{"id":230,"date":"2025-06-19T01:53:45","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T00:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zonenews.store\/?p=230"},"modified":"2025-11-15T01:54:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T01:54:13","slug":"like-a-dragon-pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-review-you-can-teach-an-old-dog-new-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/?p=230","title":{"rendered":"Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii Review \u2013 You Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Welcome back to beautiful Hawaii: land of golden beaches, crystal-clear waters, and The Mad Dog of Shimano roving the seas as a swashbuckling pirate. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly as it sounds, with Goro Majima returning as a fully fledged protagonist for the first time since 2015\u2019s Yakuza 0. Unlike that game\u2013which saw Kiryu share the spotlight\u2013the focus this time around is squarely on everyone\u2019s favorite eyepatched goofball: the perfect leading man for one of the series\u2019 more bizarre entries. No one commits to the bit quite like Majima, which is partly why Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii avoids the risk of diminishing returns, despite being the third Like a Dragon game in the past 15 months. This high-seas adventure doesn\u2019t stack up against the series\u2019 best, but the pirate theme does just enough to differentiate a jaunty return to the Hawaii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set six months after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii opens with Majima waking up on a beach somewhere in the Pacific. He has no memory of how he got there, his name, or his storied past as a crime boss\/cabaret manager\/construction-company owner. All he knows is that a young boy named Noah saved his life, and for whatever reason, Hawaii and the surrounding islands are now full of cutlass-wielding pirates who look like they\u2019ve been pulled out of Tortuga during the 1600s. What follows is the hunt for a long-lost legendary treasure that sees Majima reinvent himself as the pirate captain of his own ship, complete with an ever-expanding crew of new and familiar characters. Stuffing the coffers with booty might be the end goal, but this is also a tale about the friends we made along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like Infinite Wealth before it, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii focuses on a strong sense of friendship and camaraderie. It\u2019s frequently eccentric, but its outlandish nature is also mixed with an earnestness and sentimentality that reflects its endearing protagonist. Since Yakuza 0, Majima\u2019s Mad Dog persona has felt like a mask he puts on to cope with the trauma he endured early in life. He\u2019s always been a caring character, but the way he often shows this is through violence because he doesn\u2019t want to be hurt again. Amnesia is an overused trope, yet it\u2019s rare to see it affecting an established character we\u2019ve known for 20 years, allowing for a personality reset of sorts. With no memories of his past, Majima subconsciously lets his guard down and shaves off the rougher edges that define the protective shield he puts up. He still throws himself into deadly situations with utmost glee, hinting that the Mad Dog persona and his masochistic side may have always been a part of him. But his interactions with the crew, and especially Noah, feel like Majima revealing his true self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For longtime fans of this series, this makes Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii a particularly alluring proposition. It\u2019s disappointing, then, that the story neglects to explore the depths of Majima\u2019s personality. There\u2019s some strong character development from the supporting cast and individual moments that stand out, but the overarching narrative is too detached from Majima\u2019s life in Japan and feels like it\u2019s treading water until a thrilling final chapter. Momentum picks up from here as it finally ups the stakes and introduces the kind of emotional drama the series is known for. Until this point, however, it\u2019s simply a serviceable pirate adventure, taking a more lighthearted approach that sees the absurdity of its substories bleed into the main plotline. Spending time with Majima is always a treat, but deciding not to give him the hard-hitting, emotional arc the character deserves feels like a missed opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The variety of substories is still excellent, mind you, with topics ranging from the plight of an unpopular street performer to another pirate captain facing an unhappy crew due to the ship\u2019s uneven work\/life balance. Some are completely wacky, others tug at the heartstrings, and a few familiar faces from Infinite Wealth continue their tales; these smaller human interactions remain at the series\u2019 heart. Each substory in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is also localized in the same Honolulu map from Infinite Wealth. Even after spending over 100 hours in the city early last year, it\u2019s still a treat to explore, whether you\u2019re passing palm trees on Aloha Beach or buying a new outfit at one of the many stores inside the vibrant Anaconda Shopping Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

This high-seas adventure doesn\u2019t stack up against the series\u2019 best, but the pirate theme does just enough to differentiate a jaunty return to the Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

There aren\u2019t any new minigames to play, but rather new tracks for both Dragon Kart and Crazy Eats, plus new tests to challenge your knowledge at the Ounabara Vocational School. This is somewhat disheartening but not unexpected, considering the quick development turnaround. I also appreciate the number of classic Sega games you can play. This aspect of the series is often taken for granted, but where else can you play the likes of Alex Kidd in Miracle World on a virtual Master System, then go to an arcade and boot up an obscure lightgun game like The Ocean Hunter? The latter even fits the theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Substories feel more connected with the main story, too, as most conclude with a new crew member joining your ship. In total, you can have up to 30 active crew, with 10 handling the guns and cannons and the other 20 forming your boarding party. Ship management has some depth to it, tasking you with deciding your crew\u2019s best roles; maintaining their morale with parties, feasts, and gifts; purchasing ship upgrades; and outfitting your vessel with various armaments. The actual ship battles aren\u2019t quite as complex, though, with each skirmish adopting a similar pattern as you maneuver beside enemy vessels to unleash a cavalcade of cannon fire before turning around and doing the same thing again. This being Like a Dragon, the weapons at your disposal eventually get much wackier than regular cannon fire, allowing you to equip laser cannons, shark-launching machine guns, and other ludicrous displays of power. These weapons don\u2019t alter the formula\u2013despite how it sounds\u2013but they ensure that battles tend to end more quickly and with extra spectacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t mean naval combat is bad; it\u2019s just shallow. Drifting 180 degrees around an enemy ship while shredding it with flammable bullets is inherently satisfying, as is firing a sustained laser beam off the starboard like you\u2019re piloting the USS Enterprise. The issue is a monotony that sets in towards the game\u2019s final third. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii doesn\u2019t overstay its welcome, so this isn\u2019t as egregious as it could\u2019ve been in a much longer game, but it\u2019s still disappointing that preparing your ship for battle is more involved than the battles themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re not sinking ships from behind the wheel of your own, Majima\u2019s not afraid of going toe-to-toe with all of the goons, assholes, and enemy pirates hankering for a scrap. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii reverts back to the classic beat-\u2019em-up style of combat the series was known for before Yakuza: Like a Dragon took it in a turn-based direction. Unlike past protagonists (and Majima himself in 0), pirate Majima is much quicker on his feet, resulting in a frenetic and exhilarating pace that\u2019s no less impactful when smacking enemies around. While the Mad Dog style is quintessential Majima, mixing his signature Demonfire Dagger with various hand-to-hand strikes, the Sea Dog style puts a cutlass in each hand to match the pirate motif. With a flintlock pistol at your disposal for ranged shots, and a grappling hook that lets you propel yourself toward enemies\u2013along with a plethora of creatively over-the-top Heat moves\u2013combat feels familiar yet distinct if you\u2019ve played the series beyond the more recent RPG-style entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Gallery<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019ll spend a lot of time slicing and dicing enemies on the streets of Honolulu, there are also plenty of opportunities for melee action out on the open sea. From battling entire crews on the decks of their own ships to exploring various islands in search of valuable treasure, there\u2019s a solid mix of naval combat and melee fisticuffs that\u2019s further emphasized by the game\u2019s two most comprehensive side activities. One sees you taking down a notorious pirate gang, while the other challenges you to win a series of ship battles inside an outrageous coliseum. The latter is situated in a new locale called Madlantis\u2013a former ship graveyard that\u2019s been transformed into a neon-lit den for pirates and other criminals\u2013complete with a casino, bar, and the aforementioned coliseum. Think Purgatory, only somehow seedier. Both activities are intertwined with the main story to give them some narrative heft while also being examples of the game\u2019s commitment to giving you a ton to do, even if it\u2019s scaled down compared to the series\u2019 mainline entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, technical issues are the most surprising new addition. I\u2019ve played every game in the series and can\u2019t recall encountering so much as a single glitch, yet Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii crashed so many times that I lost count. Aside from forcing me to replay lengthy sections over again, this also introduced another issue where, upon re-loading a save, the game was just a black screen with sound and UI elements. Using Steam to verify the integrity of the game files fixed this until it eventually occurred again, but ideally both of these issues will be rectified by launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a solid spin-off, putting fan-favorite Goro Majima front and center with a suitably eccentric diversion into buccaneering piracy. The story doesn\u2019t pick up until an excellent final chapter, and it\u2019s disappointing that the narrative doesn\u2019t delve into Majima\u2019s complex personality, but this is still a thoroughly entertaining adventure on the high seas. It\u2019s quite unlike anything else in the long-running series, and even if it falters more often than usual, it\u2019s still essential for anyone who\u2019s previously called Kamurocho home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to beautiful Hawaii: land of golden beaches, crystal-clear waters, and The Mad Dog of Shimano roving the seas as a swashbuckling pirate. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly as it sounds, with Goro Majima returning as a fully fledged protagonist for the first time since 2015\u2019s Yakuza 0. Unlike that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=230"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":231,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230\/revisions\/231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zonenews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}