Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth… does it get better after all the cutscenes?

I’m about six hours in and just started Chapter 2. I’m enjoying the game overall—the characters are great, and the combat and exploration are fun. But it feels like I’ve spent more time watching cutscenes and reading than actually playing. I get that some games are front-loaded with story, but this feels like a lot, even for me.

Does the game stay like this, or does it open up later? I plan to keep playing either way, but I’d like to know what I’m in for so I can plan my time better. I don’t have as much gaming time as I used to!

Welcome to Yakuza. That’s just how these games are. lol

Zhen said:
Welcome to Yakuza. That’s just how these games are. lol

Yeah, this is just kind of the Yakuza experience. It’s part of the charm, though.

Lots of people seem to forget how Yakuza games work. The early chapters are heavy on cutscenes and story, but it opens up later. Once you’re past the intro, each chapter starts adding side quests, minigames, and other activities. The main story missions can still lock you into long cutscenes, but you’ll have plenty of freedom between them.

@Zen
Yeah, it takes a bit to get to the full open world. It’s kind of like GTA where you unlock stuff as you progress.

@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

Dallas said:
@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

Yakuza 0 is the best place to start if you want a classic Yakuza game. If you prefer RPGs, go with Like a Dragon.

Dallas said:
@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

Yakuza 0 is a prequel and a great introduction to the series. Like a Dragon is a good starting point if you prefer turn-based combat since it’s a fresh story with a new protagonist.

Dallas said:
@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

I’d recommend 0 too. It’s packed with content and has the style-switching combat system, which is super fun. A tip for 0: prioritize the Quick Change Clothes reward. It sounds cosmetic, but it lets you cancel animations by switching styles, making combat much more fluid and fun.

Dallas said:
@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

I started with Like a Dragon because I prefer turn-based combat. It’s a great entry point.

Dallas said:
@Zen
If I’ve never played a Yakuza game, where should I start? There are so many, and I’m mostly interested in the gameplay, not the story.

Try starting with Judgment. It’s a standalone game in the same universe but doesn’t tie into the main Yakuza plot. It’s a great way to see if you like the gameplay without feeling overwhelmed by the lore.

In Like a Dragon, you barely get to play for the first three hours.

Luca said:
In Like a Dragon, you barely get to play for the first three hours.

That sounds like Kingdom Hearts 2’s Roxas prologue but even longer. I loved that, but if it were twice as long with fewer minigames or battles, it’d just feel mean.

@Elliott
To be fair, Yakuza games are long, usually 50–100 hours. A three-hour intro isn’t so bad in the grand scheme.

Luca said:
In Like a Dragon, you barely get to play for the first three hours.

This is why I gave up. It was all talking and no action. I wish they had a ‘narrative mode’ where you could watch the story play out like a movie and then jump in for gameplay when you’re ready.

This game has a lot of info dumps because it’s trying to wrap up Kiryu’s story while continuing Ichiban’s. If you haven’t played the earlier games, you’ll probably miss some references or context.

Rey said:
This game has a lot of info dumps because it’s trying to wrap up Kiryu’s story while continuing Ichiban’s. If you haven’t played the earlier games, you’ll probably miss some references or context.

Infinite Wealth is a terrible starting point if this is your first Yakuza game.

@Winslow
Agreed. At the very least, play Like a Dragon first, then maybe watch a recap of Yakuza 0-6 before diving into this.

Lyle said:
@Winslow
Agreed. At the very least, play Like a Dragon first, then maybe watch a recap of Yakuza 0-6 before diving into this.

Yeah, I’m doing the full route: 0 > Kiwami 1 > Kiwami 2 > 3 > 4 > 5 > 6 > Like a Dragon > Gaiden > Infinite Wealth. It’s a time commitment, but it’s worth it for the emotional payoff.

Yakuza games are very story-heavy, especially now with the turn-based RPG format. If that’s not your thing, it might not be the series for you.