How to increase Bond in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

What are friends for?

Characters in Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth stood together facing the camera.
Image via Sega

What’s the point of a vacation if you don’t make fond memories along the way? In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, growing closer to your party members is just as important as the journey itself. As you turn strangers into lifelong friends, you and your party will benefit in tangible ways as a result—but actually making those vital connections can be difficult.

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Although the Bond system may seem impenetrable on the surface, you’ll be best friends with your party members in no time if you know what to look for.

How to bond with your party members in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

A bond conversation marker in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Keep an eye out for these icons and your party members will love you in no time. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Just like in the last game, you can bond with your party members simply by battling with them. Infinite Wealth has iterated on the Bond system by adding party conversations around the game’s three playable areas for the sole purpose of building Bonds and even learning new tidbits about your party’s hobbies, proclivities, favorite foods, and more.

These conversations are marked on the map with pink speech bubbles and are spread densely over Honolulu, Yokohama, and Kamurocho. Once you find one, all you need to do is hit the indicated prompt and sit back as the conversation plays out. The best part is that as you keep accumulating party members, new bond conversation opportunities will keep opening up around the world.

While conversations like these are the most reliable and abundant way to increase your bond with your companions, eating at restaurants, singing karaoke, and playing minigames with your entourage in tow will also accomplish this, albeit slower.

Zhao ready for a Drink Link in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Seems like someone wants to talk. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Taking the time to bond with your party is absolutely worth it, however. After every 10 Bond levels, party members will start offering side stories at the local hangout—Survive in Yokohama for Kiryu’s party (Nanba, Zhao, Seonhee, Saeko) and Revolve in Honolulu for Ichiban’s party (Tomizawa, Chitose, Adachi, Joongi). Completing these side stories, known as Drink Links, will both enhance your player character’s personality stats and make your party members far stronger in combat, so don’t ignore them when they want to open up to you!

Bonding will also open up Skill Inheritance slots, allowing party members to use skills from other jobs that aren’t currently equipped. This is a great way to make sure every party member is well-rounded and cover for their weaknesses, making Bond doubly important. How can you put your life in the hands of someone you don’t trust, after all?

Not to mention, of course, that you’ll need to max out your Bond with every party member to collect every achievement. Better get chatting!

Author
Image of Grant St. Clair
Grant St. Clair
Grant St. Clair has been gaming almost as long as he's been writing. Writing about games, however, is still quite new to him. He does hope you'll stick around to hear about his many, many opinions- wait, where are you going?