It’s been over a year since Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth was released, and that sequel made some big evolutionary steps and changes to the gameplay and set the stage for where main and longtime protagonists Kazuma Kiryu, Kasuga Ichiban, and their allies stand as the franchise moves forward. As a turn-based Japanese RPG with a lot of exploration, side quests, and action game elements and mini games, it offered a lot to the table that fans of RGG Studio ate up and enjoyed – and bringing the series outside of Japan and to Hawaii expanded horizons and opened up storytelling possibilities.
One LAD character who is almost always regulated to the sidelines is ex-Tojo Clan soldier and former family leader Goro Majima – someone intended to just be in a supporting role in the original game but became such a beloved fan favorite standout that he has appeared in almost every installment as a wacky and unpredictable staple of the series. The lone exceptions are Yakuza 0, Yakuza: Dead Souls, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 – which had Majima as one of the playable characters with his own story arc to follow and a unique set of moves to unlock and master. After those games there’s been no signs of the Mad Dog of Shimano getting his own spotlight, but Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii finally changes that and gives Majima his own fantastic swashbuckling adventure where he and he alone is the main character of his own game!
Thanks to SEGA Asia and RGG Studio SEA, I was able to play the full Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza of Hawaii experience and even purchase the Complete Edition of the game that features Goro Majima’s eyepatch, an acrylic poster stand, and a toy of Majima in a barrel as cool collectibles! The game has been highly anticipated by us fans and the rest of the LAD MajimaPosting fandom – ever since this past December’s SEGA ATLUS Festival where I got to try the demo of the game first hand! Now it’s here, and it’s absolutely worth it for fans who have wanted a Majima solo adventure – that’s a pirate game no less!
Set six months after the events of Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes place once again in Hawaii but expands over to other islands and locations not seen in the previous game. Players take control of an amnesiac Goro Majima – who wakes up washed ashore on Rich Island. With no memory of who he is and how he got there, he befriends a young local boy named Noah and his pet tiger cub Goro, and soon finds himself embroiled in a new conflict that involves ex-yakuza and pirates of the sea. Soon developing a new purpose to fight for, Majima becomes the captain of his own ship and crew – and together they sail the high seas, seek treasure, and live on their own terms as a pirate.
Revealed during the RGG Summit 2024 panel presentation in Japan as the latest surprise installment in the series, Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is actually the second gaiden or side story entry in the Like A Dragon/ Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise. Following the success of The Man Who Erased His Name, RGG Studio decided to focus on Majima and give him his own game with new combat elements and gameplay that fans could experience and test out in his own unique journey. Once again, the game returns to the beat ‘em up combat system – with Majima having two unique battle styles in “Mad Dog” and “Sea Dog”. Mad Dog focuses more on Majima’s yakuza roots and places emphasis on speed. Sea Dog is a new persona embracing the pirate side – where he wields two cutlass swords, a pistol, and other tools and abilities. For both fighting styles, Majima can also jump and perform combos in the air to slice enemies and cut them down to size.
Players also have their own crew and ship to manage in the Goromaru, which Majima uses to set sail and explore the seas while also engaging in pirate ship battles. During those ship combat battles, players can board the enemy vessels “Pirates of the Carribean” style and bring the fight to the crew and captain – claiming the spoils of victory once everything is said and done and live a pirate’s life indeed.
In addition to fighting enemies you encounter, Majima has free reign to explore the different locations he visits and engage in different side quests, sub stories, and other activities that were seen in Infinite Wealth and are also unique to this game. The mini games like Crazy Delivery, singing karaoke, and playing arcade games return, and there’s even a new mini game called “Masaru’s Love Journey” where Majima is tasked to find girls for one of the game’s characters – similar to the dating and cabaret mini games of past entries that were very popular with Like A Dragon fans.
If you’re aiming to jump in to Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii blind, do take note that this game carries with it spoilers from the previous game and almost two decades worth of Yakuza/ Like A Dragon/ Ryu Ga Gotoku history with it. The game will feature some flashbacks and callbacks to past games and characters that will help guide newcomers, but much of the lore and direction of this game assumes that players have been longtime fans and have followed Majima and other familiar characters adventures up to this point.
While it doesn’t quite break too much new ground since Infinite Wealth, the story should please fans looking for more from RGG Studio to tide them over until the next mainline entry. This is a fun game that combines the best of the series and puts one of its most popular characters to the spotlight as he deserves. A lot of fans have wanted Majima to headline his own Like A Dragon game since his heartbreaking backstory was explored in Yakuza 0 a decade ago, and now the Mad Dog of Shimano takes a page out of Jack Sparrow’s playbook and becomes a crazy yet charismatic pirate captain with his own unique adventure!
Rating – 4/5
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is now available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC!
