Infinite Riches: A Wild Animal Crossing Experience

Highlights

Infinite Wealth in Like a Dragon presents a fresh gameplay mode called Dondoko Island, offering players the opportunity to construct and decorate homes, while also establishing a community alongside non-player characters (NPCs), reminiscent of the enjoyable features found in Animal Crossing.

The Infinite Wealth trailer featured gameplay elements that included exploration, fishing, stone chopping, and bug catching to collect resources for constructing structures and furniture. Dondoko Island maintains the quirky and eccentric tone of the Like a Dragon franchise, which may have drawn inspiration from the popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Exciting releases await fans of the series in the upcoming months.

During Xbox's Partner Preview showcase, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth unveiled an exciting new mode that has drawn comparisons to Nintendo's highly popular Animal Crossing franchise. Last month, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio announced the release date of the highly anticipated eighth installment of its renowned action RPG franchise, formerly known as Yakuza, for January 26th.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which debuted in 2020, marked a new chapter in the series as it introduced a fresh group of quirky protagonists led by Ichiban Kasuga and introduced turn-based combat for the first time. This year, the Like a Dragon franchise has been very active, launching two titles in 2023. The first, Like a Dragon: Ishin, a remake of the 2014 spin-off set in mid-1800s Kyoto, garnered considerable acclaim upon its earlier release this year. Another spin-off, titled Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, is scheduled to release in November and will continue the story of franchise icon Kazuma Kiryu before he reunites with Ichiban Kasuga in Hawaii in next year's highly anticipated mainline installment, Infinite Wealth.

With the release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth just around the corner in January, the game made an appearance at Xbox's Partner Preview showcase alongside highly anticipated third-party games like Alan Wake 2 and the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake. During the event, a new trailer for Infinite Wealth premiered, introducing a fresh mode called Dondoko Island. This mode functions similarly to Animal Crossing, allowing players to construct and decorate homes, as well as create a bustling community with non-playable characters (NPCs).

The three-minute trailer began with Ichiban comically riding a dolphin across the sea, arriving at Dondoko Island. The video showcased how players can gather resources by exploring the island, engaging in activities like fishing, mining stones, and catching bugs. These resources can then be utilized to construct structures and furniture for the NPCs. Additionally, the trailer hinted at the potential need to defend Dondoko Island from unwanted pirates. It remains uncertain how much progress players will need to make in Infinite Wealth's story to unlock access to the island. Typically, modes like this in the Yakuza series, such as Like a Dragon's business management mode, are only accessible after progressing through multiple lengthy chapters.

The Like a Dragon franchise is no stranger to its silly and eccentric side modes, and Dondoko Island fits right into that playful tone. Perhaps inspired by the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, Ryu Ga Gotoku decided to explore a similar concept in Infinite Wealth. Along with the recent release of Ishin earlier this year, Like a Dragon fans can look forward to even more excitement in the upcoming months, including the release of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name in a few weeks, and the highly anticipated Infinite Wealth in 2024.

Get ready to experience Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on January 26, 2024.