Summary
The recent release ofLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthhas 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 ofLike 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 inInfinite Wealth, and the homage they pay to the likes ofPokemonandAnimal Crossingis a testament to the passion that Ryu Ga Gotoku has for Japanese gaming and how it has shaped the new identity ofLike a Dragonas a whole.
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 theside content ofYakuza: Like a DragonwithinInfinite Wealth, and Sujimon Battles and Dondoko Island are the main ways the new release achieves this. Sujimon were a staple ofYakuza: 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 thePokemonfranchise.
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 inInfinite Wealth. The recent release has given a much higher level ofcomplexity to Sujimon by heavily leaning into the feature’sPokemoninspiration, with the mechanic now possessing the following improvements:
Dondoko Island is a completely new element for the franchise inInfinite Wealth, being a relaxed island builder social-sim that clearly owes its roots to theAnimal Crossingfranchise. 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 ofInfinite 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 overallthemes ofInfinite Wealthand its protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga. From the very outset of Ichiban’s introduction to the franchise withYakuza: 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 itsparty 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 thatInfinite Wealthhas for the medium is conveyed perfectly in the bulk of its side content.
