain experience and money. In many ways, this can feel punishing. When the main story is coming to a slow boil, it feels tedious to stop, grind, and then get back to what you were doing. The frustration is further exacerbated by trying to find a good place to grind. With no indication of level zones on the map, you’re left jumping to a few different zones until you find enemies who aren’t low-level chump change or high-level brutes about to take your lunch money.
New Game Plus
It wouldn’t be right for me to gloss over the New Game Plus controversy. At the time of writing, New Game Plus is gated behind the paywall of the game’s more expensive Deluxe and Ultimate editions. While I was provided with a code that included these bonuses, it isn’t right that players should have to pony up more money for access to a core part of the game. The idea that New Game Plus is being treated as paid DLC just isn’t right, and it’s a blemish on an otherwise great game. If you’re the kind of person who loves New Game Plus, it’s a real shame that you’ll have to decide between paying more money or taking part in what I would consider to be an incomplete experience.
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Aloha, Ichiban!
At the end of the day, I experienced many more highs than lows while playing Infinite Wealth. While the lows often felt frustrating and avoidable, the side content provided too much fun to sweat the small stuff. Hawaii provided a wonderful change of pace for the series and allowed the game to really stretch its creative legs. Putting the protagonist in an unfamiliar place allows the player to go for a ride and really see the world through Ichiban’s eyes.
While Hawaii may not always be the paradise Ichiban initially thought it was, showing the underbelly and corruption within the setting is a worthwhile endeavor. Every place has its problems, and the game conveys a wonderful message by showing that. Players looking for a large game they can sink hours upon hours into will feel right at home here. The side games are anything but mini, and players should feel free to take their time with this one. This isn’t a game that shines by rushing to the end. Much like paradise itself, it asks you to stay a while, relax, and enjoy the scenery.
