Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Mirrors Yakuza 3 in a Few Key Ways

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a huge step for the franchise to take after the success of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Not only is it one of the most content-heavy games in the series to date, but Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth also marks the second game in the franchise to feature Ichiban Kasuga as its main protagonist. In many ways, this entry represents the new era of the Like a Dragon series, putting it in a similar position as Yakuza 3 when it was originally released, and these similarities are clear in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

As the Like a Dragon series has evolved over the years, it has undergone various changes, including the introduction of multiple protagonists, the shift from action-brawler gameplay to turn-based RPG combat, and even a name change from Yakuza to Like a Dragon. However, the series retains many of its same themes at the core of each entry, creating a throughline for characters to grow in meaningful ways as the series continues. As such, it’s not surprising to see many of the new characters introduced in this era of the series go through similar arcs as past ones, setting up Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to be a modern version of Yakuza 3.

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How Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Foreshadows an Early-Game Plot Point with a Fan-Favorite Reference

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth features many fan-favorite aspects of the series, but one hidden reference might foreshadow an early-game plot point.

Every Way Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Mirrors Yakuza 3

While many entries in the Like a Dragon series feature similar mechanics and themes, there are some clear ways in which Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth parallels Yakuza 3 specifically. Between these games’ themes, settings, and plot, it’s apparent that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Stuido had Yakuza 3 in mind while developing Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. As rumors of a Yakuza Kiwami 3 circulated online after RGG Studio teased a big announcement coming in 2024, the link between these two games could become even more important in the coming months.

Kasuga is in a Similar Position in Infinite Wealth as Kiryu in Yakuza 3

There are some clear parallels between the Like a Dragon franchise’s two main protagonists, Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu, but Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth makes the similarities in their stories even more apparent. At the start of Yakuza 3, Kiryu left his life in the Tojo Clan behind to run Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, raising his surrogate daughter Haruka alongside eight other children. Kasuga is in a similar position at the start of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, trying to settle into a new life as a civil servant working at Hello Work after becoming the Hero of Yokohama in the previous game.

Both Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Yakuza 3 are set in Tropical Locations

One of the biggest ways in which Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth mirrors Yakuza 3 is in the two games’ tropical settings, with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth primarily taking place in Hawaii and Yakuza 3 being set in Okinawa. In addition to giving players access to all new maps to explore, the introduction of these locations to the series adds a tropical flair to the games that locations like Kamurocho and Sotenbori wouldn’t normally deliver. While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth leans harder into its tropical setting with mini-games like Dondoko Island and the Alo-Happy Tours, Yakuza 3 still has a tropical backdrop.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Yakuza 3 Have Similar Characters in Mine and Ebina

The plots of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Yakuza 3 also share some similarities, especially when it comes to the motivations of their antagonists. Yakuza 3 sees Yoshitaka Mine attempt to seize control of the Tojo Clan while Chairman Daigo Dojima is in a coma. Similarly, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth‘s Masataka Ebina rises to power in Yokohama as the new head of the Seiryu Clan after the death of Chairman Hoshino in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and the imprisonment of Captain Takabe noted at the start of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Released

January 26, 2024

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

60 Hours