"Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza's Naval Combat in Hawaii Unveiled"

*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii* introduces an exhilarating new dimension to the *Yakuza* series with its innovative Naval Combat system. This feature is pivotal to progressing through the game, and mastering the various controls of your ship is essential. Let's dive into how Naval Combat works in *Pirate Yakuza*.

How Does Naval Combat in Pirate Yakuza Work?

At the outset of *Pirate Yakuza*, players are equipped with a small pirate ship named the Goromaru, which can be upgraded as you progress. Initially, the Goromaru is armed with two cannons on each side and a machine gun turret at the bow. As you navigate the open seas, you'll frequently encounter enemy ships. Similar to other combat scenarios in the game, you have the choice to engage in battle or attempt to flee.

However, escaping can be challenging as ships move slower than characters on land, and stronger enemy ships later in the game may use ranged attacks to damage you while you're trying to escape. It's often more strategic to confront these ships directly and start firing as soon as possible. In Naval Combat, you have three types of attacks at your disposal:

Turret Gun Attacks: Located at the front of your ship, the turret gun is ideal for mid-range engagements. It allows you to deal damage as you close in on an enemy, setting you up to use your more powerful cannons once you're in close range. You can also manually control the turret, though this increases your vulnerability.

Left and Right Cannons: The Goromaru's cannons are its most potent weapons, activated by pressing L2 or R2, depending on which side you want to fire from. These are effective only at close range, indicated by a lit cannon symbol signaling a guaranteed hit. After firing, the cannons need time to reload, so it's wise to maneuver your ship to use the cannons on the opposite side next.

RPG Missile: By shifting the camera to the ship's deck, you can control Goro and use an RPG to attack from a distance. This move is best executed when you're far from enemy ships, as your ship will stop moving during this perspective change. Starting a battle with an RPG strike can give you a significant advantage by weakening the enemy ship early on.

Pirate Ship Traversal

When controlling the Goromaru from a wider camera view, use the left stick to navigate. A boost feature temporarily increases your ship's speed, useful for closing gaps with enemy ships or executing a drift by simultaneously pressing the boost and a specific button (O on PS5, B on Xbox). Drifting can help you evade enemy fire or reposition your ship to use both sets of cannons effectively.

Boarding Parties

Some naval battles in *Pirate Yakuza* consist of two stages, typically seen in boss fights or the Pirate Coliseum in Madlantis. These battles often involve facing multiple ships, with the primary objective being to destroy the main ship, which has more health than the others. It's advisable to focus your attacks on the main ship to progress to the second stage.

Once the main ship's health is depleted, you'll be prompted to initiate a boarding party, transitioning the battle to the *Yakuza* series' familiar beat-em-up style. Depending on the battle, you'll face numerous crew members and a boss, often outnumbered. To prepare, level up your crew by boosting morale and engaging in smaller fights, ensuring your pirates are stronger than the enemy crew you're boarding.

Enemy captains may use stat boosters to enhance their damage or defense, making battles tougher. You can counter this by assigning your own support crew with similar boosters to enhance your stats. The goal is to defeat all opposing crew members before your party is knocked out.

Mastering these two-stage naval battles is crucial, especially in the Pirate Coliseum and major story battles in the game's latter half. Additionally, as you explore islands for treasure, you'll encounter other ships, making a solid grasp of Naval Combat essential. The *Yakuza* series is known for refreshing its gameplay, and the pirate ship mechanics and combat in *Pirate Yakuza* offer a thrilling change that rivals even *Sea of Thieves*. With the right crew, upgrades, and customization, the Goromaru can become the most formidable ship on the seas.

And that's how Naval Combat works in *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*.

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