Mudkip Mud Sport

2025 has been an eventful year, with many developments in both real life and my hobbies.

Home Network

My family moved to a new place this summer, which provided an opportunity to upgrade the network setup once again.

Nowadays, ISP cable modems often also function as routers. Previously, I would ask my ISP to switch the modem to bridge mode and use my own OpenWRT router to connect via PPPoE. In our new home, the WAN connection is provided by the rental agency, and the cable modem is fully managed by the ISP. Neither the rental agency nor the ISP knows how to retrieve the PPPoE password, so they’re unable to switch the modem to bridge mode.

While I could register a new fiber WAN connection, the current speed of 500Mbps down / 40Mbps up is sufficient. Additionally, I still receive a /60 IPv6 pool. The IPv4 network is behind CGNAT (NAT Type B), regardless of whether the router uses DHCP or PPPoE.

The main challenge (and opportunity) is that there’s no network port in our bedroom. To solve this, I had to run an invisible fiber cable between the living room, where my homelab cabinet is located, and the bedroom, where I use my PC and gaming devices. This also gave me the chance to upgrade our intranet to a 10GbE/2.5GbE network.

The network switches I added include a XikeStor SKS3200-8E2X (eight 2.5GbE ports and two 10GbE ports) in my homelab cabinet and a SKS3200-5E2X (five 2.5GbE ports and two 10GbE ports) in the bedroom. I also installed a used Synology E10G18-T1 in the DS1621+, a pair of Sirivision SFP+ transceivers to link the two switches, two XikeStor SFP+ to RJ45 adapters for the DS1621+ and the NUC 12 Extreme PC, and a UGREEN 2.5G USB-C to Ethernet adapter for the iMac. As a result, I now have a 10Gbps connection between the NAS and the NUC 12 Extreme PC, along with 2.5Gbps connections for several other devices.

A week after setting up the intranet, I encountered a strange issue: whenever I transferred files from the NAS to the iMac or wireless devices, the network in our bedroom would freeze, even basic DNS requests would time out. Interestingly, I didn’t experience the same problem when transferring files in the opposite direction or from the NAS to the NUC, which has a 10GbE connection, even though those transfers were about three times faster.

After some research using ChatGPT, I discovered that the issue was caused by a feature called flow control. Fortunately, the XikeStor switches include a web-based admin interface, and the problem was resolved after I disabled flow control on the 10GbE ports.

Devices Reshuffle

The biggest upgrade this year is the NUC 12 Extreme PC. The main issue with this machine was the unbearable noise during midnight gaming sessions. Fortunately, I found a solution from another user with the same NUC model. I replaced the top case fans with three Thermalright TL-B9 units, and now the PC is much quieter.

Another major upgrade was the GPU. I replaced the RTX 3080 with a PowerColor Reaper RX 9070 XT. AFAIK it’s the only modern mid-range GPU that fits inside the NUC 12 Extreme chassis. The RX 9070 XT performs significantly better in newer titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, even when its TDP is limited to 70%. It’s also a relief to be free from NVIDIA-related issues on Linux, thanks to the switch to AMD. That said, I’m still waiting for Mesa 25.2 to enable FSR 4 support.

The display of my Minisforum V3 Tablet stopped working on January, and customer service informed me that they couldn’t repair it since the model is no longer in production. They offered a partial refund, which I found reasonable for a device I had used for nine months.

I also upgraded my Lenovo Legion Y700 (Legion Tab) to the 3rd generation, which features the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Although the 4th generation was released shortly afterward, the nano-textured display on the 3rd gen made the upgrade worthwhile.

Recently, I sold my Steam Deck LCD, Aya Odin 2 Pro, and Anbernic RG35XXSP. In their place, I picked up a Retroid Pocket Flip 2, as well as repurpose the Legion Tab for handheld gaming. The reason behind this shift is that game streaming from my PC to the Legion Tab delivers far better graphics and smoothness than any handheld PC like the Steam Deck. The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 strikes a great balance for retro game emulation and has a better screen than both the Odin 2 and the RG35XXSP. The Legion Tab also works well for DS and 3DS emulation with its vertical layout.

I also connected a spare dummy HDMI plug to the NUC 12 Extreme PC, disabled the automatic display turn-off in KDE settings (while keeping auto-sleep enabled since I can wake the system via WoL), and configured Sunshine to improve game streaming experience.

• Do commands:

  1 2	kscreen-doctor output.HDMI-A-2.enable output.HDMI-A-2.mode.${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT}@60 output.DP-3.disable loginctl unlock-session

  This enables the dummy HDMI output at the correct resolution, disables the primary display, and unlocks the session if it’s locked.

• Undo command:

  1	kscreen-doctor output.HDMI-A-2.disable output.DP-3.enable

  This disables the dummy output and re-enables the main display.

Fortunately, I was able to get a Nintendo Switch 2 at a reasonable price (MSRP plus import tax) and received it on the morning of the second day after its release. Since then, the Switch 2 has been my primary gaming device, mainly for Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. I’ve also restarted exploring Paldea in Pokémon Scarlet and returned to building my world in Dragon Quest Builders 2.

Homelab

Little has changed in my homelab, though I did downsize it slightly to reduce power consumption. The k3s cluster of 4 VMs has been consolidated into a single-node VM, and the storage solution has been simplified with local-path-provisioner, which consumes no additional power and is easier to backup. Since I now prefer using the NUC 12 Extreme for game streaming, I’ve replaced the Bazzite and Windows VMs on the homelab PC with a Bluefin installation, which runs various AI/ML experiments such as immich-machine-learning, ollama, and InvokeAI.

The object storage on my NAS has been migrated from Minio to Garage, which offers much better performance for small files on the HDD RAID. I’ve also integrated Pocket ID and Tinyauth into some self-hosted apps, making logins easier and more secure. For photo backups, I’ve fully migrated to Immich and no longer rely on Synology’s proprietary apps as Synology is going fully user hostile. However, I use PhotoSync on my iPhone because Immich currently doesn’t play well with iCloud (this issue should be fixed soon).

I also upgraded the cooling system in the homelab cabinet. The previously noisy fan, which was controlled via a smart plug, has been replaced with a Thermalright TL-G12B paired with a PWM controller mounted at the top. As a result, the average idle CPU temperature of the homelab PC dropped from 54°C to 48°C.

52Poké

52Poké migrated to the Hetzner data center in Helsinki in February 2025. This move reduced monthly cloud service costs by 55% while maintaining the same server and storage configurations. It also lowered the risk of relying on a U.S.-based service provider, particularly one entangled in geopolitical tensions, which could pose potential risks for 52Poké as well.

During the migration, 52Poké was upgraded to MediaWiki 1.43, the current LTS release, along with several enhancements, including Math, VisualEditor, audio support via TimedMediaHandler, SVG image support, and native lazy-loading.

In recent years, 52Poké Wiki has experienced increasingly aggressive and indistinguishable bot network crawling, which has led to a lower cache hit rate and occasional website slowdowns. This is likely due to developments in LLMs. For now, we have blocked known AI bots and enabled Cloudflare challenge mode for pages outside the main namespace.

Side Projects

My side projects have been a bit quiet over the past few months, but I’m trying to rediscover the joy and slowly resume work on an experimental project, along with updates for Moe Memos, most importantly, the local storage feature.

It’s been somewhat of a burnout due to the breaking changes in the Memos API, which have required repeated effort and created both urgency and dilemma when updating Moe Memos. Thankfully, I’ve found a workaround to convert the APIs to older versions. Moe Memos may still support the newer Memos API changes directly in future releases, as well as alternative backends, but it will no longer be a source of panic.

Trips and Live Concerts

I visited Tokyo again this June for Aqours Finale LoveLive! Eikyuu Stage Day 2, and also traveled to places like Ikebukuro, Shibuya, and Asakusa.

LoveLive! is a franchise that holds deep meaning in my life. I’ve been a fan of Aqours since nearly the very beginning, almost ten years ago. The story and music of the anime have always inspired me and given me strength. I attended several Aqours live concerts before the pandemic, including the 2nd Live held at the same dome as the Eikyuu Stage. These are truly some of my most cherished memories.

I enjoyed all 24 songs performed on Eikyuu Stage Day 2, every one of them is a favorite of mine. The joyful atmosphere helped ease the bittersweet reality that this was their final live. I especially loved MY Mai☆TONIGHT and WATER BLUE NEW WORLD, though it was a bit unfortunate they weren’t the full version. Hearing HAPPY PARTY TRAIN again and finally experiencing Mitaiken HORIZON live was fantastic. The anime recap during the intermission brought back so many sweet memories.

I cried a lot, and laughed a lot. The Aqours rainbow created by the entire dome during the encore was a huge success. The powerful chorus of Yuuki wa Doko ni? Kimi no Mune ni! was deeply moving. I couldn’t hold back my tears when Anju struck the “stop crying, smile, and thumbs-up” pose on the float.

What’s unique about LoveLive! Sunshine!! is how deeply it connects the beautiful city of Numazu with the fans. For us, Numazu is not only the setting of the anime and the stories of Aqours, it’s also our spiritual hometown. I’ve visited twice and always felt warmly welcomed despite the language barrier. The city isn’t just decorated with franchise elements, the local residents also truly understand the work and are proud of the Aqours members as if they were their own children. We love Numazu not just because of LoveLive!, we love its sky, Mt. Fuji, and the sunshine.

It has been a long journey as a LoveLiver. Just as Rikyako said,
“だから、この先の人生もきっと、私も、みんなも、幸せなことがたくさん待っていると思います.”
I believe in that, too.

This post is inspired by Neil Brown. Being mostly a pessimistic person, I often find myself worrying about the negative impact of technological developments in recent years. However, I’m still trying my best to find joy in the things I care about throughout the year.

Wayland and NVIDIA on Linux Have Improved Massively

2024 has been my year of the Linux desktop. At the start of the year, I still had to rely on numerous workarounds to deal with frustrating issues on my desktop PC caused by NVIDIA’s lackluster Wayland support. However, NVIDIA’s driver improvements throughout the year—especially with explicit sync—along with advancements in Wayland protocols and better fractional scaling support in KDE and now GNOME, have made my Linux desktop experience practically flawless by default.

The Joy of Linux Distributions and Hardware Support

There is so much joy in exploring and learning about recent developments in Linux distributions. My favorite ones—vanilla Fedora KDE, EndeavourOS, and Bazzite—are all quite versatile and stable. With BTRFS snapshots or immutable distros, we no longer need to worry that an upgrade or configuration change will break the system. The mainline Linux kernel is progressing rapidly to keep up with the latest x86 and ARM hardware. Asahi Linux now even offers out-of-the-box Steam support for Apple Silicon Macs.

A Bright Future for Open Handheld PCs

Handheld PCs, pioneered by small manufacturers like GPD and AYANEO, have now become a much larger market thanks to developments like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go. These devices boast far higher performance than traditional handhelds from Nintendo and Sony, and most importantly, they are mostly open hardware. Users can install any software they want, including alternative operating systems like Bazzite, without needing approval from corporations.

The Blossom of Retro Handheld Consoles and Emulation

Retro handhelds have also seen significant advancements in 2024, transforming what was once a niche market. Anbernic alone released 12 new handheld consoles this year. These devices, which run either Linux-based custom firmware or Android, are primarily used to play retro games from systems like the SNES, GBA, or PlayStation 1. Thanks to the declining cost of smartphone chips, we now have access to high-performance retro handhelds. One of my favorite journeys this year was installing custom firmware on my 3DS after the closure of the Nintendo eShop, backing up my digital purchases and save files, and finishing Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World on the Ayn Odin 2 in HD. While Nintendo’s legal actions—or those of fake Nintendo lawyers—may pose challenges, I believe the joy and efforts in game preservation will persist.

Performance Per Watt Continues to Improve

While Moore’s Law is effectively dead, linear advancements in computer performance continue to make life easier. Apple Silicon remains a standout in delivering exceptional performance with low power usage in its M4 series chips, and Snapdragon X is catching up quickly. With Intel’s Lunar Lake platform, high performance per watt is no longer exclusive to ARM. On the GPU side, the next generation of Radeon integrated graphics promises 4060-level gaming performance in new handhelds.

Federated Social Networks Enter the Mainstream

The three major post-Elon social networks—Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky—are all (at least pretending to for the latter two) embracing a future where social networks are connected via protocols and are no longer controlled by a single company. Personally, I mainly use Mastodon, but I’ve followed accounts from Threads, Misskey, WordPress, and Flipboard via ActivityPub, as well as established bridged connections with Bluesky. I also set up a private GotoSocial instance in a lightweight container and use it with my favorite web app, charmingly named after a Pokémon.

Xiaomi Released an Official Home Assistant Integration

Matter has been disappointing in its failure to deliver on its promise of seamless smart home device integration without vendor lock-ins. However, the open-source Home Assistant has made home automation seamless through community-based integrations and workarounds. I don’t have many smart home devices, but all of mine support either HomeKit or Mi Home. While I’m still using hass-xiaomi-miot, Xiaomi’s official integration eliminates the worry of open support for new devices.

iOS is Opening Up, At Least in the EU

As someone who understands how computers work, I’ve always been frustrated by the dominance of systems where manufacturers, operating system vendors, or authorities control which apps users are allowed to install. In 2024, Apple was forced by the EU’s Digital Markets Act to allow users to install apps from alternative markets or directly from developers. While the notorious notarization process and the ridiculous Core Technology Fee persist, iOS is undeniably more open than ever. A surprising and delightful result of this change is that Apple now allows retro emulators and apps like Delta, making iOS devices more capable than ever.

The Openness and Collaboration in LLMs is Breaking Down Walls

I am acutely aware of the ecological and ethical impact of AI development and usage. However, I am cautiously testing LLMs to explore their capabilities and improve my digital life. I’ve found that open-source (though not technically according to the OSI) models like Llama and Qwen strike a somewhat acceptable balance. Just as blockchain technology once caused GPU prices to skyrocket, we gamers are now caught in the middle again by another GPU-reliant technology. Regulators are also turning AI into another frontline for geopolitical tensions and censorship. Despite this, the underlying architecture of this AI momentum remains largely open, with engineers ceaselessly collaborating on platforms like Hugging Face and GitHub. The breakthroughs in open models like DeepSeek-V3 continue to break down walls of silicon.

October 6, 2024, is a day I will never forget.

As a LoveLiver for nine years now, LoveLive! Series has been one of the franchises that has had a significant impact on my life. I have many unforgettable memories of both µ’s and Aqours. Although due to the well-known reasonsCOVID and the busyness of real life, I could only watch the recent Aqours Lives, as well as those of Nijigasaki and Liella!, through livestreams, Blu-rays, or online videos, it wasn’t until I saw Liella! at Bilibili World last year and heard about the Asia tour and Aqours Finale this June that I realized once again how incredibly important it is to attend a live concert in person.

LoveLive! Series Asia Tour 2024-Shanghai stage began with a medley of opening songs from the four anime series, and when the three members of µ’s appeared—unchanged from eight years ago—the melody of 僕らは今のなかでBokura no Ima no Naka de began playing, flooding my mind with countless memories. I had to repeatedly reassure myself that this was not a dream but the reality of the moment.

Then came Aqours’ performance. As expected, 恋になりたいAQUARIUMKoi ni Naritai AQUARIUM electrified the entire audience, and Ruby’s コットンキャンディえいえいおー！Cotton Candy Ei-Ei-Oh! was an unexpected delight. I hadn’t listened to Deep Resonance much before, but there’s one line I love: “壊れそうなこんな世界で 出会ったのは偶然じゃないIn this fragile world, our meeting was no coincidence.” Finally, they performed 勇気はどこに？君の胸に！Yūki wa Doko ni? Kimi no Mune ni! which is one of my tied-for-top favorite songs. Every time I feel down, I listen to it, and I nearly cried while singing along this time.

Nijigasaki’s segment featured TOKIMEKI Runners, Just Believe!!!, and three solo songs I’m familiar with. Kasumin was adorable, and Shu-chan might have the best English skills in all of Japan. The crowd roared every time during Eutopia’s Chinese lyrics.

Next was a video from Hasunosora and the group performance of Dream Believers. I felt a little guilty for not following Hasunosora closely, but the overwhelming love the crowd showed them made me realize how much they mean to everyone. I bought three acrylic lottery figures, all of which turned out to be Tsuzuri, so I guess fate is telling me it’s time to catch up.

Liella!’s setlist was filled with songs I’ve been listening to a lot recently. I listened to Guangzhou’s setlist on the way here. Tiny Stars and Starlight Prologue were deeply moving, and all 11 members were adorable. There were plenty of shots of KuuKaa合鲤, which made me very happy.

The climax was µ’s, the most intense part of the night. Even in the back of the arena, the floor was shaking. 僕らのLIVE 君とのLIFEBokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE felt like it pulled us back over ten years, and the most exciting moment, of course, was Snow Halation. After eight years, I was once again surrounded by a sea of orange lights. The finale was a group performance of No Brand Girls and Bring the LOVE!, and I lost count of how many times we shouted “hihihi” and “oh yeah.” It wasn’t until I heard “我一直很想见你I’ve always wanted to see you” that I snapped back to reality.

The MC segments awakened memories of classic call-and-responses: GanbaRuby, Yosoro, Ohayoshiko, Sashisuseso, and Fighto da yo, as well as calls I had only ever heard through a screen before, like Kasukasu, “はんばあぐもいいHamburgers are good,” and “素晴らしい声の人Person with a wonderful voice.” For the first time, I shouted them in person. It was also a refreshing experience to have two members fluent in Mandarin. Akina-chan菜宝 also promoted Nijigasaki’s 7th Live and helped translate the members’ comments. When Aya-chan asked, “Has anyone been to the 2016 Fan Meeting?” I screamed out loud. At that moment, I felt so proud, though I’m sure one particular LoveLiverLiyuu backstage must have felt even prouder.

The Asia tour once again reminded me that LoveLive! is みんなで叶える物語A story created together with everyone. The members of Aqours, Nijigasaki, Liella!, and Hasunosora, who have inherited this dream, were once Love Livers themselves. The orange miracle of Snow Halation, the legendary performances of µ’s and Aqours at Tokyo Dome and the Red & White Song Battle, the production of the Nijigasaki anime and movie, and the light show of Guangzhou’s Starlight Prologue were all realized by everyone together, including the fans. The Chinese title of the tour “伴你圆梦,” which may link to that for many LoveLivers outside Japan, the last time they attended a live concert might have been in 2019 or even 2016. This Asia tour itself is the realization of a dream.

Although we often criticize LoveLive!'s management and Bandai Namco, and there are regrets about Aqours Finale, attending this tour made me realize once again how much we all love the LoveLive! Series. Music is such a beautiful thing that breaks down walls壁は (Hi Hi Hi) 壊せるものさ and crosses borders. Next time we meet, it might be at Aqours Finale.

ラブライブ！最高！！いまが最高！

An unpopular opinion that my past self would strongly disagree with, and perhaps my future self might too:

The days when we needed to integrate hardware, software, and services are over. Apple has shown that this approach is harmful to consumers and innovation today, and the same holds true for Nintendo. We only need open platform hardware that allows users to run whatever software they want and use whatever services they prefer. While I believe Valve’s monopoly needs to be strongly challenged, Valve’s success with its own games, Steam, and the Steam Deck shows that a company can succeed in all three areas without locking them together. Future Nintendo devices should be open by default, capable of running Linux or Android games without using any exploits, and future Nintendo games should be available on PC. Square Enix’s investment in Playtron shows they understand what’s coming.

Apple makes great hardware and software, and its services—like iCloud with Advanced Data Protection, iMessages with end-to-end encryption, high-quality Apple TV+ shows, and the DRM-free iTunes Music store—are truly exceptional. However, when these are integrated together, they create a monopoly. Apple today relies on “service revenue” to maintain its stock price, but much of this revenue isn’t genuinely about services. Instead, it largely comes from Google paying Apple to sustain their own illegal monopoly, and from the 30% “protection fees” charged on free-to-play games—essentially “casino games for children”—at the cost of undermining the rights and choices of users, developers, and creators. This situation is harmful to our civilization because, by being the only option for installing apps, the App Store becomes a tool for censorship and discrimination.

The Nintendo Switch was a major innovation in 2017. The concept of a small device that can be a portable console, a home console, and a tabletop system for friends to play together was definitely the right direction for gaming consoles. However, by 2024, the Nintendo Switch is underperforming and lagging behind the potential of Nintendo’s own games. Titles like Xenoblade, Pokémon, and Zelda could be significantly better if they can run on modern smartphone hardware, let alone on PCs, instead of on a 20nm processor released in 2015.

Sony announced the PlayStation 5 Pro this week, offering significant graphics upgrades for a dozen games. However, many of these titles can already be upgraded on a modern PC, thanks to Sony’s development of PC ports for PlayStation titles.

Joy-Con and DualSense controllers are fun and it’s fantastic that there are dedicated games that take advantage of their unique designs. However, they should use open standards like Bluetooth or USB and support general devices like PCs and phones. And guess what? They already do.

Today, we have a blooming market of dedicated handheld gaming consoles. If you follow NPC (Next Portable Console), you’ll notice new handhelds being released between every two episodes. These devices run on Linux, Android, or Windows and each supports a game library larger than that of the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. This trend is just beginning, and we will see even more devices in the future. Eventually, these open systems will collectively become a larger market than traditional locked-down consoles, and no single vendor will be big enough to establish a monopoly.

I believe the future of technology lies in open systems that prioritize user choice, innovation, and competition over monopolistic control. As demonstrated by the evolving market of handheld gaming devices and platforms like Steam, Epic and GOG, there is a growing demand for hardware that supports diverse software ecosystems without restrictive barriers. This shift will empower developers and creators to have more freedom and flexibility and let consumers retake the control over their own devices and contents.

I was not always a fan of games based on contemporary realistic settings—unless they had supernatural or sci-fi elements, featured high school students who are a bit detached from mainstream values, or were set in the subculture haven of Akihabara.

My RPG journey started with Pokémon, a world where numerous unimaginable creatures coexist with humans, and continued with games like Final Fantasy VII, which intertwines magic and technology in a futuristic setting, or the Trails series’ modern heroic legends. The first time I was moved by a work with a realistic setting was Persona 5, when the sin-laden Japanese Prime Minister had his heart stolen by a group of high school students, confessing tearfully on a giant screen on the streets of Tokyo.

The Yakuza series was something I had heard of for years but never engaged with, partly because I was resistant to the overly realistic and somewhat dark themes, and partly because as a player who wasn’t good at action games, I couldn’t be attracted by the game’s combat system.

However, as a fan of adventure genres like Ace Attorney and Danganronpa, I was very interested in Judgment, which drew me into the world and stories of the Yakuza series. After that, I played Yakuza 0, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name in succession, and was moved by the stories of characters like Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga. The familiar locations I had visited during my trips to Japan, especially Yokohama Chinatown and Osaka’s Sotenbori, felt particularly nostalgic.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the fifth game I’ve played in the series. I was looking forward to the new stage in Hawaii and how the story of Kazuma Kiryu, who has cancer, would unfold.

Game System

Similar to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a turn-based RPG, which is my favorite type of game. In the past, Yakuza games provided difficulty settings for players like me who aren’t good at action to experience the story, but the two turn-based RPG games didn’t provide difficulty settings. In the later stages of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, I got into tough battles and still haven’t completed the last few chapters. However, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s difficulty curve, more flexible battle system, and rich content made me feel that not having difficulty settings was a better choice.

As a turn-based RPG, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has a wealth of jobs, skills, and equipment, but on the other hand, it doesn’t have an overly complex growth system and doesn’t require remembering too much knowledge about items and jobs. The game’s hints are user-friendly, allowing one-click selection of the best equipment. Like modern Pokémon games, WEAK and RESIST are directly hinted at in battles. Even before important story events and battles, it suggests recommended levels and equipment star ratings to avoid the frustration of repeated failure due to insufficient preparation when challenging. The positioning and environment considerations in battles are intriguing, and even though I am not good at QTE, they didn’t result in severe consequences (with practice throughout the game, I got slightly better).

In all significant battles, I experienced a just-right level of difficulty, requiring me to optimize team output through job and skill combinations. When unprepared for type resistances or status immunities, I often needed to use items or skills to recover but could ultimately achieve victory at critical moments.

As a fan of Pokémon and Animal Crossing, I could smile knowingly in this game. Yakuza: Like a Dragon already had enough homage to the Pokémon series with the Sujidex system, the initial 3 Sujimon choices, and the Sujimon Professor. This installment even includes mechanisms to capture and raising Sujimon, Sujimon battles, and even a Sujimon tournament held in Hawaii - and in reality, the 2024 Pokémon World Championships will also be held in Hawaii. Dondoko Island also completely reproduces the gameplay of Animal Crossing, with some characters from the main and side stories appearing as guests on Dondoko Island. These homage elements are subtle enough for players to appreciate without falling into the pitfalls of imitation and plagiarism, thanks to confidence that the game’s own main content is sufficiently substantial.

Setting and Story

The Yakuza series’ previous settings mainly included Tokyo’s Kamurocho, Osaka’s Sotenbori, and Yokohama’s Isezaki Ijincho. This game introduces Hawaii outside Japan for the first time. Having played Pokémon Sun/Moon, the Honolulu setting in this game also conveys a similar atmosphere to the Alola region. The beautiful tropical scenery, beaches, coconut trees, surfboards, electric scooters, and the “Aloha” greetings all reflect a vibrant place. But just like the real history of Hawaii being annexed by the United States, Japanese laborers, and the Pacific War, beneath the surface of Hawaii in the work also lies gang activities, religious issues, and even international conspiracies that threaten human survival.

Both in Yokohama and Hawaii, the main and side stories incorporate many popular contemporary elements. Influencer economy, the popularity of online streaming and VTubers, manipulation of public opinion, random rumors causing online violence, workplace discrimination are all not uncommon topics in the real world in recent years. In Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name’s Sotenbori, a young man relies entirely on “ChatDDT” for dating advice; in this game’s Ijincho where the homeless are sheltered, there are also ordinary people who have been laid off and fallen to the streets because their years of work skills have been replaced by robots. In Hawaii, topics about police and judicial corruption make it easy to think of events that have occurred in the United States in reality.

(The following parts contain mild spoilers for this game)

The game begins in Yokohama’s Isezaki Ijincho, where the protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, becomes a Hello Work employee helping former yakuza members reintegrate into society amid the Great Dissolution, while Namba, Adachi, and Saeko have all started their own businesses. However, this peace turns to naught after an online livestream, and the “five-year antisocial force” rule becomes a shackle preventing many from returning to normal life, nearly turning them into sacrifices for an international conspiracy. These plots inevitably reflect the harshness of real-life “lifelines” where societal expectations set a standard route for everyone, and deviating slightly could lead to inescapable fates. The game doesn’t express opinions on these issues but encourages players to reflect through the characters’ perspectives.

The game also discusses the topic of nuclear waste, an issue of real-world controversy over nuclear energy safety and Fukushima’s radioactive water discharge. While not directly addressing real-life topics, the story of Kazuma Kiryu getting cancer because of it and the protagonist’s group stopping the sea shipment of nuclear waste both tell us ordinary people who have enjoyed the benefits brought by nuclear power plants that we have a duty to pay attention to and oversee the risks brought by nuclear energy.

The warmth of familial love in the game is touching, from Ichiban’s search for his birth mother to Chitose’s conflict and reconciliation with her family, and Wong Tou’s tragedy. Hearing Ichiban say “Thank you for giving birth to me” to Ms. Akane by the sea in Chapter 11 brought tears to my eyes.

Characters

Ichiban Kasuga continues to maintain the standard hero setting, considering others in everything he does, acting impulsively, trusting others too much, and handling romantic relationships in ways typical of many JRPG protagonists. In this work, Ichiban’s way of handling things lays the groundwork for major losses in the middle of the story, but on the other hand, it’s also the reason why Tomizawa and Chitose can join the team.

It’s regrettable that I haven’t experienced the six installments from Yakuza 1 to 6. My impression of Kazuma Kiryu is the tough guy with a strong sense of justice in Yakuza 0 and the behind-the-scenes hero living under an assumed name in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. In this game, Kiryu has a lot more human touch, learning to reconcile with himself and face his past in the experience of facing the threat of death, and learning to rely on his companions. This change may remind one of Rean from the Trails series.

The solid friendship between Namba, Adachi, and Ichiban established in Yakuza: Like a Dragon is further solidified in this game. In Namba’s Drink Link, when Namba discovers that his loss of job is not because of being implicated by the rumors about Ichiban, the player also breathes a sigh of relief.

The Yakuza series has many characters who suffered injustices, each with a story of downfall because of it, and the taxi driver Tomizawa is no exception. However, what’s rare is the courage to let go of the past after restarting in life and to bless the people you once knew.

Chitose always felt familiar to me, and I realized she was voiced by Anju Inami, who played Chika Takami in LoveLive! Sunshine!!. The character design also somewhat resembles Anju’s persona. Chitose is a charming and complex character. As a player, on one hand, I trust this companion like Ichiban does, but on the other hand, I’m also a bit worried that something will happen because of her (which does come true).

Saeko appears less in this game but leaves a strong impression with her date and rejection of Ichiban’s confession. However, in the conversation with Kiryu, you can actually feel that Saeko, like Ichiban, has a hard time facing her own heart.

Seonhee, Tianyou Zhao and Joongi Han, who led Yokohama’s underground world in the previous game, become playable characters in this work and provide considerable combat power to the protagonist’s team. Thinking of the Geomijul in the previous game still makes me shudder, but Seonhee’s job skills and status effects also make me chuckle.

The villains in this game, whether driven by misplaced hatred or just pure evil, nearly succeed in their conspiracy, which is inseparable from the support of the Japanese and American state apparatus and even the public, making one sigh with emotion. The English title “Infinite Wealth” is interpreted by the villains as the endless wealth generated by this conspiracy, but the lives of the protagonists and the story of their battle also give this title a more important explanation.

Conclusion

In an era dominated by free-to-play games, during the turbulent start of 2024 in the global gaming industry, it feels fortunate to experience an excellent single-player game like Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - in fact, the first two months of 2024 also had works that made people feel “it’s great to be alive” like Persona 3 Reload, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, as well as the exciting announcement of Pokémon Legends Z-A.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth addresses real-world issues, bringing to light the difficult-to-ignore yet unspeakable aspects of our world. The game uses Dragon Quest-style idealism to solve immediate problems but also highlights that the other side of this world, such as online rumors and violence, the “five-year antisocial force” rule, nuclear waste and pollution, cannot be resolved by politicians or individual heroes alone. Perhaps the most important artistic value of games is to inspire thought and try to create the possibility of a better real world.