• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth |OT| - Aloha, is it me you're looking for?

Blizzje

Member
I'm loving this game. Just finished the Dondoko Island storyline yesterday. How can I share my island with everyone here? I'm so proud of the absolute mess I've made. And in light of that, I decided to call my Island 'Absolute Mess'.
 

Vyse

Gold Member
That’s around the time when I looked at what chapter I was still on, all the shit I still have to do on the map, then realized I don’t have to worry about it ending anytime soon. :messenger_sunglasses:
Exactly where I’m at. Hit up the dungeons again. Not in any rush. Messing around with different jobs and upgrading weapons.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

SCB3

Member
I'm really confused why RGG used 2 different English VA's for both JP and ENG audio. Without giving spoilers there's a character who speaks normal English to Americans then Japanese to Ichiban meaning he's bilingual in JP audio. In the English dub same character speaks in Hawaiian Pidgin English with a totally different VA.
Yea check my posts in here, I don't know why they did it and it ruins the JP VA a lot
 

Vyse

Gold Member
I'm loving this game. Just finished the Dondoko Island storyline yesterday. How can I share my island with everyone here? I'm so proud of the absolute mess I've made. And in light of that, I decided to call my Island 'Absolute Mess'.
Dude. Mine looks like a mental patient planned it, but got 5 stars. I did that really early in the game and ended up with a lot of money that helped to buy stronger weapons in the main game. Maybe I’ll go back and see how things are going. Think I spent 3 days straight on the island.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Dude. Mine looks like a mental patient planned it, but got 5 stars. I did that really early in the game and ended up with a lot of money that helped to buy stronger weapons in the main game. Maybe I’ll go back and see how things are going. Think I spent 3 days straight on the island.

You do get way more blueprints and visitors if you visit the main land and don't tackle dodonko island in one go though.
 
Kiryu's English dub is ok. Not the greatest but not bad either. The comments I read online act like he's "Dante filled your dark soul with liiiiight" kind of dub.
 

SCB3

Member
At the end of Chapter 13 and my god does this game keep going, on the plus side
My boy Joogi Han is back and in the Party, and OP as fuck again

I've very much overlevelled though, destroying these leve 39 goons and bosses at close to level 50 from doing the dungeons
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

NecrosaroIII

Ask me about my terrible takes on Star Trek characters
1
I have a problem with some of the Memoirs of a Dragon stuff. Kiryu meets up with several characters he hasnt seen in a long time. Some of them 20 plus years. Yet Many of them havent changed. The most egregious one is Yuki. Shes supposed to be in her mid to late 50s. Let she looks and acts like shes in her 20s. The dialogue even says shes an old woman, but I wouldnt have known of I hadnt looked it up
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
So huh, when you complete a friend bingo card you have a special boss?

I just finish my first one (Seonhee) and a fucking car rushed down the street, drifting towards me, out of nowhere :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
I believe that's unrelated, it happens in a couple places but possibly only after some progression point, you can avoid them like other enemies too.
 
Last edited:

Nankatsu

Gold Member
The bucket list is actually pretty cool, specially to people who tackled all the previous games.

It's a nice way to briefly revisit some of the previous games moments that are a long way back for veterans of the series.

I honestly didn't remember at all of the Dragon Mask, for example.

However...I'm not sure how I feel about Kiryu becoming the most talktive guy starting chapter 8.

I get it he is dying, and the whole purpose of the bucket list is he paying more attention to himself and becoming a more loose character, connecting with other people and party members, but there's something there that feels misplace imo. Kiryu is not Ichiban, and in a sense, the vibe I get is that it seems like they're trying to make him be as lively as Ichiban.
 
Last edited:

SCB3

Member
The bucket list is actually pretty cool, specially to people who tackled all the previous games.

It's a nice way to briefly revisit some of the previous games moments that are a long way back for veterans of the series.

I honestly didn't remember at all of the Dragon Mask, for example.

However...I'm not sure how I feel about Kiryu becoming the most talktive guy starting chapter 8.

I get it he is dying, and the whole purpose of the bucket list is he paying more attention to himself and becoming a more loose character, connecting with other people and party members, but there's something there that feels misplace imo. Kiryu is not Ichiban, and in a sense, the vibe I get is that it seems like they're trying to make him be as lively as Ichiban.

To be honest I think this should've been left out and branched off onto its own game, Kiryu deserves that big hurrah if they're continuing with Kasuga, theres apart in Chapter 12 where the Kiryu saga had come full circle as well

On the story, its getting to the point where I wanna just see it through now, it starts to feel bloated and a waste of my time towards the end here, for example

Chapter 13
Yamai running off as soon as you get to Jpana and everyone running after him

Like please, at this point in the story I have Akane and Lani, heading towards the end game, let me do that instead of some extra bullshit

I'll post my full thoughts when I finihs the game but I have a few gripes with the pacing of this game and the bloat in it
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Lol, the whole scene at the survive bar with Kiryu.

They all introduce him as Taichi Suzuki just so that 2 minutes later everyone is saying the Dragon of Dojima really is a Karaoke beast.

Meanwhile, Kashiwagi doesn't even speak :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 

SCB3

Member
Lol, the whole scene at the survive bar with Kiryu.

They all introduce him as Taichi Suzuki just so that 2 minutes later everyone is saying the Dragon of Dojima really is a Karaoke beast.

Meanwhile, Kashiwagi doesn't even speak :messenger_tears_of_joy:
One of my fav jokes is that Kiryu went through all the trouble of being Dead and no one believes it at all
 
Looks like the marketing campaign for Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth is going a bit too far. :messenger_grinning_sweat:

image.png


 
Last edited:

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Looks like the marketing campaign for Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth is going a bit too far. :messenger_grinning_sweat:

image.png



So that's why the Daidoji sent Kiryu to a nuclear waste center.

Lil Yachty Drake GIF by hamlet
 

SCB3

Member
And after a marathon of gameplay today, I'm done with the main story, the Dungeons and some of the other side quests and Bonds

72 hours total ish, not too bad really

I really enjoyed the game but my god if this was a Ubisoft game it'd be dragged through the coals as being bloated, a lot of stuff in this game should've been cut or streamlined (looking at you Sujimon and Dondoko Island)

So I may go into this further and make a full review, but wanted to just share my thoughts

Spoilers below


  • I liked the story for the most part, I do stick by my opinion that Kiryu should've had his one last game or be left to go visit that Orphanage for the happy ending, they set that up in this and Gaiden, just leave the man to retire!
  • I do like Ichi and the characters around him, he is goofy enough whilst maintaining that comedy well speaking of
  • I think RGG really need to sit down and split the story and humor, they are going for a super serious tone yet you get over the top silliness that is a massive tonal shift that takes you out of it completely, such as fighting a giant shark and Squid, like it was funny and I did laugh at it, but this was bookended by 2 very emotional parts with Tomi and Chitose, Judgement and Lost Judgement actually do get this perfect and I thought this game may have learnt from that
  • On that note, I have no issue leaving that silliness to the sidequests!
  • There is fat too many distractions and it leads to the game being bloated and well, not fun, Dondoko island sucks and is out of place, Sujjmon is ok as I'm a pokemon fan as well, but again its so out of place in the main story where both of these are introduced and for a good 2 hours of gameplay is REQUIRED to progress past these
  • They did learn from the business side mission being needed from the first game to progress, but they made the combat parts a bit too hard to do at certain parts without having to grind out levels in the side missions or dungeons, I mean yea its an JRPG in that sense, but its just poor pacing still, again something Judgement avoided (and the Kiwami games in fact
  • The pacing still sucks, it feels too long and you get far too many pulls away from the story, I think thats more an RPG thing rather than a Yakuza thing, but the story can be so dragged out at times, a good example is when you get back to Japan with Ichi, Yamai runs off to go finish some business with the girl who set him up, but at the same time you're supposed to still be protecting Lani, but now have to give chase around Kamarucho for Yamai. Like at this point the story is scaling up and although the payoff was good, you kinda don't wanna be doing this right now

Now that I'm done, I'd give it a solid 8/10, the story is I think slightly better than the first Ichiban game, but out of the Yakuza/RGG games I've played, its below Judgement and Lost Judgement, so my list now is

  1. Lost Judgement
  2. Judgement
  3. Like a Dragon
  4. Infinite Wealth
  5. 0
And I've not played the rest yet, Kiwami is next and I may just watch some YT recaps for 3,4 and 5 before finishing off 6, of which I have the CE of (ah the days of grabbing left over stock for cheap)

I need a RPG break, fuck FF7 Rebirth is in 7 days isn't it!

Off to play Tomb Raider Remastered
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Isa
I STILL think the whole Daidojo plot line is stupid. Anyone who watch the channel probably at least realize Kiryu is alive yet only the Taxi owner watch the video and realize it is him. Daidojo seems like it is fine with Kiryu meeting with anyone BUT Haruka, then it is 100% red alert. THEN at the ending they seems fine with giving his name nack and he can seek Chemo treatment under his own name.
 
Last edited:
Enjoying the stuff they did with Kaz, it's really a trip for the player down memory lane with all we've experienced with this god-tier character, a proper send-off if there ever was one.

I just cleared chapter 8, I've resigned myself to the fact that I won't be able to finish this before FFVIIR Rebirth (been juggling it with Helldivers 2 and Tomb Raider 1-3) and the *last* thing I'm going to do is rush through to the end, I love the game too much to do that, no doubt it will be on my top 10 - if not top 5 - by the end of 2024, Yakuza for life 🎌

RqXmkU5.jpg
 

SCB3

Member
I STILL think the whole Daidojo plot line is stupid. Anyone who watch the channel probably at least realize Kiryu is alive yet only the Taxi owner watch the video and realize it is him. Daidojo seems like it is fine with Kiryu meeting with anyone BUT Haruka, then it is 100% red alert. THEN at the ending they seems fine with giving his name nack and he can seek Chemo treatment under his own name.
Dude fucking spoiler your shit, some people are still playing this
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Damn, in chapter 8...Date-San becoming the MVP out of nowhere.

Well Done Good Job GIF by Jason Clarke


How many Essence power moves exist per character?
 
Last edited:

Mooreberg

Member
It is also on sale at Walmart for $40.07


Extra eight cents might be worth it if you gift cards or promo codes from the holidays. I got the XSX version shipped for $7.49.

Now to grab that copy $10 at Walmart of the previous release. Already got it on PS4 but HDD is borked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

Nankatsu

Gold Member
On chapter 10, these motherfuckers showing Sugiura and Tsukomo out of nowhere.

Happy Ice Hockey GIF by NHL


Gotta love how everyone from Judgement series is showing up except Yagami :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
Last edited:

FUBARx89

Member
I should get this finished before Rebirth, I'm on the 2nd last chapter according to trophies.

I really hope they don't do seperately voiced Japanese/English speaking characters again, or America in general. The English speakers are generally terrible and it grates on me that everyone Ichiban runs into seems to speak Japanese. The substories are a huge step back from previous games too.

Lost Judgement is the far superior game story wise, but I appreciate all the variety they've put into the game.

Saejima, Majima & Dojima looking like tramps was great, I did like all the images from past games in the background when you knock them out of the fight aswell. All of Kiryus memories are great for long time Yakuza fans.
 

NanaMiku

Member
I should get this finished before Rebirth, I'm on the 2nd last chapter according to trophies.

I really hope they don't do seperately voiced Japanese/English speaking characters again, or America in general. The English speakers are generally terrible and it grates on me that everyone Ichiban runs into seems to speak Japanese. The substories are a huge step back from previous games too.

Lost Judgement is the far superior game story wise, but I appreciate all the variety they've put into the game.

Saejima, Majima & Dojima looking like tramps was great, I did like all the images from past games in the background when you knock them out of the fight aswell. All of Kiryus memories are great for long time Yakuza fans.
I'm still far away from the ending, I just reached Yokohama again with Kiryu.

I really don't like the story of Lost Judgment. All Yagami's argument is "but Sawa-sensei"
 
I really don't like the story of Lost Judgment. All Yagami's argument is "but Sawa-sensei"
Yeah I think it was a good effort generally (Yagami's annoying "what would Sawa-sensei have felt" retorts being one of the weaker parts) but I like the first Judgement game's story a lot more. Same thing here actually. I'm not hating on Infinite Wealth's story but Like a Dragon had a much stronger story imho opinion. I do like parts of the story, like how the game honors Kazuma's long career
 
  • Fire
Reactions: Isa

FUBARx89

Member
I'm still far away from the ending, I just reached Yokohama again with Kiryu.

I really don't like the story of Lost Judgment. All Yagami's argument is "but Sawa-sensei"

Yeah, that is pretty weak when he uses that mainly as a crutch arguement. But he does have other valid points aswell.
Kuwana is a top tier character, Ehara is fantastic, R.K/Public secruty is well written with Bando and health minister lady. Soma has hands down one of the best boss themes in any RGG game. Soma in general is great anyway, he's a right slimy little prick.

I really hope they continue the Judgement series, cause last I heard Sega and Yagamis rep had a disagreement.
Probably why some Judgement chatacters popped up in Gaiden & Infinite Wealth but no Yagami. I'd love for Kiryu & Ichiban to meet Yagami. I think he'd piss Kiryu off lol
 
Last edited:

consoul

Member
I'm enjoying Infinite Wealth, and I enjoyed The Man Who Erased His Name too, but they both feel like fan service. The heart and soul of their predecessors is lacking somehow.

Nagoshi has left the building, and it shows.
 

NanaMiku

Member
I really hope they continue the Judgement series, cause last I heard Sega and Yagamis rep had a disagreement.
Probably why some Judgement chatacters popped up in Gaiden & Infinite Wealth but no Yagami. I'd love for Kiryu & Ichiban to meet Yagami. I think he'd piss Kiryu off lol
Yagami's actor's agency got big scandal, and also really strict about their artists

Johnny & Associates, Inc.[a][1][3] was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which manages groups of male idols known as Johnny's.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_&_Associates#cite_note-5[4][5] Until 2019, it was infamous for its strict policies involving their foreign distribution of music, as well as their strict control and influence on its members.

In the wake of continuing sexual abuse allegations directed against Kitagawa, who died in 2019, his niece, Julie Keiko Fujishima, stepped down as president in September 2023.[6] On October 2, 2023, Johnny & Associates announced that they would be splitting into two entities:[3][7] Smile-Up, a firm focused on reparations for Kitagawa's sexual abuse cases,[8] and Starto Entertainment, a talent agency managing existing acts under Johnny & Associates.[9][10]
 

Go_Ly_Dow

Member
Guys this is blatantly knocking off the FF7 battle theme right, even if just a slither? :messenger_grinning_sweat:

Final section boss spoilers.
 
Last edited:

Go_Ly_Dow

Member
I'm still not tired of Kiryu yet and am glad he's still alive at the end. He's a legendary character and whenever he does bow out I would prefer it to be in the most epic way imaginable. Whilst this one was like 50/50 Kasuga/Kiryu, for the next one I'd be down with the same or 75/25.
 
Last edited:

FUBARx89

Member
Yagami's actor's agency got big scandal, and also really strict about their artists

Didn't know that part, last I'd heard J&A where having a hissy fit because Sega wanted to launch it on PC and they didn't want that cause of modders etc.

Well, here's hoping it continues then.
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Didn't know that part, last I'd heard J&A where having a hissy fit because Sega wanted to launch it on PC and they didn't want that cause of modders etc.

Well, here's hoping it continues then.
Yap, most of the feud between Sega and his agency was because SEGA wanted to release both games on PC and the agency was rejecting it due to mods and the possibility of the actor, Takuya Kimura, being exposed to nude mods and such. He is insanely popular in Japan.

Considering that the obstacle has been overcomed and both games got released on PC, I don't know what's holding them now.

There was also rumors, about one/two years ago, that the Judgment franchise was getting a live action series with Kimura also playing Yagami. So far, nothing has surfaced too.
 
Last edited:

NanaMiku

Member
Didn't know that part, last I'd heard J&A where having a hissy fit because Sega wanted to launch it on PC and they didn't want that cause of modders etc.

Well, here's hoping it continues then.
Yeah, Jhonny's is really strict about that. One of the reason I don't really like using real actors in game is that.
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
I just remembered something.

I'm gonna be so disappointed if they don't bring back Shishido and Nishitani during Infinite Wealth. Specially Shishido. His arc was absolutely incredible.
 

acidagfc

Member
I'm enjoying Infinite Wealth, and I enjoyed The Man Who Erased His Name too, but they both feel like fan service. The heart and soul of their predecessors is lacking somehow.

Nagoshi has left the building, and it shows.
LAD:IW feels very much directionless to me.

LAD was closing the whole yakuza deal with the dissolution, while establishing new hero for (as I hoped) new stories; Gaiden was a farewell to Kiryu, I presumed we were done with him after thst one and it felt appropriately Kiryu-centered for a spinoff; IW is even set in a different country, and yet we are back retelling old stories and closing old grudges all over again.

The game itself is great, but the story feels like one overly long fanservice episode.
 
Last edited:

NanaMiku

Member
LAD:IW feels very much directionless to me.

LAD was closing the whole yakuza deal with the dissolution, while establishing new hero for (as I hoped) new stories; Gaiden was a farewell to Kiryu, I presumed we were done with him after thst one and it felt appropriately Kiryu-centered for a spinoff; IW is even set in a different country, and yet we are back retelling old stories and closing old grudges all over again.

The game itself is great, but the story feels like one overly long fanservice episode.
I think they are having trouble because of the dissolution and there are no big clans anymore.
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Damn, the Valkyria Chronicles theme fits damn well when you're heading to Seiryu Clan HQ.

Happy Like A Dragon GIF by Xbox


So the plot really is connected to nuclear waste, huh? Engrish Bryce is perhaps one of the worst villains in the entire series. No menace vibe at all.

Completely misses the series vibe in my opinion. Here's hoping Ebina somehow manages to clutch this around in the final chapters.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

TwiztidElf

Member
Sigh. Last year we saw this on the 2024 calendar. That's not enough time between Infinite Wealth and Rebirth!
And now the day has come that some of us have been dreading. Rebirth day.
Only on Chapter 8 here, and I ain't stopping for nothing. And I ain't rushing this masterpiece either.
I'm just going to have to hide in a Rebirth spoiler/hype free cave.
At least we eating good. It's a nice problem to have.
 
Last edited:

Nankatsu

Gold Member
Sigh. Last year we saw this on the 2024 calendar. That's not enough time between Infinite Wealth and Rebirth!
And now the day has come that some of us have been dreading. Rebirth day.
Only on Chapter 8 here, and I ain't stopping for nothing. And I ain't rushing this masterpiece either.
I'm just going to have to hide in a Rebirth spoiler/hype free cave.
At least we eating good. It's a nice problem to have.

Same boat. I'm switching between this and Helldivers 2, but won't start Rebirth until I'm done with IW.
 

Isa

Member
Same boat. I'm switching between this and Helldivers 2, but won't start Rebirth until I'm done with IW.
Yeah me too. I can wait, IW is too good to rush it. Between this and Helldivers 2 I've been plenty busy, and I put a bit of time into the Unicorn Overlord demo this last weekend which at up precious time lol.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Sorry Infinite Wealth, but Rebirth is taking center stage for me starting tomorrow. I'll be back.
 
Top Bottom