During combat, players will be able to dynamically switch between two battle styles: Mad Dog and Sea Dog, each with their own characteristics and Heat Actions. The Mad Dog style allows you to freely combine fist and leg attacks with knife strikes for a variety of quick combos. The Sea Dog style, meanwhile, is based on wielding double sabers to combine pirate-style slashing combos and finishing moves. In both styles there is a madness meter for performing summons. Mad Dog summons doubles of Majima and Sea Dog uses the Dark Instruments to call upon dark deities.
The weapons that the Sea Dog style has access to are: Cutlass Boomerang, which deals area damage; the gun does explosive damage; and the Chain Hook allows players to propel themselves towards enemies to deliver blows. Regarding the aforementioned Dark Instruments, they are treasures that are looted from rival pirate ships and are used to summon creatures. With the violin sharks appear that destroy the enemies; the guitar invokes a huge ape that throws punches at rivals; the saxophone conjures a bird that causes tornadoes; and the ocarina attracts jellyfish.
When he sets sail aboard the Goro Maru, Majima will be free to explore the ocean in search of treasure islands, but he must always be aware that other pirates may appear. When this happens, it is recommended to keep your distance to bombard the enemy with cannon volleys and thus decimate their crew. Then it will be the turn of boarding and combat on deck. To successfully overcome these confrontations, players must modify the ship to improve it (armor and weapons) and strategically deploy the crew taking into account that each one provides different characteristics.