Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – hands-on review

The action-adventure activity LIVE A DEAD: PRIVACY in Hawaii, scheduled for release on February 28, is an action-adventure game where Goro Majima is the sole protagonist for the first time. Majima takes on the role of a villain and goes on a great sea voyage after losing his memory and being stranded on Rich Island in Hawaii. Recently shown at Tokyo Game Show 2024, I had the chance to get hands-on with this long-awaited title, and what is my impression of the gaming experience.

In this hands-on demo, people control Majima as he goes on an experience in Hawaii, fighting wars and actions. At the beginning of the sport, Majima is shown traveling by fleet with his team, including Jason, his brother Noah, and Masaru, a restaurant companion. They stop in Honolulu to prepare, but their goal is to travel to the fictional area of Madlantis.
As Majima and Noah stroll along the shore, the war video begins. Unlike the live-command RPG approach of Like a Dragon: Eternal Wealth, this name returns to Majima’s action-packed, violent roots, last seen in Yakuza Kiwami 2. Players can switch between two war designs, Mad Dog and Pirate, with the latter involving a switch to pirate garb.
Majima generally uses his hands and a knife for combat in the Mad Dog design. Compared to Kazuma Kiryu, Majima’s movements are considerably faster, with lean movements and quick attacks. The ability to climb, which allows Majima to perform aerial cocktails, is a distinguishing quality of this type. People can have the pleasure of launching their attacks in the air and moving forward in the air. For those unfamiliar with action games, the longer airtime makes it easy to perform aerial combos.
Additionally, as time passes or when Heat Actions are activated, the Madness Gauge in the lower left corner of the screen fills up, allowing Majima to create replicas. When activated, four gloomy duplicates of Majima will appear and begin attacking local enemies. Majima spinning around like a ground with his replicas and wandering around is exciting.
The Pirate design focuses on attacks with pirate-themed weapons, specifically the scythe, a twisted, single-bladed weapon that pirates carry in movies. Mahama has the ability to use two-wielded scythes to slice and possibly explode enemies. The Charge Gun gains power the larger the wrench is in use, and there is also the option to use cable hooks. Depending on the situation, Majima can either attack from a distance or close the gap with enemies directly, allowing for a variety of combat techniques.
You can switch between the two fighting patterns in war with ease. Mix and match these styles to create flashy, dynamic moves that even experienced players new to action games can use. The Pirate Design in particular, with its use of pirate-themed tools and special moves, is sure to be addictive. Related to Kiryu’s gadget-based Agent toon from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Guy Who Erased His Title, Majima’s Pirate Design offers a challenging way to fight.
After completing the war guide, I was free to explore and enjoy the various activities in Honolulu. I got to try out common features such as Karaoke and Boutique, along with the violent racing Dragon Kart and the stunt-based supply activity, Crazy Delivery. While these are familiar to gamers, playing as Majima instead of Ichiban Kasuga gave the game a new twist.
After playing for a while, you can talk to Jason and eventually set foot on the island of Madlantis. It is a lonely place known as a dispatch grave, where mafia and gangs gather. The island exudes an atmosphere of humiliation and you often get into fights with noisy individuals. There are also gambling areas to enjoy activities such as poker.
A fight breaks out as you gather information from the welders and make your way to the table where Keith is staying. Surrounded by a horde of villains, Majima’s fighting prowess really shines. With quick, acrobatic moves while using your razor, you can confuse enemies with the Mad Dog design. On the other hand, it is possible to use a double sword to perform long-range attacks with the Pirate design. The one-on-one fight with Keith offers exciting action, as you dodge, shield and strike at opportune moments.
While the idea of Majima going rogue seems far-fetched, the game proves to be a solid piece of action-adventure lore. Majima’s signature Mad Dog persona shines through, showing that even with amnesia, he can’t help but enjoy the thrill of battle. When Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza launches in Hawaii on February 28, 2018, PS5 players will have plenty to look forward to.