Goro Majima has finally lost it. Well, more than usual. If you’ve spent any time in the neon-soaked streets of Kamurocho over the last two decades, you know the "Mad Dog of Shimano" is prone to some pretty wild antics. He’s been a cabaret manager, a construction mogul, and a recurring nightmare for Kazuma Kiryu. But waking up on a beach with amnesia and deciding to become a high-seas privateer? That’s a new one, even for RGG Studio. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is basically the developers at Sega leaning into their most chaotic impulses, and honestly, it’s about time.
People thought the transition to turn-based combat in Yakuza: Like a Dragon was a risk. This? This is a fever dream. You’re trading a designer suit for a captain’s hat and swapping the Omi Alliance for a crew of misfits on a literal pirate ship.
The Amnesia Trope Done Differently
The story kicks off with Majima washing up on the shores of Rich Island. He doesn't remember who he is. He doesn't remember the Tojo Clan. He’s just a guy with an eyepatch and a very specific set of combat skills. He gets rescued by a young boy named Noah and a baby tiger. Yes, a tiger. This isn't just a spin-off; it’s a direct follow-up to the massive Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, taking place in the aftermath of that game’s sprawling Hawaiian adventure.
Usually, amnesia is a lazy writing crutch. Here, it feels like a necessary tool to strip Majima of his baggage so he can do something truly ridiculous. He’s not tied down by the politics of the Japanese underworld. Instead, he’s hunting for lost treasure and fighting off modern-day pirates who look like they walked off the set of a low-budget action movie. It’s campy. It’s self-aware. It’s exactly what the series needs after the heavy, emotional weight of Kiryu’s recent storylines.
The narrative logic is loose, but the heart is there. You’ll spend a lot of time on Madlantis. That’s a massive, secret graveyard of ships where the world’s criminals gather to gamble and fight. It’s like a gritty version of Disneyland for thugs. The world-building feels less like a crime drama and more like an 80s adventure flick, which is a vibe Majima fits perfectly.
Goro Majima’s Combat: Speed Over Strategy
If you hated the turn-based shift in the main series, you’re in luck. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii returns to the high-octane, real-time "brawler" combat that put the series on the map. But it’s faster. Much faster. Majima has always been the agile counterpart to Kiryu’s tank-like strength, and this game doubles down on that mobility.
You’ve got two primary styles. First is the "Mad Dog" style. This is classic Majima. He’s using his dagger, he’s spinning like a top, and he’s creating after-images of himself to confuse enemies. It’s chaotic and rewards players who like to keep the pressure on. Then you have the "Sea Dog" style. This is where things get "pirate-y." He pulls out dual short swords and a flintlock pistol. He can even use grappling hooks to pull himself toward enemies or swing across the battlefield.
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The flow of combat feels different because Majima can actually jump. That sounds like a small detail. It isn't. In previous games, the Yakuza protagonists were largely glued to the floor. Now, you can launch enemies into the air and follow up with aerial combos. It adds a layer of verticality we haven't seen in the Dragon Engine before.
Modern Piracy and Ship Warfare
You can't have a pirate game without a ship. The "Goromaru" is your home base. You’ll spend a significant chunk of time customizing this vessel, upgrading the hull, and recruiting a crew. This isn't just for show. The game features full-scale naval battles.
- You’ll engage in broadside cannon fire with rival ships.
- Once the enemy ship is weakened, you can board it.
- Boarding leads to massive "Clan Creator" style brawls where your whole crew fights alongside you.
- The crew members you find in side quests directly impact your ship's stats and combat effectiveness.
It’s surprisingly deep. It’s not Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag levels of simulation—it’s still an RGG game—but the loop of exploring the ocean, finding secret islands, and sinking rival pirates is addictive. The map covers parts of Hawaii, Rich Island, and the aforementioned Madlantis, giving you a much larger playground than the usual few city blocks.
Why Hawaii Again?
Some fans were worried about asset reuse when Hawaii was announced as the primary setting. We just spent a hundred hours there with Ichiban Kasuga. However, the perspective is different. While Infinite Wealth was a colorful, RPG-heavy look at the islands, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii focuses on the outskirts. The secret coves. The dangerous waters.
It feels like a different world. The lighting is harsher, the environments feel more rugged, and the "pirate" overlay changes the context of the geography. You aren't just walking to a Poppo for a bento box; you're navigating a treacherous sea where every horizon holds a potential fight.
The Ridiculous Minigames
A Yakuza game is only as good as its distractions. This one delivers. Dragon Kart is back, which is great because it’s basically the best Mario Kart clone ever made. But the real star is the "Minato Girls" dating sim-lite and the various pirate-themed challenges.
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There’s also a heavy focus on fashion. Since Majima is a pirate, you can dress him in some of the most absurd outfits the series has ever seen. We’re talking full feathered hats, open-chest coats, and boots that cost more than a small car. The game encourages you to embrace the silliness. It’s a sandbox where the developers are constantly asking, "What’s the funniest thing we could make Majima do right now?"
Realism vs. Absurdity: The RGG Balance
Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has a very specific "feel." They nail the textures of a leather jacket or the way neon reflects off a rainy puddle. That realism makes the absurdity work. When Majima summons a literal kraken or uses a lightning-infused sword, it works because the world around him feels grounded and "real."
RGG’s Chief Director Ryosuke Horii has mentioned in interviews that they wanted to explore Majima as a solo protagonist again because he offers a different flavor of storytelling. Kiryu is about stoicism and honor. Ichiban is about friendship and optimism. Majima? Majima is about freedom. What’s more free than a pirate on the open sea?
Technical Performance and The Dragon Engine
Running on the latest iteration of the Dragon Engine, the game looks stunning. The water physics—crucial for a pirate game—are impressive. Waves look heavy. The spray feels violent. On modern consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X), you’re looking at a smooth 60fps, which is vital for the fast-paced "Sea Dog" combat style.
Loading times are nearly non-existent when moving between the ship and the shore. This is a huge technical leap from the older games where entering a building would trigger a brief loading screen. It makes the world feel cohesive. You feel like you’re actually traveling across an archipelago rather than hopping between isolated maps.
Is This the "End" of the Old Style?
There is a lot of debate in the community. Is this a one-off? Or is Sega testing the waters to see if people still want the brawler combat? Personally, I think it’s a smart way to keep both fanbases happy. Give the mainline entries the turn-based, persona-lite treatment, and use the spin-offs like Man Who Erased His Name and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii to satisfy the action junkies.
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The game also addresses some of the complaints about "bloat" in Infinite Wealth. By focusing on a tighter, more action-oriented experience, it feels punchier. The story doesn't meander quite as much, mostly because Majima isn't the type of guy to sit around and talk for forty minutes when he could be stabbing something.
Navigating the Treasure Map: Your Next Steps
If you're planning on diving into this nautical madness, you shouldn't just run blindly into the surf. There’s a rhythm to these games that’s easy to miss if you’re new.
- Finish Infinite Wealth first. While this is a Majima story, the context of why he’s in Hawaii and the state of the Yakuza world makes way more sense if you’ve seen the end of the previous game.
- Don't ignore the crew recruitment. Your success in naval battles is 10% your steering and 90% the stats of the guys you have in the engine room and on the cannons. Talk to everyone. Do the weird side quests. Most of them end with a new crew member.
- Master the jump. Seriously. The aerial combos in the "Mad Dog" style are the key to handling the larger crowds. If you stay on the ground, you'll get swarmed by the new pirate enemy types who use firearms more frequently than the standard street thugs.
- Upgrade your ship early. It’s tempting to spend all your yen on Majima’s gear, but a weak ship will get you sunk in the later chapters. The ocean gets dangerous fast.
The game is a testament to the idea that a series can stay fresh by simply being willing to look ridiculous. It’s a high-budget, high-polish pirate adventure that just happens to star a fifty-something-year-old Japanese gangster with a penchant for leather and violence. It shouldn’t work. But because it’s Like a Dragon, it probably will.
Keep an eye out for the "Delivery Help" summons. In this game, they’ve been replaced by "Sea Creatures" and other pirate-themed assists that are even more over-the-top than the ones in the main series. Once you’ve secured your ship and rounded up a few crewmates, head straight for the Madlantis coliseum. It’s the best place to grind out the currency you’ll need for the high-end ship parts.
Don't overthink the plot. Just enjoy the ride. The game is built for fans who want to see Majima at his most unhinged, and in that regard, it absolutely delivers. Grab your eye-patch, sharpen your dagger, and get ready to set sail. The Yakuza world is never going to be the same after this.