During yesterday’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Direct, the Japanese developer shared a lot of new info on their next game, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which is slated to launch next month. The 13-minute video demonstrated ground combat, but its highlight was certainly naval combat, which fans have commented looks even better than Ubisoft’s naval-only title Skull and Bones.
Regardless of whether you agree or not, naval combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii certainly sounds quite deep. To begin with, players will get to fully customize the Goromaru pirate ship, including hull, armor, sails, and figurehead. The game also lets them hire their crew among a roster of over a hundred sailors, who have their own attributes and can subsequently be improved by deepening the crew’s bonds through song, drink, adventure, and victory. They will then have to be optimally assigned to attack or defense operations.
Of course, a key component of naval combat is installing, upgrading, and firing cannons. This is where the IP’s outlandish nature shines, offering options for energy cannons, laser cannons, and even ‘shark cannons’. Of course, boarding is also available in the game, allowing the crews to come to blows in frenetic melee combat. Before the end of the video, the developers also confirmed that the New Game Plus mode will be added to the game for free after launch.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a spin-off set after the events narrated in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Series mainstay Goro Majima is the lead character. At the start of the story, he washes on Rich Island with no recollection of his previous life.
The game is scheduled to be released on February 21 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X.
