The latest title in the Like a Dragon series was shown off for the first time since its reveal last year, and takes the series out of Japan for the first time.
There've been a countless amount of trailers and reveals over the course of this year's Summer Game Fest, but only one game was revealed via a man waking up on a beach with his bare butt out and that was Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth at the Xbox Showcase. Like a Dragon is the new name for Sega 's Yakuza franchise (taking on the series' Japanese name), with the change taking place this year with Like a Dragon: Ishin! and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name – which was shown off at the Summer Game Fest Opening Showcase.
To make the naming system even more confusing, despite not saying so in the title, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the eighth main entry in the series (as confirmed by RGG Studio on Twitter), following the series dropping the numbering system with 2020's Yakuza: Like a Dragon which introduced the series' new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and switched the series to a turn-based RPG.
As we mentioned before, the trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth – as serious as the series has ever been – opens with Kasuga laying naked on a beach, with what can only be described as an Austin Powers-esque comedy skit of other beachgoers noticing a naked man walking around. The trailer doesn't reveal much about the actual game at first glance, but considering the other people on the beach are speaking English, it's a humorous way of revealing that the Like a Dragon series will be heading outside of Japan for the first time in it's almost-20-year history – with eagle eyed fans noticing background details which show he's in Hawaii.
All we knew before now is that the game will star Ichiban Kasuga and former series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as playable characters, each with their own party members. We'll find out more later this week with the Ryu Ga Gotoku Summer Summit taking place on Friday, June 16 at 4am BST which is Thursday, June 15 at 11pm EDT / 8pm PDT.
Ichiban means number one
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the best games I've personally ever played; the storyline and the cast were new highs for a series known for incredible storylines and casts. And while Yakuza is known for its loveable himbos, the new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga catapulted his way to the top of my list of favourite characters in the games. Even the mere sight of my man Kasuga has me excited for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
The series adventuring out of Japan is not something I expected though. Yokohama was a breath of fresh air when it was introduced in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so I was expecting to see it for the next 20 years like we have with Kamurocho since 2005. The fish-out-of-water storyline fits so well for the ragtag group from Yakuza: Like a Dragon that I'm already thinking of all the silly scenarios the lads trip abroad can open up. 2024 is already looking like it'll be as packed as 2023 has been so far, and I've got a number one most anticipated title now.
