The year kicked off with a bang, with the eagerly anticipated Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the ninth mainline entry in developer RGG Studios' long-running crime melodrama, released in January. We loved it, and it was so crammed full of content that it always felt like there was something new to do or see. The game's chief producer, Hiroyuki Sakamoto, agrees, reflecting on the game now that things have settled down a little.
Speaking to Kotaku, Sakamoto was asked about Infinite Wealth's hilarious job classes, which reflect vocations, professions, or hobbies in our natural world. Pop idol, surfer, chef, or dominatrix, each job has its strengths and weaknesses, but not every idea made the cut, and Sakamoto singles out three in particular: "I have to say, there are many! Basketball players, couriers, and pest exterminators were in the initial concept, but we have omitted them in light of the variety in this work. The enemies are also quite unique characters with many details and unique concepts, which was a big challenge."
Many players fell in love with Dondoko Island, Infinite Wealth's expansive side quest in which Ichiban is tasked with turning a garbage-filled island into a five-star resort. Sakamoto thinks it's the best side game in the studio's long history, and this was achieved by holding nothing back: "We decided to go all out with Dondoko Island without making any reductions to the concept of resort island builder and simulator. We actually spent a lot of time tuning it during its creation, such as adding and subtracting elements, adjusting the balance, and so on," says Sakamoto. "In terms of the amount of work that went into it, I personally think it is the best of the side games in the entire series."