Money Making: Early Game
Welcome to Isezaki Ijincho, where money doesn't grow on trees, but it certainly can be found if you know where to look! In the early chapters of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, funds will be tight, making strategic money-making crucial for upgrading equipment, buying healing items, and generally making Ichiban's life a little easier. This section will guide you through the most effective ways to pad your wallet before the bigger opportunities open up.
Scavenging and Selling
Your primary source of early-game income will come from diligently exploring and selling found items. Think of it as urban foraging!
- Vending Machine Scrapping: Keep an eye out for broken vending machines. Interacting with them often yields valuable items like Empty Cans, Plastic Bottles, and occasionally more useful gear. These can be sold at any pawn shop or general store.
- Street Drops: After every street brawl, remember to pick up all the items dropped by defeated enemies. These often include low-tier gear, consumables, and crafting materials that can be sold for a small profit. Don't underestimate how quickly these small amounts add up.
- Container Hunting: Look for sparkling spots on the ground, in alleys, and behind buildings. These indicate hidden items. Also, keep an eye out for open cardboard boxes, trash cans, and other containers. They frequently contain useful items or junk that can be pawned off.
- Safe Cracking: As you progress, you'll encounter safes. While some require specific keys, many early ones can be opened with a Safe Key, which can be found or purchased. Safes often contain valuable equipment or significant sums of Yen. Prioritize opening any safe you come across.
Part-Time Hero Quests
Once the Part-Time Hero service becomes available, make it a priority to complete as many quests as possible. These are excellent for both money and experience.
- Rescue Quests: These involve defeating specific groups of enemies marked on your map. They offer a decent payout for a relatively short combat encounter.
- Item Delivery/Collection Quests: Often requiring you to find and deliver a certain number of common items (e.g., Mineral Water, Bento Boxes), these are easy money if you already have the items or know where to buy them cheaply.
- Lost Cat/Dog Quests: Finding lost pets not only grants a reward but also boosts Ichiban's personality stats. The monetary reward is usually respectable for the effort.
Combat and Encounters
While not the most efficient early on, engaging in street fights is a consistent way to earn a little cash and gain valuable experience.
- Target Weaker Foes: Early in the game, focus on groups of enemies that are easily defeated to minimize healing item consumption. The small Yen drops from each fight add up.
- "Wanted" Enemies: Keep an eye out for enemies with a red aura or "Wanted" icon above their heads. These are tougher but drop more valuable items and significantly more Yen upon defeat. Approach with caution but prioritize them when you feel confident.
Early Investment: Can Collecting
Once unlocked, the Can Collecting mini-game is an incredibly reliable and repeatable source of early-game income. It's a bit of a grind, but highly effective.
- Location: The Can Collecting mini-game is located in the northern part of Isezaki Ijincho, near the river.
- Strategy: The goal is to collect as many cans as possible within a time limit while avoiding other collectors. Focus on routes that have dense clusters of cans and utilize your dash effectively.
- Rewards: You earn points based on the number of cans collected, which can then be exchanged for Yen and valuable items. Even a mediocre run can net you a few thousand Yen, and skilled You can earn significantly more. This is arguably the best early-game money-making method once available.
By combining these methods, you'll quickly build up a comfortable reserve of Yen, allowing you to purchase better gear, stock up on healing items, and generally enjoy your time in Isezaki Ijincho without constantly worrying about your finances.