Yakuza is a storied franchise that retains on giving. Every installment within the sequence resulting in 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon has provided one thing new and progressive, together with constantly satisfying expansions to the evergrowing story of principal characters Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga.
I’m glad to say that after a hands-on preview of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the development continues. There’s nearly an excessive amount of right here for Yakuza followers, each new and outdated, to sink their tooth in and luxuriate in. This newest entry options a fusion of the sequence’ authentic beat-em-up and present turn-based roleplaying model, an island-building mode, and much more attraction than ever.
With all this current and extra, I’ve discovered that the title Infinite Wealth may simply describe every thing the sport affords and the way lengthy it could final. Learn on for a few highlights revealed throughout my gameplay session.
Get your strolling footwear (and segways) prepared
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the primary title within the Yakuza sequence to take our favourite motley crew out of Japan and into new territory. Kasuga and Kiryu’s missions cause them to this new location: Honolulu, Hawaii, the place they resolve to staff up.
Not solely is that this locale stuffed with many new sights, sounds, allies, and enemies, however it’s the most in depth map ever featured within the Yakuza sequence. It was so giant that in my hours of enjoying, I wasn’t even capable of discover even half the map. There’s no useless air to be discovered right here. Enemies, missions, actions, and energetic characters encompass every nook. The one determination it’s a must to make is what to deal with first.
Your pleasant neighborhood ex-Yakuza
Character factors are nothing new to Like a Dragon, however Infinite Wealth provides a new method to permit Kasuga to maneuver up the ranks. By being a pleasant and outgoing vacationer, you possibly can always develop friendships with Honolulu’s inhabitants and increase your persona ranges every time.
All it takes is a easy hey. By urgent sq. when strolling by sure marked NPCs, Kasuga will launch a welcoming, Helloooo! and get a good response again. Typically, these greetings will even unlock a small job like shopping for a child a sizzling canine, which grants Kasuga a extra vital persona improve. These will increase unlock further talents like extra ability slots, enhanced resistance to standing illnesses, higher therapeutic, and extra guts. Plus, it’s simply charming to make Kasuga into a good nicer man than he already is.
Tourism buffs
Being a good vacationer isn’t restricted to only greeting bystanders. Kasuga and the gang finally discover a tourism firm referred to as Alo Completely happy Excursions. Specified for Japanese guests touring Hawaii, Alo Completely happy Excursions is a place the place you possibly can pay to leap into actions like browsing, yoga, and fireplace dancing. However these vacation periods aren’t only for enjoyable.
Every new ability discovered by way of Completely happy Excursions leads the celebration to unlock a new job and preventing model. For instance, studying to fireplace dance unlocks an attacking mage model, studying to host provides entry to a buffing assist job, and studying to be a pop idol lets characters heal and treatment allies. And there are such a lot of actions and kinds to study that it felt almost infinite. To not point out the quantity of celebration combos you possibly can provide you with.
Previous needs fulfilled
Kasuga isn’t the one one with a new method to unlock talents by way of means aside from preventing or the same old actions. Kiryu’s new ailment and determination to not get remedy have put his life on a clock. Along with his new pals Seong-Hui and Yu Nanba, he’s determined to not let it go to waste and deal with a bucket record earlier than he checks out.
This bucket record isn’t simply a plot aspect, however a gameplay mechanic. Kiryu can awaken his soul (Brawler preventing model), tech (Rush preventing model), and physique (Beast preventing model) by finishing objects from this bucket record. Whether or not it’s a easy fishing journey or tasting some meals he’s all the time needed to style like sweet, Kiryu’s energy grows by residing life to the fullest. I almost shed a tear when he talked about every thing he needed to do with out the worry and wish of making an attempt to look cool for individuals round him.
A sport inside a sport
To spherical out the hands-on time with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, I visited Dondoko Island, which may be finest described as a wholly completely different sport inside Infinite Wealth. This island construct and curation section of the title duties Kasuga with going round an island on the verge of obscurity. Being the great man he’s, he decides to take issues into his personal fingers, serving to its proprietor clear up trash, construct new sights, and convey guests and life again to Dondoko.
For those who’ve ever performed a constructing simulator, then what you’re in for right here. As quickly as this mode began, I used to be hooked. Strolling round and adorning the island in my very own model, gathering provides to create new objects, catching fish and bugs, and heading off enemies have been a number of the most addicting components I used to be uncovered to to this point in Infinite Wealth. And the truth that we’ll have the ability to go to the islands of different gamers makes the entire thing much more thrilling. I’m simply scared that my life may develop into absorbed by this mode a lot that I gained’t even end the RPG facet of the sport.
Be a part of Kasuga and Kiryu’s variety-packed journey to Hawaii when Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth drops on PS5 January 26.