Summary
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthfinally takes the series to far-off shores.Hawaii is not quite like the rest of the United States, but it is enough of a change to make this entry in the series feel aesthetically fresh. The recreation of this section of Honolulu is faithful to the real place.
In fact, there are several landmarks that most locals will recognize, whether that be buildings, streets, businesses, or beaches. While visiting these locations inInfinite Wealthmight not be as satisfying as visiting them in real life, it does come with a one hundred percent lesser risk of sunburn.
Some of the locations have different names inInfinite Wealth, while others have retained the name. Licensing and rights are a complicated business, so it makes sense why some parts of the city are fictionalized.
1Aloha Beach
Real Location: Waikiki Beach
It would not be a game set in Hawaii without a prominent beach location. InInfinite Wealth,players spend a lot of time on Aloha Beach on the southern part of the map.
Many substories are set there and it is also where Ichiban Kasuga goes to transport himself to Dondoko Island. In terms of fictional names, Aloha hits the name right on the head. In real life, the busy beach in Honolulu is Waikiki Beach. It is similarly lined with businesses, hotels, and street performers.
2ABC Stores
Hawaii’s Convenience Store Chain
If someone did not know, it is very easy to believe that ABC Stores is a made-up name for a shop in a video game. However, ABC Stores are a real thing and are where most Hawaiians buy small, everyday items for convenience. It is why they are called convenience stores, after all.
Several of these stores are scattered throughout the city and Kasuga similarly purchasesvarious foods and drinksfor the journey. Most Hawaiians do not have to buy them to literally recover their health after a rough street fight, though.
3Worldwide Market Village
Real Location: International Market Place
Malls might be on the out thanks to internet shopping, but there are still a few notable ones within the United States. Hawaii’s International Market Place is one of them.Infinite Wealthacknowledges this with its own interpretation of the shopping center, the Worldwide Market Village.
Despite the name change, they are aesthetically similar, including the plethora of large trees in the open-air mall. International Market Place opened in 1956 and remains open to this day, only closing for a few years for major renovations about ten years ago.
488tees
A Real Clothing Store
Players can change costumes inInfinite Wealth, but it is mostly regulated by the job system. One should not come into this game expecting clothing options like inGrand Theft Auto. Still, that did not stop the developers from including real clothing stores in the game.
88tees is a real store in Hawaii for more casual clothes. The interesting thing about this store’s inclusion is that just one of them exists, so it is not like some huge chain with a bunch of stores and clout. This goes to show the dedication that went into recreating Hawaii and including some of the finer details.
5Bridge To Anaconda Shopping Center
Real Location: Ala Moana Boulevard Bridge
There is a bridge that connects the two parts of Honolulu that players will often cross. They first go through it on their way to the Anaconda Shopping Center. It is on this same bridge where they meet the director and initiate the stuntman substory.
There is also a moment on this bridge where Kasuga takes pictures with Chitose. This bridge is modeled to look and feel exactly like the Ala Moana Boulevard Bridge. The bridge probably is not quite as exciting in real life…
The bridge is not given a name in the game. Players can tell it is the same bridge as Ala Moana since they both lead to the shopping center in real life andInfinite Wealth.
6Anaconda Shopping Center
Real Location: Ala Moana
The Anaconda Shopping Center is avital location in the 2024 JRPG. Players first run into Sujimon here and constantly revisit it to stock up on items and sell precious goods. Players may visit it more than they will visit a real mall in real life!
Speaking of real life, the Anaconda Shopping Center is based on the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Unlike the International Market Place, Ala Moana has a more refined, sleek look to it. Of course, the real Ala Moana does not have an underground replica for the ultra-rich to buy fake designer clothing lines.
7Unnamed Palace
Real Location: Iolani Palace
In Honolulu, Iolani Palace is a historical site. It was built in 1879 as a house of royalty and then was used as a headquarters for the future governments after the monarchy ended before becoming a museum in the 1970s.It has also been used in television shows likeHawaii Five-0.
The location exists inInfinite Wealthbut it does not have a prominent function in the story. If anyone is disappointed by this, they should never ignore the fact that a sequel or a DLC could revisit Hawaii.
