The Like a Dragon collection 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 shall be diving into high-sea shenanigans and attempting to assist the anti-hero get again on his ft once more after dropping his reminiscence.
Whereas the small print of that narrative shall be one thing that may take the highlight when the sport is out within the wild, the time I had with the sport at Tokyo Sport Present was all about displaying off the assorted actions and areas that may doubtless suck up all of your time as soon as extra.
After getting our arms soiled studying about Majima’s Sea Canine and Mad Canine combating kinds, that are even crazier than earlier than, I had half-hour to do no matter I wished as a brand new pirate captain. That meant belting out a number of tunes in karaoke, shelling out meals with Loopy Supply, or racing Mario Kart-style with Dragon Kart. Utilizing the Segway continues to be hilarious, particularly with the younger Noah having his personal mini model, and the random battles and Most Needed encounters provide you with loads of alternatives to point out off your fight expertise.
It’s classic Like a Dragon, however with a distinctly Majima taste, and that may be a good factor as followers have been clamoring for extra of the character with every new entry. Whereas this will 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 Madlantis, a real pirate playground much like the Fort 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 performed throughout your time right here. Though it wasn’t potential to totally discover what this place has to supply, the teases present loads of promise for Majima on this specific journey, with fight rightfully being the principle attraction.
Gone is the turn-based method of latest instances, and it’s again to the fast-moving combo sequences that typified early Like a Dragon video games. In Mad Canine model, 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 struggle with a flashy spinning assault. But, the brand new Sea Canine model is not any slouch both, letting gamers make the most of cutlasses, weapons, and his new grappling hook to good measure. By timing your combos properly and using Warmth actions, it virtually feels just like the action-heavy fight by no means went away.
That mentioned, it’s not to say that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is reverting again to the basic method. As a substitute, it seems like a pure evolution of the fashionable foundations of the collection by the distinct, colourful lens of Goro Majima. It’s pure chaos and enjoyable, serving as a companion piece somewhat than the principle occasion, however with the crew’s observe document, it’s prone to be a considerable providing that may hold followers wanting extra. It’s time to set sail.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii shall be launched on February 28, 2025, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S, and PC.