‘Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’ evaluate: A nautical delight

There may be at present no higher online game sequence to be a fan of than Sega’s Like a Dragon, previously recognized (and nonetheless colloquially recognized to my buddies and I) as Yakuza within the west.

Except for maybe practice simulators on Steam that launch 2,000 expansions per yr, you simply don’t get extra juice from the squeeze with another sequence in gaming proper now. You by no means have to attend greater than a yr or two to play a brand new one, and developer Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio is consistently experimenting with the system in fascinating methods. The most recent experiment, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, shouldn’t be solely one of the vital actually named video video games of all time; it’s additionally a variety of enjoyable.

“Let’s make a pirate game starring the one guy in the series who wears an eyepatch” is such a silly concept that wouldn’t work in another context, however for Yakuza, it’s completely cool. Due to wonderful fight and an even-by-series-standards ridiculous and irreverent tone, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is sort of assured to place a smile in your face for the 20 hours or so it takes to complete it.

This mad canine can swim

Warning: This part incorporates minor spoilers for the early elements of the story

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a recreation a few Japanese Yakuza member who travels to Hawaii and turns into a pirate. The title isn’t some intelligent metaphor, it’s simply what the sport is about. The Yakuza on this case is Goro Majima, who I think about most followers would rank roughly among the many prime three Yakuza characters, however isn’t really a playable protagonist exterior of 2017’s Yakuza 0.

In the remainder of the sequence, Majima is called the “Mad Dog of Shimano,” an unpredictable wild card who loves knives and being shirtless. In Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, he awakes on an island close to Hawaii with amnesia, befriends a younger English-speaking boy named Noah who badly desires to go on nautical adventures, and goes from there. Earlier than lengthy, Majima, Noah, and a ragtag group of lovable, sweaty morons are performing a Disney-style musical quantity in regards to the joys of journey on the deck of an old-school, wood pirate ship. 

None of that’s an exaggeration, and it’s a very good instance of what makes Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii stand out from the (comparatively) self-serious mainline video games. There isn’t a substantial amount of melodrama about actual property disputes or anxiousness in regards to the dying of organized crime in Japan to be discovered right here. Majima breaks the fourth wall inside the first 5 minutes to let you know to not even fear about the truth that all of those individuals converse completely different languages.  For essentially the most half, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a foolish recreation about preventing foolish pirates in foolish locations. 

Madlantis kicks ass.
Credit score: Sega/RGG Studio/Steam

It might probably often be a bit a lot even for a seasoned Yakuza participant like myself, however in case you simply give your self over to what RGG Studio is cooking, you’ll discover lots to love. I’ve an actual fondness for the notion that this sequence, which is understood for painstakingly real looking depictions of up to date Japanese neighborhoods, may accommodate a fictional pirate metropolis known as “Madlantis” full of fellows who’ve wood pirate ships within the yr 2024 for some cause. Additionally, it’s run by All Elite Wrestling’s Samoa Joe, or at the least a man performed by Samoa Joe.

Having stated that, I do assume there’s a little bit of a missed alternative right here. As tedious as tales about amnesia might be, they’ll additionally act as a straightforward springboard for a personality examine because the particular person in query slowly regains their recollections. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gestures at this at instances, however by no means actually commits to it. It’s not till the top of the sport that you simply get any new perception into Majima’s emotional state. That second did hit me as a fan of the sequence, however don’t count on the remainder of the story to try this.

That’s all to say that though Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes place after the final mainline recreation, Infinite Wealth, it isn’t a sequel to that recreation in any significant sense. It will get by purely on vibes, which is okay by me. It doesn’t damage that the soundtrack is stuffed with stone-cold heaters all over the place you pay attention.

Mad Canine and Sea Canine…the duality of man

Mad Canine fashion rocks.
Credit score: Sega/RGG Studio/Steam

After the primary couple of linear and cutscene-heavy hours, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii opens up into a well-known construction for the sequence. You’ll spend a substantial amount of time working round an incredibly real looking depiction of Honolulu (the identical one from Infinite Wealth), preventing thugs, doing facet tales, and recruiting new crew members in your ship, the Goromaru. 

That is no higher or worse than it has been in another Yakuza recreation, other than the notable lack of a enterprise mini-game. I assume these are just for the mainline entries. Anyway, the facet tales are as charming and humorous as ever, all of the crew members you’ll be able to recruit are licensed weirdos and freaks, and you are able to do karaoke. RGG Studio has gotten this a part of each recreation right down to a science.

Majima’s new on-foot fight mechanics are what make all of it work. Similar to 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden, it is a spin-off recreation with motion fight that ought to fulfill individuals who possibly aren’t as into the turn-based fights within the newer mainline entries. Majima has two fight kinds you’ll be able to change between at any time, Mad Canine and Sea Canine. The previous is typical Majima stuff, revolving round punches, kicks, and slashes together with his tantō blade. It’s a ton of enjoyable, however is generally fitted to one-on-one battles.

Sea Canine fashion additionally rocks.
Credit score: Sega/RGG Studio/Steam

For giant teams of idiots (and also you’ll be preventing a lot of idiots bunched collectively in teams), Mad Canine is the flavour of the week. On this fashion, Majima twin wields cutlasses whereas additionally gaining access to an old-school pistol and a grappling hook. He can throw his swords like boomerangs, take out as many as 5 dudes directly with a charged pistol shot, and fly throughout the sector together with his grappling hook.

That is in all probability essentially the most I’ve ever loved motion fight in any Yakuza recreation. Fluid, trendy animations, punchy suggestions, and thrilling digital camera angles on ending strikes make each struggle as enjoyable to observe as they’re to play. Later within the recreation, Majma will get entry to magical musical devices, like an electrical guitar that summons spectral sharks to gobble up everybody on the battlefield. 

Does any of it make sense inside the context of the bigger Yakuza sequence? Hell no. Why are there cursed musical devices scattered across the Pacific Ocean? Extra importantly, who cares? There would possibly ultimately be a time when RGG Studio jumps the shark, but it surely skillfully prevented doing so within the recreation that has literal sharks in it, so I belief that it isn’t coming quickly.

Murderer’s Creed with laser cannons

The ship fight left a little bit to be desired for me.
Credit score: Sega/RGG Studio/Steam

The Goromaru isn’t only a plot gadget, it’s a totally controllable and customizable pirate ship that you simply use to navigate the excessive seas round Hawaii. 

That is, admittedly, the weaker facet of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, but additionally fortunately the half it’s a must to do the least. Ship fight isn’t unhealthy in anyway, however after Murderer’s Creed IV: Black Flag greater than a decade in the past, nautical pirate fight in video games has change into a little bit samey. Fights largely contain getting in place to fireside your highly effective broadside cannons or ramming at full velocity, with not a lot else in the way in which of ways or particular weaponry.

Sometimes, your crew members shall be incapacitated and also you’ll should relinquish the helm to assist them get well, which does add some much-needed stress to sea battles. Nonetheless, I by no means discovered something I needed to do in both the primary story or the secondary pirate sub-story all that tough. 

I do need to commend RGG Studio for letting me put laser cannons on a wood pirate ship, although. That’s fairly neat. I simply want this a part of the sport was a bit deeper or more difficult. Repetitive facet missions the place you go to generic island levels and beat up a couple of waves of unhealthy guys as a way to discover treasure are nearly the one different factor to do out within the ocean. It feels only a tiny bit half-baked.

Is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii price getting?

Anybody who has any affection in anyway for Goro Majima doesn’t want me to advocate this recreation to them. They’ve in all probability already pre-ordered it. 

Nonetheless, I really feel the necessity to reassure you that it’s a enjoyable time on the excessive seas. I want there was only a bit extra interiority given to Majima as a personality, like what RGG Studio has carried out with longtime sequence protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in latest video games, however I’m not going to complain a few pirate motion recreation with a number of extraordinarily honest musical/dance numbers in it. 

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on Feb. 21 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Sequence consoles.