Ah, new game+. A staple of Yakuza and Like a Dragon games for decades, however the upcoming release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth locks the feature behind an additional paywall. It's a move that has left fans disappointed, as SEGA's fundraising practices tarnish what was considered a highly anticipated release.
Infinite Wealth's New Game+ mode appears to be exclusive to the 'Master Vocation' DLC pack, which is included in the Deluxe and Ultimate editions of the game (which retail for an additional $15 and $40 respectively). Again, previous Like a Dragon titles included New Game+ by default. There's little doubt here that SEGA is copying an existing feature from the base version in order to increase sales of more expensive products.
For those completely out of the loop, New Game+ usually lets you start a new playthrough while maintaining all the progress your character has made since the full run. In past Like a Dragon games, they were designed to give you a huge advantage when tackling the toughest modes – or you could just use them to experience the story again without having to worry about reopening all your abilities.
There's also some concern about the “Hero's Booster Pack” pre-order bonus, which allows you to “level up faster.” It's never a good look, especially when the predecessor to Yakuza: Like a Dragon serves as a grind at the end of the story.
What do you make of this nonsense? Tell SEGA how you really feel in the comments section below.
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