On the surface, the two games in question for this Versus matchup seem about as far removed from each other as you can get. But when you throw a few important factors in: similar main goals (hunting treasure or monsters), same genre (action-adventure), and both games serving as my introduction to each franchise, they're well matched. On one end is "Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii". On the other is "Monster Hunter: Wilds". Sega vs. Capcom, both battling each other out for my favor. With the usual categories, you know the drill.
Round 1: Presentation
The end result with this roundup is going to be interesting. For you see, each game has the upper hand on one element over the other game. As an example, through the character customization options alone, the visual fidelity in "Monster Hunter: Wilds" is far sharper and more detailed. With the hot female character I created, "Wilds" feels more like a next-gen experience. Not that shocking seeing that Capcom uses its RE engine for this title. The other characters in the story, namely your allies, have some detail and style to their distinct designs.
"Pirate Yakuza" may look more like a PS4 game as opposed to a PS5 title. It looks fine nonetheless, especially when it has a more appealing setting. Hey, if I had to choose between Hawaii and a mountainous desert, Hawaii's going to win every time by default. The scenery is naturally more appealing and varied. From the tropical islands and Honolulu to a ship graveyard in a massive cave, the venues are far more interesting to explore. You can only do so much with a desert before it ends up boring me. Each game's strength evens out with the other.
Round 1 Winner: DRAW
Round 2: Audio
A similar outcome is in store for the audio category. On paper, you'd think "Wilds" has the upper hand due to consistent voiceover all the way through. Meanwhile, "Pirate Yakuza" has voiceovers, but not all the time, especially in the main gameplay. "Wilds" has a more bombastic tone to its orchestral music. "Pirate Yakuza" conversely goes more off the deep end. In short, "Pirate Yakuza" is less about accuracy and more about goofy combinations and hybrids. And yet, that's one of the many reasons why I responded to that game more.
It is unapologetically corny, and yet it's all the better for it. "Pirate Yakuza" embraces the oddness of its titular hybrid of worlds. What it may lack in sounding accurate to either side of the coin, it makes up for in its charm and quirkiness. "Wilds" does its part for the type of game it is. Oddly enough, I found the cutscenes in "Wilds" played out too slow for my liking, resulting in awkward dialogue exchanges. You can press a button to make them go faster. But as it is, the dialogue felt too stiff and slow. Each game feels similar here in the end.
Round 2 Winner: DRAW
Round 3: Content
This is a far easier decision to make for my taste. You see, my ability to get into a series I'm discovering for the first time such as these two depends on how welcoming they are to newcomers. In that regard, there was no contest. "Pirate Yakuza" was a solid entry point to both pirate games and the bigger "Yakuza" series alike. It has its share of plot points that won't feel right to some players. On the whole, it was worth witnessing the unfolding comradery of the ship's ragtag crew members led by an amnesiac. As with the gameplay, I was far more easily sold.
It embraces an arcade route with the ship's controls and cannon/gun fire to utmost effect. The combat, gun and melee alike, is equipped with quick and smooth action, so you won't run into any trouble taking down your opponents. Exploration is much easier to get into and play recreationally. It's easy to understand the basics of what you can do in your environments and the tutorials never overwhelm you at any point. "Pirate Yakuza" provides a good arcade-like action-adventure for those craving the pirate life and searching for treasure.
With "Monster Hunter: Wilds" sadly, it's the other way around. The engine for a decent action RPG is partly there. Unfortunately, it's undone by an unbearable UI and menus upon menus of overwhelming information. "Civilization VII" had a better UI than this game did. At least it didn't exhaust me after 10 minutes of learning the ropes. I have a limit for how much information I can stand being thrown all at once. My threshold for lengthy inventory/menu screens is "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt". Any more than that, and my incentive to play is ruined.
And that's basically what happened in my time with "Wilds". When the aggressively complicated menus weren't ruining my experience, I was struggling to get into the combat itself. Awkward button placement for your primary attacks don't help. I found the enemies I fought a bit too spongey, no matter how much damage I should've dealt to them. I like having the Palicos, aka feline sidekicks, help fight alongside me. I like how in exploration, you can use a hook a retract resources from a small distance, to consolidate roaming wherever possible.
In general though, I found "Wilds" to be incredibly unwelcoming to newcomers. The developers failed to make the gameplay simple enough to bypass the nightmarish interface and information overload. The lack of a menu that pauses your gameplay like most other games do makes things more frustrating. I didn’t care about the story or characters in the least. Right out of the gate, I was left out in the cold trying to understand this universe with the exception of a few elements, aka Palicos. Because of this, "Pirate Yakuza" wins with its eyes shut.
Round 3 Winner: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
What we have with today's matchup is a textbook case of a game that welcomes newcomers into its world versus another game that doesn't. In an era where sequels are a norm in every industry you can name, it's important that you win as many people over as you can, regardless if they've done their homework or not. "Pirate Yakuza" is sufficient with the goods it provides. I got sick of being annoyed by the tiring systems of "Wilds", hence why I didn't even bother spending much time with it at all. "Pirate Yakuza" is unquestionably the superior title.
Final Verdict:
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii: 7.5/10
Monster Hunter: Wilds: 5.5/10
WINNER: LIKE A DRAGON: PIRATE YAKUZA IN HAWAII
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