Although Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth takes the series to the next level, the next game in the mainline might be in some rough waters.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest entry into the Like a Dragon franchise and lives up its claims of being the largest entry yet, featuring multiple expansive maps, tons of activities, and a wide cast of playable characters. With a massively impressive scale such as this, it sets a concerning precedent for the next mainline game.
Set up for a bright future, the Like a Dragon franchise hit major success with their latest entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The developer, Ryu Ga Gotoku studio, has already started teasing upcoming projects. While it’s uncertain if the next game will be a remake of games like Yakuza 3, Like a Dragon: Kenzan or Like a Dragon Gaiden, another entry to the judgment series, it’s clear that Like a Dragon 9 will be happening sometime in the future.
When the time comes for Kasuga to go on his next adventure, a slightly tough decision will have to be made on how to go about the ever-growing party size in the game. Having a total of 10 playable characters that players can include in their party lineup across two different parties being led separately by Kiryu and Kasuga, having built on the Infinite Wealth title, they added three new party members in Tomizawa, Seonhee, and Chitose along with Kiryu who became playable for the first time since the series’ changed into a Turn-based combat style.
The reason the latest entry could get away with including so many new characters to play with was due to having two separate parties, one party being led by Kiryu based in Japan and the other led by Kasuga in Hawaii. Though this being likely to be Kiryu’s last appearance in the series, it’s unlikely that the franchise will follow the split party system in the next coming title as seen in Infinite Wealth. Like a Dragon 9 will have to make some hard decisions on which characters to keep and whom to cut from Kasuga’s playable party.
Either way of looking at it, the decision will be a hard one to make as not cutting anyone would make the party roster a bit too big to be considered manageable. However, the tough decision doesn’t concern the size of the party, but rather the chance of removing fan-favorite characters. In the end, fans wait in anticipation for the next title and the choice that might have to be made on who stays and who goes.
