Sega explains Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s naval combat and battle styles

Sega has shed more light on the naval combat and battling mechanics in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

The upcoming action-adventure title – as opposed to the recent spin-offs, which have been RPGs – stars the popular recurring character, Goro Majima, in a story that appears to follow directly from Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

According to Sega, players will have two different battle styles which they can switch between during combat.

Mad Dog style lets players “freely combine fists and kicks with knife strokes to perform a variety of lightning-quick blows and aerial combos to defeat enemies in style”. By building up a Madness Gauge they can summon a group of shadow doppelgangers to fight alongside them.

Sea Dog style, meanwhile, lets players “dual-wield cutlasses to combine exhilarating slash combos with pirate gear, building up to brutal finishing moves”.

The Sea Dog style also lets players use three sidearms – a Cutlass Boomerang, a Pistol and a Chain Hook – and acquire a variety of ‘Dark Instruments’, which summon cursed creatures like sharks, apes and jellyfish.

The game’s other main form of battle is naval combat, where players captain the Goro Maru ship. They have to attack enemy ships with cannons before boarding them and attempting to take down the rival captain and his crew.

Players have to modify their ship and arrange its crew to succeed in battles, with each crewmate adding new traits during battle – some add attacking options, others can heal.

Originally planned for release on February 28, 2025, Sega announced last month that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will now be released a week earlier on February 21.