Restorative Justice
There's a clear theme that runs throughout Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. From the first few hours of when Ichiban is working at Hello Work to when he convinces Eiji, in a rundown apartment in the heart of Kamurocho, to turn himself in to the local authorities, the game is constantly encouraging us to turn the other cheek and offer those who have wronged us a second chance. It is about forgiving people and encouraging them to do better rather than seeking punitive restitution.
After all, they can't atone if they're dead.
In this day and age, we have returned to a primitive form of tribalism. On the internet, one stray comment can see you cancelled; any good you may have done obliterated because you don't fit the ideal of the perfect. Punishment is on the lips of every social justice warrior. Redemption is impossible. Growth is stunted. And nuance is lost and forgotten.
It's a quagmire just trying to navigate this social panopticon we find ourselves in; where every action, past and current, is scrutinised to fit the mould.
The most unfortunate thing about it? How goddamn exhausting it is to be constantly surveilled.
After all, we are only human. To think ourselves above it all as we play judge, jury and executioner in the court of public opinion is the height of hubris. Plain and simple.
What we really ought to ask ourselves is what is it all for?
But back to the game!
Infinite Wealth starts a few years after the events of the Great Dissolution in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Our erstwhile protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, is working at an employment agency. More importantly, he is trying his best to rehabilitate former yakuza by helping them reintegrate into society. As noble an undertaking as one could expect from someone with his past.
His days are usually filled with his job and hanging out with the friends he made during the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. And while he does make an earnest effort in asking Saeko out, he bungles the whole affair by proposing on the first date.
That is, of course, until a video comes out online by a VTuber exposing him as a petty crook taking advantage of these disillusioned men and recruiting them into his own criminal ring. Let go from his job, Ichiban is approached by his old captain in the Arakawa Family and informed his biological mother, Akane, is alive and well in Honolulu, Hawaii. His last request to Ichiban is to have him meet with her.
The first few chapters of Infinite Wealth takes it time to re-establish the core characters of Ichiban's previous party before he jets off to Hawaii. Once there, Ichiban encounters taxi driver Eric Tomizawa, as well as maid and exchange student, Chitose Fujinomiya. The former attempts to rob in while the latter strips him naked and steals his password before dumping him at Aloha Beach.
It isn't long, however, before Ichiban is rescued by the hero of the first six games: Kazuma Kiryu before encountering the seedier aspects of Hawaii such as the Yamai Syndicate, the Barracudas and the Ganzhe. And while some of the sequences are quite spectacular - including having our gang of heroes infiltrate a high-end casino or entering the penthouse of an underground city beneath, much of it proves to be set dressing before the reveal of the real villain pulling the strings.
Enter Bryce Fairchild, the Sage of Palekana (which is in and of itself a cult based on old Hawaiian beliefs) and the 'Overseer' of Hawaii's underworld. Though the man tries to portray himself as a benevolent leader, he is quickly unmasked as an evil mastermind trying to hunt down Ichiban's mother and the young girl she was last seen with.
Unfortunately, instead of maintaining the momentum of such revelations, Infinite Wealth is adamant about tying this up with Kiryu's own journey of self-discovery and acceptance. For, as Ichiban and co quickly learn, Kiryu has his own private struggles: a cancer diagnosis.
It was during the middle chapters, as I was running around Ijincho and Kamurocho that I felt the plot slow. For, in order to let Kiryu's story breathe, there were a number of collectibles, known as Memoirs of the Dragon, I needed to gather. Including, of course, the Life Links, where important figures in Kiryu's life would also make cameo appearances such as the Stardust hosts: Kazuki and Yuya, and Kaoru Sayama.
But while I didn't mind this, Infinite Wealth also wanted to story of Hawaii with Japan. And so, Bryce Fairchild was not simply content with remaining as the Sage of Palekana (and killing a young girl in order to retain his claim), but he was also profiting off other nations by storing their nuclear waste on an island off the coast of mainland Hawaii. Japan, too, has agreed to become a signatory in a bid to the nuclear power program with Ebina, the leader of the Seiryu Clan assisting in the process.
At game's end, Ichiban is able to put a stop to Bryce and his machinations with the help of his allies. Kiryu, on the other hand, confronts Ebina, an angry young man with a grudge against Arakawa and the entire yakuza, atop Millennium Tower. With his own band of party members: Nanba, Saeko, Seonhee and Zhao, and knowing he doesn't simply have to be the legendary Dragon of Dojima, Kiryu takes on all the sins of his fellow criminals and begs Ebina to give them a chance to atone (instead of being shipped off to an unsafe nuclear waste disposal site and possibly being killed by radiation poisoning).
From a narrative perspective, Infinite Wealth juggles quite a bit. There is Ichiban's reunion with his biological mother but there's also government cover-ups and Kiryu's reckoning with his own mortality to also cover. And while the story does falter in many aspects as Ichiban and Kiryu regroup and, sometimes, rehash the story beats, I was beholden more with the underlying message it was trying to tell.
Not to be sappy but it truly did lean into friendship being the reason our protagonists were able to triumph over their foes.
Another aspect I liked, though, was how Infinte Wealth tackled the advent of the internet and the proliferation of misinformation. The use of a VTuber to spread false claims about Ichiban and Kiryu is surprisingly prescient considering how much people do rely on social media and viral videos to be updated on what is happening in the world around them.
More importantly, though, it also shows how little people care for the actual truth - instead, taking what they are told in stride. Ichiban and Kiryu are cancelled without even able to defend themselves. Despite that, they press on. Doing what they know in their hearts to be right and not caring what others may think of them. A trait I envy.
Even during the ending, as Ichiban helps Eiji (a minor villain Ichiban still manages to form a bond with) to the police station, he reminds Eiji to disregard the jeers from the crowd and to instead focus on the steps he can take to atone for his actions.
There is no need to double down on an untenable position. There is no dismissal that Eiji is less than human.
Rather, Ichiban still sees Eiji as a friend. One who needs help to find the right path forward instead of being abandoned and left to his own devices.
I feel like Kiryu, in his speech to Ebina, summed it up best in how he said there was no light or darkness in how they could make the world better. Rather, the path they walked was grey.
And I certainly think it's an important takeaway. Especially with the internet wars raging on. Or, heck, even in the real wars being fought in our world. Because, yes, you can acknowledge there are valid reasons for why someone will act a certain way but you can still condemn their actions. Especially when they cross the line.
Take, for example, the protagonist of Grave of the Fireflies Seita. On Reddit, I've seen so many people try to excuse Seita's actions as that of a young teenager struggling to get by. But while I can understand where he's coming from, to me, his lack of knowledge and his idealised perceptions of living out in a cave were also the cause of his sister's untimely death. His aunt may have been selfish when it came to her own immediate family but she did not kick Seita and Setsuko out (at least in the animated film for she, in a fit of frustration, made a snide comment, which Seita took to heart).
Still, the truth that is often missed is that there were a series of faults leading to Setsuko's death. True, maybe disaster might have been averted if he had acted sooner. But perhaps if the adults around him weren't so desensitised to the horrors of war, she might also have lived.
From a gameplay aspect, Infinite Wealth retains the turn-based combat from its predecessor while also adding some additional flavour when it comes to new jobs and special attacks that can be performed. These were all fun to see, and I liked how they were unlocked through bonding events with the other team members (which also further shed light on their characters and personal experiences).
Then, of course, there were the weapon crafting and upgrades. While a bit arduous with the drops of rare for more powerful weapons, I still felt sufficiently powerful to go against the enemies in the story (and even in the optional dungeons). That said, I was overlevelled - and even boosted Ichiban (solely because of one single trophy I needed on my way to the platinum).
Infinite Wealth like many a Yakuza/ Like a Dragon game was also filled to the brim with a wide variety of minigames and side content. Most of which I got to enjoy and divulged in a separate post. But what I liked in Infinite Wealth was the return of many of these minor characters. Even though there was no real reason for why they might be in Hawaii of all places. For example, the massive roomba created by Professor Okita. Or even Patriarch Gondawara who likes baby-play.
Were these additions needed? No.
Were they appreciated? Very much so.
And I think it's also important just to note how much I adored the characters in Infinite Wealth. Though many of Ichiban's new companions did wrong him at first, he was still able to befriend them and have them join his team.
I feel like some of this comes from our human and relatable they all are. Even Yamai (though you fight him like three to four times in the game itself).
But I also think this also further reinforces the message Infinite Wealth is trying to impart. Ichiban's capacity to forgive and to see past the offence at the person beneath is truly awe-inspiring. Yes, he might be derided for being an idiot for giving his trust so freely, but it's refreshing to see him give the people who have wronged him a second or even a third chance.
More importantly, though, is how Chitose, Tomizawa and even Eiji react to the kindness he shows.
For, throughout the game, Ichiban's warmth and friendship is what, in t he end, helps redeem them. From his example, they do better. Not only in a performative sense but to make amends for the missteps they made over the course of the story. And in the end, as they come together, they are able to heal the cracks in both Palekana and end the cycle of hatred.
Yet while I don't think I can emulate Ichiban's happy-go-lucky attitude, it doesn't mean I don't want to try. And maybe by opening myself up, I can finally see the impact I've made on those around me, however small and miniscule it might be, and be content I've lived a life that matters and reach out for more.
As for my main gripes? Well, I played this game in the Japanese dub (as I've done with all previous Yakuza/ Like a Dragon games) but for some unfathomable reason, our main villain and Tomizawa (who either grew up in Hawaii or are as Anglo-Saxon as they come) all speak with some terrible Engrish. Given the game had an English dub that released at the same time as the Japanese, you would think the developers could have married the two so our native English speakers wouldn't sound so terrible.
I'm also disappointed Danny Trejo was not voiced by Danny Trejo in the Japanese dub (when he spoke English at least).
The other major gripe I had were the tonal changes between the main story and the side content. Despite the urgency of trying to find Akane and Lani, Ichiban was still able to spend time drinking the days away with his friends or help out on Dondoko Island. Days would also supposedly pass as he helped out other people around Hawaii though it made no sense in the timeframe of the main story.
Of course, this is stereotypical of Yakuza/ Like a Dragon games so I didn't entirely mind. Especially when it came to Kiryu's Memoirs as he reconnected with people whose life he touched (like a girl he inspired as Ono Michio in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life).
Long story short: Infinite Wealth is a grand old game. True, there are a few stumbles along the way, but if you trust in it and keep on going, it'll reward you with an unforgettable end. It's funny, goofy, but it's also sincere in trying to impart the message contained within. Much like Ichiban, it strives to be the best it can be. More importantly, it'll leave you wanting to see more of how we can mend the broken world we find ourselves in.
