Embark on a journey through Kiryu's past in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, where players engage in a nostalgic bucket list quest that offers the Dragon of Dojima a fitting tribute to his legacy. While reminiscing through the Memoirs of a Dragon, players stumble upon references to games previously considered non-canon spin-offs, blurring the lines of the series' official storyline.
The Yakuza and Like a Dragon franchises have traditionally distinguished between canonical mainline titles and non-canon spin-offs, maintaining a clear narrative structure. However, recent additions like the Judgment series and games such as Yakuza: Dead Souls and Like a Dragon: Ishin have expanded the universe, challenging the established canon. While the developers have outlined the canon for the Like a Dragon universe, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth introduces ambiguity.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Canon Conundrum Through Kiryu's Dreams
Traversing Ijincho and Kamurocho to uncover Kiryu's Memoirs of a Dragon, players encounter memories labeled Dreams of a Past Life and Dreams of Another Life. These unique recollections portray non-canon spin-off games as vivid dreams that Kiryu experienced, subsequently influencing him. By assimilating these spin-offs into Kiryu's dreams, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth challenges the canonical boundaries.
In the Dreams of a Past Life: The Swordsmaster episode, Kiryu revisits Like a Dragon: Kenzan, embodying Miyamoto Mushasi in post-war Edo era Kyoto. In the Dream of a Past Life: The Revolutionary episode, Kiryu delves into Like a Dragon: Ishin, embodying Sakamoto Ryoma during the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate. The Dreams of Another Life: The Apocalypse memory unfolds the narrative of Yakuza: Dead Souls, where Kiryu combats a zombie invasion in Kamurocho, a game met with mixed reception.
The Pitfalls of Integrating Like a Dragon Games into the Canon
While some players appreciate the acknowledgment of spin-off games in a main series installment, incorporating these games as Kiryu's dream sequences may complicate the canon further. The Like a Dragon series features additional Japan-exclusive spin-offs like Ryu Ga Gotoku Online, introducing divergent storylines that cloud the distinction between dreams and alternate realities.
Speculation arises regarding characters like Ryuji Goda, whose fate remains uncertain following conflicting events across games. For instance, Yakuza: Dead Souls suggests Goda's survival post-Yakuza 2, while Ryu Ga Gotoku Online presents a canonical backstory for him. This divergence creates a narrative maze of conflicting tales, leaving character fates subject to varied interpretations within this revised canon.