Highlights

  • Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth reintroduces the job system, allowing players to experiment with different classes and movesets for a strategic advantage in battle.
  • The addition of positioning in combat adds a new layer of strategy, with proximity bonuses for attacking near enemies and the ability to use environmental objects for damage.
  • Turn-based combat in Infinite Wealth is robust and compelling, with opportunities for follow-up attacks, elemental weaknesses, and guard breaking, making it worth exploring even for those who dislike the franchise's shift to this gameplay style.

Acclaim is stacking up for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and rightfully so. Existing as the eighth mainline title of the series, Infinite Wealth brings Ichiban back into the spotlight in a grander adventure than ever before, backed by a party of lovable allies and a focus on turn-based combat to boot. As the series shifted from its beat 'em up roots to a more strategic approach in LAD 7, some fans were apprehensive about how the change might translate to the franchise's gameplay. Luckily, the title proved the merits of its combat with great success, and Infinite Wealth takes this even further through a few mechanical updates.

Much like its predecessor, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth reintroduces the job system. Ichi and the team can experiment with different classes and movesets to gain the advantage in battle, complete with support and offensive skills that have fantastic versatility. Elemental attacks make a reappearance, bearing weight in the title's weapon crafting, items, and job skills like in Tomizawa's Cabbie class, while buffs and debuffs make for many strategic options. Where Infinite Wealth takes things a step further, however, is through the addition of positioning, allowing each party member a radius to move while choosing which action to take.

Split image showing Kasuga Ichiban from Like a Dragon.
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon took the series in a new direction with its turn-based combat, and now, Infinite Wealth has improved upon those many changes.

How Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Incorporates Positioning Into Its Turn-Based Combat

Player Positioning in Infinite Wealth

During their turn, each party member is allowed to move within the confines of their circle, opening up opportunities for attack. This doesn't inhibit moving towards an enemy when attacking, rather, it allows the player to think about which direction and distance they strike from. Proximity bonuses are granted for attacking within close vicinity of an enemy, while environmental objects, much like their advantages in the Like a Dragon series' past, allow for great damage should a player be close enough to pick one up. Once attacking, the controllable party member will move towards their enemy to strike, opening up even more opportunities for strategic thinking in their next turn.

Based on which direction an enemy is attacked from, they'll be sent reeling from the impact of the attack, allowing for harm to be dealt to enemies in the crossfire. Similarly, sending an enemy flying towards a wall will incur additional damage. Often, party members will kick environmental objects towards enemies as they move towards them, while certain moves have greater impact the farther away an enemy is from an ally's starting position. Some skills, like Tomizawa's Tire Tumbler, can even inflict damage in a line, making it especially useful to damage additional enemies behind a target. The use of Back Attacks, occurring when a party member gets the jump on an enemy from behind, deals great crit damage that makes it worth looking out for as well, aiding in the merits of strategic positioning.

The Merits of Infinite Wealth's Combat

Depending on other allies' placements, the opportunity for follow-up attacks can also occur based on which direction a party member strikes from, making it a great way to synchronize with the team. Like LAD 7, downing an enemy leaves a chance for the next ally in the turn-order to quickly strike them in that state, dealing crit damage that works excellently to finish off an enemy's health bar. With certain weaponry having an elemental component, there's even a chance to make the enemy susceptible to that element, allowing for a more robust use of the title's weakness and resistance system. The allowance for guard breaking enemies is another noteworthy addition to strategy in combat.

There's much to be said about the merits of turn-based combat, and Infinite Wealth pulls it off exceptionally well. Its base mechanical system is enhanced by a number of new jobs and gimmicks for players to explore, where hours of gameplay don't even begin to scratch the surface of what the title has to offer. Alongside past offerings from LAD 7 - like timing perfect guards and the many different enemy attacks and animations on offer - the title's combat manages to be a robust and compelling experience that's worth checking out for those even the most skeptical of the series' shift to turn-based gameplay, working in tandem with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's emotional, goofy, and heartfelt story.