Highlights
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth features both Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga as dual protagonists with their own story arcs.
- Kiryu is revealed to be suffering from cancer, making it a heartbreaking revelation for longtime fans and setting up a potential grand finale for him in the series.
- The game includes the return of several classic characters from Kiryu’s past, creating a sense of finality and providing the opportunity for fans to reconnect with beloved characters.
This article contains spoilers for Yakuza 3 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon
A brand-new trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has revealed a number of classic characters from across the Yakuza franchise’s history that will be making a return in this eighth entry. Infinite Wealth is being touted as the game that sees Kazuma Kiryu and Kasuga Ichiban working together as dual protagonists, with both characters having their own story arcs. Ichiban has arrived in Hawaii to find his birth mother, while Kiryu, following the ending of Like a Dragon Gaiden, has taken a vacation in Hawaii.
This isn’t a relaxing time for Kiryu however, as Infinite Wealth establishes that Kiryu is now suffering from cancer, which is a heartbreaking revelation for many longtime fans. Despite Yakuza 6 initially filling the role of being Kiryu’s final game, Gaiden and subsequently Infinite Wealth brought him back as a prominent character. As a result, Infinite Wealth feels like it is setting up to be a grand finale for the longtime series protagonist, while also passing the torch to his successor, Ichiban. To complement the “finale” feeling this game is seemingly bringing, several characters from Kiryu’s past are going to be making a return in Infinite Wealth.
Like a Dragon Gaiden Adding Major Feature With December 2023 Update
An important feature that missed the launch of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is given an update almost a month after release.
This new trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was released after The Game Awards 2023, which starts with Kiryu recalling how he was diagnosed with cancer after the events of Gaiden. Yu Nanba then prompts him to try creating a bucket list, considering his condition. As Kiryu goes around and checks off said bucket list, fans see several classic characters that Kiryu has met over the years. This includes his old friend, former Detective Makoto Date, and even Osamu Kashiwagi, the Survive Bartender. The latter was Kiryu’s uncle figure, who he thought died during the events of Yakuza 3, but had actually survived come Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Confirmed Returning Characters for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth:
- Ichiban Kasuga
- Kazuma Kiryu
- Yu Nanba
- Koichi Adachi
- Saeko Mukoda
- Tianyou Zhao
- Joon-gi Han
- Seonhee/Seong-hui
- Goro Majima
- Taiga Saejima
- Daigo Dojima
- Jo Sawashiro
- Osamu Kashiwagi/ “The Bartender”
- Shun Akiyama
- Kaoru Sayama
- Makoto Date
- Kazuki and Yuya
- Nancy-chan
- Sotaro Komaki
- Pocket Circuit Fighter
- Four Shine Hostesses
- Haruka Sawamura
Other classic characters like the Stardust host Yuya and Kiryu’s old mentor Sotaro Komaki make brief appearances, who, outside of remakes or spin-offs, haven’t made an appearance since Yakuza 5. Shun Akiyama, one of the playable protagonists of the Like a Dragon series, also makes a brief appearance. Even Kaoru Sayama, Kiryu’s love interest from Yakuza 2, finally makes a mainline title return as well, after her last canonical appearance in Yakuza 3 saw her taking a job in America. Since Infinite Wealth takes place in Hawaii, it’s appropriate to see her back, even commenting on how she had been waiting for Kiryu all this time too.
There are other cameos from minor characters littered throughout, such as the Club Four Shine hostesses from Yakuza Kiwami 2 and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter, using his photo from 0. Near the end of the trailer, Kiryu’s adopted daughter Haruka can also be heard, based on her calling him “Uncle Kaz.” This trailer carries a somber, poignant tone, giving a sense of finality to Kiryu’s character, with the chance to reconnect with all these characters being a big factor towards that.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon 8 is a turn-based RPG set after the events of Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon. Like its predecessor, the game’s main character will once again be Ichiban Kasuga, although Kazuma Kiryu will also return as a protagonist.
- Released
- January 26, 2024
