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Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is even more bonkers than you can imagine, and I want more, nowIchiban is back, baybee
Ichiban is back, baybee
Image credit:Sega
Image credit:Sega
The next game in RGG Studio’sYakuza/Like A Dragon series,Infinite Wealth, is a melting pot of old and new. As thebare buttocksof returning Yakuza: Like A Dragon hero Ichiban Kasuga indicated in the reveal trailer for Infinite Wealth, we’re not in Yokohama anymore, but Honolulu, Hawaii. He’s not alone on his journey either. As well as his mates from the first LAD, plus lots more newcomers, mainline Yakuza stablemate Kazuma Kiryu, nowextra frosty with his silver hairdo, is also coming along for the ride as well.
Alas, the circumstances in which the two join forces wasn’t covered in my 30-minute demo at this year’sEGX. Rather, we pick up Ichiban, Kiryu and fresh faces Chitose and Tomizawa as they land in Honolulu, in search of a dodgy cop named Roman who’s managed to wrong almost everyone in the group at some point in the past. 30 minutes isn’t long in agame like Yakuza, but hey, I still got to screech at restaurant goers in one of its sidequest stories, as well as terrorise the general public on Ichiban’s always-deployable segway, which I’d still call a pretty strong introduction to this latest LAD.
Image credit:Sega
Yakuza: Like A Dragon’s turn-based fights are back for a second round in Infinite Wealth. |Image credit:Sega
Crazy Delivery is back for more daft food stunts. |Image credit:Sega
Sicko Snap is a mini-game I did not get to indulge in during my demo (honestly, what a brilliant name), but it involves Ichiban riding a trolley tram and snapping as many gyrating men as he can. |Image credit:Sega
Nothing like belting out a Japanese ballad at the end of a long day. |Image credit:Sega
Like previous Yakuza/LAD games, then, the side stuff will no doubt with well worth seeking out, if not for the stat boosts then certainly just for the daft nonsense Ichiban will inevitably get pulled into. I certainly had a fun time barking out WELCOMEs and delivering dishes to hungry gobs with the kind of pride and self-worth that only Ichiban, man-sized school kid in chief, is capable of delivering, and I’m pumped to see what else lies in store for him in the final game. Karaoke is back, for example, as is theCrazy Taxi-inspired bike courier mini-game Crazy Delivery, and I’m sure there will be many other copious mini-games to indulge in if you need some respite from the main story. Ichiban and Kiryu’s joint Hawaii adventure can’t come soon enough in my books – which is handy, as it’slaunching on PC on January 26th 2024.
