Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review – Majima Madness

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review

Following up on the excellent Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Japanese developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio proves it still has gas in the tank, following up on the Hawaiian-themed narrative arc. It’s hard to believe only a little over a year has passed, because Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza feels surprisingly substantial. But here we are. Pirate Yakuza is stuffed to the brim with content. It delivers that signature Yakuza experience that fans of the series know and love.

The new game is set six months after the events of Infinite Wealth. Pirate Yakuza picks up with ex-Tojo Clan member Goro Majima having washed ashore on the tropical Rich Island. Suffering from a wicked case of amnesia, Majima quickly finds himself caught up in all sorts of swashbuckling hijinks. The player partakes in everything from sword fighting to karaoke. If you’ve played a Ryu Ga Gotoku game prior, you know that they live and breathe the wild and outlandish. As expected, Pirate Yakuza leans even further into this, but to an even greater success. The inherent wackiness of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise amidst a high-seas, pirating adventure is a match made in heaven.

High Seas Hijinks

Aside from Pirate Yakuza’s fun narrative, the naval combat is its real draw. It’s surprisingly tactical, demanding a level of strategy and resource management that I wasn’t expecting. You’re not just blasting away at enemies. You’re maneuvering your ship for optimal firing angles, managing your crew’s morale, and strategically choosing which cannons to load with what kind of shot.

The different ammo types add a layer of complexity that keeps things engaging. Do you go for the devastating chain shot to cripple enemy sails and leave them dead in the water? Or perhaps the explosive grapeshot to decimate their crew and weaken their defenses? The choice is yours. Your decision will mean the difference between victory and a watery grave.

Beat ‘Em Up!

Pirate Yakuza also shines in its hand-to-hand combat. I’ve always appreciated that Yakuza games offer a combat system that’s both accessible and deep, accommodating players of all skill levels. Switching between Pirate Yakuza’s combat styles on the fly is a breeze. It allows players to adapt to dynamic situations with the touch of a button. And an extensive list of unlockable skills ensure players are never left without something new to master.

But what truly sets Pirate Yakuza (and other games in the franchise) apart is just how contextual it is. The game’s environments are meticulously designed. They facilitate creative, contextual takedowns, from slamming enemies into walls and pillars to using the objects around you to set up devastating combos. It’s Yakuza’s bread-n-butter. I love that, all these years later, this series hasn’t forgotten where it’s come from.

Equally impressive is Pirate Yakuza’s take on the sun-drenched beaches, bustling cities, and lush rainforests of Hawaii. Much like Kamurocho before it, Honolulu feels deeply authentic. Few games deliver environments as rich and dense as those found in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise. Pirate Yakuza beautifully continues this trend.

Tried and True

Some of the textures and models can sometimes feel a bit rough around the edges, however.  Frame rates can dip in particularly busy areas, such as during intense battles or when exploring crowded regions. These minor issues are essentially negligible and didn’t detract from my time with Pirate Yakuza. It’s a beautiful game that rewards players for taking the time to explore.

Does Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii reinvent the wheel? Certainly not. But it doesn’t have to. Ryu Ga Gotoku firmly remains in their wheelhouse with this follow-up to last year’s Infinite Wealth. They’ve absolutely done enough to warrant your swift return to Honolulu. Naval combat is a blast; hand-to-hand encounters are still satisfying in that old-school beat-em-up sort of way, and the setting is a pleasure to explore. If there was ever a game I didn’t know I needed, this is it.

***A PS5 code was provided for this review***

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