HILVERSUM, NETHERLANDS – Feb. 28th, 2025 – Cash Cleaner Simulator, the relaxing money processing sim from developer Mind Control Games and publisher Forklift Interactive, arrives on PC via Steam just in time for spring cleaning on Thursday, May 8. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S releases follow in Q4 2025 as revealed during IGN Fan Fest.
Take on dirty jobs to make filthy bills, coins, and treasures look like new, indubious valuables and become filthy rich in the process! Scrub, stack, and sort piles of money with a wide selection of experimental tools to a bass-heavy trap soundtrack. Kick back and focus on the cleansing craft with no time restraints or pressure in this lucrative new career.
Search the darknet on a jailbroken cell phone to reach new clients and quietly convert some of their currency into untraceable crypto to buy new cleaning tools, upgrade current machines, and purchase furnishings to cozy up the Cash Cleaner Lab. Try out new gadgets like the washing machine and drier, UV lamp, workbench and furnace. Furnish, and decorate the space with plants, Moneyball hoops, and more.
Make use of spare piles of dough by forming and shooting basketballs, creating confetti by sending cheddar flying with the Money Gun, and burning money in the fireplace to keep the lab warm. Snoop around the lab with UV lights and other tools to find wealth storage solutions and secrets – and perhaps even discover the reason there’s no exit.
“We wanted to focus on the joy and satisfaction of cleaning and organizing as a form of ASMR with money,” said Leonid Gorbachev, CEO of Mindcontrol Games. “We hope Cash Cleaner Simulator becomes a new favorite way to relax, whether that’s through cleaning, decorating, or playing around in the lab with no deadlines.”
Cash Cleaner Simulator will make suspicious money sparkle on PC via Steam Thursday, May 8, and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Q4 2025. It will support English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish languages.
Mind Control Games is a Dutch and Serbian indie developer focused on games with unconventional mechanics and amazing graphics while unafraid to tackle difficult topics. Their development process keeps both artistic and commercial value in mind.
About Forklift Interactive
Forklift Interactive is a Barcelona and Atlanta-based indie publisher founded by experienced industry veterans including former tinyBuild Publishing Director Andrei Podoprigora and Adult Swim Games Product Lead Tuсker Dean. They specialize in the production of deep, endless, system-driven games with player created narratives.
Snag the critically acclaimed indie game on Steam today for 40% off
Walnut Creek, California – March 3, 2025 | Maximum Entertainment and Polychroma Games are excited to announce that Until Then, the slice-of-life indie narrative journey set in the Philippines, is part of Steam’s Visual Novel Fest starting today, with a substantial 40% off the price tag. Disappearances, moments of déjà vu that just don’t add up, and other abnormalities await in this emotional adventure on Steam.
Nominated for multiple awards including the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Video Game, Indie Game Awards for Emotional Impact, and TIGA Awards for Best Narrative Game, Until Then is a cinematic adventure that unfolds a captivating and eerie story about curious high school students trapped in a fractured reality. Set in beautifully crafted environments inspired by real-life locations in the Philippines, players take on the role of Mark Borja, a high schooler navigating the ups and downs of teenage life. From school and piano practice to friendships and social media, Mark faces the ordinary struggles of adolescence. But beneath the surface, something isn’t quite right—an unexpected twist of fate is on the horizon, ready to reshape his world.
As you journey through Mark’s life, you’ll encounter vibrant, relatable characters dealing with their own personal challenges, dive into the digital world through everyday technology, and engage in quirky minigames that keep you hooked. Wrapped in breathtaking cinematic pixel art and accompanied by a dynamic soundtrack, Until Then brings this emotionally charged, mysterious world to life. Can you uncover the secrets before it’s too late?
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations. Visit Maximum Entertainment at www.maximument.com.
About Polychroma Games
Polychroma Games is an independent game studio based in the Philippines seeking to explore and push the envelope of story in play. Our team believes that video games hold awesome potential as a medium of storytelling. We entwine the interactivity of play and the power of narrative into one. Official website: https://polychromagames.com/.
LOS ANGELES – March 3, 2025 – The IGDA Foundation (IGDA-F) is proud to honor Muriel Tramis with this year’s Gerald Lawson Award, shining a light on her achievements in the game development space. The Gerald Lawson Award for Achievement in Game Development honors the accomplishments of people who identify as underrepresented minorities in the game development community, with a specific recognition of their work directly related to game development. “…Jerry (Gerald) Lawson pioneered home video gaming in the 1970s by helping create the Fairchild Channel F, the first home video game system with interchangeable games.” (source) The award will be presented during GDC at GamesBeat’s Crossfire Lounge event taking place on Tuesday, March 18.
Tramis is an engineer from Martinique and is recognized as the first Black woman video game designer, whose works include the very first wargame Freedom: Rebels in the Darkness, and a multitude of adventure games such as Méwilo, Geisha, Fascination, Lost in Time, and Urban Runner. Tramis is also an advocate for women in the French tech and gaming industry, supporting recruitment and training programs to bring more diverse perspectives into European studios.
The IGDA-F will also be providing its GDC programming for ten talented grantees, in large part thanks to the generous support of the GDC organizers. This year’s grantees include participants from two key IGDA-F cohorts: Velocity, which supports professionals transitioning from other industries into games, and NGL (Next Gen Leaders), which focuses on retaining and empowering marginalized developers. These grantees will have the opportunity to benefit from GDC and IGDA-F programs, expanding their networks and connecting with industry professionals. In addition, the IGDA-F is offering CV/Portfolio review sessions for GDC attendees in Community Sessions, with IGDA-F alumni and industry professionals providing feedback to GDC attendees in the Moscone Center.
Since 2008, the IGDA-F has supported over 1,000 alumni who work across the industry. The IGDA-F is sponsored by the generosity of companies such as GDC, Stride PR, and Double Fine Productions, all long-term supporters of the IGDA-F.
“We are very pleased to offer our support to such a forward-thinking and inclusive organization,” said Kevin Johnson, Double Fine’s Director of Development. “The IGDA Foundation’s initiatives have such a positive and important impact on our industry, and we’re very keen to see that continue.”
The organization is also now accepting applications for the 2025 Virtual Exchange, the online-only grantee program providing learning opportunities for game industry hopefuls and its next gen leaders. The IGDA-F’s Virtual Exchange is a six-week program that provides grantees with workshops, career coaching, and personalized mentorship for industry newcomers and veterans alike from game industry professionals. Applications for this year’s program are now open through March 24th, 2025.
“We’re very excited to be presenting so many opportunities to our ambitious grantees this year,” said Alyssa Walles, Executive Director, IGDA-F. “We hope that those selected for these grants will find the experiences and connections they foster to be invaluable stepping stones for their careers in gaming.”
The International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA-F) is dedicated to advancing inclusivity and diversity in the gaming industry by providing opportunities, education, and support for individuals from underrepresented communities. The IGDA-F is sponsored by a generous group of industry companies, including Double Fine Productions, Stride PR, GDC, and Premack Rogers. Since 2008, the IGDA-F has supported more than 1,000 alumni who now develop games at both AAA and indie studios. For more information, visit https://igdafoundation.org
Succumb to award-winning gothic horror at a 25% discount as part of Steam Visual Novel Fest
TORONTO, Canada – Mar. 3, 2025 – Scarlet Hollow, the award-winning gothic horror narrative developed by Black Tabby Games (Slay the Princess), relaunches at a 25% discount today alongside Steam’s Visual Novel Fest with The Roads Untraveled, a massive update renovating the Hollow with significant new content added to the eerie Early Access adventure.
The Roads Untraveled freshly reanimates the existing four chapters of Scarlet Hollow, with an expanded script of more than 70,000 words from Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias across four episodes. Experience new tales in Scarlet Hollow, North Carolina, and explore new branches of existing stories, replete with hundreds of brand new illustrations from award-winning cartoonist Abby Howard.
Pearlanne Scarlet, your aunt and owner of the Hollow’s Scarlet Mine, left your cousin Tabitha the heavy burdens of leadership in the wake of her passing. Help Tabitha grieve the death of her mother (even if she seems to hate your guts) while she manages the mine and its miscreants, from rustic locals to vengeful spirits. This funeral will have tremendous consequences for the living.
Embody a version of yourself defined by two traits with the power to alter the trajectory of your life… and others. Become a muscle-bound mystic, a nerdy loner who prefers talking to animals, or another amalgamation of your own design to craft a story unique to your choices with dire consequences tied to your actions. Experience a desktop roleplaying game through the first-person lens of a transient out-of-towner cursed to change everything — for better or worse.
“We’re still hard at work on chapter five and beyond, but we didn’t want to wait to make significant changes and improvements to the Scarlet Hollow experience,” says Tony Howard-Arias, co-founder of Black Tabby Games. “Try the first chapter for free – and see what dangers await.”
Scarlet Hollow – The Roads Untraveled Update welcomes you with open arms today on PC via Steam alongside the start of Steam’s Visual Novel Fest with a 25% discount off the regular price of $24.99 through Monday, March 10. The entire reworked first episode is now available as a free demo, with the ability to directly carry your progress over into the full game.
For more information on Scarlet Hollow, check out the official website, follow developer Black Tabby Games on Twitter and Tumblr, and join the official Discord and Reddit.
About Black Tabby Games
Black Tabby Games is an award-winning indie studio composed of Abby Howard (Ignatz-winning graphic novelist) and Tony Howard-Arias. Their combined penchant for powerfully interactive storytelling forms a consistently unforgettable duo of horror and humor as seen in 2021’s award-winning Scarlet Hollow and 2023’s acclaimed smash hit, Slay the Princess.
RuneFest returns for the first time in six years with exciting new announcements and biggest attendance ever
Old School RuneScape’s first ever new skill Sailing heads to the high seas with first alpha test this month
RuneScape Leagues brings fan-favourite Old School RuneScape game mode to RuneScape later this year
Playtest sign-ups now open for Old School RuneScape community worlds program Project Zanaris
Major RuneScape area expansion Havenhythe revealed for 2026
Golden Gnomes Awards celebrate RuneScape and Old School RuneScape community heroes
Cambridge, UK – Monday, 3rd March 2025 – RuneFest, the world’s biggest celebration of RuneScape, returned over the weekend with a line-up of exciting announcements, first looks, and premiere reveals of brand-new content and experiences coming to the worlds of RuneScape and Old School RuneScape throughout 2025 and beyond.
Returning for the first time since 2019, and with tickets selling out within minutes of going on-sale, RuneFest 2025 has been the biggest RuneFest yet, welcoming thousands of RuneScape fans to a jam-packed event at the NEC, Birmingham. The show opened with a surprise musical performance by accomplished guitarist, producer, and RuneScape megafan Cole Rolland who performed a ten-minute medley rock cover of classic RuneScape tracks accompanied by Jagex staff member, Mod Ash, on violin. The track is available now on streaming platforms.
Fans were able to meet their favourite J-Mods and community creators, get hands-on with the latest playable content, and be amongst the first to hear about exciting new announcements and updates coming to RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
Old School RuneScape – Sailing Alpha Launches This Month, HD Mode & New Content Coming Soon
Set sail across the lands of Gielinor with Old School RuneScape’s first ever new skill, Sailing, playable for the first time at RuneFest 2025 and available for everybody to play in alpha later this month. Take to the seas with the Sailing update, starting off on a teeny tiny raft, and levelling up your skill as a sailor to become an experienced captain capable of commanding a crew and traversing hazardous waters. Dive with mermaids, salvage resources, and explore the far reaches of the ocean to defeat krakens, leviathans and cutthroat pirates in action-packed naval combat on the high seas of Gielinor.
For endgame players, take on an all-new challenge with a duo of new bosses, including Yama, coming to Old School RuneScape this spring, followed by the Delve boss, the Doom of Mokhaiotl. Later this summer, prepare to travel to the wilder reaches of Auburnvale, Custodia Pass, and the Tlati Rainforest as Varlamore: The Final Dawn comes to Old School RuneScape with all-new quests for players to sink their teeth into.
Also this summer, Old School RuneScape’s long-awaited HD Mode will revamp the classic MMO with enhanced graphical features, while retaining OSRS’s iconic visual identity. Arriving as a completely optional new mode, and with visuals optimised for a range of devices, experience Old School RuneScape in an all-new light when HD Mode launches later this year.
Project Zanaris Playtest Sign-Ups Now Open
Jagex announced that playtest sign-ups for Project Zanaris, the highly-requested and eagerly-anticipated community world program that lets players tweak and modify their own worlds, set their own rules, and create entirely new ways to play and experience Old School RuneScape, are now open. Players can sign up to register their interest in participating in the Project Zanaris playtests here or via the Old School RuneScape Discord, with the first wave of closed tests looking to start in April.
RuneScape – RuneScape Leagues, Havenhythe Expansion & Exciting New Content
Revealed during the RuneScape Ahead keynote, Jagex announced that RuneScape Leagues, the fan-favourite game mode first introduced in Old School RuneScape, is coming to RuneScape. Arriving later this year, Leagues is a limited-time game mode where players start again from the beginning experiencing accelerated XP and rare drop rates, travelling through the land they’ll discover tasks to complete which unlock overpowered new items and passives to really change how you play the game.
Coming to RuneScape in early 2026, Havenhythe introduces a new area expansion, featuring new locations, bosses, skilling activities, and a new storyline as players take the fight to the Vampyres. Located on the East of Morytania, Havenhythe is a mysterious and isolated land, filled with lost history, bountiful resources, and multiple biomes that players will get to explore in a series of new quests throughout 2026. Uncover ancient mysteries and face a new threat feared by Gielinor’s most lethal predators in a grand adventure set across a new land, and level up your Hunter skill beyond 99 with the Hunter 110 update, introduced with Havenhythe. And, as the Havenhythe story enters its second year in 2027, prepare to journey into one of the most dangerous places in the RuneScape universe: Vampyrium.
Arriving later this year, Jagex confirmed that Pharaoh’s Folly, the second part of the Return to the Desert trilogy of quests, will release 7 April, followed by the launch of the final chapter Eclipse of the Heart on 28 July. Look forward to the epic conclusion to this 24 year-old storyline with new rewards and a monumental showdown with the goddess of destruction herself, Amascut, a new group battle designed to challenge up to five players with multiple difficulty modes.
110 Runecrafting also launches in RuneScape today alongside a brand-new rune, the Time Rune, while the launch of 110 Crafting in June will let players get their hands on new craftable high-tier Mage armour. In May, new augmentable tools will let players train Invention through Runecrafting and Thieving and discover new components to create new skilling perks for skills like Mining, Archaeology and more.
Golden Gnomes Awards celebrates RuneScape & Old School RuneScape’s community heroes
The much-loved Golden Gnomes Awards returned at RuneFest 2025 to celebrate RuneScape and Old School RuneScape’s incredible community of players, featuring 26 awards that recognised the efforts of content creators, community contributors and cosplayers. Earning the ultimate two awards, Crystal was presented with the RuneScape Creators Choice award, alongside SoloMission as OSRS Creators Choice, commemorating them both as superstars of the RuneScape community.
Beatstar x Old School RuneScape
Jagex announced that it had partnered with Beatstar to bring Amascut’s Promise (Remix) to the hit mobile music rhythm game. Available today, this exciting collaboration marks the very first song from a video game soundtrack appearing in Beatstar as a playable track, letting players experience this fan-favourite Old School RuneScape track in a whole new way.
RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.Old School RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.
About Jagex
A leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower our communities across PC, mobile and consoles. Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed over 300 million player accounts to its world and is a $1billion + lifetime revenue franchise. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond live operations; our titles are forever games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly active worlds and our community-focussed development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped.
In 2022, Jagex expanded with the acquisitions of PipeWorks and Gamepires, bringing its expertise in building forever games to SCUM, a multi-million selling open-world survival title in Steam Early Access & other unannounced titles. Jagex employs more than 600 people globally, and is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Enhanced version of classic action adventure that defined the ZX Spectrum coming to PC on March 6th
London, U.K. – March 3rd, 2025 – SpecNext is pleased to announce that its enhanced version of iconic 80s classic, Head Over Heels: Deluxe, is due to release on PC on March 6th and will be coming to Nintendo Switch later this year. Originally released on the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC in 1987 and renowned as one of the era’s most iconic titles, Head Over Heels was given a new lease of life by SpecNext with an enhanced remake created for the ZX Spectrum Next in 2024, winning rave reviews from the likes of Crash (94%) and Retro Gamer (90%). With this enhanced version now debuting on PC and Switch, SpecNext is making the game accessible to the millions of players that played it across various systems in the 80s.
Join the eccentric duo of Headus Mouthion (Head) and Footus Underium (Heels) – two halves of a whole who have been separated and imprisoned by the tyrannical Emperor. Each character possesses unique abilities to master and combine: Head’s remarkable jumping prowess and handy headshots pave the way over daunting obstacles, while Heels’ speed, carrying power, and snappy waddle keep the team nimble and resourceful. Reunite them to unlock even more powerful moves as you traverse fantastical worlds full of bizarre enemies, smart puzzles and secret passages waiting to be uncovered.
This faithful (and fresh!) remake elevates everything fans love about the original classic. Soak in beautifully updated isometric levels, re-engineered controls that feel snappy and precise, and a brand-new soundtrack that perfectly captures the whimsical — and sometimes devious – nature of the puzzle realms. For retro purists, optional “classic mode” graphics and sound settings are on hand to recreate that authentic 8-bit nostalgia, while newcomers will appreciate upgrades such as improved save systems, helpful hints, and quality-of-life updates that never compromise the game’s classic challenge.
“Head Over Heels is one of the most loved and awarded games from the 80s, and its fiendish gameplay still holds true today,” said Henrique Olifiers, Director at SpecNext. “If you are looking for a game challenge with soul, this is the game for you.”
Key Features
Over 500 majestic locations
Multiple save points (trust us, you’ll need them)
Wonderful music throughout by Space Fractal
Chickens! (Yes, these weren’t in the original… Blame Mike ‘Flash’ Ware for them)
A complete new area (because more is better)
New enemies and objects (there’s a new area after all)
SpecNext was born as a project to keep the ZX Spectrum alive, realised through the creation and release of the ZX Spectrum Next computer. The studio also backed remakes of classic ZX Spectrum games for the Spectrum Next, which it is now bringing to modern platforms such as PC Steam and Nintendo Switch.
PlayStation Australia is excited to announce the new LEGO Horizon Adventures Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth LEGO playset is out now.
Watch the behind the scenes video below or read more on the PlayStation Blog to see how it all came together!
This 768-piece set allows LEGO fans to recreate the iconic adventures of Aloy and her loyal ally Varl. Armed with their trusty bow and spear capable of producing fire, shock or chill attacks, join the duo’s battle in jungle surroundings against two fully jointed machines, Shell-Walker and Sawtooth.
The Shell-Walker has posable legs and arms, opening claws and a detachable cargo pod and energy shield, while the fully articulated Sawtooth has opening jaws, a swivelling torso and a posable neck, head and legs. The Sawtooth machine measures over 18 cm high, 12 cm long and 8 cm wide.
The Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth set (RRP $69.99 AUD) is available at LEGO.com and selected retailers. We hope you continue to enjoy LEGO Horizon Adventures — out now across PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch™.
Shinobi Sasuke Uchiha (Young Ver. Final Battle) joins the battle in NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER as the newest playable character. Players gets to incarnate one of the last survivors of the Uchiha’s clan, the cold and determined Sasuke, with this Special Master-Ninjutsu Training Vol.43! Sasuke’s Ninjutsu and secret technique, the Cursemark Second State, is also a real advantage against the players’ opponents.
Watch the new trailer: NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER – Sasuke Uchiha (Young Ver. Final Battle) DLC Trailer
The DLC also brings avatar parts such as two costumes (Sasuke Outfit Childhood Ver. and Sasuke Outfit Back in Time Ver. for both male and female), an eyepatch, a hairstyle and an honorary title (‘The Vengeful’).
Moreover, the Sasuke Uchiha Starter Pack is available as well starting today and includes:
Ten Moonlight Scrolls,
Three sets of DLCs:
DLC14 Sasuke Uchiha (BORUTO),
DLC27 Sasuke Uchiha (Last Battle),
DLC43 Sasuke Uchiha (Young Ver. Final Battle),
Three types of Top Secret Training DLCs.
Watch now the new trailer for the DLC43: LINK
NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER has now been released more than six years ago! To thank players for their support, a campaign full of surprises started yesterday and will end on March 27th, during which they can expect Battle Events, Bonuses, Emergency Special Missions and more!
NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a LITE version available for free to discover the game.
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT – DAIMA – ADVENTURE THROUGH THE DEMON REALM PACK is available today and brings enhancement items that can be used in the base game. This pack also includes the upcoming DAIMA two-part series of DLC, with the first part coming this summer.
This DLC Pack will allow players to experience the world of the new Dragon Ball DAIMA anime series. In the DAIMA story, Goku and his friends have been transformed into children to make them weaker as a new Demon Realm King sets his scheme in motion. Goku and his friends must travel to the Demon Realm and return to normal thanks to the native Dragon Balls of this new world.
The DLCwill bring players on an adventure into a whole new world they will get to explore recreating the Third Demon Realm, including the floating islands and mysterious Skyseed plants that dot the land. Incarnating Goku, and helped by Supreme Kai, Glorio and Panzy, they will be immersed in this thrilling new journey and relive the DAIMA story! Goku’s friends will help throughout the adventures with their support skills and Z combo. Players can also expect a new battle experience thanks to the introduction of elements unique to the DLC such as the Power Pole or the new form of Goku (mini) Super Saiyan.
Discover this exciting upcoming DLC in a new trailer
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.
You never quite know where RGG Studio is going to go next. In the past year and a half we’ve seen everything from a Yakuza series veteran turn into a secret agent to bringing Like a Dragon‘s Ichiban all the way to Hawaii for a new start in a brand new location for the franchise. Now, for the third game in that time fans get to return but this time it happens to be with fan favorite Goro Majima as the Mad Dog of Shimano cuts through the crystal-clear waters of the Hawaiian islands as a pirate in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Serving as both a spin-off and something of a continuation to the end of Infinite Wealth, how does this game continue the franchise all while telling its own crazy tale in a way only Majima can.
Story
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s story picks up six months after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and while it isn’t necessarily required to have played through the entirety of that game, it is recommended to at least have completed most of the main storyline and substories to get the most out of this entry as there are numerous references, character appearances, and even proper conclusions to plot threads that were left hanging in that entry. In that time, no one appears to know what Goro Majima has been up to and even he himself has no idea as he washes ashore a small tropical island with only his pants, eyepatch, and infamous dagger. This amnesiac man doesn’t remember who he is, how he got there, or even the origins of his tattoos but with the help of a young boy named Noah he manages to get back onto his feet, only to find that he’s now stranded with no one else willing to help thanks to a bunch of rowdy pirates laying claim to the island and Noah’s father long giving up the sailing life.
Not one to stay still long despite his amnesia, Majima manages to not only take out the local pirate crew but commandeer their ship as well, becoming a pirate captain to a small crew including Noah and his father as they set out for Honolulu in an effort to not only track down the mysteries behind who he actually is, but even learn more about a mysterious long lost treasure that might contain a cure for Noah’s respiratory illness and all manners of priceless treasures.Along the way they’ll meet quite a few familiar faces, a few even from Majima’s past, take part in large scale ship battles in the coliseum inside Madlantis, a paradise for unlawful pirates to reside all headed by a queen and king that rule the ocean’s underbelly, and of course take part in plenty of randomly hilarious and off the wall side-quests along the way in a more streamlined and trimmed down narrative fit for a spin-off.
Besides having Majima as an amnesiac pirate throughout Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuzain Hawaii, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the storyline is how straightforward and relatively simple it is at its heart. The core storyline of building up a pirate crew to track down a treasure is surprisingly simple without the usual twists and turns that fans have come to expect from the franchise, even in a spin-off game. Sure, there is a bit of backstabbing going on as one would expect in seas filled with pirates, but it takes a fairly long time to actually develop to that point. In fact, it isn’t until the game’s last couple of chapters that the plot significantly ramps up the stakes and by then it is almost too late, with the primary villains at that point being too thinly developed to feel well-written and the earlier antagonists simply being annoying with how tenacious they were, like a wharf roach that won’t disappear. That being said, it is nice to note that this entry does wrap up a few elements of Infinite Wealth that were left hanging and unresolved, though we won’t say which for obvious spoiler reasons.
What is quite interesting here in Pirate Yakuzain Hawaii is the different way players can see Goro Majima as a character. The Mad Dog of Shimano has always had a manic and sadistic streak that masked his cunning mind and battle-hardened heart that still cared for those in trouble, but now with amnesia players are able to see the warmth of the man, when he isn’t threatening to cut off a finger or slice apart someone that’s threatening him and his crew as you can take away his memories, but Majima’s sinister side still remains. It is through his interactions with Noah and his family as well as other characters through substories that players see these interesting aspects of his personality, even if they may not be quite as explored as fans might like, especially when a set of familiar faces appear as close allies near the end as their interactions are sadly mostly kept to sailing conversations “drink links” that make their return.
As for the substories, as mentioned before they are as wacky and all over the place as before. Sure, some may be as simple as talking to a few characters or getting some “friends” on the returning Aloha Links or cross-dressing to adopt a cat but many others are quite a bit more in-depth. Some of these even include elements that see characters and side events return from not only Infinite Wealth but Like a Dragon as well, bringing some extra tidbits and closure to continuing substories. In fact, there are two sets in particular that stand out thanks to their length and level of detail. One happens to involve helping out and befriending a number of girls for them to take part in a hilariously awkward live action bachelor-esque set of dating videos with a crew member, who all join Majima’s crew themselves afterwards, and another is an entire string of quests that involves hunting down notorious “Devil Flags” that sees players battling on ship, islands, and the sea in side-quest exclusive locations with satisfying encounters and storylines as well as rewards that are so powerful it is shocking they could be completely avoided should players wish.
Gameplay
Just like their last spin-off game, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes a trip back to RGG Studio’s past and delivers a fast-paced action game, even faster than before considering how quickly Majima moves now in combat. For the most part, many elements of the title remain the same as Infinite Wealth, with Honolulu being almost identical in design and shop layout with the only new explorable locations being Madlantis and Rich Island though new and returning activities populate all of these locations. It is also interesting to note that Majima acquires new skills by “investing” in himself like the classic Yakuza 0 where money and even crew fame is spent to unlock additional moves for his combat styles and increase various other buffs such as extra health and attack.
As players roam around and encounter thugs on any of the explorable locations or enter an island that they have to battle on, they’ll enter a fight where they will initially have access only to Majima’s signature Mad Dog fighting style. Mad Dog style is as quick moving and powerful as ever, allowing players to quickly string together chains of punches and knife slashes all while ducking and dodging to avoid attacks. Should his Madness gauge fill, Majima in Mad Dog style can even summon doppelgangers of himself to really lay into enemies, with his clones dealing out just as much damage as he does. Interestingly enough, Mad Dog style is also where a brand new element to the game’s combat has been added and that is the ability to actually jump for the first time ever in the franchise. Not only that, Mad Dog even sees some combos and charged attacks ending in launchers that will send opponents flying with Majima jumping up to deal extra damage. Players can jump and attack or even jump and dodge to avoid a troublesome attack and this can be done in both fighting styles.
Not too long after becoming a proper pirate Majima will also gain access to Sea Dog style. It is interesting to note that players can swap between combat styles at any time during a fight but his initial fighting style will vary depending on location. On Madlantis, an enemy pirate ship or island? Sea Dog. Exploring Honolulu? Mad Dog. Either way, Sea Dog style starts out rather basic as Majima will wield two sabers and only feature a small kit of attacks beyond his combo moves but as players progress through the story they will obtain various extra tools that will be added to Sea Dog’s repertoire. This includes a powerful flintlock pistol that can be used to take out enemies at a distance or charge up for more damage and eventually a grappling hook (that can also be used to reach treasure chests and fortunes stashed on rooftops or at a distance in Honolulu, that can help Majima zip around the battlefield and chase down foes that prefer to fight at a distance with guns or during large scale scraps which we will discuss later. The odd part of Sea Dog style comes with the aforementioned completely optional subplot involving the Devil Flags.
Unlike Mad Dog style, using Majima’s Madness gauge in Sea Dog style requires players to obtain an “instrument of the dark gods” which can only be obtained by progressing and completing various parts of the Devil Flags substories. There are four different instruments to obtain and each will summon a powerful beast to assist in combat for a short while, such as summoning sharks from the ground to tear away at enemies. The whole odd part is, should players not take part in this subplot at all or avoid it for a while, they’ll be completely missing out on these abilities, making it incredibly strange that they were relegated as a side-activity, especially with how powerful some of them are.
This all combines to make an incredibly fast and frenetic combat system that feels both satisfying and a bit like a power trip as powering up Majima’s abilities, strengthening his attack, and equipping rings on his fingers (the only form of personal equipment in the game) that provide various stat boosts, can turn him into a walking maelstrom of death regardless of the style he uses. That is of course unless the enemy loves using bombs, then players are a bit out of luck as they’ll almost always send him flying even if they come from friendly fire, but once again, more on that in a bit.
Now onto the biggest and most unique element of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and that is being an actual pirate. Players will sail the seas and while the maps aren’t open world, they are split into various smaller locations where players can use fuel boosts to move quickly or travel using the winds to keep their max speed up. Anytime they find a lighthouse, that lighthouse can then be used as a fast travel point and anytime players encounter enemy ships, be they out in the open ocean or story related, they’ll enter ship to ship combat There is a certain arcade style feeling to ship battles as players can make use of their machineguns to fire straight ahead, or lining up an enemy ship with your port or starboard cannons and letting them rip. Majima himself can even let go of the wheel to fire a rocket at an enemy ship to deal damage if needed, though we only ever did this enough to get the achievement, otherwise it felt mostly useless compared to using the ship’s own weaponry. In battles players can also ram the enemy ship’s sides to deal damage and inflict various status ailments though they can suffer from them as well, catching on fire, freezing, or even becoming poisoned and these can only be remedied by leaving the wheel to repair the ship. Oddly enough, repairing the ship in general can be done with a simple press of the button though players will be unable to attack while repairs are being made.
Once again players are rewarded for “investing” in the Goromaru ship that they call home. Using money to purchase various upgrades such as increased health, an additional cannon for each side, more fuel tanks for boosts, etc. Unfortunately the upgrades here are shockingly limited. There is no way to increase the Goromaru’s overall cruising speed or even unlock extra cannon slots for the ship which should obviously be able to hold more than allotted, especially given the ship size. As for the weapons themselves, cannons and firearms can be purchased either directly from the customization menu or obtained through the familiar Julie who can use materials players have gathered out on the seas and during exploration to craft special weapons for use on the ship. Ironically, this can mean that players can find themselves decked out with max level laser cannons on both sides of the ship, fully upgraded freeze machine guns, and even a max health ship before they even get out of chapter two if they focus heavily on side activities and events that open up wildly as players advance through the game.
Now as mentioned before, players will find that there is plenty to do on Honolulu and Madlantis and most of these activities remain the same as Infinite Wealth such as Photo Ops, Darts, Pool, Shogi, etc. or make a return such as Dragon Karts, or in the case of changing baseball to hitting cannonballs at exploding barrels, and completing these minigames or partaking in them can often reward players lucratively or even unlock crew members for the ship. Yes, there are over a hundred characters easily that players can obtain as part of their crew and each one has different stats and fighting styles that will vary depending on where they are assigned on your ship. Ironically, some of this strength just comes down to rarity, as higher rarity characters have max levels of 40 while standard characters can cap off at 20, making even a favorite useless in the long run. It is also interesting to note that while players can crew their ship with various canoneers and a first mate, their contributing factor to how strong their cannon damage will be and how well the ship can repair is determined by their stats. Similarly, players can unlock up to four raiding parties that will join them in battles against an enemy crew once they board the ship, with some raiders having special squad skills that provide unique bonuses and special skills they can unleash during fights. These characters come from all over the place, ranging from Kei from the bar to allies obtained from substories and many more. Giving players a real feel for creating their favorite crew as long as they can survive some of the tougher battles players can throw at them, including mass scale battles that can see the player’s entire assigned crew battling alongside Majima against a hundred foes at a time in a truly spectacular looking brawl.
Those looking to truly test their skills will find the Madlantis coliseum the real challenge for the game. These fights all take on various forms, including simply taking down a boss ship, boarding it, and eliminating the crew, starting out right from boarding and fighting a crew in a tournament of sorts, and even fighting the aforementioned large scale fights as well. These are some of the most rewarding but also toughest ship battles in the entire game and it is entirely possible to get overwhelmed should players try out certain challenges too early. That being said, there is some irony to becoming the “champion” of the Madlantis coliseum only to have a single mission require Majima and the crew to win against a simple ship despite the fact that they’ve already proven themselves as champions.
Audio & Visuals
Since Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii uses almost the entirety of the Honolulu location fans of the franchise will mostly be experiencing the same locations again only with Majima at the controls, though this time some different enemies are moving around and fights happen in quick action packed bouts rather than turn-based affairs. The main new locations happen to be Rich Island, a small and simple tropical island and Madlantis, an absolutely grimy and gorgeous looking pirate paradise that is nicely designed. Sailing on the waves is also portrayed quite nicely with players occasionally having to deal with waterspouts, lightning, and whirlpools. Majima has a wide array of pirate outfits and normal clothes to wear, including some oddball items as well and even the ship, the Goromaru, can be heavily customized with cosmetics. Similarly, the crew that Majima can recruit for the ship come in all different forms. If it was a side-character in some form in Infinite Wealth there is a good chance they’ll be recruitable here too, including Revolve’s bartenders. It is rather unfortunate that the islands that players explore when hunting treasure are incredibly simplistic and bland to the point that they quickly become repetitive.
Sega has continued their latest tradition of providing an English dub to accompany the Japanese voice track originally produced for the game and it is nice to note that the English voice work is handled quite well here. Even Majima’s signature laugh is captured to some small degree, though not quite as severe and wonderful as it might be in his Japanese dubbing so those who prefer that option may wish to use that voice track instead. As far as the soundtrack goes, there is a solid collection of its own background music, including a musical number even, as well as countless songs that players can obtain in the game to put together their own background music playlist from classic and recent Sega titles, including a song from Metaphor ReFantazio, Persona 3 Reload, and Persona 5 Tactica.
Overall
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii proves itself as a more than satisfying spin-off of the main storyline while also maintaining just enough connections and references to the core plot of the franchise to make it a vital, albeit completely different, entry for fans of the franchise to check out even if it does see a bit too much reuse and generic elements at times. Seeing Goro Majima of all people taking care of a kid and raising a crew of swashbucklers is something the Mad Dog may never have done before but watching it happen throughout this story is an enjoyable one, even if it is a bit too basic and short for its own good. Thankfully a plethora of side-content that shockingly hides some vital elements behind it and some amazing action combat make Majima’s first solo adventure in some time more than worth your while.
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