Summary
TheLike a Dragonfranchise is known for its immersive open-world settings, offering players some of the most vibrant urban landscapes gaming has ever seen, where they can engage with diverse NPCs and participate in exciting and hilarious side activities.Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthsent players to an expansive version of Honolulu City, and its spin-off successor,Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, takes them back to that location for another round of fun. However, despite largely taking place in the same location, bothLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthandLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiioffer players distinct experiences.
BothLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthandLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiimay share the sun-soaked setting of Hawaii, but they differ in their approach toopen-world design. WhileInfinite Wealththrives on the urban environments that resemble a more classicLike a Dragon/Yakuzaworld,Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiisplits the difference by taking place on both land and the sea for an innovative approach to its predecessor’s open world.
Comparing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Open World to Infinite Wealth
How Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Setting and Exploration Compare to Infinite Wealth
The most obvious line of comparison that can be drawn betweenLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthandLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis each game’s setting and its exploration.Infinite Wealth, primarily set in Honolulu, features a massive open world that is three times larger thanYakuza: Like a Dragon’sYokohama, complete with detailed districts — including Aloha Beach, the Anaconda Shopping Center, Waikiki Town, Chinatown, Little Japan, and District 5. As players navigateInfinite Wealth’s Honolulu, they can interact with dozens of NPCs, uncover hidden alleyways, and explore restaurant and shop interiors to their heart’s content.
SinceLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis not only aLike a Dragonspin-offbut also a direct spin-off ofLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, at least part of its story takes place in Honolulu. WhereasInfinite Wealthgives players an expansive city to explore,Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiitakes them to the sea aboard the Goromaru, Majima’s ship. The Honolulu map inPirate Yakuzais nearly identical, but players can also now travel to Madlantis, a lawless pirate hub, and explore the sprawling seas if they’re looking for a more open-ended approach to exploration.
How Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Side Activities Compare to Infinite Wealth
Since the settings differ betweenLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthandLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, so too do their side activities. For instance, while both games include traditionalLike a Dragon/Yakuzamini-games— like karaoke, arcade games, and gamlbing —Infinite Wealthfeatures activities such as Dondoko Island, a full-fledged island-building sim.Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, on the other hand, introduces new pirate-themed content, like treasure hunting and drunken dueling. Additionally, both games allow players to build relationships with NPCs through their Aloha Links system.
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s substories are also on a different level in comparison toInfinite Wealth, as most of them involve Majima’s new counterpart, a young individual by the name of Noah. As such, these substories hit on a more emotional level thanInfinite Wealth’s ever did.
WhileLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthandPirate Yakuza in Hawaiishare a setting, their approach to open-world design and the overall player experience sets them apart.Infinite Wealthutilizes the series' traditional urban exploration, offering a sprawling city filled with detailed districts and bustling NPC interactions.Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, on the other hand, introduces naval travel and pirate-themed locations, balancing exploration between land and sea. These differences extend to side activities and substories, withInfinite Wealthleaning into large-scale management systems like Dondoko Island, whilePirate Yakuzaemphasizes character-driven narratives, particularly through Majima’s relationship with Noah.
