Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

With the franchise's ninth mainline entry, it seems the Yakuza moniker has been dropped from its title entirely and it's to be known by the same moniker as its Japanese counterpart from now on.  It retains the turn-based style of the previous mainline game and introduces many improvements, tweaks and additions, but does it all add up to a more substantial game, or does Infinite Wealth just lack that special spark?

Despite some high and low points, Yakuza (or Like a Dragon now, I suppose) continues to soldier on as a franchise, offering a unique blend of quirky humor, crime drama, relatively small but immersive locales to explore and a lot of surprising humanity in spite of its general concept.  Many fans were worried when the eighth game introduced a new protagonist, changed up the style of the gameplay and seemingly left all the old drama of the series behind, but the tale of Ichiban Kasuga quickly won its share of fans as well.  Its likable cast of characters, inventive take on turn-based combat and being a general affectionate parody of RPG tropes while continuing the same high-quality storytelling and immersive design the series became known for.

Infinite Wealth continues a few years after that story, starring Ichiban and friends as they get swept up in another conspiracy.  And deal with some surprisingly relevant issues even in their home lives, finding themselves out of work after becoming targeted by the internet rumor mill and the subsequent character assassination that follows.  It's nice to see this moment handled in a surprisingly realistic way - the heroes have no real way to fight against the court of public opinion and just try to make the best of their bad situation.  ...Granted it does get undermined a little as the whole hit campaign turns out to be part of the wider conspiracy driving the game's overarching plot, but still - it's nice to see a Sega-published RPG where actual real-life problems aren't just made light of with lame platitudes, trite speechifying and warped vigilante 'justice'.  Even with the depressing moments, though, the series' infectious good nature and silly side-missions and over-the-top moments add levity keep it from getting too grim and depressing.

While Yakuza: LaD's combat and RPG class system was fun for the most part, it also felt a little rushed in some respects; there was some awkward balancing at times and relatively little of the brutal environmental interactions and improvised weapon actions the series became known for.  Infinite Wealth features both new and returning classes, with each character getting at least one exclusive class and male and females each getting classes exclusive to their gender.  Many other mechanics are added too to make the combat feel more dynamic.  One change, noticeable right away, is that you can actually move around a bit before taking an action within a small circle near the spot that character's turn begins.  This not only allows you to move near breakable objects (bicycles, signs, traffic cones etc) to utilize them on your turn, but getting in close to an enemy before launching an attack will award a Proximity Bonus and do slightly more damage.  In addition, many attacks, now knock enemies around, so proper positioning before attacking becomes vital to getting the maximum effect from that.  Knocking enemies into one another (or environmental obstacles) can quickly deal heavy damage to multiple targets, and propelling them into an ally will award a free hit.

In addition to elemental strengths and weaknesses, other mechanics are adopted too.  Enemies can be "on guard", greatly reducing all the damage they take until a character manages to break their guard, either by attacking them from behind or with a throw move.  Character bonds factor into combat more too; once a character has reached a certain affinity level with another, they will sometimes do a free followup attack after that character's move.  If both characters are in close proximity when one's turn begins, they may get the opportunity to do a Chain Attack, where both characters attack in tandem while only using one character's turn. 

Kiryu is now a playable character, and his gameplay style is heavily modeled on the games where he starred in the past.  He can switch between his three fighting styles while in his default class, effectively trading some stats for others.  Brawler style is the most balanced, and allows him to perform his signature Heat Actions in specific contexts; bashing enemies into nearby cars or railings for example.  Rush Style gives him more movement range and speed at the cost of overall damage per hit, though to prevent abuse, you only get the movement bonus if you start a turn in this style and don't switch during it.  Beast style is the opposite, trading speed and movement range for raw power and making his default attack a throw-type move to break guards.  Later in the game he even gains the ability to temporarily break free of the bounds of turn-based combat and beat up on foes in real-time for a few seconds, which is pretty amusing (and fun).

 As usual, many of the skills in Ichiban's default class run off his social stats, which in the previous game are primarily raised through dialog interactions and the odd side mission.  Here, you have many more options - completing the game's many milestones will give you points toward at least one stat, as will taking certain combat options, building bonds with allies, doing various side-stories and even partaking of completely optional diversions like minigames; each round of Poker or Mahjong or Shogi or whatever else you fancy will boost your social stats by a small amount.  It does still take quite a bit of effort to max each one out, but it's less restrictive this time around.

One of my complaints about the original game was its overpriced downloadable content.  That certainly returns here, with things like costumes, some jobs, and bonus fights being tied to paid add-ons.  Other things like item packs and experience boosters are paid extras now too, as are bonus songs to play on jukeboxes or on Ichiban's phone while strolling around town.  But one especially scummy edition is that physical releases of the game do not include a New Game Plus option; you either have to buy the Digital Deluxe or Ultimate editions that are only available as digital downloads, or purchase an upgrade pack to effectively get one of those at extra cost.  Unfortunately locking basic features (and pacing-boosting items) like this behind paid upgrades has become a common practice in Sega's games, and it doesn't look like it's going to abate (or get much better) anytime soon.  I certainly don't condone the practice of making games grindier just to encourage people to shell out more cash to bypass it, and the New Game Plus change is just lame, especially since it was free in numerous earlier LaD games.  If you can get the Ultimate Edition when it's on sale at a steep discount it's not as much of an issue (I got it for about $33 during one), but at launch you were effectively paying $40 extra on top of an already $70 price tag, which just felt predatory.

Despite that major hangup, though, I can't deny that I've once again had a lot of fun playing through a Yakuza game.  Ichiban and friends are just a fun crew to hang with, being some of the most relatable, earnest, down-to-earth video game protagonists out there, always trying to do right by others no matter what kind of a bad hand life deals them.  Their adventure here once again shows that there's good to be found even in the darkest corners of society and not to judge others at a glance; there's always a person and a story to be told behind initial appearances.  That's honestly way more mature and interesting to see unfold than about 90% of stories out there in the realm of gaming, and Yakuza does an excellent job of it, highlighting the genuine passion of its writers and developers in every tale they spin.  So while I'd still say to wait for a discount and pick up a digital edition even as an avowed physical collector, it's a game that's worth that wait and putting up with the scummy corporate baggage it carries.

 

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: Sega
Released: 2024
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, XBox One, XBox Series
Recommended Version: All versions seem to be the same in terms of content, though the XBone and PS4 versions seem to have some performance issues.

Demon's Crest

The third (and ultimately final) spinoff in the Gargoyle's Quest sub-franchise of the greater Ghosts n' Goblins franchise, the game was a commercial failure for Capcom when it launched, even generating negative sales one week according to Nintendo Power.  But is Demon's Crest a hidden gem that was neglected in its time, or does it really deserve its rare and obscure status?

Capcom's Ghosts n' Goblins series was a hit in the '80s and '90s, with a few scattered games and spinoffs coming in later years, but also attained notoriety for its extreme difficulty.  Not only does it require precise movement and attacks with a rather sluggish character, but you must complete each game twice in order to win, with the second run often requiring you to use a specific weapon in order to complete it.

Gargoyle's Quest was a short-lived spinoff series comprised of three entries on the Game Boy, NES and SNES, starring Firebrand, one of the famously annoying Red Arremer type enemies that appear throughout the main series.  They were mostly side-scrolling action games with a few light elements of RPGs and Metroid style exploration, gradually upgrading your character as the game progressed.  Demon's Crest was its final entry and leaned the most heavily into this element, with numerous forms with differing abilities to swap between, spells to cast, potions to purchase and use, and stages laden with many secrets, necessitating later returns to find everything and overcome certain challenging bosses.  A bit like Capcom's own Mega Man X series on the SNES.

Case in point, Firebrand now has five forms to switch between, all themed after elements and all sporting different abilities.  His base form is fire-themed, can hover in the air indefinitely (but not gain altitude) and gets a variety of different projectiles that can do things like create temporary platforms, light torches or break bricks, as well as a headbutt move that can smash certain background objects.  Earth form launches projectiles that travel along the ground and can charge to smash (or move around) large obstacles.  Water form can travel beneath water without taking damage, Air can gain altitude while in the air, and Time is simply powerful and takes half damage from enemy attacks.   All come in handy at different points in the game and for defeating certain enemies; for example, the Buster power in Fire form can damage armored enemies, whereas other forms simply knock them back or do nothing at all.

Other things that aid the player are pickups that boost maximum health and  Talismans that bolster one of Firebrand's attributes when equipped, though only one can be in use at a time.  Enemies drop more health or money, or Firebrand can gain a higher rate of fire, damage or defense.  Urns can  be collected and used to store potions, purchased at shops in the game's town with money.  These have varying effects like letting Firebrand instantly exit a stage, reviving after a death or restoring some or all of his health; all quite useful to have, and when things start getting difficult late in the game you'll definitely want as many healing potions as you can carry.  Spells are another addition, requiring the player to find Vellums hidden in the stages and then purchase them at a shop; these are considerably less useful though, and do things like stun enemies, summon an imp to fight alongside him (though it requires payment), or do a powerful screen-clearing attack.

While the game does feature progress saving, one slight annoyance is that it's done via a 16-digit password system, which the game only dispenses after you die and choose to end your game.  However, you can then choose "continue" on the title screen and it will retain your password, so you don't have to punch it in each time as long as you don't power off the console.  If you're playing on an emulator or on the Switch Online service, this isn't a problem owing to the save-state features those possess.  There are also three endings in the game depending on how much completion you've achieved.  Facing the final boss before collecting all the crests results in the worst ending, collecting all the crests but not the other collectibles (Health boosters, Vellums, urns and talismans) gets a neutral ending, while getting full completion gets the best ending.  Perhaps as a nod to its parent series a secret fourth ending can be found by getting the best ending, punching in the password you get afterwards and facing down a secret superboss, which also gives you access to an otherwise-inaccessible ultimate form for Firebrand to meet the challenge.

Per franchise standards, Demon's Crest is an aesthetically appealing game, with a dark and foreboding, yet charming visual style, Capcom's usual gorgeous animation and equally moody music and sound effects.  Even small touches like the elaborate death animations for the enemies (and Firebrand) complement the mood perfectly.  While definitely challenging, Demon's Crest is not nearly as frustrating as its parent franchise and is a much more enjoyable experience overall; some areas and boss fights will definitely give you a challenge, but it never feels cheap or unfair, just requiring some practice, pattern memorization and using the right tools for the job (or going to find them if you don't have them yet).  Well, aside from a rather obnoxiously hard minigame that requires precisely timed headbutts and has an extremely short time limit to get one of the health powerups necessary for full completion.

So, all told, Demon's Crest is a well-made game in every respect.  A quality open-world 'vania style adventure with a good amount of length, enough depth and challenge to keep you engaged, and some delightfully dark atmosphere and gorgeous aesthetics.  It really is the shame it ended up being the last of this particular subseries, but at least it went out on a high note.  Definitely one of the Super Nintendo's more overlooked gems.

 

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: 1994
Platform: Super Nintendo (with rereleases on Wii Virtual Console, 3DS Virtual Console and Switch Online)
Recommended Version: N/A

Escape From Ever After

Escape from Ever After makes no secret of its inspirations, utilizing similar gameplay mechanics and visuals to the early Paper Mario games.  But does it prove to stand apart from its inspirations, or is this simply too derivative and uninspired a knockoff to leave an impact?

Escape From Ever After is another entry in a common sight these days - RPGs that purportedly pay homage to the classics of yesteryear.  Usually by replicating their visual style and gameplay elements without having much in the way of interesting writing or characters.  I've played and panned a fair number of them in my time (just see some other reviews), but we've also gotten some surprisingly good ones like Sea of Stars, Horizon's Gate and Symphony of War.

Escape From Ever After is another in that vein.  While it is clearly based on Paper Mario, it does a surprisingly good job replicating most of its beats.  The chibi characters with 2D papercraft aesthetics populating 3D environments, the low-numbers combat damage that has a surprising amount of depth and utilizes minigames in each move, and the jokey-yet-confident writing that makes its plot scenes a lot of fun to experience.  But whereas Paper Mario poked fun at RPG tropes through its colorful cast and sardonic tone, Escape From Ever After takes aim a bit higher, satirizing corporate culture and capitalism in general.

It does all this through the lens of a corporation called Ever After Inc. that occupies fairy tale worlds, exploiting their inhabitants and real estate in order to expand their business empire.  Indeed, the protagonists are the latest victims of this scheme - Flynt Buckler and his nemesis Tinder the Dragon find their world overtaken and Tinder has his size and flame breath suppressed with a collar.  Acting on a tip from the Three Blind Mice they take jobs at the company, ultimately scheming to thwart their plans and bring it down from within.  That's a pretty clever concept, and it's used quite smartly throughout their later exploits, giving you all sorts of unlockables to decorate the pair's office and numerous quests given to them by their various coworkers and overseers.  As in Paper Mario, these often reward you with various upgrade items - Sun Gems can be traded for valuable and rare prizes while Ink Bottles allow you to upgrade your characters' basic attacks.  Each character gets several cosmetic outfits to utilize as well.  The game also conveniently keeps track of your found/purchased collectibles in an in-game log, so you can be certain of which ones you haven't yet found without having to do tons of backtracking.

Combat plays out much like Paper Mario too, utilizing many similar gimmicks.  For example, enemies that hold spears in front of them can't be approached without being damage, but Flynt attacks by throwing his buckler at range.  Other enemies have wooden shields that Tinder can burn away, and still others may have metal shields that neither can easily get around, requiring another character (like Wolfgang) to bypass their defenses entirely.  Damage and health numbers tend to be low - rarely exceeding single digits for damage and low double digits for overall health - but playing smartly is still required.  Most attacks are governed by minigames - well timed button presses or stick motions will deal extra damage, while blocking at just the right moment can reduce damage taken or even eliminate it entirely.  Trinkets stand in for Paper Mario's Badges, giving characters new abilities or upping their combat capabilities by giving them a chance to evade damage entirely, added defense, more damage, more health and so on. Synergy attacks can be performed by spending MP to deal extra damage or hit more enemies in a single blow, and one can build up morale with well-timed presses (or using the Motivate command) to unleash special moves that restore some health to the entire party or deal heavy damage.  Every 100 Experience gains you a level, which can be used to boost your maximum health, MP or Trinket Points.  One deviation I found from the Paper Mario format is that you don't need to have Flynt in the active battle party at all times - you can swap him out for one of the other characters, though the maximum active party size remains two.  You get one free switch-out during the first turn of combat, though in subsequent rounds it costs one Synergy Point each time you do.

Outside of battle each character's abilities also get utilized frequently in order to solve puzzles and advance through the dungeon.  You'll often have to use them in tandem too - for instance, having Tinder light a torch and Flynt toss his buckler through it to catch it on fire to ignite another object you can't reach on foot.  Wolfgang (of the Three Little Pigs) story also fills in a role reminiscent of the early 3D Zeldas, playing numerous songs with a large variety of effects to activate various objects in the environment.  You'll have to utilize them all in pretty clever ways if you want to find all the treasures too, and of course any time you can find something to sneak behind or something in the foreground obscuring details behind it, you'll probably want to check there for hidden goodies.

Despite some clunky puzzles and boss fights that go on a bit too long I found myself having quite a lot of fun with Escape From Ever After.  It's a rather shameless copycat of Paper Mario's gameplay, design and general attitude, but it's so well done that you almost forget it's a fan-made homage title and not an actual game in the series.  The genuinely funny dialog, the easy to pick up but surprisingly challenging gameplay, the surprisingly high concept and having tons of secrets to uncover and side-missions to complete make it a high quality RPG.  The runtime is reasonable enough too, running roughly 25-30 hours, so it doesn't overstay its welcome like a lot of bigger-budget titles try to.  If you've already finished the Switch remake of Thousand Year Door and have been longing for another return to the classic Paper Mario format, Escape From Ever After is one that's worth a look.

 

Developer: Sleepy Castle Studio, Wing-It! Creative
Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
Released: 2026
Platform: Switch, PlayStation 5, PC, XBox Series
Recommended Version: All versions seem to be identical to one another.