As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that my recent foray into Like A Dragon/Yakuza’s Infinite Wealth has been nothing short of extraordinary. Coming from someone who’d heard tales of this series but never found the time to delve in, I must admit, I was skeptical. But boy, was I wrong!
For many people, there are popular video game franchises that we’ve heard great things about yet haven’t had the chance to play. One such series on my own gaming bucket list is Yakuza, also known as Like A Dragon.
Over the years, numerous friends have shared with me that the series offers a mix of intense action, comical moments, and deep emotional connections for everyone. But somehow, I always found myself too busy to dive in. The release of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth this year made me think it would simply become another game on my long list of unplayed titles. However, thanks to a freelance job, I finally had the perfect excuse to experience a Like A Dragon game for the first time.
Initially, I was having a blast, but it wasn’t until Chapter 4 and the Hawaiian street’s shaved-ice shop that I stumbled upon Substory 24: Let It Snow, which finally revealed to me what everyone had been raving about in this game series for years.
In a quaint Hawaiian locale, I stumble upon an individual clad in a checkered shirt casually purchasing a snow cone from a nearby shop. Strangely, he requests no embellishments for his sweet treat. The moment the vendor hands him the dessert, this man flings it upwards. Given the tropical climate, the ice rapidly dissolves into nothingness, causing the man to emit an agonized scream and depart in distress. Initially, I found his actions peculiar, but I didn’t give it much thought beyond that.
In due course, the same individual encounters rejection when buying shaved ice from another vendor, for they suspected his unusual intentions. Disappointed, he takes a seat on a nearby bench, and it is here that Ichiban can join him, listening to his tale.
It transpires that Orlando is making an effort to grant Ellie’s final wish – “I long to witness the snow with you once more.” The couple, as Orlando recounts, share a rich history with snow-filled memories, such as their honeymoon in Japan, but life’s demands prevented him from taking her back. With Ellie’s time running out, she wishes to experience the beauty of falling snow one last time with her loved one. Ichiban consents to aid him, and for now, they go their separate ways.
Initially, spotting an eccentric elderly man tossing snow-like particles skyward wasn’t what I expected to spark a deeply moving tale about a man caring for his dying spouse. Yet, this is precisely what my friends have been raving about, and they were right – it works! The power of the writing lies in its ability to keep you guessing; when you think you have it all figured out, Like A Dragon delivers an unexpected twist. And as the Substory unfolded, it certainly did not disappoint.
At a shopping mall not far off, Ichiban witnesses a woman accidentally sending her stroller tumbling down an escalator. He then embarks on a chase, filled with rapid-sequence actions, to retrieve the stroller. Eventually, he manages to halt it. Peering into the stroller, Ichiban is surprised to see a fully grown man in diapers looking back at him.
This is Susumu Gondawara, a yakuza boss from a previous game who veteran Like A Dragon players would know to expect, but I was completely caught off guard. This hulking baby man says his stroller got away from the “nanny” he hired, and he wants Ichiban to take him back to her. However, three of Gondawara’s henchmen–also, inexplicably, in nothing but diapers–accuse Ichiban of kidnapping Gondawara, and the fight is on.
After their defeat, Gondawara requests some milk, but the nearest source is a nearby shave-ice truck that uses condensed milk as a garnish. One of his henchmen waits in line, until a man wearing a familiar plaid shirt pushes forward and demands a shave ice without any toppings.
In due course, Ichiban, Orlando, and Gondawara converse collectively, brainstorming potential resolutions for their predicament. Orlando grows anxious about dwindling time, while Ichiban discards his shaved ice in annoyance… yet, they observe an unusual occurrence: the ice didn’t dissolve but transformed into a snow-like substance instead. What caused this peculiar transformation?
Are you ready?
You’ll never guess…
It seems that the material of Gondawara and his men’s diapers, when blended with shaved ice, produced an effect resembling snow. I must admit, I didn’t anticipate such a bizarre twist in Like A Dragon. After Gondawara clarifies the distinction between their role-playing fantasy and genuine honor, they settle on a strategy.
The action moves to the hotel where Orlando and Ellie are lodged. In an unexpected turn of events, Ichiban, Gondawara, and their associates concoct a mixture of diaper absorbent and shaved ice, which they then hurl from the hotel’s rooftop. Coincidentally, Orlando and Ellie, occupying a room just beneath this roof, witness this “snowfall” streaming in through their window and are filled with joy.
Ellie refers to Orlando as a “wonder-worker,” preceding her request for one more special moment – a glimpse of Orlando’s smile once again before she drifts off to sleep. He grants her wish, tears brimming in his eyes, and eventually she slumbers peacefully for the very last time.
To sum up, our protagonist Ichiban is on a mission to grant the last wish of his dying wife for a desperate man.
- Enlisted the help of a man who likes to act as a baby
- Mixed absorbent from that man’s adult diaper supply with shaved ice to create “snow”
- Threw the mixture off of a roof, so the desperate man and his wife could see it fall from the room below.
And yet, despite the sheer wackiness making this whole thing happen, the heart at the core of the scene cannot be denied. Ichiban stepped up to help a stranger, simply because he could, and he made a dying woman’s final wish come true in the process. Once the “snow” started to fall, and the scene focused on Orlando and Ellie, I forgot about the absurdities of it all and focused on the relatable, human story at the center of the Substory, and it filled me with a warmth that most games aren’t capable of creating… until the scene switches back to Ichiban and company, where Gondawara’s henchmen are laying on the rooftop exhausted–and buck naked. It’s a last bit of wackiness to send us off; this is Like A Dragon, after all.
After spending years being advised to enjoy this series without ever finding the chance, Infinite Wealth marked my initial dive into the captivating world of Like A Dragon/Yakuza. It was Substory 24: Let It Snow that enlightened me, making me a devoted fan. I’m eagerly looking forward to revisiting what I’ve missed so far as soon as I can, having been charmed by just a touch of “winter” enchantment.
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