Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

i think that's partially because kiryu isn't as good of a party lead as ichiban is. like ichiban can become friends with a boulder if he tried and he feels like the glue that really binds the Hawaii squad together, but kiryu felt more like a follower to the rest of his party rather than a leader. i think that's intentional since kiryu really has no desire or drive to become a leader (even though he regularly becomes one due to circumstances usually beyond his control), nor does he want to rely on others to take care of what he sees as his messes. so taking the party to be an extension of his character I think it works well but I agree it comes across as sort of awkward when the party first assembles on a whim vs how organically ichiban's Hawaii party forms (besides joon-gi who comes out of nowhere because they couldn't find a better time within the narrative to put him in there)

Yeah I agree, Ichiban works way better because they actually developed that character with an rpg party system in mind. And it is interesting how they made Kiyru's leadership position in his party an extension of his overall storyline / character arc. I just wish it was explored further. Instead it just kinda leads to weird party chats and the like.

It is a very satisfaying platinum to do

If you play only yakuza 7, you will get pretty bored with the writing regarding the kiryu parts because you wont feel any attachment to him, you will only be familiar with ichiban. But i recomend playing in chronological order from 0 to infinite wealth, it will make enjoy the whole yakuza universe way more and appreciate what IW has to offer in a broader sense (it is a great series overall). In my opinion playing in chronology is crucial.

If you dont care about plot nor the universe and just want to play for the turn-based combat, then you can start it already, though it will make the experience feel more empty, since the characters and the charm of the writing is integral. At the very least, 7 (Yakuza: Like a Dragon) is required to play before IW.