7 action games to play while you wait for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the new installment of Ryu Ga Gotoku studio's prominent action franchise. The game is one of the many spin-offs that focuses on the series' initial protagonists, experimenting with third-person combat after the main series took a hard pivot into the JRPG genre with Yakuza 7: Like A Dragon.
The game will be released on February 21, 2025, on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. However, for players who want to play action games with a similar feel to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, here are our picks for seven great action games.
Note: This article is purely subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
Exploring seven great action games to play while waiting for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
1) Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry series has been the king of character action games, and Devil May Cry 5 is its crowning achievement. The game is a culmination of all of Capcom's experiments with the series' gameplay, and series director Hideaki Itsuno's farewell to the legendary franchise before working on Dragon's Dogma 2, following which he officially left the studio.
The bread and butter of Devil May Cry's combat is killing enemies with style. The game provides you with numerous weapons, firearms, abilities, and the freedom to switch between them at any given point and drops you into a combat sandbox. You can play as devil hunter Dante, who can switch between four different styles, Nero, with his unique devil breakers and his motorcycle sword, Red Queen, or Vergil, who can rip a hole in the space-time continuum with his Katana.
Players who want to play games with combat as stylish and unique as Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, will not be disappointed by Devil May Cry's fifth installment.
2) Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Creating a list of great games including anything related to pirates and not including Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is impossible. Technically the sixth game in the series, the franchise shifted gears when developing Black Flag. Instead of focusing on Assassins operating in real-life historical events, the game focused on Edward Kenway, a Welsh pirate as he searches for a location called the Observatory.
The game opened to rave reviews, getting praise from both critics and fans alike, because of its impeccable story, compelling characters, polished combat system, and a refreshing setting of the 1720s — The Golden Age of Pirates.
Black Flag will thoroughly impress players who want an action game that fully embraces the era of pirates, similar to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
3) Bayonetta
Yakuza's publisher, SEGA, has always had a knack for unique combat systems, considering they hold both Yakuza and Bayonetta. The brainchild of Hideki Kamiya focuses on the titular witch, who uses firearms as both melee weapons and ranged firearms, along with being able to summon demons with her hair.
Bayonetta provides its own different take on Devil May Cry's gameplay, where guns are used to keep the combos going, but more intricately woven into regular combos. The game also uses its medieval background to great use, adding various weaponry such as whips, claws, katana, and nunchucks in its arsenal.
Players wanting a stylish action game identical to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii but more fast-paced, with a fantastical setting can go with Bayonetta.
4) Hi-Fi Rush
Music has been a big part of Yakuza's identity, whether it be following the rhythm with its karaoke minigames or watching its brooding protagonists dance their hearts out to funky tunes. The same can be said for Tango Gamework's latest entry Hi-Fi Rush. The game follows Chai after an accident in a cybernetic surgery labels him a defect and causes him to be hunted by Vandelay Technologies.
Every element in this rhythm-action game is synced to a beat, including its combat. Thus, the game relies on you to recognize the current song's beats and connect your attacks in sync with it, creating a satisfying combat system, that merges audio and visual feedback.
Players wanting an action game with light-hearted humor similar to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and don't mind an amimated art style, can go ahead with Hi-Fi Rush.
5) Ninja Gaiden Black
When it comes to character action games, very few can come close to the high-octane testosterone-filled no-nonsense perfection of the Ninja Gaiden Black. The game, developed by Tomonobu Itagaki, focuses on a ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, wanting to avenge the slaughter of his clan.
The game is set in a futuristic version of the 21st century, initiated by the ninja. It focuses on swordplay as its main gameplay element. The title provides variety in terms of its different melee weapons, with distinct attack combos, ninpo spells, and acrobatic abilities, such as Ryu's signature Flying Swallow and Izuna Drop.
Players wanting action games similar to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, that focus extensively on swordplay and agility, can go ahead with Ninja Gaiden Black.
6) Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Solid series is no stranger to a bombastic action thriller plotline, but its mainline series is limited to action-adventure stealth titles. With the rise in popularity of its secondary protagonist — Raiden after MGS 4 — however, Bayonetta fame PlatinumGames decided to develop their take on the brainchild of Hideo Kojima.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is an action-adventure game, focusing on Raiden pursuit to stop Desperado Enforcement from starting a war. Revengeance sports an impeccable combat system, relying on attacks, parries, and its signature mechanic 'Blade Mode' to decimate enemies. The game's extensive inspiration from old-school samurai flicks adds a dramatic element to the campaign.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a perfect game for players who want something that tap-dances on the line between a dark, serious tone and being borderline goofy and over-the-top, similar to Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
7) Yakuza 0
While Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will see series darling Majima Goro in all his glory, it is not the first time when the character was playable in a mainline entry. That honor would go to what is arguably the best game in the franchise, Yakuza 0. The game was developed as a prequel to Yakuza 1, intended to give context and depth to the narrative of its next release, a remake of the latter.
The game features two protagonists, Kazuma Kiryu, and Goro Majima, with each of them having three unique fighting styles and a secret unlockable legend style. While Kiryu was a powerhouse on its own, Majima was host to the more wacky styles, such as the capoeira-based Breaker and baseball bat-wielding Slugger. The game featured an in-depth combat system with a wide skill tree and various lethal weapons to use.
For players wanting to know how the 'Mad Dog of Shimano' came to be before playing Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Yakuza 0 is a must-play.