Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, slated for launch on February 28 is an action-adventure recreation that stars Goro Majima as the only protagonist for the primary time. After dropping his reminiscence and being stranded on Wealthy Island close to Hawaii, Majima takes on the function of a pirate and units out on a grand oceanic journey. Just lately showcased on the Tokyo Recreation Present 2024, I had the chance to get hands-on with this extremely anticipated title, and right here’s my impression of the gameplay expertise.
Pirate’s life
On this hands-on preview, gamers management Majima as he embarks on an journey in Hawaii, partaking in battles and actions. Firstly of the sport, Majima is proven touring by ship along with his crew, together with Jason, his son Noah, and Masaru, a chef and bodyguard. Their purpose is to achieve the key legal island of Madlantis, however they make a cease in Honolulu to arrange.
Mad Canine and Sea Canine fashion
As Majima and Noah stroll alongside the seaside, the battle tutorial begins. Not like the RPG live-command system of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, this title returns to Majima’s action-packed, brawling roots, final seen in Yakuza Kiwami 2. Gamers can swap between two battle kinds, Mad Canine and Sea Canine, with the latter involving a change into pirate-themed apparel with a very completely different transfer set.
Within the Mad Canine fashion, Majima primarily makes use of his fists and a dagger for fight. In comparison with Kazuma Kiryu, Majima’s actions are noticeably faster, with agile footwork and fast assaults. A standout characteristic of this fashion is the flexibility to leap, permitting Majima to carry out air combos. Gamers can benefit from the satisfaction of launching enemies into the air and persevering with their assaults mid-air. The prolonged airtime makes it simple to execute aerial combos for these unfamiliar with motion video games.
Moreover, as time passes or when Warmth Actions are activated, the Insanity Gauge within the high left nook of the display fills up, permitting Majima to create doppelgangers. 4 shadowy duplicates of Majima seem and start attacking close by enemies. It’s exhilarating to see Majima on the middle, spinning like a high along with his clones and knocking enemies round.
The Sea Canine fashion focuses on assaults utilizing pirate-themed weapons, particularly the cutlass, a curved, single-edged sword pirates carry round in movies. Majima can dual-wield cutlasses to slash enemies and even throw them like boomerangs. The Cost Gun will increase in energy the longer the button is held, and there’s additionally the choice to make use of a Chain Hook. This enables Majima to both assault from a distance or rapidly shut the hole with enemies, providing versatile fight methods relying on the scenario.
In fight, you may seamlessly swap between the 2 battle kinds at any time. Even gamers who aren’t comfy with motion video games can get pleasure from flashy, dynamic strikes by mixing and matching these kinds. The Sea Canine fashion specifically, with its use of pirate-themed instruments and distinctive actions, is certain to turn out to be addictive. Just like Kiryu’s gadget-based Agent fashion from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Identify, Majima’s Pirate fashion affords a tough strategy to battle.
Mess around in Honolulu
After finishing the battle tutorial, I used to be in a position to discover and revel in numerous actions in Honolulu freely. I acquired to check out fashionable options like Karaoke and Boutique, together with the explosive race Dragon Kart and the stunt-based supply recreation, Loopy Supply. Although these actions are acquainted to gamers, experiencing them as Majima as an alternative of Ichiban Kasuga introduced a contemporary twist to the gameplay.
Mobs of Madlantis
After enjoying for some time, you may discuss to Jason, and eventually set foot on the island of Madlantis. It’s a desolate place referred to as a ship graveyard, the place legal organizations coexist collectively. The island exudes an environment of decay, and also you’ll steadily get into fights with rowdy people. Moreover, there are playing spots to get pleasure from video games like poker.
As you collect data from the roughnecks and head in the direction of the bar the place a rival pirate known as Keith resides, a battle ensues. Surrounded by a horde of henchmen, Majima’s fight abilities really shine. Utilizing the Mad Canine fashion, you may confuse enemies with swift, acrobatic strikes whereas wielding your dagger. However, the Sea Canine fashion lets you unleash wide-range assaults with twin swords. The one-on-one battle with Keith affords thrilling motion, as you dodge, guard, and strike at opportune moments.
Whereas the thought of Majima changing into a pirate might sound far-fetched, the gameplay proves to be a strong action-adventure expertise. Majima’s attribute Mad Canine persona shines by, displaying that even with reminiscence loss, he can’t assist however benefit from the thrill of battle. There’s a lot to look ahead to when Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on February 28 on PS5.
