"Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza Demo Launches in Hawaii Today"

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is set to launch a free demo for their upcoming game, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, today across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. The demo will be available for download starting at 7am Pacific / 10am Eastern / 3pm UK, as announced by the studio on X/Twitter.

While the full game will also be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 21, these platforms will not have access to the free demo. It's unclear whether progress made in the demo will carry over to the full game, but it seems unlikely as the demo allows players to jump directly into specific freeroam and battle areas, bypassing the game's natural storyline.

In the demo, players can explore parts of Honolulu and Madlantis, areas not immediately accessible in the full game. They can also switch between the Mad Dog and Sea Dog fighting styles, battle against powerful bounty enemies, participate in four ship and deck battles at the Pirates' Coliseum, experiment with new customization options, and enjoy side activities like karaoke featuring three different songs.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii serves as a spin-off sequel to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, marking it as the eighth mainline entry in the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series, or ninth if including Yakuza 0. The game follows Goro Majima, who wakes up with amnesia and embarks on a pirate-themed adventure across Hawaii.

A trailer showcased during the October Xbox Partner Showcase provided the first detailed look at ship combat, reminiscent of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, and featured the return of Taiga Saejima, hinting at deeper connections to the main series than previously anticipated.

The game is expected to offer a longer experience than the previous Yakuza spin-off, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, with a story duration of approximately 15 to 18 hours. Fans eager to dress up Majima as the iconic Kiryu Kazuma can do so by signing up for email notifications or joining the Sega reward system.