Summary
- Sujimon battles and Dodoko Island are the most detailed side activities, adding complexity and depth to the game with turn-based battles, rankings, raids, and customization options.
- The inclusion of Sujimon and Dodoko Island aligns with the narrative and protagonist Ichiban Kasuga's love for Japanese gaming, conveying the passion that Ryu Ga Gotoku has for the medium in the game's side content.
The recent release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has been very well received by fans, with the bold steps that the game has taken to set it apart from its predecessors clearly paying off for Ryu Ga Gotoku. With the title having a core setting of Hawaii, numerous aspects of gameplay are big deviations from past entries in the franchise though the side activities of the game offer some of its most unique experiences.
Alongside the gripping story of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, players can enjoy a wide range of brand-new side content, and the most fleshed-out activities take clear inspiration from some of the most iconic gaming franchises to come out of Japan. Sujimon battles and Dodoko Island are the most in-depth side activities in Infinite Wealth, and the homage they pay to the likes of Pokemon and Animal Crossing is a testament to the passion that Ryu Ga Gotoku has for Japanese gaming and how it has shaped the new identity of Like a Dragon as a whole.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Proves That Ichiban and Kiryu Are Not The Same
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth furthers Ichiban Kasuga's story, and it proves that Ichiban and Kiryu fit into the series in very different ways.
Pokemon and Animal Crossing Define Like a Dragon: Infinite's Wealth Best Side Activities
It is clear that Ryu Ga Gotoku has made a concerted effort to expand the side content of Yakuza: Like a Dragon within Infinite Wealth, and Sujimon Battles and Dondoko Island are the main ways the new release achieves this. Sujimon were a staple of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, with the wide range of strange and eccentric enemies in Ichiban's imagination being given the Sujimon moniker as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Pokemon franchise.
While players could add Sujimon to a Sujidex database after defeating them, Sujimon were fairly one-dimensional in the 2020 title compared to their presence in Infinite Wealth. The recent release has given a much higher level of complexity to Sujimon by heavily leaning into the feature's Pokemon inspiration, with the mechanic now possessing the following improvements:
- Turn-based Sujimon battles
- Sujimon league rankings and Sujimon Gyms
- Limited-time Sujimon raids
- Sujimon leveling and recruitment system
Dondoko Island is a completely new element for the franchise in Infinite Wealth, being a relaxed island builder social-sim that clearly owes its roots to the Animal Crossing franchise. With its own day and night cycle, in-depth customization options, and visiting NPCs who stay at the resort, Dondoko Island is a game in and of itself that can add a huge chunk of time to any playthrough of Infinite Wealth.
Sujimon and Dondoko Island Are Perfect For Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Narrative
It is clear that Sujimon and Dondoko Island heavily borrow from other Japanese gaming franchises, but they are both done tastefully and constructively, servicing the overall themes of Infinite Wealth and its protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga. From the very outset of Ichiban's introduction to the franchise with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, his love for Japanese gaming was at the forefront of his character.
The series actually used Ichiban's love for JRPGs in particular as the narrative justification for its own adoption of JRPG mechanics, such as its party system and turn-based combat. Ichiban sees himself as the hero of his own story on a mighty quest, with his desire to help others stemming from his best gaming memories. In this way, it only makes sense that the franchise should lean further into the most iconic experiences of Japanese gaming, and the passion that Infinite Wealth has for the medium is conveyed perfectly in the bulk of its side content.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- January 26, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
- Engine
- Dragon Engine
- Franchise
- Yakuza
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 60 Hours
