Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth brings the party to Hawaii

Like A Dragon has long been defined by its iconic nightlife location of Kamurocho, with all the seediness and criminality that comes with it. To now jump on a plane and find the franchise far from home in the bright Hawaiian sunshine is almost disarming, but then this is simply another step in the series' reinvention. Infinite Wealth's change of location follows the last main instalment's introduction of a charismatic new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, a new location in Yokohama, and a new turn-based battle system inspired by classic JRPGs.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth made its playable debut this week at Tokyo Game Show, where we were able to go hands-on and see what's new. Intriguingly, however, amongst everything that's different, this all-new entry also feels committed to paying tribute to the series' past - including its original leading man, Kazuma Kiryu, and Sega as a company.

There's even a deliberate comparison made here at TGS between the series' past and present - as Sega's showfloor demos have been set up so visitors have to play Like A Dragon: Gaiden - The Man Who Erased His Name before Infinite Wealth back to back. The former casts its former yakuza protagonist as a spy with fresh gadgets, but is still ultimately a brawler where you beat crowds of thugs into submission, alongside smoking, gambling, and flirting with cabaret hostesses. The latter, meanwhile, continues as a turn-based party-based RPG but with a lighter and more irreverent-feeling touch. Infinite Wealth may have a heavy story - where one man is searching for a connection to his past, while another is coming to the end of his life with still much to do - but it's also about giving fans what they want. And, in this case, that's some much needed fun in the sun.

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