{"id":42706,"date":"2025-01-14T16:59:39","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T07:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=42706"},"modified":"2025-01-14T16:59:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T07:59:57","slug":"like-a-dragon-pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-may-blur-the-lines-of-reality-with-its-wackiness-but-not-without-a-serious-manly-tale-to-keep-it-grounded-devs-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/like-a-dragon-pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-may-blur-the-lines-of-reality-with-its-wackiness-but-not-without-a-serious-manly-tale-to-keep-it-grounded-devs-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii may blur the lines of reality with its wackiness, but not without a serious, manly tale to keep it grounded, devs say\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEGA\u2019s Yakuza franchise has always had a penchant for goofing off, but the latest entry in the series, the Goro Majima-centric spin-off Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, <\/strong>pushes the limits big time. Everything we\u2019ve learned about the game so far spells complete madness, with Majima participating in mass naval battles, playing cursed violins to summon man-eating sharks mid-battle, spawning shadow clones, and visiting the fictional island of Madlantis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While it may seem like the Like a Dragon team has completely done away with realism in pursuit of an off-the-rails pirate adventure at first glance, this isn’t quite the case. AUTOMATON recently had the opportunity to talk to RGG Studio\u2019s key members at the Majima Maji Festival held in Osaka, Japan, and they had some interesting insights of offer about their latest project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to RGG Studio\u2019s director Yokoyama Masayoshi, players should actually expect to be greeted by a rather serious Goro Majima, especially in the earlier stages of the game, before he becomes a pirate. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii\u2019s producer, Ryosuke Horii, further added that \u201cBecoming a pirate is not the goal in itself \u2013 there are several objectives, and the game depicts a passionate progression towards those goals, as well as the deepening of Majima\u2019s bonds with his friends. The goofing off isn\u2019t the main point \u2013 there\u2019s a manly drama at the center of things. Of course, there are some crazy parts to take detours to, but overall, I think it\u2019s a straightforward tale about a passionate man.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the topic of Majima\u2019s reality-bending abilities, Horii says that the balance between realism and spectacle is something the team generally does<\/em> keep in mind. However, certain aspects of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii made them go past their limit. \u201cIf we did things in a plain way in a game that features pirates, it would come across as boring. Thus, we made the game wilder, while maintaining a serious and proper drama.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another factor that contributed to the new spin-off’s unprecedented level of wackiness is its protagonist, according to Horii. \u201cThere is a kind of uniqueness that can only be pulled off with Majima and isn\u2019t possible with Kiryu. So, if we didn\u2019t take proper advantage of that, there would be no point in having Majima as the main character. That\u2019s why we blurred the lines of reality a little more than we would with Kiryu, hoping to offer players rich action that\u2019s full of variety.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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