Goro Majima has finally lost it. Honestly, we should have seen this coming years ago when he started crawling out of manholes to fight Kiryu, but a full-blown pirate odyssey? That’s a new level of chaotic. Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) recently pulled the curtain back on Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and the collective internet basically went "Wait, what?" at the exact same time. It’s a spin-off that feels like a fever dream, yet it’s the most logical step for a franchise that has spent the last two decades balancing tear-jerking crime drama with the ability to hire a chicken as your real estate manager.
The game isn't just a skin. It’s a massive tonal shift. You play as Majima, the "Mad Dog of Shimano," who somehow ends up washed ashore on Rich Island, a fictional spot near Hawaii, with a nasty case of amnesia. He can't remember his name. He doesn't know why he's wearing leather snakeskin in the tropics. But within minutes, he’s saving a kid named Noah and deciding that, since he’s on the ocean, he might as well be a pirate. It’s ridiculous. It’s campy. It’s exactly what the series needed after the emotional weight of Infinite Wealth.
The Sudden Shift to Naval Combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
RGG Studio is known for reusing assets to save time—it’s how they pump out high-quality games so fast—but the ship mechanics here look surprisingly deep. You aren't just riding a boat from point A to point B. You are commanding the "Goromaru." You have a crew. You have cannons. The gameplay loop involves scouting the open sea, engaging in ship-to-ship broadsides, and then—in classic Yakuza fashion—boarding the enemy vessel for a massive brawl.
The transition from naval strategy to real-time combat is seamless. Once you hook onto a rival ship, Majima and his crew leap over the railings, and the game switches back to the high-octane action combat fans missed in the main turn-based entries. It feels like a spiritual successor to the combat in The Kaito Files or Lost Judgment, but with more flintlock pistols and cutlasses.
Customization is going to be the biggest time-sink for players. You can upgrade the Goromaru’s hull, swap out the cannons, and decorate the ship. But the real meat is the crew recruitment. In previous games, you recruited "Poundmates" or management employees; here, you’re filling out a pirate roster. Finding weirdos across the Hawaiian islands to man your oars is going to be half the fun. It’s a loop that feels borrowed from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, but injected with the DNA of a Japanese soap opera.
Mad Dog vs. Sea Dog
Majima’s fighting styles have always been his trademark. In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, he isn't just swinging a bat. He has two primary modes. The "Mad Dog" style is the classic Majima we know—fast, unpredictable, and heavy on the acrobatics. Then there’s the "Sea Dog" style. This is where things get weird. He uses short swords, grappling hooks, and even "dark instruments" to summon literal dopplegangers.
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The movement is what stands out. Majima can actually jump now. In a series where your character usually feels glued to the pavement, seeing Majima leap into the air to perform mid-air combos changes the geometry of every fight. It’s faster than anything we saw in Yakuza Kiwami 2. It’s snappy. It’s chaotic. It fits his personality perfectly.
Why Hawaii Again?
Some fans felt a bit of "map fatigue" after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth spent so much time in Honolulu. It’s a fair concern. However, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii uses Hawaii as a jumping-off point rather than the sole playground. We’re getting Madlantis—a massive, neon-lit "pirate graveyard" built inside an abandoned fleet of ships. This is where the game’s underworld resides. It’s a hub for gambling, coliseum fights, and general pirate debauchery.
Rich Island and Nele Island also offer different vibes. Nele Island is shrouded in mystery, tied to the religious cults we saw in the previous game. By splitting the map into these distinct islands, RGG avoids the trap of making the player run down the same streets of Waikiki for the fiftieth time. The ocean becomes the "highway" connecting these hubs.
The Amnesia Trope: Lazy or Brilliant?
Let’s be real: amnesia is the oldest trick in the book. It’s a convenient way to reset a character’s power level and introduce them to a new world. But for a character as storied as Goro Majima, who has been through the wringer since 1988 (in the game's timeline), it actually serves a narrative purpose. Majima carries a lot of baggage. He’s a tragic figure masked by a persona of insanity. By stripping away his memory, the writers get to explore who Majima is at his core without the weight of the Tojo Clan or his rivalry with Kiryu holding him back.
Of course, he’s still Majima. Even without his memories, his instinct is to protect the weak and punch the arrogant. The relationship between him and the young boy Noah seems to be the emotional anchor of the story. Noah wants to see the world beyond his small island, and Majima, the unintentional pirate captain, becomes his ticket out.
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Action Combat is Back (and People are Relieved)
While the turn-based shift in Yakuza 7 and Infinite Wealth was a massive success, a vocal segment of the fanbase has been itching for a return to the "beat 'em up" roots. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is that olive branch.
The combat engine looks more refined than ever. The "Sea Dog" style's use of a grappling hook allows Majima to pull himself toward enemies, which solves the age-old problem in action games of enemies being knocked too far away to continue a combo. You can stay aggressive. You can stay in the air. It’s a power trip that the turn-based games, for all their strategic depth, simply can't replicate.
There’s also the "Goro’s Crew" mechanic. During battles, you can call upon your subordinates to perform devastating heat actions. It’s not just Majima fighting; it’s a full-on pirate brawl. This scale makes the skirmishes feel more like "warfare" than a simple street fight.
Minigames and the "Dragon" Polish
A Yakuza game is only as good as its side content. We already know about the return of the Coliseum, which is now situated in Madlantis. There’s also "Minato Girls," which is the series' latest iteration of the live-action dating sim. It’s bizarre, sure, but it’s a staple.
More interestingly, the "Dragon Kart" equivalent here seems to be the ship racing and customization. And don't forget the outfits. Majima has always been a bit of a fashion icon, and the pirate theme allows for some truly ridiculous costume options. If you aren't fighting a shark while wearing a feathered hat and a leopard-print eyepatch, are you even playing a Majima game?
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Addressing the Canon
How does this fit into the timeline? It takes place after the events of Infinite Wealth. For those worried about spoilers, the game seems to stand relatively well on its own, but it definitely rewards players who know Majima’s history. The appearance of certain legendary figures (likely in the Coliseum or through side quests) is almost guaranteed.
There’s a tension in the fan community about whether the series is getting "too silly." Between the pirate ship and the magic dopplegangers, we’ve come a long way from the gritty crime drama of Yakuza 1. But RGG has always thrived in the contrast. The darker the main plot, the more we need the absurdity of pirate life to balance it out.
Technical Performance and Expectations
Built on the Dragon Engine, the game looks stunning. The water physics alone are a massive step up for the studio. Hawaii’s bright, saturated colors pop on current-gen hardware, and the character models—especially Majima’s weathered face—are incredibly detailed.
Performance is expected to be a locked 60 FPS on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which is crucial for an action-heavy game. PC players will likely get the usual suite of DLSS and FSR options. The studio has mastered this engine, and it shows in the lighting and the sheer amount of clutter they can cram into a scene like Madlantis without the frame rate tanking.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking to get into the series or prepare for this release, don't just jump in blind. The lore is deep, but the barrier to entry is lower than you think.
- Play Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. It’s short, it’s action-based, and it sets the tone for these smaller "side stories" that pack a punch.
- Catch up on Majima’s backstory. If you haven't played Yakuza 0, you’re doing yourself a disservice. It explains why Majima is the way he is and makes his journey in Hawaii much more impactful.
- Keep an eye on the release date. The game is slated for early 2025. Pre-orders usually include bonus crew members or outfits, but as always, wait for the final reviews to see how the ship combat actually holds up over 30+ hours.
- Check your specs. If you're on PC, ensure your rig can handle the Dragon Engine’s demanding lighting effects, especially with all the water reflections in this entry.
The hype is real, but it’s a weird hype. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a gamble. It’s a studio taking their most beloved wild-card character and putting him in a genre-mashing spin-off that nobody asked for, but everyone suddenly realizes they wanted. Whether you're here for the ship battles or just to see Majima be a doting father figure to a pet tiger, it's going to be a ride. Just don't expect it to make sense—it’s Majima, after all.