Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review – The Mad Dog Hoists the Black Flag

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii hosts the type of absurd, over-the-top premise that has all but been forgotten in modern gaming. Back during the sixth console generation (and, to an extent, the early years of the seventh generation), it seemed virtually every oddball gaming pitch was being greenlit by publishers. God Hand, Mister Mosquito, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, and Def Jam: Fight for NY are but a few of countless wacky titles that used to captivate players in the industry’s younger days. The premise for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest Yakuza/Like a Dragon spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza, could easily be slotted in a lineup alongside those other eccentric offerings and it wouldn’t look the least bit out of place. Perhaps that’s why this new entry is such a welcome diversion given the modern gaming landscape, and why it sets the bar for the series’ offshoots moving forward.

So what exactly is the premise of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii? Well, it’s all in the name. An infamously unhinged ex-yakuza suffers from amnesia in Hawaii and decides to deal with this by literally hijacking the position of pirate captain. What follows is a seafaring adventure that seeks both lost memories and Incan treasure. Crazy, right? But what would you expect from the first installment to feature Goro Majima as the sole protagonist. In the past, Majima has run the range from side character to co-star, but he’s never been the main focus of the spotlight in his own game. Now that the Mad Dog of Shimano is the star of the show, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has made sure that his game is as insane as the demon-tatted maniac.

Got That Dog in Him

Much like 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii returns to the real-time combat the series maintained until the turn-based shift that followed Ichiban Kasuga’s rise to the main protagonist. Not only is it more of what we loved, but combat has been elevated (quite literally, but we’ll get to that). Majima still sports his Mad Dog style, which will be familiar to anyone who has squared off against this loveable wack job across Kiryu’s arc. Majima throws deadly blows, punctuated with an even deadlier blade, as he engages the local Honolulu populace. It’s his second fighting style that cranks up the insanity. Whereas Kiryu was gifted cutting edge tech for a secret agent style, Majima boasts cutlasses and firearms in his Sea Dog style; and he’s got the pirate-themed threads to boot!

Between the two styles, combat is as flashy and zany as ever. Perhaps one of the biggest additions is the inclusion of aerial combos. Surprisingly, Goro Majima is the first Yakuza character to learn how to jump. That added ability allows the nutty protagonist to launch enemies into the air and continue comboing them. The feature is far from uncommon across beat ‘em ups and other brawling-focused action games, but it has eluded this twenty year old franchise up until now. Throwing spinning cutlasses, firing flintlock pistols, and summoning shadow doppelgangers make for a great outing that perfectly mirrors the off-the-wall personality of Majima.

No Longer Landlocked

In addition to the basic brawling—although I’m not sure I’d consider cosplaying a pirate captain and cutting down Hawaiian thugs to be basic—Majima can into the iconic Heat Action system and all-new Madness Gauge. The former lets the player execute contextual special moves that deal big damage, and they’re flavored accordingly depending on which combat style is currently in use. The Madness Gauge is a step up from Heat Actions and can deal even bigger damage. Shadowy clones, bloodthirsty sharks and more can be summoned into battle to turn the tides. Some of the summons, like the sharks, stem from collected lost treasures. Belting out a sick riff on a guitar can bring forth a killer ape, but that guitar must first be collected from rival pirates sailing the high seas.

If you thought RGG was going to be content with keeping Infinite Wealth’s landlocked shenanigans as is, you’d be wrong. We’ve only covered half of what the game has to offer. The other half are Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag-inspired naval battles. Majima is a self-appointed pirate captain, after all. And what’s a pirate without a ship? Players can deck out their own pirate ship, named Goromaru, in an expanded system similar to Dragon Kart and Pocket Circuit. The player’s customized ship can then sail the high seas, partaking in thrilling combat, which is reminiscent of Ubisoft’s beloved pirate-assassin mashup starring Edward Kenway, that wonderfully breaks up the hand-to-hand combat portions. 

However, this is no naval combat sim. Ship engagements are just as crazy as the series’ signature brawls. Basic cannonballs can eventually be swapped for lasers; and boosters can be applied to enhance ramming damage. Needless to say, it isn’t long before the Goromaru becomes an extension of Majima’s loony persona. Partaking in ship battles, sailing to islands in search of treasure, and engaging in the Pirate Colosseum are all an absolute joy. The Pirate Colosseum represents the perfect blend of the game’s two core offerings. Naval battles are succeeded by boarding the opposing ship, resulting in upper deck beatdowns.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii packs all that we find endearing about the franchise and capitalizes on its best features while also tweaking the formula in meaningful ways. This spin-off is peak Yakuza, fleshing out narrative bits from Infinite Wealth in substories and giving us our most personal look into the complexity of the Mad Dog of Shimano. It’s a well-paced journey that keeps the knob cranked up to eleven throughout its five chapters, ensuring things remain exciting across all 20-30 hours.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review Verdict

[Editor’s Note: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was reviewed on PS5, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.]