Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii Review – A Rare Treasure, Though Occasionally Lost At Sea

Fans have been ready for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for a very long time, with pleasure excessive because it options perennial Yakuza facet character Goro Majima in his first-ever starring position. Majima has all the time been a fan favourite – his wild card character and ridiculous antics add a touch of Looney Tunes to the sequence’ typically grim and gritty crime drama. He’s all the time deserved his personal sport, and, whereas nobody may’ve anticipated it to occur this fashion, it is definitely a welcome shock.

That’s as a result of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii additionally peppers in one other standard style: the ever-standard pirate sport. It begins when Majima washes up on the shores of a distant Polynesian island, having misplaced all reminiscence of his Yakuza previous. In brief order, he defeats a pirate captain, commandeers his ship, and gathers a crew, who then got down to discover the misplaced treasure of the Esperanza, a Spanish vessel that disappeared centuries prior. Thoroughly enjoyable and unflinchingly self-indulgent, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a ridiculously enjoyable sport that sometimes will get misplaced in a sea of its personal absurdity.

Real-Time Combat Makes A Triumphant Return

With Two Different Fighting Styles

As a lot as I’ve loved Like A Dragon‘s transition to turn-based combat, I generally miss good outdated-common brawler-model Yakuza. Thankfully, Pirate Yakuza delivers all that and extra, because the sequence makes a (short-term) return to actual-time fight in all its button-mashing glory. Majima has two completely different preventing types – the aerial-targeted Mad Dog and the swashbuckling Sea Dog. You be taught a number of new skills for each as you progress by way of the story, and you’ll spend your laborious-earned money on leveling up Majima’s stats.

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Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii Preview: Ridiculously Fun

Screen Rant attended a arms-on preview for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, with the mix of bombastic fight and naval battles is a blast.

It’s not the best Yakuza fight has ever been, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly close to the highest. The number of Heat Actions accessible is a bit of missing in comparison with issues like Yakuza 0. Most of the time, you may merely spam your favourite combo till the struggle is over, which is not terribly thrilling, however does make all these random encounters go by extra rapidly. Its tougher battles lean extra on the problem of figuring out which preventing model is greatest towards every explicit enemy, then staying alive till you cost up your final assault meter.

Simple, Yet Effective Naval Combat

Now, for the second you have all been ready for: Pirate Yakuza‘s tackle excessive-seas battle. It’s a quite simple system, nevertheless it’s satisfying when every part goes proper: you will have chase cannons and two units of broadsides, and you will spend most of your time both drifting out of the way in which of enemy fireplace, or maneuvering your self to get in a shot of your personal. The problem comes out of your restricted assets – you will have a finite quantity of restore supplies and gasoline, which you must drift. Ultimately, it is a sport of endurance over ability, particularly within the later chapters.

Most of the random encounters at sea, like those on land, are a bit of too straightforward. However, the Pirate Coliseum mini-sport, which helps you to tackle highly effective pirate crews in a large enviornment, amps up the problem considerably. In each the Coliseum and sure story battles, you will face what are referred to as “boss ships” – these usually are not solely a lot larger and far stronger than your run-of-the-mill sloop, however additionally they add an additional mechanic: boarding. Once you harm them sufficient, Majima will soar aboard, and the 2 crews will face off in huge, chaotic battles to the final man standing.

Where the naval fight actually will get fascinating, although, is within the administration facet. This is one thing Yakuza has all the time excelled at, from its cabaret membership mini-video games to Majima Construction. You should recruit your personal crew as you journey all through the world: a few of them will solely be part of after you beat them in a one-on-one, others as a reward for finishing substories, nonetheless others based mostly in your pirate rank, mini-sport prowess, or a enough bribe. You determine the place to assign them on the ship, and that determines how their stats develop as they stage up.

A Not-So-Open World

The one piece of its pirate gameplay I did not love, although, is Pirate Yakuza‘s method to exploration. For one factor, its map is split up into a number of smaller areas, which you’ll solely transfer between utilizing quick journey. As a outcome, it generally feels much less such as you’re exploring an open world, and extra such as you’re following a set path with detours. Yakuza has all the time prioritized detailed, condensed maps over huge, empty worlds, which is often to its profit. However, I want it had taken a distinct method right here.

When I believe again to the pirate video games I’ve loved earlier than (Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, Sea of Thieves) what I really like most about them is the sense of surprise that comes from free exploration and discovery. Unfortunately, Pirate Yakuza fails to evoke that feeling. Yes, you may drop anchor at numerous islands across the map and seek for plunder, however these treasure hunts take the type of structured raids towards enemy hordes. You land, you struggle, you beat the boss, and also you get the treasure, easy as that. There’s no intrigue or thriller to it, not even an X-marks-the-spot.

An Infinite Wealth Of Side Content

Every Mini-Game You Could Imagine, And Then Some

Like A Dragon has all the time been synonymous with mini-video games, however particularly for a by-product, Pirate Yakuza has a very staggering quantity of facet content material. There are your classics, like darts, karaoke, and the batting cage (which will get a pleasant piratey twist), but additionally newer additions like Crazy Delivery and Dragon Kart. There are even a number of new ones, just like the underwater arcade shooter Ocean Hunter. (No Dondoko Island, although.) I used to be particularly impressed by the inclusion of a completely useful Sega Master System, which you should buy video games for at numerous distributors all through the world. (Editor’s observe: it is a returning characteristic from Gaiden).

Mini-games are often only a distraction from a sport’s predominant story, however in Pirate Yakuza, they’re surprisingly rewarding. Besides the power to recruit new pirates by successful at pool or darts, a lot of them earn Majima factors that he can then spend at a mini-sport particular store, which provides every part from MP3 tracks to new crew members. Completing nearly any problem additionally contributes factors in direction of your pirate rank, which unlocks new Coliseum battles, crew members, and extra.

Pirate Yakuza’s Story Needed A Compass

A Lack Of Direction

I wasn’t precisely anticipating down-to-earth drama from Pirate Yakuza‘s story. I knew it would be loads shorter and much more gentle-hearted than the everyday mainline Yakuza sport, and to its personal profit, that is precisely what it was. Unfortunately, Pirate Yakuza‘s plot was a bit of missing in course. The predominant situation is that Majima is rarely arrange for fulfillment as a protagonist, with a restricted character arc that deflates his personal private battle pretty early into the sport. I’ll stay imprecise on the main points to keep away from spoilers, although it does neatly choose up where Infinite Wealth left off.

From there, the story shifts focus to the principle members of Majima’s crew: the overprotective father Jason, and his journey-loving baby Noah. Jason hopes to seek out the Esperanza treasure, not only for the riches, however for an elixir that he believes will treatment Noah’s mysterious sickness. Majima is an enthusiastic participant of their search, however generally, it feels just like the crew are the true protagonists, whereas he is simply steering the ship.

That mentioned, the crew is filled with properly-rounded characters with desires, flaws, backgrounds, and personalities. Ultimately, they’re simply not who we got here right here to see. But nonetheless, the story picks up a bit as soon as it focuses on them, as they race and a rotating rogue’s gallery of villains to seek out the treasure. And the sport does come to a reasonably satisfying ending, although the story drags a bit within the remaining two chapters.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

ScreenRant Gives Pirate Yakuza A 7/10

Pirate Yakuza may’ve dealt with its story and exploration higher, positive, nevertheless it has it the place it counts. I do not suppose anybody, Like A Dragon fan or not, anticipated rather more from it than a enjoyable romp throughout the waves, interspersed with some hand-to-hand fight and myriad mini-video games. In that regard, it delivers. Its core mechanics are properly-developed, and, with the common introduction of latest options and challenges, they by no means get outdated. Its facet content material is endlessly entertaining, and by no means ceases to shock.

It might not match the ambition of Like A Dragon, the polish of Yakuza 0, or the emotional heights of Yakuza 6, nevertheless it’s not a throwaway spinoff, both. It brings its personal sensible twists to the franchise components, and even when it does not execute all of them completely, it succeeds as a rule. Suffice it to say that Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii can stand by itself sea legs.

Reviewed On PS5.

Goro Majima takes heart stage on this pirate-themed spin-off, discovering himself stranded on a Hawaiian island with no reminiscence. Now main a ragtag crew of pirates, Majima embarks on a chaotic journey to uncover misplaced treasures and regain his id. Combining Yakuza-style fight with naval exploration, this journey guarantees wild, swashbuckling motion.

Pros & Cons

• Excellent actual-time brawler fight.
• A staggering quantity of facet content material.
• Silly, self-indulgent humorousness by no means fails to thrill.
• Unique method to strategic naval fight.

• Story lacks course; Majima typically seems like a facet character.
• Exploration is simply too structured to evoke a way of surprise.