Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) have committed to a breakneck pace for its Like a Dragon series since it finally began to find its global audience and the results have been consistently impressive. Upon reveal, it seemed Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii might be a smaller sidequest taking place alongside the primary franchise. That is generally true (don’t expect any gigantic character or story revelations), but protagonist Goro Majima’s adventure is deeper and denser than I expected when I started. Pirate Yakuza will be familiar to those who have played previous Like a Dragon games, but thankfully it does color outside the lines in some worthwhile ways.
I am among the many who have only recently come to appreciate Like a Dragon. My primary point of contact is new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, who starred in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and last year’s Infinite Wealth. I have met Majima, but he’s a friend of a friend. I don’t know him. In Pirate Yakuza, it turns out he doesn’t either as he wakes on the beach with amnesia. It’s a familiar and laughable trope, but it works here for the audience RGG is trying to court. To learn who Majima is alongside Majima is a treat for newcomers like me. The amnesia does hold him back from fully revealing himself, so he still felt a bit like an acquaintance by the end, but I came to appreciate why he is a fan favorite.
Pirate Yakuza retains the fun, often absurd, but quality writing of the previous games. I have not played all the Like a Dragon games, but I suspect this may be a contender for goofiest entry yet. Majima becomes a full-fledged pirate captain with his own ship before leaving the first chapter, breaks out into song to explain his pirate goals, and even manages a small zoo. But even with all of that ridiculous table setting, the narrative is able to find heart. Majima’s insistence on making the dreams come true of the young boy who saved his life when he washed ashore on the beach is a worthy throughline for the entire game.
Where the story stumbles somewhat is its place in the larger, ongoing Like a Dragon fable. By the end, Majima is more or less where he left off and the primary question answered by the game’s conclusion is one I had forgotten I even had when I finished Infinite Wealth. There are some very light teases for the future, but they are far from revelatory or surprising. Pirate Yakuza did not make me excited for the future of Like a Dragon as much as it casually confirmed that, yes, it will continue.
Where Pirate Yakuza sets itself apart from the other games in the series is in its fisticuff and ship combat. The former is familiar to those who have played the non-turn-based RPG entries, but Majima moves faster and has new fun tools at his disposal. I particularly liked the grappling hook that can be used to fling Majima across the battlefield to attack faraway opponents. I never dreaded a fight as Majima, which I admit did happen to me in 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
Ship combat, alternatively, is wholly new to the series. I enjoyed traveling the ocean and taking on opponents to find treasure. Battling giant ships and lining up cannon shots is more tedious than fighting groups of “a**holes” on the streets of Honolulu, but it does maintain an arcade-like tone, especially when taking your hand off the wheel to fire a rocket launcher is a totally viable option.
Naval warfare takes up a lot of the sidequest space, so to speak, but there are some standout off-the-main path tasks to pursue. The surprisingly good Dragon Kart racing game returns and I went out of my way to recruit as many crewmates as possible through various missions. My favorite sidequest, however, comes from your ship cook, Masaru Fujita. When he asks for help to meet women, I highly recommend you do, especially if you’re a fan of reality dating TV.
Pirate Yakuza may not be the best entry to get players on board with the ongoing Like a Dragon narrative. I was more entranced by the loop of upgrading Majima and his ship and recruiting new crewmates than I was by the story, but it delivers on everything the series has become renowned for. An absurd tone with surprising pockets of earnest pathos, fun characters, and bombastic action are all present and accounted for here.
This 2025 review reflects our thoughts on the game’s current state at publishing. As such, post-launch updates were factored into the final score.
