As a longtime fan of the series, 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon came as a bit of a shock to my system. Fun as it was, the sudden switch to stop-start, turn-based JRPG attacks was a lot to get my head around after more than a decade of enjoying the series’ signature combo-based beat ‘em up action – a bit like spending over 10 years getting really good at thumb wrestling and then being asked to play chess. Thankfully its follow-up, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, substantially retools the combat system: it’s still turn-based, but the tactical decision-making introduced by its predecessor is enhanced with more flexible movement and proximity-based attacks that better reflect the rough-and-tumble tactility of the traditional Yakuza street fights. As a result, Infinite Wealth’s brawling feels more like the best of both worlds, and its stunning new Hawaiian setting provides the perfect playground in which to unleash its superior style of smackdown.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Is Packed With Tons Of Content--And More Kiryu Than You Might Expect
04.01.2024 - 15:52 / gamespot.com
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Like a Dragon’s newest installment looks to be packed full of things to do and emotional moments for longtime fans of the series.
By Ben Janca on
Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth's release is right around the corner and we recently got invited to get some early hands-on time with many different parts of the game. Gripping emotional story? Check. Animal Crossing-inspired life sim mode that's going to take up countless hours of my time? Big check. A wild boss battle with a monster shark the size of a boat? You better believe it, fellow crime pals. Infinite Wealth is already my most anticipated game for 2024 so I was excited to dive right in.
Also, a small spoiler warning, there are going to be some story things mentioned in here for the series. Much like Gaiden before it, Infinite Wealth is a game that you should not jump into as your first game in the series as it relies heavily on knowing these characters. With that heads up out of the way, let's talk about Ichiban and Kiryu's Hawaiian adventure.
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Now Playing: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Contains A Wealth Of Possibilities | GameSpot Hands-On Preview
We began our day sitting down and getting an overview of everything new in Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth. Ichiban and his found family crew are back along with some new faces, including a taxi driver named Eric Tomizawa and a mysterious housekeeper named Chitose Fujinomiya. Ichiban has made the trip to Hawaiii to find his biological mother Akane, who was originally thought to be deceased, but is apparently alive and somewhere on the islands. This revelation sets our adventure in motion and allows Ichiban to come into contact with the legendary yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu.
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