Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is here, and like its predecessor Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the game opts for a turn-based RPG combat system rather than the brawling battles of old. While Infinite Wealth’s combat sticks to the same fundamentals as its predecessor, it also introduces quite a lengthy list of changes. To the point even Like a Dragon veterans will have to readjust their strategies somewhat. Don’t worry though, we’ll got some tips that will get you up to speed and cracking heads quickly…
Positioning, Positioning, Positioning
The most significant change to combat in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is that you now have the ability to manually position your characters within a limited, but still fairly generous, circle. This is a major step up from Yakuza: Like a Dragon where you were basically at the whim of wherever your characters decided to wander during battle. This immediately opens up some basic strategic possibilities – getting closer to an enemy makes melee attacks more effective, you get bonuses for attacking from behind – but the ability to move your party members affects pretty much every part of Infinite Wealth’s combat.
Knock ’em down like dominoes
With the ability to manually position party members, knockback moves are now a key strategic part of battle. If you’re using an attack that will knock enemies back, a green arrow will show exactly which way they’ll fly, and you can get big damage bonuses for knocking one baddie into another. Line them up properly and you may be able to do damage to 3 or 4 enemies with a single attack by knocking them into each other like dominoes. Knocking enemies into objects will also do bonus damage, and sending them off ledges or into water will score instant kills. Send baddies flying toward one of your allies, and they’ll pitch in, adding an extra attack of their own. Set things up properly, and you can set up chain reactions, ping-ponging enemies off each other and your allies’ fists multiple times.
Use your environment to your advantage
Continuing the “being able to move is cool” theme, you now are much more able to take advantage of objects around you, smashing enemies with chairs, tables, bikes, and more. Just move close to an object until you see a little icon on top of it, then unleash a melee attack.
Timing is still important
The combat in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth may be turn-based, but that doesn’t mean you should entirely relax while playing. Tapping the circle or B button during incoming attacks will reduce the damage you take, and most of your abilities come with quick-time button presses – time these correctly, and you’ll pull off an extra-powerful Perfect Attack.
Also, don’t take too long to take your turns. If your turn comes up when an enemy is still knocked down, you can inflict heavy damage, but if they get back to their feet before you act, your window closes. So don’t dawdle!
Take advantage of elemental weaknesses
Once you delve a bit further into the game, you’ll gain a variety of abilities and weapons that deal out elemental damage. Many enemies in the game have a weakness to specific elements (the game will clearly indicate if a baddie is weak to a certain attack) so make sure take advantage of that.
Inflict status effects early
Many of your attacks and abilities will also inflict multi-turn status effects like bleed or burn on enemies. These can actually be quite powerful – moreso than most turn-based RPGs – so it pays to inflict them early. For instance, using an area-of-attack ability to inflict burn on multiple enemies can be key to taking down a large mob that might otherwise overwhelm you.
Don’t let enemies block you
Are your attacks not doing the damage they usually would? Chances are the enemy is blocking you. So how do you break them? Simple – use a throw attack. Most characters have at least one, and Kiryu can switch between three fighting styles, with the “Beast” style basically being all throws.
Deal Some double-team destruction
While you can ping-pong enemies between your party members at any time, later in the game you can also unleash specific powerful Combo Attacks on enemies. In order to pull off one of these you’ll need to build up your Hype Meter by dealing damage and have a strong connection between the two characters. If you meet those requirements, move close to the party member you want to do a Combo Attack with an icon will appear over their head indicating you can deal out double-team destruction.
Don’t be shy about calling the Poundmates
Yes, the, uh, questionably-named Poundmates return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. These are time-limited allies you can call into battle, and trust me, they’re pretty powerful. Calling on a Poundmate will cost you some money, so you can’t do it all the time, and shouldn’t rely too heavily on them, but if a boss or particularly tough battle is giving you trouble? Don’t be afraid to make a call to turn the tide.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with jobs
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth brings back the job system, with different occupations determining your strengths, the weapons and abilities you can use, and more. All characters come with a standard exclusive job, which are usually pretty useful, but if that job just isn’t jiving with you, you can always switch to an optional job. For instance, I just wasn’t a big fan of Tomizawa’s debuff-focused Cabbie job, but once I changed him to the surfing-themed “Aquanut,” he became a favorite.
And there you are – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s combat isn’t too complex, but it has its unique quirks, and you should now be able to get the most out of it.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5. You can check out Wccftech’s other Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth guides here.
