Between naval combat, swash-buckling, and summons, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is having fun with the premise of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yazuka in Hawaii. It’s wholly intentional, as chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto noted in a recent preview event for the title (attended by TheGamer).
“After the events of Infinite Wealth, we were thinking ‘What did Majima do after that?’ It’s Majima, he’s in Hawaii, it’s this tropical island. What is the weirdest, silliest, funnest thing that we could ever do that people would enjoy doing? And we were like, ‘That sounds like a pirate to me’. It wasn’t like we’d been thinking about this for a long time. It was more, ‘Let’s use the pieces we’ve got and stick it all together’.”
Sakamoto advised players to not think too much about it all, citing Rich Island, where Majima first awakens with memory loss, as a good example. “It’s a fishing island, but there are a bunch of people there who are pirates from the Age of Discovery. Don’t ask, it just is.”
The same goes for Mad Dog Style, which allows Majima to create shadow clones. “You’re probably asking yourself, ‘When did Majima learn to do ninja split-off duplicates?’ Well, it’s Majima, don’t ask. You can do whatever you want.”
Of course, those who play Like a Dragon for the more dramatic and serious side will find plenty to like. “We’ve still made a lot of these character drama stories about people having serious conversations. There is more of that in this game than you might expect from the visuals. At the very start of the game, you have Majima, who has amnesia, so it’s not like he’s starting like the normal Majima. He’s starting from a different point.
“We hope that the silliness of the idea helps draw people in, but then we also want to show people what a Like a Dragon tale can be by telling stories of people with strong beliefs, strong things that they feel, creeds and ways of life, and then emotional connections between these people and having these dramatic stories.”
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on February 21st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC. It’s hyped as “much larger” than Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, RGG Studio’s last spin-off in the franchise. On top of exploring various islands, players can also explore Honolulu from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in its entirety. Head here for more details.
