When Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was revealed, I used to be truly a bit upset. I am keen on the collection, however I hoped the group would construct on Ichiban’s story to take the franchise ahead fairly than bringing again Kazuma Kiryu after he had a fantastic finale in Yakuza 6. If you happen to’re new to the video games, we principally had a mushy reboot in methods with Yakuza: Like a Dragon (titled Yakuza 7 in Japan) that not solely introduced in a brand new protagonist, but in addition was a turn-based RPG fairly than a brawler like prior entries. I like Kiryu’s video games and take into account Yakuza 0 as considered one of my favourite video games of all time, however Yakuza: Like a Dragon felt just like the breath of recent air the collection wanted.
Since then, the group launched Like a Dragon Gaiden (hyperlink to evaluate), which I ended up loving as effectively regardless of its one annoying subject. At that time, I used to be kind of bought on Kiryu being again, however was cautiously optimistic for the place the story in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (titled Like a Dragon 8 in Japan) would go. I’ve been enjoying it for a couple of weeks now, and after placing in practically 105 hours into the sport throughout PS5 and Steam Deck, I take into account Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to be a masterpiece of an RPG, and considered one of my favourite video games in a really very long time. Word that the screenshots on this evaluate are my very own from each Steam Deck and PS5.
Once I started the primary story, it felt like a fantastic opening, however I wasn’t prepared for what was coming subsequent. With every chapter I performed, mini-game I found, facet story I discovered, and extra, I genuinely couldn’t consider what Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega pulled off right here. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is considered one of Sega’s greatest video games ever, however what shocked me is the way it additionally felt like two full Yakuza video games put collectively after which some. If you happen to performed Yakuza 0, you skilled a twin protagonist system there. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a monstrous expertise by means of its important story and all of the elective content material. Even after over 100 hours into the sport, I haven’t achieved remotely every part I wished to within the sport world.
Earlier than moving into what I like about Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, I wish to go over what I wished fastened from Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Yakuza: Like a Dragon was the group’s first turn-based RPG, and one which felt like a superb first try from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. It did have some teething points in its gameplay, and one large shock problem spike within the later half of the sport. The group has addressed all of those points in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth with large fight enhancements and enhancements, and the group even took care of the problem spike by truly providing you with really useful gear and ranges for particular story factors all through the story. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is principally the end result of not solely the newer video games within the collection, but in addition as chock stuffed with high quality content material as Yakuza 0 was, whereas respecting the collection’ legacy as a complete all through. That is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s magnum opus.
Having averted watching most story-related trailers, I got here into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth comparatively blind barring what I skilled within the demo included in Like a Dragon Gaiden final yr. I used to be inquisitive about how each protagonists can be dealt with, and I feel the group did a incredible job. After a powerful opening few chapters, you begin to see not solely totally different views of the story, but in addition some excellent interactions between the brand new events right here. I wasn’t anxious about how Ichiban’s facet can be dealt with with the brand new characters launched, however I used to be inquisitive about how I’d discover characters from Yakuza: Like a Dragon like Seonhee, Nanba, and Saeko in Kiryu’s get together. In the previous few years, there have been some sturdy JRPG important casts like Xenoblade 3 having probably the greatest, however Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has surpassed that fairly a bit. This could be considered one of my favourite casts in gaming now.
Along with the banter throughout exploration and fight, the characters are additional fleshed out not solely in the course of the story, but in addition for their very own backstories by means of the Drink Hyperlinks system. After you’ve raised your bond stage sufficient by means of interactions, gifting them one thing, consuming with them, or preventing alongside them, you’ll be able to expertise a Drink Hyperlink on the bar. This allows you to study extra a couple of get together member and even assist them out with their issues. A few of these could even contain precise in-game battles. I ended up finishing Drink Hyperlinks for each character however one in my first playthrough, they usually had been all value it.
With out moving into any spoilers and even mentioning what I noticed in a few of the trailers, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s narrative and the payoff are constantly incredible. I’m inquisitive about how not solely longtime followers, but in addition newer gamers react to some moments from the mid to late sport. Out of the brand new playable and non playable characters, Chitose and Eric are well-written, whereas the brand new interactions we see between the likes of Seonhee and Nanba with Kiryu and Kiryu’s interactions with Ichiban give this the texture of two legendary experiences coming collectively for a grand conclusion.
Talking of the conclusion, there’s a giant construct as much as how I anticipated issues to go within the story, however I noticed I used to be solely midway into the sport. It consistently shocked me, and even baited me into pondering how particular characters would act solely to do the alternative. All of that is elevated by nice cut-scene path with a mixture of in-engine and pre-rendered scenes. There may be additionally fairly a little bit of voiced dialogue all through which is a large deal for a sport so long as this one.
I can’t consider I’ve not even talked about to this point that Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is ready in Hawaii, the primary time a sport within the collection focuses on a locale like this. Hawaii isn’t just a few location added for a substory, however an enormous, colourful, and dense location stuffed with secrets and techniques, specialty espresso retailers (an enormous win in my ebook), highly effective foes, and a ton of mini-games and NPCs. In reality a few of the places are so dense, I even seen the body fee drop within the PS5 model there. After realizing prior places just like the again of my hand, it felt nice having a brand new location in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to find and likewise search for secrets and techniques and collectibles throughout the hidden locales.
Outdoors the primary story, there’s a wealth (I couldn’t resist) of facet content material by means of totally different sorts of substories, mini-games, and some that may very well be fleshed out into their very own sport. The Dondoko Island mini-game may very well be its personal price range priced standalone launch. It has that a lot effort put into it, and it virtually pushes the sport engine an excessive amount of in its scope. Then there’s Sujimon which has its personal raids, battles, coaching, boss fights, and even a really cool factor you unlock after finishing it. Barring these two, Sicko Snap and the supply mini-games had been highlights. There are the standard arcade video games and extra that the Yakuza video games embrace, however I ended up spending an excessive amount of time on karaoke as common.
Talking of substories in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Kiryu has his personal set of substories and memoirs primarily that you may acquire. I gained’t particularly spoil what these embrace, however longtime followers of the collection and followers of Kiryu over time will discover so much to like right here. Among the moments right here shocked even me (in a great way) with how the builders tackled sure characters. I’ll go away it at that.
Loads of parts in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s story, gameplay, and elective content material had me pondering whether or not it might find yourself being a “an excessive amount of of a superb factor” state of affairs, however the group proved me mistaken. I solely thought perhaps one or two hours out of the over hundred hours I put into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth weren’t enjoyable, and that’s as a result of I attempted pushing my luck in a dungeon or story second the place I went in with out gearing up.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is structured a bit in a different way due to the 2 protagonists. There are some story chapters the place you play largely with just one get together, and don’t see a lot of the opposite, however most find yourself letting you do a bit with each Ichiban and Kiryu. The story begins unfolding completely the extra you play, and every part slowly is sensible with character motivations, and likewise with Ichiban’s character coming into its personal. Kiryu’s character was at all times going to be superb, however the actual star of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is unquestionably Ichiban.
Once I unlocked the job (fight class) system, or the power to vary jobs in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth I used to be virtually spoiled for alternative instantly. You begin out with a couple of jobs unlocked, however can unlock extra by visiting particular places or finishing sure mini-games. I didn’t spend an excessive amount of time experimenting throughout my first playthrough as a result of I used to be very proud of my get together setup for each protagonists, however I’ve been having a blast with the brand new jobs within the post-game.
One fear I had was how the sport can be balanced round a number of jobs with the sturdy job system, encounters, problem, and likewise gear. Barring having to recollect to equip your greatest gear when you find yourself enjoying the opposite character, I had no actual points with how something was dealt with problem smart. I even tried pushing issues by going right into a story scene a number of ranges beneath the advice with decrease high quality gear. It was doable, however undoubtedly a get up name. I’d take these sport stage suggestions significantly if I had been you.
With regards to the gear or gear in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the sport options crafting, gear per job, character-exclusive gear you’ll be able to unlock later, and likewise an improve system to boost your gear. The supplies you employ to craft or improve are discovered all around the sport, however some will likely be a lot simpler to acquire by means of mini-games, particularly if you happen to’re after the final word weapons for every character. Ichiban’s final weapon helped me out a ton in the course of the last space of the sport for example.
At this level, you’re in all probability questioning if these stage suggestion messages are only a warning for problem spikes, however that couldn’t be farther from the reality. If you happen to hold working from enemies and skip battles, you can be decrease stage for certain, however the sport has a couple of methods of letting you stand up to hurry and even grind to be overpowered if you happen to’d like. That is the place the dungeons come into the image. Barring a couple of story places which can be smaller dungeon-style areas, you could have entry to 2 important dungeons within the sport. These are elective (exterior of a narrative second that takes you into the early areas) places the place you will get superb crafting supplies, weapons, and quite a lot of expertise. There are checkpoints that allow you to save as effectively, so it isn’t one thing it’s good to full in a single go. I often used to replenish on therapeutic and stamina restoring objects earlier than doing a dungeon run as a break from the story or a mini-game.
One new function in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth that makes dungeons a lot much less boring than the sewer in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, is the music participant. You’ll be able to play a couple of songs from the beginning, however unlock a plethora of Sega and Atlus songs by means of exploration and mini-games. I don’t wish to spoil the shock songs they’ve included however I didn’t count on Sega to even bear in mind two of the video games featured right here. I’d additionally like to notice that some dungeons additionally function traps and hazards with the standard hidden collectibles, mimic chests, and particular enemies that reward extra expertise. Loads of the additions and enhancements in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth make it really feel extra like a JRPG whereas nonetheless sustaining every part I like in regards to the Yakuza collection.
Dungeons, exploration, bosses, and extra all revolve round Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s fight system. This time, you’ll be able to transfer round in a set radius to plan your assaults with the interface highlighting while you’re close to an object you’ll be able to choose up, given a proximity bonus, and even see the path an enemy will likely be knocked into letting you strategize on the go. The sport continues to be turn-based, however this stage of motion and the interface prompts provide you with fairly a little bit of freedom to strategize in your directional assaults, space of impact abilities (with their very own highlights), and likewise in environmental interactions. Choosing abilities often has quick fast time occasions like mashing Y/Sq. or completely timing your X/Triangle button press to get a harm improve. Guarding towards assaults by timing a press of A/O permits you to reduce the influence of assaults.
This movable space for the character you’re controlling now removes the randomness of the prior important entry. You additionally don’t want to fret about enemies blocking your path when you attempt to do a fundamental assault towards an enemy additional away. My solely criticism with the fight system is in how the digicam generally doesn’t reposition shortly sufficient on an enemy attacking. This implies you don’t get an opportunity to attempt to do an ideal guard in time. I’m undecided if this will likely be fastened for launch, however I hope it’s addressed sooner or later.
One facet that basically elevates the entire fight expertise is the brand new get together members and likewise the get together construction throughout the sport. Having Seonhee playable is superb, and I’m glad it occurred, however discovering your personal synergies with the job system and events to finally get to some extent the place you wipe out excessive stage enemies in a couple of turns earlier than they will even act by no means will get previous. I loved Seonhee’s whip assault that makes use of a powerline to do space of impact harm, and adopted that up with one other space of impact assault doing fireplace harm principally melting enemy well being bars.
The demo appeared that Kiryu can simply use brawler fashion fight as his final capacity at any time, however remember the fact that you don’t simply get entry to it instantly, and you may’t simply spam it and play with Kiryu as a brawler. It is a turn-based expertise by means of and thru, however Kiryu can get into brawler mode after a selected level within the sport, solely as soon as his particular bar fills up. The best way you unlock additionally it is probably the greatest surprises within the sport.
Whilst you can quick journey to taxi factors throughout the map when you’ve unlocked them by strolling by, the actual pleasure of the expertise is working round and discovering a random highly effective merchandise in a briefcase simply mendacity within the curb or choosing up a helpful merchandise from the bin. You’ll be able to after all use the brand new segway-like system to hurry round city. I like that you may even customise the colour and particle results for this and it requires its personal fees and upgrades. By in regards to the center of the sport, I anxious how I’d even hold monitor of all of this with the various improve and crafting programs included, but it surely all comes collectively very well. You simply want to recollect to improve your gear and purchase therapeutic objects usually.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s fight additionally options poundmates that are this sport’s summons, and they’re much more excessive than the prior sport. I ended up unlocking so many elective ones by means of substories and mini-games that I forgot to make use of lots of them by the top, and solely remembered this in the course of the last space of the sport the place I let free and simply loved the spectacle of the poundmate animations for some encounters.
I discussed Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Dondoko Island mini-game already being very in-depth, however I used to be shocked at how a lot time I used to be keen to place into it. For mini-games like Sicko Snap, I ended enjoying after doing it sufficient occasions to unlock the gear I wished, however right here I used to be simply utilizing Dondoko Island like I do karaoke in Yakuza video games, as a technique to take a break from the primary story. It helps that Dondoko Island was nice to earn cash and one thing particular on the finish as effectively.
If you happen to performed Like a Dragon Gaiden, you’d know that Sega added VTuber Kson to the sport as a hostess within the mini-game, and I used to be glad to see that. In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, she’s a bartender, however the VTuber presence doesn’t cease there, and I discovered it very attention-grabbing how the builders and writers dealt with that facet within the story. Who knew including VTubers and extra espresso retailers would assist this a lot? However jokes apart, I undoubtedly loved that facet of the sport.
Regardless of enjoying the sport so much every day for some time now, I nonetheless didn’t find yourself seeing every part it needed to provide, and will likely be dipping into it slowly aiming for 100% completion over the approaching weeks. It truly is a monster of a sport in nearly each method, and I used to be shocked at the way it by no means felt prefer it had padding. You even get a wealth of save factors and objects within the late sport places that throw enemies at you consistently.
Visually, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth seems largely beautiful. There are some parts that really feel a bit unpolished, however it’s a good step above previous video games in its scope and visuals in Hawaii. The dynamic climate system can be very effectively achieved. Character fashions are incredible, and the group undoubtedly stepped up with the manufacturing for story scenes. Efficiency will fluctuate in elements relying on what you’re enjoying on although.
I performed Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on each PS5 and Steam Deck for this evaluate, however will give attention to the Steam Deck portion for the technical particulars. On PS5, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth targets 60fps and I solely seen the body fee drop significantly in a single in-game location with a ton of NPCs and likewise in two late-game boss fights throughout assault cut-scene animations or throughout assault animations solely.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is Steam Deck Verified already which is at all times a superb signal, however Valve generally marks video games that don’t run effectively as Verified. Fortunately, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is definitely actually good on Steam Deck, and you’ll doubtless already know what to anticipate if you happen to performed the demo or performed Yakuza: Like a Dragon on the hand held. On Steam Deck, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth permits you to regulate show mode (borderless, fullscreen, windowed), decision (with 16:10 and 800p assist), refresh fee, toggle v-sync, use graphics presets, regulate FOV, body fee goal (30, 60, 120, limitless), and regulate superior settings.
The Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth superior graphics settings on Steam Deck allow you to regulate texture filtering mode, shadow high quality (which I set to low as common), geometry high quality (Medium for me), realtime reflections, movement blur, SSAO, render scale, depth of area, reflection high quality, and some upscaling methods. This consists of AMD FSR 1.0, FSR 2, FSR 3, Intel XeSS, and likewise the sport’s default anti-aliasing. I ended up utilizing both FSR 2 or FSR 3 throughout my time with it on Steam Deck. Whereas I clearly couldn’t take a look at this on Steam Deck, if you happen to had been questioning about DLSS, Nvidia announced that it will likely be supporting it.
After testing the ultimate sport’s most up-to-date construct as of this writing, a locked 60fps isn’t actually doable on Steam Deck with out the sport wanting a bit too blurry for my liking. I’d advocate aiming for 40hz or 30fps if you happen to’re happy with that with significantly better visuals. Turning shadows to low, leaving geometry on medium, and utilizing movement blur if you happen to prefer it, whereas enjoying round with render scale and FSR 3 are your greatest guess for a easy expertise proper now. You possibly can get significantly better efficiency by reducing the render scale beneath 100 to say 80, however I’m not a fan of the way it seems. I’d fairly stick with a 40hz goal with some compromises given this can be a turn-based sport in spite of everything, or 30fps with higher visuals. Remember the fact that whereas the opening of the sport may appear to run at 60fps for you, Hawaii is extra demanding in lots of elements with how dense the places are with many NPCs strolling round. Even be warned that another crowded mall space and two boss fights appear to be fairly a bit heavier than the remainder of the sport.
On the audio facet, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has superb music all through its upbeat battle themes, catchy themes performed throughout mini-games, glorious new and previous karaoke songs, and memorable boss themes. Two of the later boss themes are superb, and I can’t wait to see the response to them when my pals play Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth additionally occurs to make use of a pleasant association of some older songs from the collection, however I gained’t say the place that occurs. I do know some previews have proven this, however stay up for some good surprises within the sport’s soundtrack.
Whereas I anticipated Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to have glorious Japanese voice appearing, I wish to spotlight Kazuhiro Nakaya, the Japanese voice of Ichiban Kasuga for his efficiency right here. It’s in all probability my favourite protagonist efficiency in any RPG alongside Ben Starr’s Clive in Last Fantasy XVI and Harry McEntire’s Noah in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Kazuhiro Nakaya delivered one thing past particular right here. To not say the opposite forged members didn’t do a fantastic job, however his supply actually caught with me all through even days after I hit sure story beats.
If you happen to, like me, had been contemplating getting Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on PS5 or questioning what that model presents over the Steam Deck barring the visible and efficiency upgrades, the DualSense options are very good. The builders added correct haptic suggestions for a lot of small issues like ukulele strum assaults or for the segway whereas exploring. I anticipated some fundamental adaptive set off assist, however I’m very proud of the DualSense implementation right here. It’s a disgrace that this seemingly isn’t accessible on the PC model.
Barring some efficiency enhancements in elements I had points in, the one factor I’d prefer to see improved is the digicam in some encounters. The sport shouldn’t have enemies assault whereas the digicam hasn’t adjusted but. I additionally would love Sega so as to add an choice to the PC port to drive the show of particular controller button prompts fairly than have it auto detect. The Persona ports let you choose or drive Nintendo and PlayStation prompts no matter your enter technique. It is a minor subject, however because the PC port is so good in nearly each different method, it might be a pleasant addition.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio at its peak. It feels recent whereas nonetheless bringing collectively one of the best facets of my favourite video games from the studio. Not solely does it handle to ship a compelling story with twists and turns all through the massively lengthy important story run time, however the sheer high quality of its elective content material and mini-games places a few of the greatest entries within the collection to disgrace. We lastly have a contemporary Yakuza sport that matches not solely the standard, but in addition the amount of Yakuza 0’s awesomeness. It will get my highest attainable suggestion. I can’t wait to see what the studio does for the following sport.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Steam Deck Overview Rating: 5/5
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