Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review

The Like a Dragon/Yakuza video game series has maintained its relevance over the years thanks to its compelling stories, memorable characters, engaging brawler gameplay, and a diverse range of minigames. This ongoing popularity can also be attributed to the franchise’s dedicated fanbase, which has been kept satisfied by a steady stream of releases that continually win over fans with each installment.

RGG Studio has a knack for introducing new gameplay elements to the series, and they are doing so again with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Although this game is a spinoff, it remains highly anticipated, mainly because it features fan-favorite character Goro Majima as the lead.

Players will embark on a maritime adventure for the first time in the series as Majima leads a pirate crew searching for glory and treasure. This unique direction is an unexpected but exciting development, and is another notch under RGG Studios’ prestigious belt.

The Mad Dog of the Sea

Ex-Yakuza Goro Majima finds himself washed ashore on an island, embarking on a quest for a legendary treasure while encountering dubious characters, including fellow Yakuza members, a cult, and pirates. It’s an eclectic mix, but one that should not surprise you if your protagonist is as crazy as the Mad Dog of Shimano.

Adding to the intrigue, Majima suffers from amnesia and assumes the role of a pirate captain, now leading his crew. This unexpected twist in the storyline is surprisingly effective and hooks you in from the first minute. If anything, RGG knows how to tell a story, and that is continued in this game.

Majima’s amnesia adds an intriguing layer to his character. Long-time fans will be surprised by this new portrayal of Majima as a compassionate and friendly figure, contrasting with his notorious “Mad Dog” persona. Nonetheless, his irritable nature and tendency to resort to intimidation remain intact.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii seamlessly integrates references to Infinite Wealth, offering returning fans a heightened experience that may also seem intimidating to newcomers. However, everyone experiences Majima as a pirate for the first time, making this adventure accessible. Prior knowledge of previous games is not essential for enjoying the narrative of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, so newcomers should not feel wary of treating this as their entry point into the series.

The series is celebrated for its captivating characters, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii upholds this tradition. The crew is composed of loyal comrades, each with their backstories, and the villains encountered are equally compelling. The game keeps players guessing who to trust, a typical scenario in a pirate-themed Yakuza tale.

One potential drawback is the game’s initial pacing. The opening hours are relatively linear and feature numerous tutorials that could lead to restlessness to advance the story. However, perseverance will reward players with the freedom to explore and engage with the full scope of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which is impressively content-rich.

Welcome Back to Honolulu and Then Some

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii continues to uphold the essence of the Like a Dragon series with its expansive open-area exploration and myriad activities. Players can revisit Honolulu from Infinite Wealth, indulging in familiar mini-games such as Crazy Delivery, Sicko Snap, and Dragon Kart, which makes a return from Like a Dragon 7. The game also offers activities like shopping for clothes to tailor Majima’s style and sampling local delicacies.

New areas like Madlantis and Rich Island are also brimming with diverse activities and unique atmospheres. Although these regions are smaller than Honolulu, they still provide plenty of exploration opportunities. Players can engage in activities like card games and cannonball batting in Madlantis, and even participate in a cooking mini-game to prepare delicious meals that restore health during combat. True to the series legacy, the game includes full arcade games and the beloved Karaoke feature.

Combat returns to the action-brawling style seen in previous entries, perfectly suited for Majima’s wild character. Despite his amnesia, Majima retains his “Mad Dog” fighting style, featuring moves like grabbing and his signature doppelganger technique.

Additionally, Majima’s new “Sea Dog” style, acquired through his pirate endeavors, introduces new combat moves incorporating a pair of cutlasses, a flintlock, and a hook. This style allows players to guard in all directions and break opponents’ guards with strong attacks, even though it lacks the grabbing capability of the “Mad Dog” style. The new Dark instruments further enhance combat with devastating AoE attacks and effects.

The signature cinematic Heat Moves return, and players can fill up their Heat Gauge and wait for the prompt to perform a cinematic attack on their opponent, varying based on the situation. While executing these moves can be challenging due to the quick flash of the prompts that lead to many missed opportunities, successfully pulling them off is highly satisfying, as it allows Majima to deliver punishing finishers on his adversaries.

The controls, however, are not without their flaws. It’s not a matter of lacking moves or attacks, as the game provides sufficient options to defeat foes, but the controls seem slightly unresponsive at times. Jumping, in particular, does not register immediately, which can result in taking damage. Also, dodging and jumping share the same button, which might cause confusion, especially when paired with camera issues. Nevertheless, players can adapt to this, and it doesn’t significantly detract from the overall experience.

Switching styles on the fly as Majima is an enjoyable mechanic in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, offering players the freedom to eliminate enemies creatively. This aspect of gameplay is also challenging, as opponents will actively fight back, requiring strategic guarding and dodging. Fortunately, players can upgrade their skills with the cash they earn as they progress, enhancing their combat capabilities. And all this excitement is just on land—where Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii truly excels is yet to come.

Set Sail and Plunder, Kyoudai!

Traveling and engaging in sea battles on your pirate ship is not entirely new, as it’s a mechanic seen in other pirate-themed games. However, for RGG Studios, this marks a first for the series, and the developers have brought it to Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Your ship, the Goromaru, is as significant as any character in the game.

Players can customize their ship with various hull and sail designs and equip it with preferred pirate weapons such as cannons and more modern ones like machine guns and lasers. Additionally, players can use their in-game currency to strengthen the Goromaru for upcoming battles in the open seas and closed arenas.

Madlantis features the Pirate Coliseum, where players can fight other pirates for cash and rank. Prepare to engage in epic sea battles with rival pirates on the open seas. The controls are intuitive, allowing players to dispatch enemies swiftly. Players can even leave the steering wheel and manually attack enemies with a bazooka or machine gun from the deck. When the time is right, players can board enemy ships for deck battles with their pirate crew—a newly welcomed feature.

As Captain Majima, forming and maintaining a crew is essential in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Similar to previous minigames like Business Management and the Cabaret clubs, players can assemble their crew from various in-game characters, including familiar faces from Infinite Wealth. Players must assign crew members to different positions, such as cannons and the boarding party, based on their stats.

Maintaining crew morale is essential too, requiring you to keep them motivated for upcoming battles. You can boost their spirits by offering gifts or organizing a deck party if you have food prepared. It’s enjoyable to roam around the Goromaru, checking on your crew and even engaging in some deck karaoke. This experience makes you feel like a captain, deciding where each crew member is assigned and personalizing your roster with your favorite characters.

Pirating adventures are not confined to the seas, as treasure hunting is also on the agenda. Visiting various islands to uncover buried treasure is a thrilling experience. You’ll need a strong crew to fend off other pirates looking to take you down. While the objectives can feel somewhat repetitive, requiring you to move from point A to point B to reach the treasure, the enjoyment of fighting alongside your crew keeps the experience engaging.

The treasures you find also come in the form of rings that Majima can wear. In true RPG fashion, these rings offer various effects, such as increased defense. Essentially, anything valuable that’s not secured is up for grabs. As Majima, the excitement lies in discovering and fighting your way to claim these goodies scattered across the seas and islands.

Naval combat in the game is commendably executed, especially since this is RGG’s first attempt at it. However, it does fall short in some areas, with combat mostly requiring a simple and single strategy to win. Despite this, we hope that in the future the gameplay will be more complex and nuanced, rather than simply relying on the idea that higher numbers equal better performance.

The Seas Await

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s presentation is visually stunning, featuring diverse biomes that draw the player’s attention. Honolulu is bright and lively, while Madlantis exudes a dark and dreary atmosphere, fitting for a haven of pirates and yakuza. The various characters you encounter are unique in appearance and quirks, offering opportunities to recruit eclectic members such as a robot or a mascot for your pirate crew.

The seas you navigate also vary in size and formation, with wind tunnels aiding in speeding up travel. Players must also be cautious of hazards like whirlpools and lightning during storms, which put sailing skills to the test.

Music remains a major feature in the series, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is no exception. A music player allows you to enjoy your favorite tunes, and new songs like Majima’s “The Sun at 36.5°C” have been introduced. These tracks are also available in the karaoke minigame, so be ready to grab that mic anytime for some shenanigans.

Side stories also make a return in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, offering not only entertaining narratives and characters but also potential pirate crew members. Engaging in these side activities provides both enjoyment and incentives to complete them, with the possibility of discovering touching and humorous stories along the way.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii PC and Steam Deck Performance

Here’s the system we used to play Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii on top of the PS5:

• Ryzen 5 5600x, 16 GB DDR4 3600 RAM, NVIDIA 4070 Super, 1TB NVMe SSD
• Steam Deck OLED

As expected from RGG Studio, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii performs exceptionally well on PC. Running at 1440p with DLSS set to balanced and frame generation turned off, the game maintains a solid frame rate of 120 fps (capped), with only occasional dips during cutscenes. The combat sequences are smooth, and aside from some jagged edges on character models in certain scenes—particularly noticeable in the hair—the game operates flawlessly without any hitches.

When playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii on the Steam Deck, players can enjoy a great experience, as the game is Steam Deck Verified. You can expect a smooth 60fps at high settings with AMD FSR set to balanced and no TDP limit for the most part. However, frame rates may dip into the 40-50fps range during combat encounters. If you’re looking to extend battery life, reducing the graphics settings to medium while keeping AMD FSR on balanced is a good option, allowing for a stable 40fps.

Wherever you choose to play, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is well-optimized and will give players a swashbuckling good time.

Verdict: Buy it!

Although Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a spinoff, it boasts a wealth of content that gives it the feel of a full-fledged game. The familiar gameplay elements of exploration and engaging side activities are preserved while adding a straightforwardly simple naval combat that adds to the experience. Players may find themselves spending countless hours sailing, battling pirates, and discovering hidden treasures. For their first foray into naval gameplay, RGG Studios has done an impressive job.

While there are some control and camera issues, and the opening hours are somewhat lengthy, these minor issues should not deter you from experiencing Majima’s debut as a main protagonist. The game captures the essence of a pirate adventure with the signature Like a Dragon touch, successfully merging the best parts of various titles into one package. If you’re eager to dive into thrilling sea battles and treasure hunts accompanied by an entertaining story, then there’s no better captain to lead you on this journey than the Pirate Yakuza himself, Goro Majima. This is a treasure certainly worth discovering!

*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was reviewed on a PS5, PC, and Steam Deck, with a review code provided by the publisher.