The Like a Dragon sequence has by no means shied away from the ridiculous, even in its early days, however not even probably the most ardent of followers would have anticipated one thing like Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. A spin-off starring Goro Majima that takes place after Infinite Wealth, gamers will likely be diving into high-sea shenanigans and making an attempt to assist the anti-hero get again on his ft once more after dropping his reminiscence.
Whereas the small print of that narrative will likely be one thing that can take the highlight when the sport is out within the wild, the time I had with the sport at Tokyo Recreation Present was all about displaying off the varied actions and areas that can seemingly suck up all of your time as soon as extra.
After getting our palms soiled studying about Majima’s Sea Canine and Mad Canine preventing types, that are even crazier than earlier than, I had half-hour to do no matter I needed as a brand new pirate captain. That meant belting out just a few tunes in karaoke, meting out meals with Loopy Supply, or racing Mario Kart-style with Dragon Kart. Utilizing the Segway remains to be hilarious, particularly with the younger Noah having his personal mini model, and the random battles and Most Needed encounters offer you loads of alternatives to point out off your fight abilities.
It’s classic Like a Dragon, however with a distinctly Majima taste, and that could be a good factor as followers have been clamoring for extra of the character with every new entry. Whereas this might not be a full-fledged mainline journey, it’s nonetheless one thing to treasure and behold, just because Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio continues to be excellent at what they do.
That is apparent when taking a look at Madlantis, a real pirate playground much like the Citadel in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Identify, however with extra emphasis on the piracy theme. With the shiny lights and the actual fact it’s constructed right into a shipwreck, one can already think about the sheer breadth of issues that may be achieved throughout your time right here. Though it wasn’t doable to completely discover what this place has to supply, the teases present loads of promise for Majima on this explicit journey, with fight rightfully being the principle attraction.
Gone is the turn-based system of current occasions, and it’s again to the fast-moving combo sequences that typified early Like a Dragon video games. In Mad Canine type, it’s all the time entertaining to see Majima go to city on his foes and construct up that Insanity Gauge, earlier than summoning his doppelgangers to complete the battle with a flashy spinning assault. But, the brand new Sea Canine type isn’t any slouch both, letting gamers make the most of cutlasses, weapons, and his new grappling hook to good measure. By timing your combos effectively and using Warmth actions, it virtually feels just like the action-heavy fight by no means went away.
That stated, it isn’t to say that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is reverting again to the basic system. As an alternative, it looks like a pure evolution of the trendy foundations of the sequence by the distinct, colourful lens of Goro Majima. It’s pure chaos and enjoyable, serving as a companion piece relatively than the principle occasion, however with the workforce’s monitor report, it’s more likely to be a considerable providing that can maintain followers wanting extra. It’s time to set sail.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will likely be launched on February 28, 2025, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, and PC.