It’s been fascinating to watch the former “Yakuza” series evolve from something rather niche to something that has expanded far beyond what some would label it. It’s still maintaining its main series while also spinning off into new adventures, like the ones with Ichiban, which have not only become incredibly popular, but its newest one is a Game of the Year contender! Things only got wilder when Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza was announced a little while ago, revealing that Goro would be the protagonist this time and that he would indeed become a pirate! Over on the PlayStation Blog, RGG Studio members Masayoshi Yokoyama and Hiroyuki Sakamoto talked about what it was like bringing this game to life.
For example, how in the world did this special adventure come to be concept-wise? Yokoyama delivered the answer to that one:
“We began percolating the idea of a spin-off that stars characters who are not Ichiban Kasuga. It was almost as if we were creating a blown-up sub-story for Infinite Wealth. For quite some time, I wanted to make a game called Like a Dragon: Tuna, where Kazuma Kiryu, as a tuna fisherman, sets off to sea to fight against fishing boats. Long story short, it never came to fruition, but keywords like “ship,” “sea,” and “fighting,” which had since then been engraved in my head, evolved into the concept of pirates.”
While we’re not exactly sure how that other idea would’ve played, most are indeed happy to play as Goro being a pirate, as it feels like something unique. Just as important, Goro Majima will finally “show his true self” in this new game, which means fans have a vested interest in checking it out:
“You’ll understand who he is through his interactions with a boy called Noah. It turns out he’s just a tough dude who likes to fantasize a lot [laughs]. In Gaiden, while remembering his past, Majima looks at himself objectively and realizes who he really is. This is a novel story development.”
For those wondering about combat, Goro will indeed have a set of styles to choose from as he swashbuckles enemies in Like A Dragon Pirate Yakuza:
“We thought two was the right amount in order to keep battles from being too complicated. Since Majima uses nimble moves, we wanted to simplify his battle moves. Players can execute exhilarating moves by merely pressing the buttons. The Mad Dog Style is based on Majima’s battle style that executes combos, jumps, and other responsive actions.”
The game arrives in February 2025.
