Dive into the thrilling world of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, where the iconic Yakuza series embarks on a swashbuckling adventure featuring exciting naval combat. Mastering this new fighting system is key to success, so let's explore the intricacies of controlling your ship and dominating the seas.

Early in the game, you'll command the Goromaru, a modest pirate ship equipped with two cannons (port and starboard) and a forward-mounted machine gun turret. As you sail, random enemy encounters are frequent. You can choose to engage or flee, but escape is risky, especially against stronger ships with ranged attacks that inflict damage even while evading. Facing enemies head-on is generally the best strategy.

Naval combat utilizes three main attack types:

• Turret Gun Attacks: The turret is your mid-range weapon of choice. It's effective while approaching, allowing you to transition to the more powerful cannons at close range. You can even manually control the turret for a riskier, more direct approach.
• Left and Right Cannons: These are your most potent weapons, activated using L2/R2 (depending on your platform). Effective only at close range (indicated by a lit-up cannon icon), they require reload time after each shot. Strategic maneuvering is key to maximizing their use.
• RPG Missile: Shifting the camera to the ship's deck lets you control Goro freely. This is best done at a safe distance, as the ship stops while in this perspective. Equip an RPG for long-range damage, ideal for weakening enemies before closing in.

Pirate Ship Maneuvering

Control the Goromaru using the left stick. A boost function temporarily increases speed, useful for closing distance or executing drifts (O/B button + boost) to evade cannon fire or reposition for optimal cannon attacks.

Boarding Parties

Many naval battles, especially boss fights and Pirate Coliseum events, are two-stage affairs. The first stage involves destroying the main enemy ship (which has significantly more health than its escorts). Focus your fire on the boss ship to progress to the second stage.

Once the boss ship's health is depleted, a prompt will appear to initiate the boarding party, transitioning the combat to the familiar Yakuza beat-'em-up style. You'll often be outnumbered. Leveling up your crew and assigning support crew with stat boosts is crucial for success in these encounters.

Mastering two-stage naval battles is essential for progressing through the game's latter half and exploring the islands. A solid understanding of naval combat is crucial for success in this thrilling new chapter of the Yakuza saga. With the right crew, upgrades, and customization, the Goromaru can become a force to be reckoned with on the high seas.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.