In *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, players take on the role of Goro Majima, the notorious Mad Dog of Shimano, who embarks on a thrilling adventure with a plethora of skills to master. Here's a guide to the best early upgrades for Goro that will enhance your gameplay experience in *Pirate Yakuza*.

Goro Majima Upgrades in Pirate Yakuza, Explained

Goro Majima starts the game as an amnesiac ex-yakuza, equipped with a single fighting style in the first chapter. As you delve deeper into the main story, Goro unlocks new weapons and the Sea Dog fighting style, opening up a fresh upgrade tree. *Pirate Yakuza* features four distinct skill trees:

• Overall Stats
• Shared Abilities
• Mad Dog
• Sea Dog

To maximize your effectiveness in battles and quests without breaking the bank, here are the top early upgrades to consider:

Max Health Boost (Overall Stats)

The Max Health Boost is a crucial early investment. Boss fights in *Pirate Yakuza* often involve numerous henchmen, and a higher health bar ensures Goro can withstand multiple hits, enabling better crowd control. Outlasting your opponents while dealing substantial damage is key to success in the game's toughest battles, making this upgrade essential.

Attack Boost (Overall Stats)

The Attack Boost is another vital upgrade, enhancing the damage of Goro's base attacks. With *Pirate Yakuza* returning to the series' traditional real-time combat, melee attacks are critical for progressing through the story and side content. While it may require a significant investment, the Attack Boost Plus upgrade can further simplify future playthroughs.

Knockdown Evasion (Shared Abilities)

In scenarios where you're outnumbered, Knockdown Evasion becomes invaluable. This upgrade allows Goro to quickly recover from being knocked down by heavy attacks or melee weapons, enabling you to swiftly return to an offensive stance.

Quickstep Strike (Shared Abilities)

The Quickstep Strike upgrade enhances Goro's ability to attack immediately after dodging, making it a game-changer in battles. This ability is particularly useful in early boss fights, offering another way to trigger Goro's heat gauge attack.

Grapple Counter (Shared Abilities)

The Grapple Counter upgrade is perfect for dealing with crowds, allowing Goro to counter grab attacks and avoid damage while delivering a counter-attack of his own.

Serpent Trick (Mad Dog)

The Mad Dog style, Goro's signature pirate fighting technique, incorporates dual swords, a flintlock pistol, and a grappling hook. The Serpent Trick upgrade is essential for crowd control, enabling Goro to launch enemies into the air for devastating follow-up combos.

Frenzy Trick (Mad Dog)

The Frenzy Trick is another crowd control gem in the Mad Dog style. This spin move knocks down multiple enemies, making it ideal for the naval combat side quests where you face waves of pirates.

Catch ‘n’ Slash (Sea Dog)

The Catch 'n' Slash upgrade enhances the projectile combat technique available from the start of the Sea Dog style. It extends the duration of the throw and allows for immediate follow-up attacks, facilitating longer combos.

Charge ‘n’ Shoot (Sea Dog)

While the flintlock pistol in the Mad Dog style can be slow to charge and leaves Goro vulnerable, the Charge 'n' Shoot upgrade makes it far more practical. It allows for rapid firing at multiple enemies, sending them flying across the battlefield.

These are the best early upgrades for Goro Majima in *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, designed to enhance your combat prowess and ensure a smoother journey through the game's challenges.

*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.*