Not gonna sugarcoat it there will be spoilers ahead.
Before completing the final chapter I would have said this is an easy 4.5 star game, in my eyes they fumbled the landing which is a crying shame as this will likely be the final chapter or at the very least the latest installment in the timeline of the Kiryu saga where we main the legendary character.

So this is were my issues with this finale begin, they did not commit to Kiryu's send off even though they had all the chips laid out on the table with the dragon memoirs and memory links some better some worse (looking at you Sayama) recounting Kiryu's exploits and all the friends we made along the way it was almost perfect I had my tissue box ready and everything but instead we were left with that somber and depressing final scene after credits showing him in no position to be taking on the Dragon of Dojima mantle ever again. We got an unsatisfying middle ground neither death nor any future we were just left out cold in the air of uncertainty and with no emotionally satisfying conclusion for this Yakuza legend. I'm a little bit confused with their intentions here. We don't even get to see the long awaited reunion with Haruka and Huruto, instead we are treated to what essentially is the same kind of scene that we got earlier in the game at New Serena when Date and Akyama were trying to help Kiryu reunite with them only for Kiryu to back out at the last moment not wanting to hurt those he loves the most again with his impending passing due to the disease -"2nd death". Speaking off at first when Kiryu shares the news with us the audience and Kasuga I didn't know what to think the whole reasoning how/why he got cancer was so artificially made up, so out of pocket it felt weird and then as the game progressed I was like "ok they will tie in better with the main story since we're dealing with radioactive waste disposal" but then in the end I'm still like couldn't you just say he got it per chance I mean he smokes cigarettes and drinks alcohol like a horse throughout the whole series he's also getting much older now, that would have been more believable than saying "yea after the events of Gaiden he was helping out Daidoji with radioactive waste disposal at a factory when his co-worker had a heart failure crashed a forklift into radioactive barrels spilled the contents of those barrels and at the same time broke Kiryu's mask but then Kiryu bravely saved this no name NPC not concerned for his health because that's the kind of man he is and therefore he has cancer now" like holy shit writing this out myself feels like I'm making up some deranged fan fiction I hope it helps to illustrate my frustration with this.

Another point of contention for me is the final boss for both Kiryu and Ichiban. For me it has always been more satisfying to fight bosses in the beat-em up style and so it is a lot more challenging to get hyped for a turn based fight although in Yakuza: Like a Dragon to which I will refer to as Yakuza 7 they still had a more satisfying story set up for those final fights and better music lets be fair. Here both Bryce and Ebina are mediocre, they're fine - ok at best. Bryce is discount far cry villain and Ebina was definitely much better in comparison but still fell short to some of the fights we got in the previous titles. No doubt it would have been more appropriate for Ichiban to fight Ebina but at the same time I understand why they didn't do that, so in the end we're left with sloppy final fights reminiscent of Yakuza 4.

Ok final paragraph of bitching. The more meta stuff surrounding the game of course I'm talking about $20 DLC containing NG+ is a massive piss stain, emanating fumes of greed and disgusting business practices involving game's media as a whole and deservedly sits at overwhelmingly negative reviews as it should for the rest of time. This has been progressively getting worse looking at the history of RGG releases on Steam and I'm afraid it will not get any better. I don't play Yakuza dubbed and I don't understand people who do so this really didn't affect me nor did I lose any sleep over it but English VA for Kiryu is woefully miscast. Another few niggles that got under my skin were the double doors in the Yokohama and Hawaiian dungeons there's too many goddamn doors, I'm just trying to get through this grind fest for materials as fast as I can but then I have to stop every few seconds to open these doors and constantly reset my sprint animation but honestly its just because I was doing it a lot that's the only reason I mention it. Another thing worth pointing out is that this game more than any previous entry has a lot more grammatical mistakes, misspellings and sometimes even uses of a word in a scenario where it does not fit don't remember this being so noticeable before. I have to say that OST in the game is not quite as good or memorable compared to previous RGG titles which is unfortunate, really could have done with out that dubstep remix on the final Millennium tower climb. Now onto the good shit.

First of all when it comes to gameplay it definitely feels like a big improvement across the board compared to Yakuza 7, I was even thinking while playing the game that I'm gonna open up with "a redemption arc to turn based combat in my Yakuza game" since I definitely did not jive as much with Yakuza 7 due to it's grindiness. Thankfully this game is much better balanced in comparison, the money and material rewards from the critical path are better distributed so there is no need to grind as much or even at all I would say and oh my god my prayers have been answered we no longer need to bother with every low level pleb that stops you on the street for a fight and so whenever you out level enemies by 6-7 levels or more you can just end them with a press of a single button this has to be the best change in the game. I will say that in general the game feels a lot more casual friendly and just easier before committing to a battle gauntlet during the story progression a window pops up with recommended party and gear level good change in my opinion.

We get more jobs/classes, full access to choose which skills we carry over from previous jobs mix and match to our hearts content. I love the combo system fun to pull off (not that it takes much skill) but they have some cool ass animations that I never got tired of seeing really helps that they are quick and punchy. Big fan of the movement grid and incorporation of environmental weapons for all party members and even heat moves for Kiryu, although I do wish you could move a little bit faster inside the grid during battle. Of course when it comes to gameplay my previous praise for Yakuza 7 apply to this game as well, like responsive and fast menus, flashy beautifully animated moves, varied abilities and all that jazz.

Really enjoyed the new characters they've introduced particularly Chitose and Yamai. Very memorable with their own unique quirks and great dynamic interactions with the rest of the cast both going through a little redemption arc on their own. Overall I would say they nailed the characters in this game not counting the two main villains mentioned. Some truly great scenes like Ichiban and Kiryu splitting up in Hawaii, Chitose's betrayal, Tomizawa's introduction, Ichiban's and Akane's moment on the beach, conversation on top of the homeless shelter in the final chapter and of course Saeko and Ichiban's conversations at the beginning and at the end of the game. No doubt there's few more I haven't mentioned but these type of scenes and moments are what really elevates this game for me.

There's a lot of game here took a whole month and 80hrs to get through and I barely touched the two major minigames Pokemon and Stardew Valley knockoffs, didn't finish the EX dungeons or completed all the substories but I got my money's worth and then some, there were some really beautiful moments sprinkled throughout. I didn't even mention the new setting of Hawaii and what a breath of fresh air that was. Little bit annoyed that they stumbled on the last few steps here but despite that this game is a great addition to what's now become one of my favorite gaming franchises. I just have one question left. Why is it called Infinite Wealth?

finished the game yesterday but i needed to have a whole day to just process and soak in all the emotions this game gave me. yakuza gaiden truly got to be one of my favourite yakuza entries, it has everything. i've been thinking really hard if there's something about this game i disliked or had some issues with but no - everything was simply perfect.

i was a bit skeptic about handling the story in a much shorter running time (compared to other yakuza games) and how is this entry gonna mesh into the timeline, but the rgg team proved themselves capable of that feat.

the cast is simply charming, i loved akame and tsuruno the most and i hope they'll show up once more, they were delightful. other familiar faces were also a sight to see and the flashbacks to Y7 were so good, i had a smile on my face the whole time. the tie in into 7 and 8 was done so smoothly, i was utterly impressed.

as for the gameplay / combat i can really say this game perfected it, it was so so so much fun and none of the battles felt tedious. the final boss fight was AMAZING and memorable unlike some yakuza final bosses so i was simply left impressed. loved dressing up kiryu and having a blast with the side content.

the ending left me an emotional wreck, i just want kiryu to have a happy ending after everything he went through. the ending also gave us a lot to think about and i hope infinite wealth will answer us these questions. off to IW i hope soon, can't wait. <3

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Judgment and Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Yakuza 7 for technicality’s sake) make up for what I believe is an interesting back-to-back combo following the big franchise soft-reboot button Yakuza 6 pressed. Both pivoted towards newfound directions, with new leading protagonists, all while honoring the legacy of the games that laid foundations before them. It may be a lil strange to say, for something I feel is relegated as the kinda unimportant spin-off to the main series starring the actual yakuza people came to play for, but Judgment surprised me for stacking itself up as being the better refresh point for Yakuza/Like A Dragon to me. It still carries on the real-time brawlin’ beat ‘em up combat from the older entries, but everything else is wholly unique from what RGG has brought to the table before. There isn’t much overlap between Judgment and Yakuza/Like A Dragon, if at all. The most you’ll get is the Tojo Clan being a background presence and Kamurocho returning as the primary setting, but none of the important characters are even indirectly mentioned. There’s no shoe-horned in cameos from any of the series regulars, whether they be in the main story or side cases. There’s nothing linking Yagami and his supporting cast to whatever happened in Kiryu’s games, and that ultimately became why I preferred it over Yakuza 7. It doesn’t rely on or feel hindered by that legacy. Instead, relying completely on its own unique strengths to stand head-to-head with some of the stronger entries in the franchise.

Yagami is a protagonist who eerily felt specifically tailored suited to my needs and interests, which is to say -- I really love him. The decision in making the new protagonist a detective is brilliant because it already sets up what makes Judgment stand apart from Yakuza/Like A Dragon. Kiryu and Ichiban’s games are bombastic, melodramatic, with plots escalating to grandiose heights to stress the stakes at play. It never often leaves you with much room for something smaller to breathe in. You never think about what goes on beyond their wildest exploits in Kamurocho, for example. There're glimpses here and there, if we’re keeping this within the confines of the main plot, but Kiryu nor Ichiban can dwell on it because that’s not on their agenda as yakuza. With Yagami, the scope narrows the focus down to something more grounded with characters who feel like the faceless NPCs Kiryu would stroll past by, or villains he demolished easily like some small-time obstacle to get to the big villain he cares about fighting. Yakuza/Like A Dragon bounces dramatically between two polar opposite tones, from bloodied seriousness to unabashed silliness. It pings pongs back and forth almost effortlessly, never compromising the integrity of its own storytelling in favor of it. Judgment straddles on that established tonal wavelength by sitting comfortably in the dark end of it, yet never reaching the deep end. Yagami’s personal mission to uncover a murder mystery conspiracy helps explores these aspects that the mainline games just can’t really do, but that’s fine. Judgment does a fantastic job of breathing life into its rendition of Kamurocho as the red-light district where crime makes it a living hell with constant fights on the streets, but its people are survivors who push through the day.

The side content is mostly a miss, easily Judgment’s biggest sore spot. The side cases are harmless, but they aren’t terribly memorable, especially already knowing the quality output RGG can pump out by now. Weirdly, almost no mini-games except for a returning few and Drone Racing, which wasn’t really my thing. The friendship mechanic is a nice detail that plays into the game’s grounded rendition of Kamurocho where the focus is strictly street level, but they felt like annoying distractions from how thick the main plot would get. The incentive never felt strong with completing much of this, from either the standpoint of unlocking certain benefits to enhance gameplay or to deepen Yagami’s role as a detective. The worst offender had to be the Keihi Gang which evaporated so much interest I had diving into the side content because RGG annoyingly forced them onto you. I personally wish Kim suffers through the nine circles of hell. The Dragon Engine feels like it's more put together here, with collision physics playing more nicely than they did with Yakuza 6. Though, I can’t even deny how unbalanced Yagami’s fighting styles feel with Crane Style feeling very useless with just how much better Tiger Style is for dealing with enemies. I think this could’ve been a bit better if both styles didn’t have a restrictive move set of combos to dish out, a slight disappointment until you unlock Tiger Drop and it gets more fun. Strangely, a lot of stuff gameplay-wise here felt like RGG was relapsing back to more archaic tendencies just as much as they’re pushing into newer things. You could tell me this game had been secretly in development since maybe Yakuza 4 and I’d probably believe you.

Still, it pulled very hard into its own strengths by the end. With a final boss that goes down as one of my absolute favorites from RGG. A case was solved, people died, people lived to see another day, justice was finally served, convictions were upheld, and after everything was settled… Yagami charmingly treats it like yet another normal day in the office. I can’t really think of a more fitting ending to this memorable experience with a cast of characters I’m really excited to see what takes them next, especially my GOAT Kaito. I’m hoping for Lost Judgment to smooth out the rough edges here and polish everything up to peak, because I think the potential laid here is promising as hell.

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

One of the very few games to have ever made me into a complete emotional mess when the credits rolled. Like A Dragon Gaiden is a thrilling emotional rollercoaster. Working within its set limitations as essentially an expansion to Yakuza: Like A Dragon to narrow the focus on Kiryu following his first finale so many years ago. It was developed in a six-month cycle, has the third of the content and scope of a regular Yakuza/Like A Dragon entry, yet it told probably the most tightly personal story these games could ever hope to achieve. It directly addresses the elephant in the room -- what’s the point behind bringing back Kiryu when we’ve had a perfectly fine sendoff for him? Why is he back? What’s he going to do now given Yakuza 7 ends with Ichiban leading the series in his place? Some remain unanswered for what I expect Infinite Wealth to tackle head-on, but what it answers reframed Like A Dragon Gaiden as a needed epilogue to provide more closure for Kiryu’s journey as a legendary yakuza.

The main antagonist is quite up there for me as far as amazing villains go in the series. The perfect final obstacle Kiryu needs to defeat for what he represents. Someone who wants nothing more than to prevent the extinction of his way of life. A twisted, savaged incarnation of the older ways of the yakuza we were first familiar with, but gradually saw fade away entry by entry. A guy who genuinely believed the days of yakuza like Nishiki, Ryuji, Mine, and even Kiryu have never ended despite us seeing how they’ve been phased out with entitled schemers who don’t uphold any ideals painted on their very backs. A man who saw the yakuza life as a chance for fulfillment and freedom needed to be preserved even in a changing era where they’re becoming hollowed out. Trading their freedom and purpose with a tight leash on their neck by higher authority who strip it all away. Making his fate one of the most morbid things that will ever haunt me.

I still need to push through the Judgment games to give a definitive end-all statement, but this is the best combat has felt in the Dragon Engine. It pulls notes from Yakuza 0 with switching between styles again and using money to level up your move set, which led to some tedious side content grinding shoehorned in to pad out the game, but I overall enjoyed it incredibly for a small enough package. There isn’t really much more to dig into here, it is the shortest Yakuza/Like A Dragon game after all, so a lot is the usual standard fare by now. It was made with one sole aim in mind, bridge the gap between Yakuza 7 and Yakuza 8, explore Kiryu through those events, offer some sentimental moments for the long time fans, and hopefully hook you on whatever the hell Infinite Wealth is cooking by pairing Ichiban and Kiryu together as dual protagonists. This affirmed my love for Kiryu and this series, and with no surprise ranks very high for me among the rest. I hope my GOAT can somehow get the happy ending he deserves.

A good RPG that has aged remarkably well. There are a few hiccups I had, with some quests being failed because I talked to the wrong person or entered the wrong room. Also, sometimes you're separated from your group for a bit and those areas can be really punishing depending on the class you picked.

Combat was really fun, especially against the large monsters, and I really liked each class I played. There were times where combat took an absurd difficulty spike. There was a group of bandits right outside a wooded area that drove me insane with how they just seemed to ignore damage at times. I liked most of the NPCs. I did find it frustrating that there were times I had to look up in a wiki where to continue certain NPC quests, but that wasn't too bad.

This was a solid game and I'm excited to see what changes they've added for the sequel.

A fantastic remake of one of my favorite games. It's a fun return to a simpler time when RPGs didn't bloat themselves out with a pointlessly large map and needless side quests to slow down your progress in order to justify their existence. This is not a long game, I beat it in less than 15 hours and did plenty of the optional side quests. This game is endlessly charming and absolutely worth a revisit if you had played the original, or if you missed out on the original, then this is a great opportunity to play a classic game for the first time.