Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review – Kasuga’s Vacation

The Like a Dragon franchise (previously known as Yakuza in Western territories) has been running strong since 2005, but the series underwent a significant change in recent years. After morphing the gameplay from a beat ’em up adventure into an expansive, turn-based RPG, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has hit a new stride. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth offers a combination of fan service and new ideas, perfecting many of its gameplay mechanics along the way. Like any game in the franchise, it’s not without its flaws, but Infinite Wealth is a seriously impressive RPG that kept me invested for nearly 100 hours.

Surprise Family Vacation

Infinite Wealth picks up shortly after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, with ex-Yakuza member Ichiban Kasuga returning for another wild adventure. Although Kasuga and his pals try to lead a normal life, they get caught up in the sights of a hate-bait Vtuber and are forced to flee Japan. With little more than rumors to go on, Kasuga is sent to Honolulu, Hawaii to track down his thought-to-be-deceased mother, Akane. Of course, this vacation isn’t all sunshine and beaches, as Kasuga quickly runs afoul of various shady characters during his search. Stuck on the beautiful island with no passport, our goofy protagonist must start from rock bottom and become a hero once again.

The main story in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is roughly 50 hours long, and although it takes a few chapters to get going, the wait is well worth it. The jump to Hawaii is a nice change of pace, resulting in a narrative that feels unique for a Like a Dragon title, but it eventually returns to its roots as a story about organized crime. There’s a great cast of characters here, including the beloved Kiryu Kazuma, with every party member feeling worthwhile and fun.

While a lot of the story is humorous and wacky, there’s effective juxtaposition throughout the narrative, as it successfully jumps between comedic and serious plot threads. As is common in this franchise, some of the plot points feel ridiculous and melodramatic, but the storytelling always maintains an honest feel. Extra nuggets of narrative brilliance can be found in the 50+ substories that are available, which often pit Kasuga and friends into some truly hilarious situations. You’ll become a server at a busy new eatery, aid in a music video shoot, join a reality show, and much more.

Fun in the Sun

During your time with Infinite Wealth, you’ll do a significant amount of questing, exploration, and combat. Honolulu, Hawaii is the biggest map in franchise history, which you are free to explore in either first or third-person views. Whether you’re strolling past the many storefronts, swimming at the beach, or soaking in the sights, Hawaii feels lively and excitable.

There are tons of shops to visit, hundreds of characters to befriend, and it’s a blast to uncover every corner of the map. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to move around the map quickly, thanks to a surplus of taxis and a new personal e-scooter called the Street Surfer.

The battle system is very similar to the previous game, but almost all aspects have been expanded or made more approachable. For starters, you can now move your characters around during each turn, allowing you to line up skills and pick more tactical positioning. As you bond with your party members, they’ll start to deal bonus damage, dole out free follow-up attacks, and more.

Combat feels consistently fast and fun, with the player rarely being punished for experimentation. There are numerous sub-classes to try out, loads of summons to discover, and much more. As a nice bonus, much of the additional content helps boost your prowess in combat, often improving your skills with passive buffs, new weapons, and valuable gear.

The Content Never Ends

Infinite Wealth is packed to the gills with extra content, with an abundance of substories, optional game mechanics, and mini-games to try. You can befriend strangers on the street and connect via the Hawaiian-exclusive social network called Aloha Links, snap photos of local sights with the Photography Scavenger Hunt, and much more. As you progress through the game, new gameplay mechanics become available every few chapters, revealing new maps, activities, and more.

When it comes to mini-games, Infinite Wealth delivers, featuring a slew of new and classic diversions which are often both hilarious and addictive. As expected, you can delve into some of the franchise staples, including Darts, Shogi, Poker, Karaoke, and more. However, some of the best mini-games are brand new, including the “Miss Match” online dating game, a Pokemon Snap-inspired trolley ride called “Sicko Snap”, and a bicycle-based food service called “Crazy Delivery”.

Sujimon Battles also return, letting you catch and train a party of Sujimon combatants in a self-contained storyline. Obviously inspired by Pokemon, this fan-favorite mechanic returns fully revamped, as you now battle rival trainers across the island, tackle Sujimon raids, and fight to become the Sujimon Master. If you can’t get enough Sujimon battling, there’s also a Sujimon Collesium to complete, featuring various Sujimon Leagues, Challenge Battles, and a Survival Mode.

However, the major secondary gameplay mechanic in Infinite Wealth is DonDoko Island, a fully customizable resort that you’ll discover in Chapter 6 of the main story. In this surprisingly content-rich experience that’s reminiscent of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you are tasked with cleaning up DonDoko Island and restoring it to a 5-star resort by collecting resources, crafting DIY recipes, and inviting guests to turn a profit.

You can also customize your own living space and upgrade it to a verifiable mansion, improving your health and power along the way. The DonDoko Island portion of Infinite Wealth is a roughly 20-hour standalone experience with its own story, and to be honest, it could’ve been sold as a separate game entirely. Not only is it an addictive and enjoyable diversion, but it’s one of the best parts of the entire Infinite Wealth package.

The Bottom Line on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is another hugely expansive RPG from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio that takes the franchise on a refreshing vacation to Hawaii while keeping the soul of the series intact. Overflowing with extra content, endearing characters, and excellent quality-of-life improvements, this is easily the best turn-based Like a Dragon game to date. Battles feel fast and exciting, the world is a blast to explore, and it always feels like there’s something new to discover.

In short, Infinite Wealth is a game that’s well worth the price of admission and provides a great bang for your buck, with loads of variety. If you’re a fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, don’t miss this entry, as it’s an easy frontrunner for the best RPG of 2024.