Naval Combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Explained

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii charts a thrilling new course for the Yakuza series, introducing exhilarating naval combat. Mastering this system is key to success, so let's dive into the mechanics of seafaring warfare in Pirate Yakuza.

Early in the game, you'll command the Goromaru, a modest pirate ship initially equipped with two cannons (port and starboard) and a forward-mounted machine gun turret. While exploring the open waters, expect frequent encounters with enemy vessels. You can choose to engage or attempt to flee, but remember, your ship moves significantly slower than on land, making escape risky, especially against ships with ranged attacks.

Facing enemies head-on is generally the best strategy. Naval combat features three main attack types:

• Turret Gun Attacks: The turret is your mid-range weapon of choice. It allows you to deal damage while closing the distance for a more powerful cannon attack. You can also manually control the turret, but this is riskier.
• Left and Right Cannons: These are your most potent weapons, activated via L2/R2 (depending on your platform). Effective only at close range (indicated by a lit-up cannon icon), they require a reload time after firing. Strategic maneuvering is essential to maximize their use.
• RPG Missile: Shifting to a deck view allows you to control Goro and utilize an RPG for long-range attacks. This is ideal for weakening enemies before closing in, but be mindful of your ship's vulnerability while stationary.

Pirate Ship Maneuvering

From the wider ship perspective, use the left stick to steer the Goromaru. A boost function temporarily increases speed, useful for closing distance or executing drifts (O on PS5, B on Xbox) to evade cannon fire or reposition for optimal cannon attacks.

Boarding Parties

Many naval battles, particularly 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. Once its health is depleted, a prompt will appear to initiate the boarding party, transitioning the battle to a familiar Yakuza-style beat-'em-up.

These boarding actions often pit you and your crew against a superior force. Leveling up your crew through morale boosts and smaller skirmishes is crucial. Remember to utilize crew member stat boosts (damage, defense, etc.) to gain an advantage. The goal is to eliminate the enemy crew before your own is defeated.

Mastering these two-stage naval battles is vital for progressing through the game's latter half and the Pirate Coliseum. Your understanding of naval combat will also be invaluable during exploration, where random encounters are frequent. The addition of pirate ship mechanics and combat is a refreshing change of pace, and with the right upgrades and crew, the Goromaru can become a force to be reckoned with.

That's naval combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii explained.

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