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Yakuza: Like a Dragon vs. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: Which RPG Should You Play First?

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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Play Yakuza: Like a Dragon first, then Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. That order introduces Ichiban Kasuga before his next major adventure, while preserving the impact of Infinite Wealth’s dual-protagonist story with Kazuma Kiryu and its move between Japan and Hawaii. Infinite Wealth can be approached on its own, but the first game is the better starting point if you want the clearest character and story progression.

The short answer

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the recommended first game for most players. It establishes Ichiban Kasuga as the central lead and introduces the series’ live-command RPG battle format. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth follows with Ichiban again, adds Kazuma Kiryu as a second protagonist, and broadens the journey to Hawaii as well as familiar Tokyo locations.

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Choose Infinite Wealth first only if your main priority is its Hawaii setting, its two-lead premise, or starting with the newest entry. The sequel is designed as an RPG adventure and can be enjoyed without completing the earlier game, but some of its emotional and character context naturally lands better when you know Ichiban’s introduction.

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How the two games fit together

Question Yakuza: Like a Dragon Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Best role in a play order Recommended starting point Second game for the clearest continuity
Primary story focus Ichiban Kasuga Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu
Geographic scope described by the publishers Introduces Ichiban’s story Moves the adventure across the Pacific to Hawaii while returning to Tokyo locations
Combat framing SEGA calls it a “live-command RPG battle” system Turn-based battles return, with freedom of movement and environmental tactics, according to PlayStation
Activities specifically listed in official material Not stated in the supplied official comparison material Karaoke, darts, golf, batting-cage baseball, Mahjong, Dondoko Island and Crazy Delivery
Release date Earlier entry; an exact date is not stated in the supplied material January 26, 2024, according to SEGA

This table is about the decision a new player has to make, not a ranking of quality. The sequel has a larger stated setting and a longer list of named activities, while the first game has the chronological advantage of introducing the protagonist who returns in Infinite Wealth.

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Why playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon first helps

You meet Ichiban at the beginning of his arc

The first game centers on Ichiban Kasuga. That makes it the cleanest way to understand who he is, what motivates him and why his return matters in Infinite Wealth. You do not have to study a backstory guide or infer the significance of the new adventure from references in the sequel; the first game supplies the intended starting context.

Infinite Wealth also features Kazuma Kiryu, so the sequel is not simply a one-character continuation. Even so, Ichiban remains one of its two leads. Starting with his dedicated introduction lets you follow the handoff from a single-protagonist story to a dual-protagonist structure without learning his role in reverse.

You learn the first game’s RPG language before the sequel expands it

SEGA frames Yakuza: Like a Dragon around a “live-command RPG battle” system. Infinite Wealth brings back the earlier game’s turn-based battles and, according to PlayStation, adds freedom of movement and environmental tactics. Playing in release order therefore gives you a reference point: you can recognize the basic turn-based approach before judging how the sequel changes the space around it.

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This is especially useful if you are deciding between the games as your first role-playing game in the series. You can see whether Ichiban’s battle format and story appeal to you before committing to the sequel’s larger two-lead and Hawaii-based structure. The sequel’s additional combat options are easier to appreciate as an evolution when you have experienced the earlier format first.

The recommendation is about continuity, not a claim that the sequel is inaccessible

There is an important distinction between “best order” and “required order.” The available official descriptions present Infinite Wealth as an RPG adventure with its own setting, characters and activities. Nothing in the supplied material establishes that a player must finish the first game to understand every event in the second. The practical recommendation is therefore to start with Yakuza: Like a Dragon for context, not to suggest that Infinite Wealth cannot be played independently.

What Infinite Wealth adds for a new player

A two-protagonist premise

SEGA describes the leads as “Ichiban Kasuga, a man who rises from rock bottom once again, and Kazuma Kiryu, who faces one final battle as he enters his twilight years.” That wording identifies the sequel’s central contrast: Ichiban returns for another rise, while Kiryu is presented as confronting a final battle in the twilight of his life. If the prospect of these two characters sharing the spotlight is the main reason you are interested, Infinite Wealth is the game that delivers it.

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The dual-lead design also changes how you should think about the title question. Choosing Infinite Wealth first means prioritizing the premise you find most compelling over the introductory chapter of Ichiban’s story. That is a reasonable choice for players already familiar with Kiryu or those drawn to a story that deliberately places two protagonists together.

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Hawaii alongside familiar Tokyo locations

Infinite Wealth takes Ichiban and Kiryu across the Pacific to Hawaii and also includes familiar Tokyo locations. Hawaii is therefore more than a cosmetic mention in the comparison: it is the defining new geographic element identified by the official descriptions. If a tropical setting is what made you notice the game, the sequel directly matches that interest.

The setting choice can outweigh chronological order for some players. A newcomer who wants to explore Hawaii immediately may reasonably begin with Infinite Wealth, accepting that Ichiban’s earlier introduction will be learned later or through the sequel’s own explanations. The trade-off is narrative context rather than basic eligibility to play.

A broad menu of named side activities

PlayStation’s feature list names karaoke, darts, golf, batting-cage baseball and Mahjong, along with Dondoko Island and Crazy Delivery. These activities matter when your buying decision is driven by variety outside the main battles. They show that Infinite Wealth is not presented solely as a linear story campaign; its official materials emphasize optional diversions as part of the RPG adventure.

Do not treat the list as a promise of a particular amount of playtime or as a quality score. The supplied sources do not provide a verified completion-time figure, activity count beyond the names above, or an independent assessment of how deep each diversion is. Use the list to identify the kinds of activities you want, then check the edition and platform available to you.

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Combat: introduction versus expansion

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

SEGA uses the phrase “live-command RPG battle” for the first game’s combat. That description signals a role-playing structure built around selecting commands while battles proceed through the game’s live-command framework. It is the baseline for this comparison and the system you will encounter when Ichiban’s story is introduced.

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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

PlayStation says Infinite Wealth brings back the earlier game’s turn-based battles and adds freedom of movement and environmental tactics. In practical terms, the sequel keeps the turn-based foundation while giving positioning and surroundings a more explicit role. The supplied material does not specify every rule, range, class or environmental interaction, so those details should not be assumed from this comparison alone.

Which combat description should guide your choice?

  • Choose the first game if you want to learn the series’ RPG battle approach in the order it was introduced.
  • Choose Infinite Wealth if movement and environmental tactics are the feature that most interests you, or if you want the newer implementation immediately.
  • Choose by story order when the combat distinction is secondary; both games are presented as turn-based or command-driven RPG experiences rather than unrelated genres.

Activities and setting: what the sequel’s scope means

The official activity list gives Infinite Wealth a clear advantage for a player who wants many different diversions attached to the main adventure. Karaoke, darts, golf, batting-cage baseball and Mahjong cover several familiar leisure activities, while Dondoko Island and Crazy Delivery are named as additional attractions. The game also combines Hawaii with Tokyo locations, giving the sequel two geographic identities instead of one.

The first game’s role in the decision is different. Its strongest documented advantage is structural: it is the Ichiban-led entry that comes before the dual-protagonist sequel. The supplied official comparison material does not establish an equivalent activity list for the first game, so a fair comparison should not invent one or imply that it has fewer activities overall.

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Choose by the kind of player you are

If you want Ichiban’s story in order

Start with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This is the straightforward recommendation for a newcomer who wants to meet the central character in his first documented lead role and then see him return in Infinite Wealth.

If Kiryu’s return is your main attraction

Start with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth if the chance to play a story with Kiryu and Ichiban as dual protagonists matters more than release order. If you can spare the time, playing the first game beforehand still gives Ichiban’s side of that pairing a fuller introduction.

If Hawaii is the deciding feature

Start with Infinite Wealth. Hawaii is the sequel’s defining new setting in the supplied descriptions, and waiting through the earlier game may not suit a player whose primary goal is that location.

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If you prefer to begin with the narrower premise

Start with the first game. Its documented focus is Ichiban, whereas Infinite Wealth immediately asks you to follow both Ichiban and Kiryu across multiple locations. The earlier title is the simpler entry point in terms of named protagonists.

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If you want the newest supported platform choices

Check Infinite Wealth’s availability first, then confirm the first game on the same system before buying. SEGA lists Infinite Wealth for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows and Steam. The sources supplied for this comparison do not provide a complete platform list for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so compatibility for that title must be verified separately for your device and territory.

Platforms, editions and physical copies

SEGA’s platform listing for Infinite Wealth covers PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows and Steam. That is a broad cross-generation and PC release, but a platform list does not by itself confirm that every edition is sold in every country.

SEGA’s official Asia page notes that the physical edition is for PS4. Treat that as a regional format note, not a universal statement about every market. Before ordering a disc, check the store’s country, the listed console generation and whether the product is physical or digital. A PS4 physical listing may not answer whether a PS5-native disc, a digital upgrade or a local bundle exists.

For the first game, use the same checklist rather than assuming that its availability matches the sequel’s. The supplied material does not establish a complete current platform or physical-format matrix for Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

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Subscription access and cloud play

The Xbox US listing currently says cloud play is included with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate. It says streaming with Essential requires a game purchase. Those terms are specific to that US listing and may change, so they should not be generalized to every Xbox region, plan or date.

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If you are choosing based on a subscription, verify four items at the moment you intend to play:

  1. Open the Xbox store page for your country and confirm that the exact game is included in your plan.
  2. Check whether the benefit is download access, cloud play or both.
  3. Confirm the plan tier. The US listing distinguishes Premium and Ultimate cloud inclusion from Essential streaming with a purchase.
  4. Check whether the listing applies to your console, browser or supported device before relying on it as your purchase method.

No subscription terms outside that Xbox US listing are established here. PlayStation, Windows and Steam availability should therefore be treated as store purchases or platform-specific offers unless your local storefront states otherwise.

Buying and starting in the right order

  1. Choose your priority. Decide whether continuity, Kiryu’s return, Hawaii, combat evolution or platform access is the deciding factor.
  2. Confirm your hardware. For Infinite Wealth, compare your device with the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows and Steam listings. Confirm the first game separately.
  3. Check territory and format. Verify the local store, language and physical-versus-digital format. The Asia-region physical note does not automatically describe your market.
  4. Use the chronological route when uncertain. Buy or access Yakuza: Like a Dragon first, then move to Infinite Wealth after Ichiban’s introduction.
  5. Use the premise-first route when Hawaii or the dual leads are decisive. Begin with Infinite Wealth and accept that you are choosing the newer setting and two-protagonist structure over the original order.
  6. Recheck subscription rules at checkout. Plan inclusion and cloud rights can vary by region and can change after the date of this article.

Release date, DLC and what is not established

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth released on January 26, 2024, according to SEGA Corporation’s release information. SEGA’s release page also describes downloadable content, including the Master Vacation Bundle and New Game+, but those additions are secondary to the play-order decision. You do not need to buy DLC to understand the recommendation to begin with the earlier Ichiban-led game.

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The available official pages do not establish current prices, sale status, local stock, Amazon availability, playtime, sales totals or review scores. They also do not provide a complete regional subscription matrix or a definitive platform table for the first game. Those details should be checked in the store serving your country instead of inferred from a different territory.

SEGA’s release statement calls the game an experience with “riveting story, captivating characters, fun mini-games, and strategic battles.” That is publisher promotional wording, not an independent review or performance measurement. It is useful for identifying what SEGA emphasizes, but it should not be read as a neutral verdict.

Final decision framework

Your top priority Start with Why
Ichiban’s story and the clearest continuity Yakuza: Like a Dragon It is the Ichiban-centered introduction before his return in Infinite Wealth.
Kiryu and Ichiban as co-leads Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth It is the entry whose official description gives both characters protagonist status.
Hawaii Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth The sequel takes the adventure across the Pacific to Hawaii.
Learning the RPG combat foundation first Yakuza: Like a Dragon It establishes the live-command RPG battle framing before the sequel’s movement and environmental additions.
Named side activities and a broader documented setting Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Its official feature list includes multiple activities and both Hawaii and Tokyo locations.
Subscription or platform convenience Whichever is confirmed in your local store Infinite Wealth’s listed platforms and Xbox cloud terms do not establish equivalent access for every region or for the first game.

For a first-time player without a single overriding preference, the answer remains Yakuza: Like a Dragon followed by Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. For a player who values Hawaii or the two-lead premise above chronology, beginning with Infinite Wealth is a defensible alternative rather than a mistake.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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