Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth features the largest map in the world Yakuza franchise. The upcoming title marks the series’ first venture outside of Japan and will transport players to Hawaii’s tourist hotspot: Honolulu City, to be precise. Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio claims the massive new stage is more than three times the size of Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s Isezaki Ijincho, the suburb where afro-haired Kasuga Ichiban was introduced. That means the map of Hawaii is almost nine times the size of the Kamurocho district, the main Japanese setting of the series, punctuated by shops, restaurants and nightclubs, where we engaged in action-packed illegal acts through the eyes of Kazuma Kiryu , the series’ main character who keeps getting drawn into the life of crime.
As part of the announcement, RGG Studio revealed some key locations worth visiting in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, starting with Aloha Beach, the vibrant, sun-drenched coastline where players can even go for a swim. Then there’s the Anaconda Shopping Center for that Yakuza fans to satisfy their arcade gaming needs and grab a quick snack, followed by the bustling Chinatown area that is lush with steaming food stalls, markets and the Nirvana Bank Hotel, where only the richest people live. A respected tourist location, the Waiki Town area is where you can shop for souvenirs, District 5 is where you can interact with the local mafia, and Little Japan is where you can find delicious sushi for when our heroes get homesick. Yes, we have two protagonists this time, as Ichiban Kasuga is sent to Hawaii with the promise of reuniting with his mother, where he meets Kazuma Kiryu, who challenges him to a “final battle.”
本日公開!
『龍が如く8』の新舞台「ハワイ・ホノルルシティ」。
伊勢佐木異人町の3倍以上とも言われる、広大な新舞台。
?https://t.co/FZjhLm1cPJ#龍が如く pic.twitter.com/10TruA9ek9
— 龍が如くスタジオ 公式 (@ryugagotoku) November 24, 2023
A story trailer from September revealed Kiryu battling cancer in addition to dealing with the complexities of old age. In a way, it seems like RGG Studio is retiring Kiryu from the lead role, which also explains why the new era of Yakuza games were renamed ‘Like a Dragon’ in the West. As such, the gameplay also witnessed a huge transition, going from the over-the-top real-time action combat to a turn-based affair, similar to the Persona game series. As usual, anything goes in these battles, so feel free to use environmental objects as weapons, such as a car battery to electrocute enemies, summon muscular Poundmates to crush enemies, destroy them with a car crash and even perform a cinematic tag. team moves. And of course, food items give temporary statistical bonuses if you’re in trouble.
Hoverbikes to travel the streets, pizza delivery mini-games and karaoke sessions are also part of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Masayoshi Yokoyama, head of RGG Studio, described the title as a “monster class” of a game, adding that if you played it continuously you would get sick. “This means that many people will hesitate to play the game or it will end up waiting on the shelves. “I thought the possibility of such an outcome was sad, so I thought, we have to get everyone excited enough to play it,” he said in an interview. To combat that, the studio opted for a festival-like atmosphere, which it said would encourage players to complete it within a week to a month, “even at the cost of their health.”
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will be released on January 25 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X.