Sure, Hawaii might seem like the perfect place to relax, but when you’re a former yakuza caught in a battle for power, there’s no time for piña coladas – only punches. If you’ve played a Like a Dragon game before, you already know the drill: expect absurd humor, over-the-top combat and grippingsubstories.
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But this time, you’re trading the neon jungles of Japan for the sun-soaked streets of Honolulu, where new enemies, new allies and a fresh set of ridiculous minigames await you inLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The rules have changed, the streets are unfamiliar and the fight for dominance is tougher. So if you want to know how to make the most of the new setting, the best strategies for combat and money-making and how to pull off over-the-top heat actions, keep reading.
8Tailor Your Crew to Counter Specific Opponents in the Pirate Coliseum Challenges
In these high-stakes battles, the makeup of your crew can mean the difference between sweet victory and a watery defeat. Tailoring your crew to counter specific opponents is a good strategy. So ensure your team boasts a mix of roles – brawlers, defenders, ranged attackers and melee specialists. This balance allows you to adapt to various combat scenarios, keeping you ready for whatever the enemy throws your way.
Also each rival crew has its own strengths and weaknesses. For instance, when facing the Shooters' Garden challenge in Madlantis Mania, you’ll encounter enemies proficient in ranged attacks. Countering them with agile melee fighters can give you the upper hand.
7Level Up Your Crew Before Taking On Open-Water Vessel-to-Vessel Combat
Your crew isn’t just there for decoration; they’re the heartbeat of your pirate endeavors. Investing in their leveling up is like sharpening your sword before a duel. Setting sail without a well-prepared crew is like venturing into a storm without a compass. To level up your crew you have to engage in fights and shower them with gifts or spend quality time to boost their skills further.
Review: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Waking up marooned on a tropical island with no memory of who he is, Goro Majima does the only sensible thing. He becomes a pirate captain.
An under-leveled or poorly-equipped crew can quickly be overwhelmed during open-water vessel-to-vessel combat. And trust me, you don’t want a situation where you have to face a barrage of enemies without your crew.
6Collect Bounties and Sell Items to Make Money
You need money in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – lots of it. Better weapons, upgrades for your ship and supplies for your crew all cost a fair bit. There’s also gambling if you want to try your luck, but that’s a double-edged sword. If you don’t plan ahead, you might find yourself broke when you need that next upgrade.
But if you make it a habit to collect bounties and offload your unwanted loot, you’ll never struggle for cash. The game has a system where you can track down criminals with prices on their heads. These bounties aren’t just for show – defeating them earns you big payouts. You’ll find these wanted targets in different areas each with their own combat style and difficulty. Some will be pushovers while others will put up a serious fight. So it pays to be prepared before going after them. The rewards aren’t just money either; you can gain reputation and rare items.
5Complete Story Missions and Treasure Hunt to Build Your Reputation
Your reputation, or Pirate Action Points, is important because it helps you unlock new abilities, better gear and more opportunities as you progress. If you want to build a strong reputation in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, completing story missions and searching for hidden treasure are two of the best ways to do it.
The main story is packed with action and your reputation grows every time you complete a major mission. The more you advance through the story, the more reputation you gain. Besides completing missions, hunting for treasure is another solid way to earn more Pirate Action Points. The game has over sixty treasures hidden across the islands and each one you find not only gives you money, but also increases your standing as a pirate. So treasure hunting isn’t just about getting rich, it also helps you become a better fighter and a more-feared pirate.
4Focusing on the Main Story is the Quickest Way to Grab the Chain Hook
In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the Chain Hook is one of the best things you can get your hands on. This isn’t just a grappling hook – it’s a full-blown battle tool. If enemies are too far away, no problem. Use the Chain Hook to yank them right into punching distance or pull yourself toward them to land a devastating attack.
The Chain Hook lets you zip up to rooftops, cross impossible gaps and reach hidden areas that are packed with loot. Treasure hunting gets a whole lot easier when you can just swing your way to secret spots instead of running in circles looking for a way up. The Chain Hook is given to you as part of the mainstory in Chapter 2, “Heart of Darkness.” When you reach Honolulu you’ll get a mission to upgrade your ship. Follow the quest and you’ll eventually meet a shipwright named Clark at Shinobi Sushi (yes, sushi and ship repairs go hand in hand here). He’ll hook you up – literally.
3Use Heat Attacks for Tougher Foes
Heat Attacks are a cool way to turn a street fight into a beatdown. These moves look flashy and deal high damage, so they are perfect for tougher enemies. But you can’t just spam them whenever you want. You have to know how to trigger them, build your Heat Gauge and strike at the perfect moment. Before you can start dishing out devastating Heat Attacks, you need to fill up your Heat Gauge. This happens as you land regular attacks, dodge skillfully and even taunt enemies to rile them up.
If you really want to speed things up, you can equip accessories that boost Heat generation. Some rings and charms help fill the meter faster. When you see a blue flame icon appear on the screen, that’s your cue. Press the Heavy Attack button and instantly you’re in for a cinematic, bone-crunching move that’ll make enemies regret ever messing with you. If you grab an enemy from behind you can pull off a vicious choke Mad Dog attack.
2Don’t Ignore the Dark Instruments
If you want to summon ghostly sea creatures, feral beasts or deities to wreck your enemies, then you need to get your hands on the Dark Instruments. To get the Dark God’s Violin, you’ll need to hunt down the Devil Flags Fleet in the Waters Near Madlantis. For the Dark God’s Ocarina, you need to find seventyDevil Flags(you get these from winning ship battles and taking over treasure islands).
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Devil Flags and Treasures in Flame Heaven
Captain Ronin of the Devil Flags hides out in Flame Heaven. This will show Majima where to steal his treasure.
When it comes to the Dark God’s Guitar you need to gather 130 Devil Flags and face off against Captain Ronin. The final and most mysterious instrument is hidden on an island packed with tough enemies and tricky obstacles. Make it through, defeat the final boss and the saxophone is yours. Not only do Dark Instruments give you some of the most over-the-top, devastating attacks in the game, but they also add a ton of strategy to fights. Whether you need crowd control, raw damage or a way to break through enemy defenses, there’s a summon for every situation.
1Get a Pistol
Melee combat is fun, but sometimes, you just need to clear out a room without getting your hands dirty. A pistol lets you control the battlefield, pick off enemies before they can even reach you and set up satisfying Heat Attacks. It’s especially useful against fast or flying enemies that would otherwise be a pain to hit.
Like any good pirate, you’re going to want to upgrade your pistol. The Pistol Ring, found at Julia’s Brilliant Design shop, boosts your pistol’s damage, making each shot hit harder. Upgrading your Sea Dog skills will also unlock faster reload times, better accuracy and more powerful shots.
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