In a unique twist, the video game title “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” implies that the subtitle deserves its own sentence. Simply put, it’s “Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii”. This game marks a shift for RGG Studio, as they’ve never been so openly embracing and boastful of the comedic elements that the series has always offered. With over 10 installments balancing seriousness and absurdity, this latest release seems to be fully committing to the latter for an unapologetic spin-off tale. The fact that Goro Majima is now commanding a pirate ship says it all!
Remarkably quickly, only a year following Infinite Wealth, the Japanese team has managed to create a project that feels innovative and thrilling. While there are undeniable links between this new release and last year’s edition, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii successfully establishes its unique identity.
This past week, we invested two hours into the latest installment, delving into its offerings from the beginning of chapter two. The iconic city of Honolulu makes a reappearance, but our main focus was on the novel aspects: a collection of islands to explore, scattered across the ocean, and larger locales such as Madlantis. Post the events of Infinite Wealth, the beloved character Majima finds himself with amnesia on one of these tropical shores. He forms bonds with a young boy named Noah and his father, embarking on a maritime journey to regain his memories. Incredibly, this wild tale falls within the established continuity.
Right from the start, Majima is already in his pirate outfit, with two swords at his waist. As the title suggests, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii follows the action just as you’d expect, but it adds a touch of excitement with its pirate-themed elements. Instead of the usual turn-based battles, this game adopts the traditional action combat system from the series. Majima introduces two unique fighting styles: Mad Dog and Sea Dog, which bring something fresh to the table.
As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but be thrilled by the Sea Dog fighting style! It truly embodies Majima’s pirate persona, drawing inspiration from Devil May Cry’s flair. This style is the epitome of speed and spectacle, a high-octane addition to the series. With his pirate arsenal – cutlasses, pistol, boomerang, and chain hook – Majima swiftly maneuvers through battles, effortlessly slicing, dicing, and even launching enemies into the air for impressive combos.
In the heat of these pirate skirmishes, a Madness meter fills beneath my health bar. Once filled, it grants me the power to unleash an epic team-up attack! It’s an experience that’s nothing short of exhilarating!
Using the Sea Dog technique, you can summon powerful creatures to aid you in battles: sharks, monkeys, parrots, and jellyfish. They are particularly useful against large groups and boss fights, providing an entertaining upgrade to the combat system that existed prior to Ichiban Kasuga’s arrival.
In the game, Mad Dog’s combat approach relies on a similar Madness gauge but offers distinct attack styles. On the other hand, Goro Majima can generate several copies of himself for a brief period, all capable of assisting in battles with the same types of moves you employ. The fighting style of Mad Dog seems to be rooted in his traditional character traits and is often seen with him wielding his signature dagger. However, the origin of these abilities remains unexplained according to series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto.
In the realm of Like a Dragon, land fights are its mainstay, so it’s indeed flattering to compare the pirate ship battles to that level of intensity. The control over your vessel is effortlessly intuitive – maneuvering the ship with your left thumbstick, boosting speed using the Triangle button, and having a machine gun at the forefront for direct attacks, while cannons on both sides are also accessible. Despite its simplicity, it seems intentional, as it’s less complex than games like Skull and Bones or Sea of Thieves. Even without the game’s tutorial during the preview event, mastering ship control and firing cannons felt instinctive after only a few minutes.
Following the characteristic style of Like a Dragon games, there’s an abundance of maintenance, enhancements, and personalisation linked to the mechanics. Crew members can be assigned to operate specific weapons and fulfill certain roles during attacks based on their attributes, gaining levels after a successful enemy ship sinking. Better weaponry can be found, purchased, and installed, while cosmetic customization offers various designs and colors for your vessel. It’s much like when RGG Studio is commended for developing a game-within-a-game in something like Dondoko Island and is told it could easily be sold separately on the PlayStation Store. With its robust ship mechanics, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii essentially brings that concept to life. You can even search for treasure and pillage deserted islands between such battles, truly embodying the everyday pirate lifestyle.
In terms more easily understood, Honolulu city has made a return with fresh updates in familiar surroundings. Alongside zany side quests, Dragon Kart is back on the Like a Dragon streets for both quick races and a full Grand Prix spanning various tracks that offer both coastal breezes and bustling urban landscapes of this popular vacation spot. A new element added to the map is Animal Rescue, where you’ll encounter animals throughout the play area that can be collected for your Animal Kingdom either by buying them or completing quests. During our preview session, we purchased a friendly cow, but couldn’t figure out its whereabouts after or if there were more aspects to this feature due to time constraints.
In the same vein as The Man Who Erased His Name bridging the mainline games, Goro Majima’s latest adventure doesn’t offer another 70+ hour RPG experience like any other. But fear not, for RGG Studio is renowned for delivering a lasting quality in an extraordinary manner. And they’ve perfectly encapsulated that essence with just four captivating words: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
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2025-01-16 20:36