I am playing [[Like a Pirate]] right now. I don't really have much to say about the game itself - like, it's **Yakuza**. It is doing what **Yakuza** always does, very well. It's probably the best action-based **Yakuza** since **Yakuza 0** (or technically **Lost Judgement** if we're judging RGG Studio games as a whole). Instead I will focus on something that RGG has come to perfect in every game release after another - gratification. RGG Studio is the king of constantly making the act of playing feel *really, really good*. And I don't just mean in game-feel. They have created a system of play in which every single thing you do in the game gives you some sort of reward, which leads you to do everything you possibly can in the game. **Like a Pirate** continues down this road. Running around? Congrats, here's some EXP. Talking to people? EXP. Fighting enemies in one of the game's two styles? EXP. Then there's the Aloha system. As you run around the map you can wave to people which adds them to your friends list, giving you further bonuses and rewards, while simultaneously encouraging you to explore instead of fast-travel. Mini-games fall under this camp too. Doing them gets you rewards and unlocks new crew members for your ship, which makes them more worthwhile than ever to do in a **Yakuza** game.[^1] The primary reward you get is money in all of these activities, which is important, because money lets you buy new upgrades that make Majima stronger, PS2-game style. This creates an incredibly satisfying feedback loop of doing everything you can in the game to get new abilities for you and your ship. But of course, money is spent on other things too - most importantly buying new outfits for Majima. So now you have *two* reasons to see everything there is to see in **Like a Pirate**. [[Goopy Goblin Gamer Brain|GOOP]] manifests in two ways: the first is intricate gameplay, but the second is in rewarding engagement. I don't ever get bored in **Like a Dragon** games because I'm constantly being rewarded for engaging with literally any aspect of the game - and it's all so quick and seamless that I'll think I'm about to play for one hour and end up spending three hours in a session instead. "Just one more mini-game, just one more side story, just one more bounty to collect." The only other game that I've played that I'd say comes close in this department is actually **Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed**. It's very similar in the way that it encourages you to explore by giving you a reward for doing so. And like. Yeah, maybe the constant dopamine/serotonin burst being key to my enjoyment of these games says something about me as a person. But you know what? Life is not constantly rewarding me the same way, and I doubt it will for the next few years, LMFAO. So I am happy to get showered in coins and rewards and nice little *ping* sounds that signal that things are going well for me in **Like a Pirate**. [^1]: Except for Shogi, I'm not a masochist