As the Yakuza series looks towards a new frontier with the upcoming Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, fresh details continue to come out from SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio about Goro Majima’s next adventure. This time, we are getting the lowdown on naval combat, as well as the two combat styles, Mad Dog and Sea Dog.
Naval Combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Life as a pirate is meant to be freeing, and players can explore the seas, islands, and visiting exciting sights. Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy, as many enemies are waiting to sink you out there.
- When fighting enemies at sea, it’s either sink or be sunk. Players will captain their ship, the Goro Maru, away from incoming fire and bombard enemies with cannon volleys before boarding the opposing ship to take down the rival captain and crew in an all-out deck brawl.
- Players will need to modify their ship and strategically deploy the crew to become more effective. Rearrange your ship’s appearance and design to your liking, then reinforce the armour and deck out your armaments.
- Players must rely on Majima’s abilities and different crewmates’ skills in deck battles to claim victory. Each crewmate brings different traits to the table – some focus more on offence, while others are tailored to healing.
- The Pirates’ Coliseum in Madlantis is a battle arena like no other, with various challenges: from one-on-one matches to chaotic free-for-alls against nine other crews. All sorts of destructive discoveries await Majima and his trusty crew.
Battle Styles
As for the familiar melee combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Majima can switch between the styles of Mad Dog and Sea Dog to suit the situation at hand.
Mad Dog
When battling in the Mad Dog style, players can freely combine fists and kicks with knife strokes to perform a variety of lightning-quick blows and aerial combos to defeat enemies in style. Players can fill up their Madness Gauge by dishing out damage and summon a group of shadowy doppelgangers to multiply Majima’s destructive force.
Sea Dog
With the Sea Dog style, players can dual-wield cutlasses to combine exhilarating slash combos with pirate gear, building up to brutal finishing moves. In addition, you can depend on three sidearms to unleash this combat style’s full potential. The cutlass boomerang enables Majima to unleash a wide range of damage, the charged pistol provides explosive blowback punishment, and the chain hook lets players propel themselves toward enemies at immense speed to deal decisive blows.
Dark Instruments
By advancing the story, players can use the Madness Gauge to summon four types of dark deities using treasures known as Dark Instruments. These Dark Instruments are definitely going to spice things up in all sorts of ways.
Plundered from the ships of defeated rival pirate crew, the Dark Instruments call upon cursed creatures that strike terror into the hearts of Majima’s enemies. Playing the violin summons hungry man-eating sharks to the battlefield to tear up threats with their teeth, while the guitar calls upon a massive ape that unleashes immense uppercuts upon enemies. Playing the saxophone conjures an avian ally who whips up torturous tornadoes and, blowing into the ocarina beckons terrifying jellyfish from the briny deep with shocking effect.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on February 28, 2025.
