As I’m nearing the end of my journey with Infinite Wealth’s main story, I wanted to take a moment to appreciate the game’s side content. Each Yakuza game has an ample amount of substories, and this latest entry makes no exception. Substories are what Yakuza refers to side quests as, and they work the same; substories are optional content usually involving a small story and a reward at completion. There are reasons other than a reward incentive to complete them, though…
Substories often place the main character in a wacky situation that only a Yakuza character would find themselves in, or even agree to. Completing these quests are an excellent way to introduce yourself to the character as how the situation is handled and resolved really allows their personality to shine. For example, I warmed up to Kiryu and Majima right away though completing their respective substories in Yakuza 0. The same is true of other characters that are playable throughout the series and, more recently in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it has helped to introduce me to Ichiban.
Ichiban is often told directly by other characters that he lacks a certain intelligence stat, but I don’t think that’s exactly correct. Sure, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he often acts before thinking, but he also displays an impressive amount of street smarts that can be displayed through his substories. He’s quick to think up a solution in a tough situation, and he’s a quick learner when there’s someone in need. In fact, I think Ichiban is the perfect person for substories. He’s always willing to help out anyone, so it would make sense that he’d also be a willing candidate for whatever crazy scenario the game throws at him. Knowing him and how he views everything from the lens of a video game, he’s probably perfectly ready to complete side quests.
In truth, I didn’t enjoy the substories in Infinite Wealth as much as the previous game, which was Ichiban’s debut title. Maybe it was because everything was so new and the substories in Like a Dragon were my introduction to the character and now I’m more used to him. That’s not to say that there haven’t been wonderful stories. Just that, this time around they are more focused on showing off Hawaii than Ichiban. After all, Ichiban’s winning personality has stayed the same, and I hope to see him in many more substories to come.