Summary
More details are starting to surface about Ryu Ga Gotoku’s fascinating latest project,Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The upcoming title seems to consolidate a growing trend of spin-offs that are set between the franchise’s more expansive mainline releases, with these spin-offs currently putting the spotlight on the IP’s legacy characters like Kazuma Kiryu and now Goro Majima.
The announcement ofLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiicame as a shock to many fans, with the title placing Majima back into his first protagonist role since 2015’sYakuza 0. In typicalLike a Dragonfashion, this role comes in the form of Majima washing up on the shores of Hawaii with serious memory loss, quickly becoming the captain of a pirate ship, and being embroiled in a feud with the island’s criminal underworld. A more recent deep-dive into the title’s game mechanics shed a fascinating light on how its pirate naval combat and exploration will look in-game, andPirate Yakuzaseems to have all the flair and gameplay opportunities that madeAssassin’s Creed IV: Black Flagstand out so much back in 2013.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Seems Like a Love Letter to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
The themes, iconography, and stories that can be told within the context of historic piracy have given way to some of the most popular media of all time, with iconic books, films, and games being based around this setting over the years. In terms of video games based around piracy, however, not manyprojects stand out quite as much as 2013’sAssassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Black Flagcaptivated players with its gritty and exciting portrayal of the pirate lifestyle of the 1700s, with fansstepping into the shoes of Edward Kenway as the captain of their own ship. TheACtitle possessed a comprehensive ship customization and improvement mechanic, as well as naval exploration and heart-thumping ship-to-ship combat. The variety of naval weaponry and tactics, such as boarding opponents' vessels, madeBlack Flagfeel like the ultimate pirate experience, while also featuring a lot of land exploration and mystery to further flesh out the game.
Players have been wanting a similar gaming experience ever since, and many projects have tried to recreate this to varying levels of success. The most infamous title to attempt this is Ubisoft’s recently released game,Skull and Bones, which went through a very difficult and unsteady development process that lasted over a decade.Skull and Boneswas in every way supposed to be a spiritual successor toBlack Flag, but ended up disappointing fans with the absence of much-needed features like land-based combat and 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 morestylized and wacky premises, such asSea of Thieves, the upcomingLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiseems to be theBlack Flag-rivaling experience that fans have been waiting so long for. A recent trailer delved more into the ship mechanics of the upcoming game, showing the same kinds of ship customization and combat that fans fell in love with in 2013.
Tactics surrounding canons and full ship boarding mechanics were also showcased forPirate Yakuza, with the game even featuring its own naval combat coliseum for the ultimate test of piracy. As an open-world game,Pirate Yakzuaalso possesses an extensive amount of land combat and exploration around Hawaii’s tropical shores, giving it a huge boost over the likes ofSkull and Bonesin terms of recapturing the magic that madeBlack Flagtick so well.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s February release is coming up fast, and the game is shaping up to provide a fantastic pirate experience despite its wacky modern-day setting.
