It's been 4 years since RGG Studios soft-rebooted the Yakuza franchise, handing the reigns from Kazuma Kiryu's hands to Ichiban Kasuga. Well, sort of... Between the release of the Ishin remaster, Like a Dragon Gaiden and Infinite Wealth, it's clear that RGG weren't quite finished with the Dragon of Dojima. From the way the game was advertised, it seemed as though they wanted to give Kiryu an ultimate final send-off, perhaps to appease those who found the ending of Yakuza 6 dissatisfactory.

One point of criticism I have, not towards this game in particular but more so towards the marketing team is that I feel the trailers showed too much. The main story trailer that aired during the RGG Summit in Fall 2023 showed lots of footage from the final chapter. In fact, one of the first cutscenes we saw of this game in which Kiryu and Ichiban discuss their dating history plays out just before the final bosses occur. One of the Character Spotlight trailers shows the final boss of the game and the Bucket List trailer revealed many cameos that would have been nice to have not known about prior. In fairness, this seems to be an issue with marketing in Japan as a whole due to differences in culture regarding spoilers in media but with the franchise becoming much bigger in the West as of late, going as far as to include prolific Western actors such as Daniel Dae-Kim and Danny Trejo in the dubbed cast, some extra restraint as to what they decide to showcase in promotional material would be appreciated for future entries.

Infinite Wealth is a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, however, this game takes a similar structural approach to Yakuza 0, with a dual-protagonist dynamic. Ichiban is of course still very much present, with his story revolving around his mission to track down his long lost mother in Hawaii, who for unknown reasons has become the target of multiple criminal organisations. Fairly early on, he is joined by Kiryu who eventually returns to Japan during the game's latter half to tackle some newfound issues surrounding his health. After the two split up, the game alternates between Ichiban in Hawaii and Kiryu in Japan and admittedly, it isn't handled with as much grace as Yakuza 0 did. In that game, Kiryu and Majima's stories start out seemingly unrelated but gradually close in on one another as the central mystery unravels. In Infinite Wealth, it feels as though Ichiban's story somewhat takes a backseat once Kiryu leaves his party. In fairness, though, Kiryu's half of the game is essentially heaps of fan-service for previous games, including some neat shoutouts to the spin-off titles and much of the game's emotional core revolves around him. That isn't to say that Ichiban gets the short end of the stick per se. The two newcomers to his party - Tomizawa and Chitose are some of the best characters in the game plus some standout supporting characters and antagonists such as Eiji and Yamai.

Most of the game is spent in Hawaii, marking the first time the franchise has gone outside of Japan and it's, in my opinion, one of the best settings we've had thus far. It's a large, densely-packed sandbox with no shortage of things to do, as is typical for a Yakuza game. For as many side activities as there are, they all manage to be really fun, the personal standouts for me being Crazy Delivery and Dondoko Island, condensed parodies of Crazy Taxi and Animal Crossing, respectively. Kiryu's side content is a brilliant contrast, having less of the trademark Yakuza wackiness and opting to take a more reflective approach. With how often RGG tends to leave characters in the past, it's nice to see them be acknowledged again. If there's one thing Infinite Wealth does a lot better than 6, it's in actually tying up loose ends left throughout the whole series and getting to hear Kiryu's thoughts on the people and events that left such a profound impact on him.

One issue I do have regarding the side-content is that a few times during the game's first half, you are stopped semi-frequently to be introduced to a new side activity. This isn't a problem exclusive to Infinite Wealth but it's something I'd hoped they would have remedied by now. The worst offender is in Chapter 4 where you are halted from main story progression to listen to a spiel about the Sujimon League that goes on for an eternity. This isn't helped by the generic Yakuza sidequest storyline writing we've seen time and time again with yet another league of comical villains (i.e. the Four Kings in Gaiden, the Five Billionaires in 0, the Twisted Trio in Judgment, the Three Musketeers in Kiwami 2, JUSTIS in 6, you get the picture). Whilst these side activities are at the very least entertaining enough for me to actually do them in my free time, I hope future entries keep these pace-killing exposition dumps to a minimum, or at least keeps them out of mandatory progression.

Pacing in general seems to be a widespread issue surrounding this game and I definitely don't completely disagree. Ichiban's half can feel meandering at points but it moves swiftly enough and has sufficiently engaging character interactions and plot developments to keep it interesting. My only real issue is that two party members join very late into the game's runtime, one of which shows up in the second-to-last chapter and was very underlevelled by the time he joined. Considering how little they actually contribute to the plot, I feel as though they may as well have joined a bit earlier. However, character writing is just as strong as it was in the previous game. That being said, I do think Yakuza 7 was definitely better at keeping things moving and was much more focused overall on top of having some better villains. Infinite Wealth introduces a lot more threads and some of them unfortunately do not get wrapped up as neatly as I would have liked them to have. The ending, especially, leaves some things to be desired in how much either occurs off-screen and is told to us via passing mention or simply doesn't get acknowledged at all. Without delving too deep into spoilers, it does feel as though Infinite Wealth is setting up for future entries, both spin-offs like a third Judgment or second Gaiden and the next mainline entry whenever that comes around. I suppose a part of me was hoping for this game to feel like a complete package, with a definitive end to allow RGG Studios to begin fresh moving forwards with Kiryu out of the picture but that isn't the impression this ending left me with, for better or worse. That being said, I don't fault the game for not going in the direction I thought they would. Gaiden's more somber tone gave me the impression that Infinite Wealth would be going for a similar vibe but it's quite clear that it's trying to be anything but dire. The game constantly pushes themes of hope and what it means to live life regardless of the hand you've been dealt with. This not applies to Kiryu but to a large majority of the game's central cast, party members and villains alike. Considering that this is an Ichiban-centric game and with the parallels drawn to Yakuza 7, it's refreshing to see this kind of tone after how dismal Yakuza 5, 6 and Gaiden could at times be.

Gameplay-wise, Infinite Wealth trounces the previous game in every way. The ability to move during combat is a game-changer and additions such as combo attacks and everyone being able to use objects from the terrain makes for a much more robust system. Graphically, the game is also gorgeous with the odd green, yellowy filter from the last game thankfully not returning, with the game looking a lot more in line with entries such as Lost Judgment and Gaiden. The soundtrack is potentially my favorite yet, with some stellar battle themes, boss music, remixes of tracks from previous games and one particularly great use of licensed music at the end of the game. The karaoke selection is also the best it's ever been, with every song from Yakuza 7 returning (minus Eri's Like a Butterfly) plus an array of new tracks which are all fantastic (personal favorites being Baka Darou and Honolulu City Lights) and what is essentially a best-of selection of Kiryu tracks from throughout the series including Baka Mitai, Pride From Despair, Machine Gun Kiss, Hands and making its grand return - Judgement from Yakuza 0. Story-wise, as said before, is very strong as it always is though I do think Yakuza 7 may have the slight edge in that department but Infinite Wealth still delivers plenty of great moments. Though I think it does have more standout setpieces than 7, I think that game brought everything together in a much more cohesive and satisfying way, Mirror Face aside. As I also alluded to earlier, I do think 7 also edges Infinite Wealth out on villains though that's more so due to the fact that many of Infinite Wealth's villains leave a lot to be desired due to limited screentime. That being said though, I do like every villain in the game. I simply wish some of them had a greater presence, especially the final boss, Dwight and Wong Tou. Yamai was easily the biggest standout in terms of antagonists and I hope he continues to show up, I have a pretty good feeling he'll end up becoming a party member in the next game, if Seonhee was any indication.

Overall, Infinite Wealth is a fantastic package. It may not have delivered everything I wanted from it exactly but in most other aspects, I got what I desired and then some. The whole experience took me nearly 100 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've yet to decide if my preference leans towards Yakuza 7 and it doesn't quite take the crowning position from Yakuza 0 for me, but it's still one of the best products to come out from RGG Studio and I commend their efforts on this massive game whilst still delivering content regularly in between mainline entries, such as Lost Judgment, Ishin Kiwami and Gaiden. I am both excited and a little nervous to see what they do next. Whatever they do, I sincerely hope SEGA doesn't mandate locking New Game Plus behind a paywall. Low-hanging fruit, I know but it had to be said.

Of all the announcements made during the RGG Summit of Fall 2022, Like a Dragon Gaiden was probably the one I didn't really know what to think of. I was of course excited for Like a Dragon: Ishin and Like a Dragon 8 but I had no clue what to expect from Gaiden, even though it had a longer trailer than 8 did. I was initially a little sceptical about all of the new Kiryu-related content we were getting. After the Judgment duology and Yakuza: Like a Dragon proved that the series was more than capable of moving past Kiryu, everything announced at the Summit had something to do with him in some way, even LAD 8 which would co-star Kiryu alongside Ichiban. All we knew though was that Gaiden would bridge the gaps between Yakuza 6 and the upcoming Like a Dragon 8.

However, as time went on and seeing more of the game during Summer of 2023, RGG gave quite a few reasons to look forward to this game. The story trailer released in August was particularly good at showing exactly what they were going for with this game.

Gaiden spun off from what was initially a flashback segment in LAD 8 developed into its own game entirely. Technically, this game is a spin-off but I personally consider it part of the mainline series. Hell, the game is called Like a Dragon 7 Side Story in Japan, so it's more akin to the likes of the Majima Saga from Yakuza Kiwami 2, a smaller story that serves to fill in gaps between games. Where Majima Saga showed events between Yakuzas 1 and 2 and gave some closure on a plot thread from Yakuza 0, Gaiden is set concurrently with the events of Yakuza 7, showing what Kiryu was up to in Sotenbori whilst Ichiban was in Ijincho and there's even a few moments where the two games intersect. Though the game of course does address Kiryu's struggles to make peace with the decision he made at the end of Yakuza 6 and paves the way for his appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

That being said, RGG has advertised this as a viable starting point for Yakuza newcomers and whilst anyone is entitled to begin with any game they please, I would advise not making this game your first as it is very contingent on your knowledge of the rest of the series. With the game being set alongside Yakuza 7, that game's plot drives the direction that Gaiden's does and much of the twists of said plot get dropped on you during exposition dumps. Not only that but the impact of most of the game's emotional beats won't hit quite as hard without the context of the other games plus with this game still being relatively new, you could snag the entire Kiryu saga for the same price as this one game alone so if possible, I'd highly encourage playing Yakuzas 0-7 before this one (and Judgment if you have the time since that is also referenced).

That being said, it's very interesting to see another Kiryu game in a post-Yakuza 7 and Judgment world where I believe RGG has really perfected their craft in terms of storytelling and gameplay. A lot of the quirks that plagued the Kiryu Saga are absent in those games and thankfully, it comes full circle with Gaiden having some of the tightest storytelling and smoothest combat the series has ever seen. The story, being more compact this time around, never feels like it dawdles on too long, even when it makes you do some mandatory side content or dumps a bunch of expository dialogue onto you. It feels very setpiece-to-setpiece and nothing feels like it drags on or doesn't get sufficient screentime. Something the latter half of the Kiryu Saga somewhat fumbled on was having compelling villains with 4 and 5 having a few that felt like asspulls with little justification from the plot for their presence. However, all of the antagonists in Gaiden are fantastic with the final boss in particular feeling very much like Ryuji or Mine - a guy you understand and is ultimately fighting for their own beliefs and to maintain their way of life. The fight itself is genuinely the best in the entire franchise, beating out Judgment's for me. It evokes what Yakuza 5's final boss was going for but with a much stronger motivation behind it and some equally good setpieces. The entire climax in general feels like a culmination of everything the series has been leading up to - where Yakuza 6 marked the end of the familial side of Kiryu's life, Gaiden marks the end of the Yakuza side, with him confronting the very thing he continuously attempted to dissociate from one final time. Although the stakes aren't technically that high, the final battle still feels climactic due to how personal it feels from both ends. The supporting cast is solid too, Hanawa and Akame are standouts not only in this game but the entire series and considering how nearly every important character is entirely new to this game and is given sufficient time to breathe and develop within the parameters of the shorter duration is a testament to how good RGG's writing has become over time. You may have also heard many sing the praises of this game's ending and I will bravely admit to having ugly cried on my first viewing at it, it's genuinely heart-wrenching only made worse by a great voice performance by Kuroda-san and some mindblowing facial animation.

Gameplay-wise, this is definitely the best Kiryu has ever felt in the Dragon Engine, rivalling that of Yakuza Kiwami. Both fighting styles are very smooth and fluid, Agent in particular is insanely fun and unique and one of my favorites in the series, I'd like to see it implemented in a future Judgment game if we ever get one. My only issue with Agent is that it does take a while (and a lot of money) for it to feel truly viable compared to the powerhouse Yakuza style and a lack of New Game Plus does hurt the game's replayability signfiicantly.

In terms of side content, everything you would expect is here and accounted for. The karaoke selection is fantastic, Sayonara Silent Night is the only new song but is a genuine favorite of mine, and notable for being the first Christmas song in the series despite most games being set during then. Sure, 4 of the 6 songs are sad Kiryu songs but they feel appropriate considering what he's going through at the current point of time. Seeing him lament over Nishiki in Tonight, Haruto in Hands and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter in Baka Mitai (again) and that general sense of reflection is something embodied in quite a lot of this game. A few of the substories have Kiryu facing some ghosts of his past like hunting down supposed sightings of Ryuji Goda and helping out someone who idolised Kazama like he did. Even the more lighthearted misadventures such as the one riffing ChatGPT of all things has Kiryu reminiscing about Yumi and Kashiwagi. Yumi in particular gets brought up a number of times and whilst I never cared much for her as a character, I do appreciate them acknowledging her considering her significance to Kiryu, Haruka and the narrative of Yakuza 1 in general.

Pocket Circuit makes its grand return and is as fun as it was back in 0 and Kiwami alongside what I consider to be the best implementation of both the Coliseum and Clan Creator minigames, which I normally do not care much for. Being able to control your clan members in regular combat conditions as well as actually playing as them makes this infinitely better than Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2's Clan Creator minigames and provides some interesting variety that the Coliseum tends to lack. The only minigame I didn't care much for was the Hostess Clubs, the live-action aspect was funny as a gag for the Ichizu Samurai cinematic in Ishin Kiwami but having them be the central gimmick of a minigame is somewhat unsettling. I didn't really invest much time into it, I skipped the cutscenes and looked up the correct responses online (thank you, CyricZ) though that being said, you cannot skip the scenes where you visit their houses, so much for Joryu being on the downlow I guess.

Overall, Gaiden is a fantastic package. It feels a lot bigger than Majima Saga and Kaito Files, having aspects from the bigger campaigns to beef it up but it's still more compact than the 'full games'. I'd say it feels quite close to the Kiwami games in terms of content quantity. It's also the first Yakuza game where I've done essentially everything, I've gotten every achievement on Xbox at the very least. Thankfully, completion is much simpler here both for achievement hunters and those who fulfil the in-game 100% requirements (which I have not done). Whilst not technically essential, Gaiden serves as a good breather between the beefy Yakuza 7, Lost Judgment and the (as of writing) upcoming Infinite Wealth which is set to be the largest game in the franchise. I would highly recommend this title, not so much to a newer fan or someone who's only played a couple of games, but to those who have seen everything the series has to offer as this is by all metrics, a love letter for them. The fact that one of RGG's best titles was made in the span of 6 months alongside a gargantuan mainline JRPG title and the really beefy Lost Judgment which also got story DLC is mindblowing to me. RGG are miracle workers and I have full faith that they will send Kiryu off with the grace he deserves.

The Kaito Files is currently the latest entry in the Yakuza franchise though it isn't its own game necessarily. It's an extra campaign that can be purchased as DLC for Lost Judgment, releasing a little over half a year after that game's launch.

The Kaito Files is set shortly after the events of the main campaign, though it's a more self-contained story with minimal references to Lost Judgment's main events. With Yagami handling a case elsewhere, we instead see everything through his partner's eyes - Kaito. We learn a great deal about Kaito's past, particularly a girl he was dating back during his days in the Matsugane Family and the effects that his Yakuza life had on his relationship. Compared to most Yakuza plotlines, Kaito Files is refreshingly simple and straightforward but that's far from a bad thing. The main mystery revolves around the whereabouts of Kaito's former lover Mikiko and the reasons behind her disappearance.

One of the biggest standouts of the campaign is the main villain who much like the Mole from the first game, is inhumanely devious for the sake of no one but himself, serving a nice contrast to the main story's antagonist, who killed to serve justice for bullying victims and their families. Seeing Kaito take on a fatherly role to Mikiko's son Jun was also nice to see, we'd seen briefly prior that he has a soft spot for kids, like when he played ball with a kid who believed he was a superhero called Captain Cop or showing some how to play a game at the arcade, it's nice to see them delve deeper into that and it gives Kaito's character some nice closure, not that we won't see him ever again.

This DLC campaign is quite light on content with really the only thing to do being the main campaign which in it of itself is around 6-7 hours in length but considering how massive the main campaign was, this hardly matters though it would have been nice to handle some side cases as Kaito or to perhaps have the ability to play as him in the main game. Speaking of, Kaito has a moveset unique from Yagami's. I highlight it being unique from Yagami specifically because his moveset is reused from Kazuma Kiryu of all people, with Kaito utilising what is essentially his Brawler and Beast fighting styles from Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami with a sparkle of Lost Judgment polish. Kaito also some extra abilities pertaining to his detective skills, being able to his primal instincts to not only detect things by sight but also via his smelling and hearing. In the mode's short duration, they do enough to distinguish Kaito from Yagami and I hope that if we ever get a third entry in the series, Kaito returns as a playable character, much like how Miles co-stars in Insomniac's Spider Man 2 after taking the reigns of his own mini-adventure.

I suppose that's the best comparison I could draw really, Kaito Files is Lost Judgment's Miles Morales, a smaller little adventure that expands upon the main protagonist's partner character, both being more personal tales that explore the relationships of their respective characters. Kaito Files is easily RGG's best DLC and I hope we get more additional content of a similar vein in future entries.