Somewhat frustratingly disjointed when it comes to the main plot. Lots of things don’t feel resolved or don’t make much sense by the end of the game. I can see how this would sour a lot of people on this game but I think there’s an important lesson here. Finding out what happens with the main plot is what drives you to complete a game but whether or not this main plot ends satisfactorily is often not particularly unimportant. It definitely isn’t in infinite wealth. Wanting to resolve the story serves as a motivator to progress through the game. Progressing through the game is the actual reward. I think on a certain level the folks at RGG realize this. Infinite Wealth is far far far more focused on gameplay, party member interactions, side stories, and emotional moments with beloved characters than it is on the consistency or resolution of the main plot. The main plot in infinite wealth - almost certainly unintentionally - serves as little more than a motivator to experience everything else the game has to offer, which is frankly fantastic. I would of course prefer for everything to be fantastic, but in the case of infinite wealth its main plot and whether or not it’s resolved well is far less important than everything else the player is going to do to get there.

I’d be lying if I said the final chapter of Infinite Wealth didn’t disappoint me and leave kind of a bad taste in my mouth. It absolutely did and easily brought this game down from a near 10/10 to a weak 8. I don’t think I’ve ever played a game where the gap is wider between how brilliant the experience is and how disappointing the resolution is. I am however, a little bit thankful for this quality because I don’t think I’ve ever played a game that’s a better illustration of the journey being more important than the destination. This is of course a banal platitude but one that is nonetheless very true and one that I feel is important to be regularly reminded of.

This game is probably relies on and as a result is a better showcase of what I would call RGG magic than any other game in the series. Whenever I play a new Yakuza game I’m struck by how immediately engaging it is. This is what I would label as RGG magic. Games with plots and characters that immediately hook the player despite often being convoluted soap operas and that contain a plethora of diversions and mechanics that are so addictive and well designed that you can easily forget about the main story for days at a time. This RGG magic absolutely redeems Yakuza 7, which could have been a very dull game otherwise. The turn-based RPG gameplay of Yakuza 7 is decidedly mediocre. It’s pretty easy and mindless with the only real difficulty coming from required level grinding. It’s also lacking in the complexity and customizability that often make easy JRPGs nonetheless engaging. It’s a testament to the design chops, writing talent, and core vision of the RGG team that Yakuza 7 manages to be so engaging and enjoyable despite all of this.

Not a bad game by any means. Has a great concept and enjoyable gameplay loop but overstays its welcome and eventually becomes very monotonous with almost nothing to motivate players to push past that. The slow pace reminded me a bit of sunless sea / sunless sky - both of which can be very monotonous due to slow player movement and no fast travel. In these games, however, the sense of monotony arguably adds to the overall affect and is worth pushing past regardless due to stellar writing and storytelling that lasts from start to finish. Still appreciate a lot about this game but would recommend waiting to try it out until it gets a hefty discount.