While the franchise has been around since the initial game in 2005, the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series ha?s really seemed to pick up mainstream popularity over th?e last few entries. Today, Rya Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed just that.

The Sega-owned developers revealed that Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has already crossed ov??er the 1,000,000 copies shipped thr?eshold. It took the game a mere week to do so.

When you look at review scores across the industry for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, it's easy to see why the latest core entry to the series is doing so hot. Destructoid gave the game a great review. On Metacritic the title earned a 92, 89, and 89 across the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and? PC respectively.

The series did a bit of a soft reboot with 2020's Yakuza: Like a Dragon into RPG territory. As stated in our Infinite Wealth review, it has been a bit of a? transition period for the franchise as the developers settle in on their vision, but RGG seems to have nailed it. I?t's clear from these sales that the series' fanbase is excited about where it's headed.

To commemorate Infinite Wealth's achievement, Rya Ga Gotoku Studio is releasing free in-game swag as a reward to players for helping in the title's success. The development team will be gifting a celebratory T-shirt set with timing and further details coming? at a later date.

If you're still working your way through Infinite Wealth with its seemingly infinite things to do, check out Destructoid's Infinite Wealth hub. It features fantastic gui?des, walkthroughs, and plenty more to help get you all the cash and glory.

The post Like a Dragon: Inf?inite Wealth clears one million units sold appeared first on Destructoid.

In 2020, the Yakuza series took a bit of a leap with its seventh entry, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The lens shifted away from longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu to newcomer Kasuga Ichiban, swapping out its real-time action for turn-based RPG combat in the process. It was, by most accounts, a rousing success. But? there was still room to grow.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, then, seems like even more like a passing of the torch than its predecessor. And it was this shared custody of the spotlight that made me a bit nervous, going into a preview session way back in October. How would the focus manage both Kiryu and Ichiban? Why, after seeing one character hand the reins to the next, did we need?? to retread that ground?

After playing a hefty amount of Infinite Wealth, it s??eems like Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is going to try and pull this off in the grandest fashion possible. Two protagonists, two storylines, even ??multiple locales. And that’s not counting the added minigames and activities. This might just be the biggest world we’ve seen in the series yet.

But it’s the attention to little details, and the small tune-ups from its predecessor, that have me interested in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. RGG is going? big, and so far, I think it’s panning out.

Vacation, all I ever wanted

The basis of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is simple enough. From trailers alone, we already saw Ichiban trying to live out a normal life after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. He works a job, picks up beer from the conv?enience store, and even goes on dates. But his past seems destined to return and haunt him again.

When I first took control of Ichiban?, he’d made his way to Hawaii, retracing his mother’s footsteps. Kazuma Kiryu was already accompanying him, as well as two newcomers, taxi driver Eric Tomizawa (heck yes, more Erics) and health expert Chitose Fujinomiya. In the section I played, there were some o?pportunities to advance the plot forward, and also the chance to just mosey around in the open world.

Y’all, let me tell you now, I strayed as far from the objective marker as I could. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see more of Infinite Wealth’s story; in fact, the cutscenes I watched were quite good. A part??icular highli?ght was Ichiban and Chitose having a heart-to-heart on the beach, after helping out some locals.

But I wanted to see all the ways in which RGG was expanding this wor?ld, both in its side activities and in the RPG combat. Good news is, both are pretty robust. Hawaii is huge, beautiful, and there is so much to do in it that RGG has even added Segways as a transport option, just to get around a l?ittle faster.

Picking up new jobs

Much like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth has a job system that takes the “job�part quite literally. Chitose, for example, had a bunch of special fitness-based moves, making her an excellent support character. Ic??hiban could do a lot of work with his bat, but I later swapped him over to a Surfer profession, which saw him hang loose and annihilate foes with his surfboard.

Kiryu, meanwhile, sticks to his guns. His arms, I mean. ??The longtime lead still brawls like a dragon, and many of his special moves felt reminiscent of the various fighting styles and talents he’s learned over? the years. You can even swap around to the different stances to change up your attacks.

As you might have noticed from the Surfer, though, there are some island-themed jobs to pic??k up too. I only saw one other option in my playthrough, a fire dancer with some obvious elemental tie-ins. But even the job recruitment office has taken on a vacation flair, framing the new gigs as special packages, and recruiting a haunting mascot in the process.

Combat feels relatively the same, though that’s not a bad thing. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth still sees the party facing off in turn-based, Dragon Quest-alike battles with enemies, the way Ichiban envisions it. There are a range of special moves, summons through the classic Poundmates, and even team-up attacks that are extremely powerful. Some of those provide additio??nal boons too,?? like Kiryu and Ichiban’s imparting an “ATK Up�on the crew.

One big improvement Infinite Wealth makes over its predecessor is letting you move characters on their turn. When it’s, say, Kiryu’s turn, he’ll have a small circle around him, letting him shift or reposition before acting. It’s a huge upside for dealing with enemies that have AoE ?attacks, or getting around one foe that’s blocking for others.

There’s not too much to say, otherwise. Battles in Yakuza: Like a Dragon were both fun and engaging, and Infinite Wealth has managed to keep a? lot of that same spirit while adding some notable quality-of-life changes.

A town big enough for the both of us

Infinite Wealth also boasts a huge open world?? to explore. Again, I mainly veered off-course, intending to see? all the little side things I could do until I only had story left. 

Some things, like an expanded Sujimon system, I only barely interacted with; that seems like a persistent slice of the game that would take a while to get invested in, so I only did a few battles and found them charming. There were even spots for battles on the overworld, similar to Pokemon’s raid battles.

The arcade selection for RGG’s games are always a highlight, and they didn’t disappoint in Infinite Wealth. First off, Sega Bass Fishing with some modern touches is fantastic. SpikeOut was a new one to me, but an excellent choice, keeping some of that brawler sensibility alive. Motor Raid is a blast. And it really surprised me to see Virtua Fighter 3tb in the li??neup, too. Karaoke re??turns, of course, and is predictably excellent.

A food delivery game lets Ichiban play a bicycle version of Crazy Taxi around Honolulu, picking up floating food icons and delivering to hungry customers. Cabaret clubs offer a chance to recover health, with selections determining who gets bonuses; some performers ap?peal more to the women or men in the group, for example, and will offer better bonuses for them.

My favorite part of the open-world exploration, in the Hawaii section I pla?yed, was the Bond Bingo. There are different experiences and conversations relating to each party member, and Ichiban can expand his “bo?nd�with them by engaging with them in the open world.

Oftentimes, they were pretty casual conversations, usually resulting in learning something basic about a party member like their favorite color or food. But it’s a neat way to encourage more party interaction in the overworld. I already loved the cast of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and getting even more opportunities to see a party bond is alwa??ys a good thing.

Hard times

It’s those bonds that can result in some big emotional impact, and I saw just how that would play out when our demo session shifted to Kiryu, back in Japan. At this point, I’ll lightly warn you that while the trailers for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth have discussed a certain story beat regarding Kiryu, if you want to remain mostly unspoiled, drop a bookmark here.

Kiryu heads back to Japan at some point in Infinite Wealth and seems to be in the care of Yakuza 7’s Nanba. Diagnosed with cancer and an indefinite amount of time to live, Kiryu has to make a decision about what he’ll do wit?h his remaining time.

In the section we saw, Nanba was trying to motivate Kiryu into fighting back and getting treatment, and so he encouraged Kiryu to write a bucket list. Recruiting the help of the Geomijul’s Seonhee and Yakuza: Like a Dragon party member Saeko Mukoda, the four ??hit the town to cross off some of Kiryu’s list.

It is, frankly, an incred??ibly emotional scene. Not to inject too much of my own circumstances into this, but accompanying a?? character you’ve cared about around town as they cross entries off a bucket list is melancholic, to say the least.

Alongside heading to the cabaret club, batting cages, and karaoke, new pop-ups appeared around town. These let Kiryu reflect on something, whether it be a specific location or sign, to reflect on his life. These have little flashbacks to past Yakuza ?games, where Kiryu talks over memories and lessons learned from a lifetime brawling across Japan.

While it was a shorter section, it felt like an absolute gut-punch. After the emotional finale of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, I had a feeling Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth would be pulling out all the stops for a big send-off. Now, I’m absolutely certain that’s what is happening, and the story seems ready to elicit the same tug of emotions Gaiden did, for an even longer stretch of time.

It’s about family

The other thing Kiryu’s section solidified for me is that Like a Dragon seems teed-up for its Fast Five moment. I know, that sounds like a weird analo?gy, but let me explain.

For those who haven’t seen the Fast and the Furious franchise, it started off with a film about an undercover cop infiltrating a group of street racers who did some highway robbery on the side. Point Break, essentially. But over time, it evolved; and with Fast Five, I’d argue, the series firmly pivoted from street racing crime to international e?spionage, heists, and action.

It feels like the Like a Dragon series has been making the same pivot for some time. To be clear, its story is still rooted in crime and intrigue; Kiryu’s story seems like it’s going to wrap back into the power vacuum left by the dissolution of the Omi Alliance and Tojo Clan in Y:LAD/Gaiden. Ichiban’s story will probably also have som?e ties back into organized crime.

But the overall story of Like a Dragon is lifting up and beyond the bounds of yakuza drama, perhaps best personified by RGG dropping the Yakuza moniker in the wes?t. The cast is expanding, with the party now encompassing separate groups and protagonists, with tons of returning faces and endearing newcomers.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth feels like a massive, titanic game. I haven’t even touched on Dondoko Island, the entirely separate Animal Crossing mode that I have a separate preview for here. Compared to the relatively smaller offering in Like a Dragon Gaiden, it’s hard not to feel like that was the appetizer for ??the main course??.

But if anything, playing Infinite Wealth reminded me of just how much this series has grown on me over the years. I started with Yakuza 0, picking it up on a whim and loving it. 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon solidified that, providing a wh??ole new cast and story that felt just as compelling as the series�best.

With Infinite Wealth, RGG is trying to bridge a gap while also making the biggest version of Like a Dragon it’s made yet. It i?s an audacious attempt, taking a series known for its huge side-game variety, a??nd making an even-larger version of it.

But with how RGG is building up on its foundations and expanding in really surprising, emotional ways, I’m optimistic. There are some high hopes for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the massive RPG sequel is swinging for the fences. It makes me fear for the amount of hours I’ll need to put into it, but at the very least, Infinite Wealth seems ?like it’s going to make the mos?t of those hours.

_{Travel for this media preview was provided by the publisher.}

The post Hands-on: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is huge, but doesn’t lose its heart appeared first on Destructoid.

The Yakuza / Like a Dragon series has had a wealth of side games, ranging from small side ventures to massive undertakings. Many people have fond memories of managing a rising business or running a cabaret club in previous entries. But Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is going somewhere new with Dondoko Island.

In the upcoming Infinite Wealth, Ichiban can wash up on a run-down version of Dondoko Island. And, with the help of some locals, he can start to rebuild? it too. Whether picking up trash, far??ming resources, or placing down new decorations, the island can go from deserted to a real tourist attraction.

I got to play a slic??e of the earliest portions of Dondoko Island at a recent preview event, seeing just how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio?’s approach to island living worked. And I h?ave to say, it feels like another side-game that will eat up the hours, just like the cabaret did.

Don’t be a litterbug

The core of Dondoko Island is fairly straightforward. Mascot characters Gachapin and Mukku recruit Kasuga Ichiban to help clean up and refresh Dondoko Island, with plans to turn it into a resort destination. The problem? Right now it’s filled with trash and waste disposal pirates with names like “Washbucklers.�/p>

Early on, Dondoko Island feels a lot like starting a new island in Animal Crossing, or a new farm in Stardew Valley. There are different zones, and each one has some trash and litter you need to clear out. You can pick these up and convert them into re?sources, alongside natural resources like stone.

Cleaning up felt very important early on, as it drove each zone closer to a more improved state. I didn’t get far out of the initial starting area, but I could glance around and see other places it looked like Ichiban could?? reach if he could, say, build a bridge. And what else would one do with all those collected, recycled resources but build?

Ichiban the Builder

In order to turn Dondoko Island into a thriving tourist destination, Ichiban won’t just have to ??clean i?t up, but build something to see in all that newfound space. So, using various combinations of resources and some help from the local builder, the player can fill Dondoko Island with beauty and wonder. Or just sheer oddities.

Again, the Like a Dragon series frequently veers into comedy, and the options I had for building on Dondoko Island are no exception. I sincerely wish I had a scree??nshot of my island to show you, the reader, because it was glorious. I built a toilet, and then began to construct an entire rest stop around said toilet.

Little knick-knacks, a sign, and even a bus stop hanging overhang soon adorned my Dondoko Toilet. It was the one-stop destination for open-air toilet fans around the world. If I had more time than I did, I think I really could have built an entire resort around it. Blueprints appear over time and also wash up on the beach, and offered some of the stranger and more exciting things to build, alongside conventional? architecture.

Seriously, though, the oddities are fun, and part of the long-term in Infinite Wealth’s new gam?e mode seems to be creating and establishing a vacation spot, keeping it interesting and unique. I didn’t get to personally see any of the larger meta-systems around visitors and appeasing them, but that looms ?off in the distance, per some trailers.

Sharing the island

There are tons of little ways Like a Dragon: infinite Wealth keeps you moving f??orward in Dondoko Island, too. There is a day/night cycle, similar to farming sim games, and there are dailies to complete that push you towards new objectives.

Plus, alongside eventually building the island of your dreams and inviting NPCs to visit it, friends will also be able to visit your island. The team confirmed to us that you’ll be able to visit other people’s islands in Infinite Wealth, though w??hat that looks like, we haven’t see??n yet.

The one rough spot was the combat, which seemed a bit straightforward. Rather than the RPG situation in the main game, Ichiban takes on a brawler style for Dondoko Island, but a little more pared-down; you just move and hit with your bat. I’m not saying it should be anything too complic?ated, as it doesn’t need to be, but I’m hoping it doesn’t become a bump in the road for the island sim sections.

While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is looking huge, absolutely stuffed to the gills with new things to do, Dondoko Island seems like one of the main attractions. And my impression, after playing some of it, was to simply want to play more. I think it really clicks in a way that good Like a Dragon side games of the past have, and though I??’ve got a few worries about the combat side of things on the island, it seems promising.

After all, Ichiban doesn’t need to spend all his time searching for answers and fighting bad guys. The Dragon Quest-loving hero deserves his own slice of paradise too, and that’s what Dondoko Island feels like: a welcome, engaging respite from life’s tro??ubles.

_{Travel for this media preview was provided by the publisher.}

The post Like a Dragon: Infinite Weal?th gets a lush island living sim with Dondoko Island appeared first on Destructoid.

2023 has already been a stacked year for games, and 2024 doesn't seem like it's letting off the gas. Ichiban, Kiryu, and the whole gang are back for another adventure with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on January 26, 2024.

The news premiered last night, as part of the RGG Direct ahead of Tokyo Game Show 2023. In it, we got a pretty lengthy look at the story of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. No, seriously, it's 10 minutes long. There are some major plot beats in this trailer. It's a mini-fi??lm? in its own right.

Alongside some shocking revelations about the state of longtime Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, as well as how Kasuga Ichiban winds up in Hawaii, we get a very important confirmation: that Infinite Wealth will have quite a large cast.

Everybody's here in Infinite Wealth

I had initially worried that, with the inclusion of Kiryu and the switch in perspective, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth might not see every member of Ichiban's original party return. So I was pretty psyched to see the whole crew is back, ?and then some; Ichiban, Nanba, Adachi, Saeko, Joon?-gi, and Zhao are all here.

Seong-hui, the Geomijul leader who was not a party member in Like a Dragon 7, also looks to be joining the party. There are also newcomers Tomizawa and Chitose, and we see some cutscene appearances of series favorites like Taiga Saejima and, ??of c??ourse, Goro Majima.

Seriously, the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series was already full of surprise cameos that made me jump a bit in surprise. But seeing all of this cast together, hanging out? Nanba giving sage advice to Kiryu? What looks like a party split, as they each tackle their own problems in two different locations? I'm really, seriously inves??ted in whatever is happening here.

Wait your turn

Alongside the story trailer, we also got a big look at gameplay for Infinite Wealth too. It is maintaining the turn-based RPG battles from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, albeit with some new twists. Crucially, you can now control a character's movement on their turn, which is a huge quality-of-life upgrade from the prior game.

The party can execute special Kiwami attacks and, of course, Poundmates is here to deliver? the pain through summon attacks.

And it wouldn't be a Like a Dragon game without minigames, right? Ichiban can play his own bike-powered of Crazy Taxi, or swipe on the apps in Miss Match, or even go on a photo scavenger hunt. Plus, a wealth of leisure games and arcade classics, with the trailer spotlighting Sega Bass Fishing and, somehow, SpikeOut.

All of this together makes Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth look like a frankly massive follow-up to RGG's new RPG branch of the series, and it's not far off either. January 2024 is just a few months away. Even closer is November 9, when Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Without a Name goes live, which will have a special trial of Infinite Wealth. We're really not ??going to be hurting for yakuza action in the coming months.

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Tune in for updates on the Like a Dragon series

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is ready to share more info on its upcoming slate of games. The Like a Dragon developer has announced it will be hos?ting a new studio s?how, the RGG Summit Summer 2023, on June 15.

The show will go live at 8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET on June 15, on both the Sega YouTube and Twitch channels. No word yet o?n how long the stream will be??.

//twitter.com/RGGStudio/??status/1662792394733961217

As for what they'll have in store, it sounds like a few up?dates. Via a press release, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio plans on sharing updates about upcoming titles, as well as community efforts and developer discussions.

The future of Like a Dragon

We already have some inkling of what's in store for the Like a Dragon series, or Yakuza as those in the west previously knew it. Last year, RGG Studio confirmed that Like a Dragon 8 is in development, with a 2024 target??. Both Kazuma Kiryu ??and Ichiban Kasuga are set to play leading roles in the game, too.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJhqN7R_oAg

Meanwhile, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name looks to be a side-story telling the story of what happened to Kiryu in-between the past games and new. While he made an appearance in Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Like a Dragon 7), there are ?still some gaps to fill between the end of the sixth game and the upcoming eighth entry. It's currently aiming for a 2023 launch, too.

We also got the remaster of Like a Dragon: Ishin! earlier this year, a solid historical brawler that finally brought the tale to th??e west. There's certainly some games for RGG to show off at this?? showcase, amid all the hubbub of June's gaming news. We'll see what RGG is planning for the future on June 15.

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Throw open the doors and make some cash

One of the better mini-games from the Yakuza series is making its return. Upcoming Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will have a cabaret mini-game.

The Like a Dragon, née Yakuza, series has had a wealth of minigames over the years. But few are as well-remembered as the cabaret ones. First making an appearance in Yakuza 0 and then again in Kiwami 2,?? th?ese sections have you manage a club of hostesses.

Unlocking new hostesses through quests and scouting, while also competing with other clubs, became quite an engrossing side activity. And now it looks like the festivities return for Like a Dragon Gaiden.

//twitter.com/RGGStudio/status/1597301578675?130368

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name follows longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, after the events of Yakuza 6. The Dragon of Dojima stepped down from the spotlight in the sixth entry as Ichiban Kasuga took over in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. (Kiryu did mak?e an appearance in that entry, but didn't star.)

Gaiden looks to bridge the gap a bit, as Like a Dragon 8 will have both ??Ichiban and Kiryu in the lead. And from the looks of it, Kiryu has been going through some stuff.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxkn-dcy01k

A year of dragons

It looks like we've got a decent amount of RGG content on its way, as the studio is also due to release Like a Dragon: Ishin next February. With Gaiden also set for 2023 and Like a Dragon 8 aiming for 2024, there's a lot of Kiryu in store for ?the next year or so.

All that said, I'm happy to see the cabaret game returning. It's fondly remembered for a reason, and will hopefully add an extra bit of mini-game oomph to Gaiden. As much as I liked holding meetings in Like a Dragon, I'm ready to manage the club again.

The post Like a Dragon ?Gaiden will have a cabaret mini-game appeared first on Destructoid.

The Dragon of Dojima returns

As part of today's RGG Studio live stream, the developer revealed a brand new title, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. This "side-story" release is described as a new action-adventure, currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platfo??rms with a 2023 release date.

While the developer was incredibly tight-lipped in regards to the details, the new title is an "action-adventure game" that will detail the actions of The Dragon of Dojima, Kiryu Kazuma, following his departure from the series in Yakuza 6. The purpose of Like a Dragon Gaiden is to tell Kiryu's story from Yakuza 6, through his brief appearance in Like a Dragon 7, and his return in the just revealed Like a Dragon 8.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will launch in 20??23 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxkn-dcy01k

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See what's next for RGG Studio

Another developer is joining the list of showcases set for next week. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the developer behind the Yakuza and Judgment ??series, is hosting the RGG Summit 2022 on Septembe?r 14.

The RGG Summit will air on Sega's Twitch channel, going live at 19:00 JST. That's 10:00 UTC, or 3:00 a.m. PT for those on th?e west?? coast. East coasters have it a little bit easier, with a 6 a.m. ET air time.

For those who are awake and tuned in, the stream will have live English int??erpretation and subtitled assets for those outside of Japan.

//twitter.com/RGGStudio/status/15678309601330995??20

No indication's been given yet as to what will be announced. Though, given the recent tease of some footage from the next Yakuza, that seems like a likely candidate.

The studio has confirmed it's working on the next Yakuza game already. It will be a follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and it will retain a turn-based RPG approach.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will also be without Toshihiro Nagoshi, who left the company and has established Nagoshi Studio under NetEase. It'll be interesting to see what's next for Ichiban and the crew, and the Yakuza series in?? general, if we get a glimpse during the RGG Summit.

Summer's end gaming news blitz

That's far from the only showcase next week, too. Next week is the 2022 Tokyo Game Show, and companies like Capcom, Square Enix, and Bandai Namco are all lined up to air streams.

Xbox and Twitch are also airing a showcase next week for ID@Xbox, too. This weekend will even have a Marvel and Disney showcase, and an Ubisoft Forward. Plus, the ever-present rumors of a potential September Direct (which may or may not be happening, who's to say).

With the holiday ??season just over the horizon, seems like we're getting one last wave of gaming news and announcements. We'll see what RGG Studio has in stor?e next week.

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