The Like a Dragon series has been around for a good while now. Originally known as “Yakuza” in many parts of the world, this action game franchise started on the PlayStation 2 back in 2005. The series has had many slight but steady changes throughout its history. The evolution of the series is quite astonishing since the latest games in the mainline entries are now full-fledged turn-based role-playing games.
Earlier this year, Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, the eighth mainline entry in the series was released on modern platforms. This game was highly anticipated by many fans for many reasons. Old, beloved characters like Kiryu Kazuma were making a big comeback, and new characters from the seventh entry were explored in interesting ways. While it took me a while, I’ve finally completed the game and have quite a lot to say about it.
The Gang Goes on Vacation in Infinite Wealth
I don’t want to spoil too much for this game’s story, since I believe reviews shouldn’t do that. Spoilers are for in-depth analysis and discussion. The story in this game, just like previous entries, is very long and complicated, especially towards the end. Every Like A Dragon game has tropes that fans of the series know by now. Lovable characters that are way too trusting, irredeemable villains (until they are redeemed), a global-level conspiracy, and a bunch of unexpected plot twists.
Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth’s Hawaii-based story was mixed for me. For every genuinely well-written and compelling moment in the story, there are one or two moments that left me feeling underwhelmed, or straight up scratching my head. I feel for the story because this game is trying to do a lot. There are so many characters and so many plot points that all need to be tied up. It’s honestly a Herculean task for the writers. I felt like the story was a mixed bag.
Turn-Based Tiger Dropping
The previous game introduced the series to full-on turn-based RPG combat, and Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth continues that trend. The combat here is great. It’s just as fun and engaging as last time, with some new great additions. Combo attacks with party members and new enemy spacing options add so much strategy and complexity to combat. For a turn-based game, the button prompts on the screen also really help with making it feel action-packed and fun.
Many things from the last game worked here as well. The voice acting is still great (except for one notable character in the English dub), the graphics are beautiful, and the world design is tried and true to the series. I wasn’t crazy about some of the music tracks used here, particularly the dubstep used for battles. I loved the older tracks the game used, particularly late in the game.
Like a Dragon’s Legacy
Overall, I found this game to be a bit of a mixed bag. Granted, I am a long-time fan of the series. The gameplay changes, as well as the new and returning characters here, were phenomenal. This game is a blast to play, it is very satisfying to take on the tougher enemies because the turn-based combat is so enjoyable. The story is the biggest problem here. This game’s ending portions might be some of the most puzzling in the series for me.
Many parts of the story felt rushed and not very well written. The story in this game is so disappointing because the previous game, Yakuza Like a Dragon, had such a heartfelt and well-written story. It wasn’t perfect, but that story felt much tighter than this one, even though it had problems. At the end of the day, I liked this game. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll most likely enjoy it but have the same problems I did. If you aren’t a fan of the series, play the previous entries, and if you like them, think about picking this one up.
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