Minor spoilers ahead for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

One of the most impressive aspects of the recent Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the sheer breadth of the game's content. Alongside a lengthy and gripping main narrative, the title features several massive locations, sub-stories, mini-games, and a huge number of collectibles that set a record for the franchise.

While many are impressed by the large scale of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the massive amount of content that the game offers to players can be quite overwhelming at times, but Ryu Ga Gotoku has done an excellent job of making each side activity worthwhile for the player. This is particularly true when it comes to the collectibles in Infinite Wealth, and the Memoirs of a Dragon are one collectible range in particular that offer something great to fans of all experience levels for the IP.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Guide Hub (Jobs, Weapons, Dondoko Island, Substories, & More) Thumb
Related
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Guide Hub (Jobs, Weapons, Dondoko Island, Substories, & More)

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has a ton of content, which can be missed easily. To avoid this, players can consult this guide hub.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Memoirs of a Dragon Offer the Perfect Collectible Grind

Kiryu seen at sunset in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

The new JRPG formula of the Like a Dragon franchise makes a clear effort to saturate its game worlds with things for players to collect at all times, ranging from random item pick-ups to forms of currency. Infinite Wealth has taken this a step further, with players now also having to be on the lookout for the following collectible types:

  • Photo Rally locations
  • Aloha Links friends
  • Music Playlist CDs
  • Memoirs of a Dragon

While all of these collectible types offer some benefit to the player, such as personality boosts, the Memoirs of a Dragon are a unique collectible branch in Kiryu's sections of gameplay, essentially acting as a love letter to a character that holds such an iconic place in the franchise's identity. It has been known for some time now that Ryu Ga Gotoku is setting up Ichiban Kasuga as a replacement for Kiryu as the main protagonist of the IP, yet the early reveal in Infinite Wealth's story that Kiryu has cancer gives a sobering twist to this transition.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Memoirs Offer a Blend of Narrative and Gameplay Boosts

Kiryu's external and internal struggles in this battle are at the forefront of Infinite Wealth's story, and Memoirs of a Dragon serve as part of Kiryu's bucket list, being poignant reflections of his past at key locations around the game's maps. These memoir locations pull from many aspects of Kiryu's story from past games, being a fantastic way to take veteran fans on a walk down memory lane while giving series newcomers more context regarding Kiryu's history.

Even for those not as invested in the narrative quality of Memoirs of a Dragon, each collectible in this set gives boosts to Kiryu's three fighting styles, Brawler, Beast, and Rush. These boosts all contribute to Kiryu's "awakening level," which can significantly increase his combat effectiveness, making Memoirs a deeply important part of Infinite Wealth in a number of ways.

It only seems right that Kiryu was given such a prominent role in the events of Infinite Wealth, with Ryu Ga Gotoku clearly paying respect to the figure. Memoirs of a Dragon serve as the perfect example of this, being emotional points of reflection for Kiryu as well as the player, with the additional stat boosts ensuring that all players have a reason to pursue these kinds of collectibles in Infinite Wealth.