Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review

Well my eyes are stinging and I should have probably slept more recently, but honestly I haven’t been able to get enough of the latest title from Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku. Those who know me, will know I’m a huge fan of the Yakuza games and whilst they are very similar from one game to the next, I can’t get enough of them. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the latest in the series and is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 5 and PC.

I’m Hooked On This Pirate Life

You wash ashore on an island, no idea where you are and how you arrived there. Gasping for a drink you encounter Noah and his pet cat Goro. Goro is actually a tiger in my opinion but Noah will tell you otherwise along your journey. You are Majima Goro, a former Yakuza who has lost his memory and any recollection of his past life. Without spoiling the story too much, Noah becomes your companion and almost like your own Son throughout the whole journey. After convincing his stubborn father who is an ex-treasure hunter to let Noah come and be a pirate with you, he also joins and this is where the adventure begins.

If you’re worried that the formula of Yakuza titles has vanished now it has a pirate setting then fear not. It is very much the same familiar gameplay loop we all know and love. You’ll be hopping to various locations throughout your playthrough taking to the seas inbetween. It’s been a while since we have had a decent pirate game so I was intrigued to see if this would excel past the most recent lacklustre title in Ubisofts Skull and Bones.

Satisfying Combat & Loads To Explore

The combat has always been important to me in Yakuza games and I was never a fan of the turn-based approach to some of the previous instalments. Here though we have real time combat with two main fighting styles to switch between on the cuff. Mad Dog and Sea Dog styles make up the two. Mad Dog allows you to be the traditional brawler with fast-paced punches and kicks whereas Sea Dog will allow you to use cutlasses and a flintlock gun to mix things up. I almost always switched up to Sea Dog as I loved playing with some of the special attacks and the hack and slash effects is just oh so satisfying.

There is so much to do as always with a vast array of shops, minigames, side quests and more. Whether its singing kareoke songs in the local bar or trying to win prizes on the grab machines there is always fun to be had that extend the longevity of the game. For instance, I’ve spent hours trying to win money at Blackjack and Poker, or playing the original Alex the Kidd and other games on the Master System at my various hideouts. Honolulu feels lived in and I love that hours feel like minutes when engaging with everything on offer outside of the main missions and side quests.

Aye Aye Captain

Being the captain of the Goro Pirates means that you’re in charge of your crew. Whilst in various locations and doing side quests, you may choose or naturally recruit people to become pirates for your ship.  I enjoyed the approach of still being comitted to the pirate life even in places like Honolulu. Whether it was recruiting pirates, finding materials to improve your ship or simply trying to find treasure locations, it all blends nicely to feel like you’re the boss.

I was expecting the seas to feel a little more open than they are. You’re given a series of maps to sail around with main locations, lighthouses and other areas with potential treasure. Being on the water is very similar to the streets when it comes to groups of enemies. You’ll run into other congregations of ships and be launched into a sea battle. Ship combat feels a little clunky when it comes to the fluidity and movement. You have machine guns at the front and cannons on each side, so precision comes into play. Sometimes it does become difficult to line up and take a shot with cannons especially when you have other vessels to contend with. It is mindless fun though especially when you upgrade to lazer cannons with anime decor plastered over your ship. The key is to never take it too seriously.

Visuals & Audio

I don’t need to tell you that any title from Ryu Ga Gotoku is absolutely stunning in overall presentation. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is no different and as always brings fantastic detail to the lengthy cutscenes these games has. There hasn’t been a game in the franchise quite like this adventure. The art design team have done exceptional work not only with reintroducing Honolulu but bringing new areas like islands and Madlantis along for the ride as well.

Madlantis is impressive a feels like a small city within a giant cave which is awash with neon lights and the hustle and bustle of a gambling community. It all looks so pretty and I found myself stopping constantly to take photos just because of how colourful and vibrant everything appeared. Audio design is superb with english voiced dialogue from the full cast of characters, sound effects set the tone and atmosphere especially in those built up areas. If you fancy a spot of music then you can play tracks anytime alongside your gameplay or pop down and sing a few tunes on kareoke.

Final Thoughts

I’ve had an exceptional time playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and even after 60+ hours I still feel like I could put in an equal amount of hours to tick off every last task within the game. There is no getting away from the fact these games are always packed with content and things to discover and explore. The storyline is rock solid and having Noah by my side throughout genuinely made me want to protect him as if he was my own.

Admittedly I was a little anxious of whether they would pull a game that focuses on being a pirate off. Somehow they have managed to strike a fine balance of retaining the serious nature of a great story whilst also having those wacky moments still ever present. Whilst the game bears many similarities to Infinite Wealth, there is more than enough here to warrant your hard earned cash. It is oar-inspiring to see pirate ships in a Yakuza game, and its the greatest pirate title we have seen since Sea Of Thieves gained popularity.