In *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, players step into the shoes of Goro Majima, the notorious Mad Dog of Shimano, navigating the thrilling world of pirate yakuza. As you guide Goro through the game's engaging narrative, you'll unlock a variety of skills and combat styles, each with its own set of upgrades. Here's a guide to the best early upgrades for Goro Majima in *Pirate Yakuza* to enhance your gameplay experience from the get-go.
Goro Majima Upgrades in Pirate Yakuza, Explained
Goro Majima starts his journey as an amnesiac ex-yakuza with a single fighting style in the game's opening chapter. As you delve deeper into the storyline, you'll unlock new weapons and the exciting Sea Dog fighting style, each with its own upgrade tree. The game features four skill trees for progression:
- Overall Stats
- Shared Abilities
- Mad Dog
- Sea Dog
Here are the essential early upgrades that will give you an edge in battles and quests without breaking the bank:
Max Health Boost (Overall Stats)
One of the first upgrades you should consider is the Max Health Boost. With many boss fights involving hordes of henchmen, having a robust health bar is crucial for withstanding attacks while maintaining crowd control. This upgrade is essential for outlasting opponents and dealing high damage, making it a must-have for success in *Pirate Yakuza*'s toughest battles.
Attack Boost (Overall Stats)
Another early investment you should make is the Attack Boost, enhancing the damage output of Goro's basic attacks. With *Pirate Yakuza* returning to the series' roots of real-time combat, melee attacks are vital for progressing through the story and unlocking bonus content. Consider the Attack Boost Plus for even greater impact on future playthroughs.
Knockdown Evasion (Shared Abilities)
When facing multiple adversaries, Knockdown Evasion becomes an invaluable upgrade. It allows Goro to quickly recover from being knocked down by heavy attacks or melee weapons, enabling you to swiftly return to offensive play and maintain control of the fight.
Quickstep Strike (Shared Abilities)
The Quickstep Strike upgrade is a game-changer, allowing you to attack immediately after dodging an enemy. This move is crucial for all encounters, making fights significantly easier by adding that extra attack, which can be decisive in battle. It's particularly useful in early boss fights, helping to trigger Goro's heat gauge attacks.
Grapple Counter (Shared Abilities)
For managing crowds effectively, the Grapple Counter is an excellent choice. It prevents damage from grab attacks and allows you to counter with your own offensive move, making it a vital upgrade for handling multiple enemies.
Serpent Trick (Mad Dog)
The Mad Dog Style, Goro's signature pirate combat approach, utilizes dual swords, a flintlock pistol, and a grappling hook. The Serpent Trick is a fantastic early upgrade that enables Goro to launch enemies into the air, setting up devastating aerial combos and leaving foes vulnerable.
Frenzy Trick (Mad Dog)
The Frenzy Trick in Mad Dog style is perfect for crowd control, as Goro spins like a top, knocking down everyone in his vicinity. This move is particularly useful in the game's naval combat side quests, where you'll face large groups of pirates, making it easier to manage these challenging encounters.
Catch ‘n’ Slash (Sea Dog)
Already unlocked with the Mad Dog style, the Catch ‘n’ Slash upgrade enhances this projectile-based combat technique. It extends the throw duration and allows for immediate follow-up attacks, enabling longer and more effective combos.
Charge ‘n’ Shoot (Sea Dog)
The flintlock pistol in the Mad Dog style can be a powerful ranged weapon, but its slow charge time leaves Goro vulnerable. The Charge ‘n’ Shoot upgrade makes it more practical by allowing you to shoot multiple enemies at once, sending them flying and improving your combat efficiency.
These are the top early upgrades for Goro Majima in *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, designed to enhance your gameplay and give you a strategic advantage from the outset.
*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.*