I really, really wanted to love this game. I was ready to call this my game of the year, even before launch. It had everything to play with my emotions, but it unfortunately didn't deliver.

Let me at least start with what I did like:
-The combat is great, and much better than Y7. I loved being able to walk around in battle and placing my character in a precise position to hit multiple enemies.
-The OST was great, I loved the new Karaoke songs and battle songs.
-The new ( playable ) characters ( Tomizawa, Chitose, and Seonhee )

What I disliked:
-Weird story decisions
-Blueballing in Kiryu's Life Links
-Ending

( story spoilers start here )

I wasn't really a huge fan of the Hawaii story part to begin with, but when the game switched to Kiryu's side in Yokohama halfway through the game, that's when the story started to pick up more.
This was also where they introduced Kiryu's bucket list with his Life Links,
where all the blue balling happened. They show off old characters but don't allow Kiryu to meet them or talk to them. It was so unfortunate seeing Taichi, Nakajima, and Kaoru, but not having them interact with Kiryu.

What makes it even worse is that starting chapter 10, starting the third life link, Kiryu is exposed to be alive. But somehow none of the Life Link characters except one have seen it, or act up on it. It's so infuriating. This brings me to my second point that doesn't make sense: At this point in the story, you know who the V-tuber is who exposed Kiryu. It's revealed that Chitose is being manipulated behind the scenes to do all this on her Tatara channel. So why does Chitose not delete the videos/livestreams that happen after she reveals the truth about being the V-tuber? If she doesn't have access anymore, could she not have said that she doesn't? It's the small things that inconvenience the story/Kiryu/player. I was confused, but disregarded it when a good Life Link happened, the Akiyama Life Link. Akiyama puts Kiryu and Date in a set up, and forces them to meet. Causing Kiryu to finally interact and talk with a major character from a previous game. I was so happy, would this mean the next life link is Haruka? Can I finally meet her?

Yes. Date calls, and had a meeting set up with Haruka. When Haruka and Haruto are in Serena, Kiryu is about to walk in. When they pull some bullshit and Kiryu goes away before meeting her. I've never been more mad in a Yakuza game. I coped and thought. Ok ok, she's a major part of Kiryu's character, I feel like she should be a part of the ending right? Maybe they'll meet and talk towards the end? After all, Tatara did expose Kiryu to be alive.

Nope. Last 20 minutes of the game. Kiryu fell unconscious and is being rushed to the hospital while one of the worst songs I've ever heard plays in the background. Is it finally happening, are they killing off Kiryu?

Post credits scene arrive, a shot of Haruka and Haruto walking in the hospital on their way to Kiryu's room. Hinting that Kiryu is alive, I was both sad and happy, because he didn't even get to interact with Haruka.

Haruka & Haruto walk in Kiryu's room, and... He just got out of the room for treatment while they walk in. Before I even managed to think they might interact later, Kiryu said his name and the ending card appeared.

I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in an ending. I binged Yakuza 0 to Yakuza 7 in a month to have Infinite Wealth hit hard. Yakuza 7's story was so good, I genuinely thought Infinite Wealth would be even better. I really wanted my emotions to be played with and that I would be thinking about this game for weeks, or months. Unfortunately, the only way it played with my emotions is that I get mad whenever I think about this game and it's ending.