More details are starting to emerge about Ryu Ga Gotoku's fascinating latest project, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The upcoming title looks to solidify a growing trend of spin-offs that sit between the more expansive mainline releases of the franchise, with these spin-offs currently putting the spotlight on the IP's legacy characters like Kazuma Kiryu and now Goro Majima.
The announcement of Like a Dragon: Yakuza Pirate in Hawaii was a shock to many fans, with the title returning Majima to his first starring role since 2015. Yakuza 0. Typically Like a dragon fashion, this role comes in the form of Majima landing on the shores of Hawaii with severe memory loss, quickly becoming the captain of a pirate ship and becoming embroiled in a feud with the island's criminal underworld. A recent deep dive into the title's gameplay mechanics shed some fascinating light on what pirate combat and naval exploration will look like in the game, and Pirate Yakuza seems to have all the charm and gaming opportunities that made it Assassin's Creed: Black Flag stand out so much in 2013.
Related
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii would be the perfect time to bring back a fan favorite
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii would benefit from bringing back a feature not seen since Yakuza Kiwami.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii feels like a love letter to Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
The themes, iconography and stories that can be told in the context of historical piracy have given way to some of the most popular media of all time, with iconic books, films and games based on this setting over the years. In terms of piracy-based video games, however, not many projects stand out as much as 2013's Assassin's Creed: Black Flag.
Black Flag captivated players with its gritty and emotional portrayal of the pirate lifestyle of the 1700s, with fans stepping into the shoes of Edward Kenway as the captain of their own ship. THE B.C the title featured full ship customization and enhancement mechanics, as well as thrilling naval exploration and ship-to-ship combat. The variety of weapons and naval tactics, such as boarding opposing ships, made it possible Black Flag it feels like the ultimate pirate experience, but it also features plenty of land exploration and mystery to further enrich the game.
Players have been craving a similar gaming experience ever since, and many projects have attempted to recreate it with varying levels of success. The most infamous title that attempts this is Ubisoft's recently released game, Skull and boneswhich went through a very difficult and unstable development process that lasted over a decade. Skull and bones in any case he had to be his spiritual successor Black Flagbut ended up disappointing fans with the absence of much-needed features like combat and land exploration.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii covers most of the gameplay bases that made Black Flag so fun
While other titles have found pirate success with more stylized and whimsical premises, such as The Sea of Thievesthe imminent Like a Dragon: Yakuza Pirate in Hawaii appears to be the Black Flag-a rival experience that fans have been waiting for for so long. A recent trailer delved into more of the upcoming game's naval mechanics, showcasing the same types of ship customization and combat that fans fell in love with in 2013.
Canon related tactics and full ship boarding mechanics were also shown Pirate Yakuzaand the game even features its own naval combat coliseum for the ultimate test of piracy. Being an open world game, Pirate Yakzua it also has a wide range of land combat and exploration around the tropical coasts of Hawaii, giving it a huge advantage over the likes of Skull and bones in terms of recapturing the magic he created Black Flag It turns out so well. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawa iiThe February release is quickly approaching, and the game is shaping up to deliver a great pirate experience despite its quirky modern setting.