This interview has been edited for clarity.
In many ways, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly what fans would expect from Ryu Ga Goktoku Studio (RGG Studio) and its series of Like a Dragon – formerly known outside of Japan as Yakuza – games. There’s heart beneath the over-the-top goofiness, striking a balance between quirky humour and emotional storytelling, with strong characters driving the narrative forward. The high level of entertainment is another series staple, taking the form of various mini-games both old and new, alongside amusing sub-stories that range from fighting a polar bear in a public park to taking compliance lessons on becoming a better boss.
But the latest jaunt marks plenty of firsts, too. As the first swashbucking entry in the beloved franchise, it introduces open-sea sailing, naval combat, and a pirate-themed fighting stance with aerial attacks. Instead of returning regular Kiryu Kazuma, fan-favourite Majima Goro takes the helm this time, offering players full control over him (while the character has had playable outings in 2011’s Yakuza: Dead Souls, 2015’s Yakuza 0, and 2017’s Kiwami 2, he was never available in its entirety).
The bold voyage into uncharted waters proved to be worth the risk. Not only did Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii become the best-selling game in Japan during its opening week, it also scored the series’ second-biggest launch on Steam. Reflecting on the title’s success, chief director and producer Ryosuke Horii shares that overseas sales were “particularly favourable, including in America”, attributing part of that to “the level of craziness” that only Majima could attain.
“Because Majima is the protagonist, [there’s] a certain kind of upbeat atmosphere not even [present] in Infinite Wealth (2024). We think his unhinged qualities might have been particularly well-received by players overseas,” he says in a virtual post-launch interview held for select Southeast Asia media.
As veterans would know, the descriptor is nothing short of apt for the former patriarch. The Mad Dog of Shimano has earned a reputation for his wild, over-the-top personality, echoed through his cocky grin, maniacal cackle, and vow to Tsukasa Sagawa in Yakuza 0 to “have more fun and live crazier”. Then, there are the soft, mellowed-out bits to the rough edges: a righteous sense of justice, a soft spot for women and children, and enduring loyalty.
In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Majima retains all of that – especially with a young islander called Noah Rich by his side – despite his amnesiac status. The memory gap offers more room to play up his signature theatrics, and the team made sure that he looks suave while at it, making it easy to forget that he’s actually 60 years of age (Majima was 24 when he debuted; feel old yet?).
“The main fundamental and important thing is rather than portraying him realistically at 60, we wanted to focus on making him look as cool as possible,” shares Horii, adding that the studio’s proprietary Dragon Engine allows for easier skin enhancement.
He then laughs, “I can’t say for sure whether he’s using skincare or doing any kind of treatment to take care of his skin.”
The age-defying magic touch extends to spry movements, whether on the streets or ashore. On the battlefield, Majima continues to be a whirlwind of kinetic intensity, chaining punches, kicks, and knife slashes, and breaking the combo to juggle an enemy mid-air. Outside of it, character actions like sprinting and walking are as fluid as ever, and the same goes for performance sequences – musical numbers feature prominently here, prompting the need for proper choreography.
It represents a dream come true for the musical-loving Horii, who has always thought about the best way to incorporate genre elements into a game. Citing the Broadway-like act of “A Song of Departure, Journey to the New World”, he highlights the role of the recording process in strengthening camaraderie between staff.
“Pirate stories, in particular, feature character scenes together, such as sea shanties, and this game was the perfect chance to finally incorporate a musical element,” he divulges. “We all got along together really well, almost as if we were a real band of pirates.”
The next challenge was translating the buccaneering experience into a fun fantasy. For the team, naval battles proved to be the biggest hurdle, with director Yasuaki Uehara pointing to the difficulty of creating the sensation of fighting aboard waves. Treasure islands were also tricky to tackle, as they are full of natural environments, while fighting hordes of enemies as one would in a pirate adventure required a more interesting approach.
As it stands, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a culmination of heavy experimentation and hard work. “We employed a lot of trial and error… and on our team, we have a number of members who share the same attitude about optimistically using trial and error to come up with new ideas, and we used that approach to create the game,” he explains.
Once everything clicked into place, it was a matter of combining existing elements with the fresh coat of paint. The Hawaii setting, for instance, is pulled directly from Infinite Wealth, so features like segway riding and greeting someone with ‘Aloha!’ are all present, but the expanded space offers the opportunity to repackage returning mini-games – namely Dragon Kart, first introduced in 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Taking place in Japan initially, the vast expanse of Honolulu now delivers bombastic racing action on a larger scale than before.
While entries in the franchise has always maintained some sort of flow, the continuity between Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Infinite Wealth, and 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name puts Infinite Wealth as the common link – it’s the sequel to Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and is included as a special trial version in the spy thriller spin-off, unlocked after beating the main story for the first time. Horii expresses that there isn’t necessarily a deeper meaning to the seamless spillover, only that it ties into the game’s theme of moving forward:
“One of the main themes is that life goes on, [so] it’d be kind of lame if we didn’t end on that note. That’s why, in a number of ways, we wanted to make sure that it didn’t feel like there was a sense of finality for any of the characters or their stories.”
With the launch of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the series’ future is yet again back in the picture. RGG Studio is keeping its cards close to its chest as it continues to forge ahead, but admits to bouncing around some ideas. For now, it’s unclear whether the next installment, mainline or not, will embrace the franchise’s recent shift to turn-based combat or revisit its action roots as seen here, and the kind of content it wants to explore.
Still, there are some crumbs of confirmation. Horii shares how Don Don Island from Infinite Wealth is a favourite among the team, and that there’s no going out of the way to create games based on a particular character. For Uehara, that’s more good news than anything.
“Personally, I’m rooting for a game centred on Ono Michio, but I don’t think that’d sell very well,” he says with a laugh, referring to the orange-head mascot in a fisherman-style outfit first introduced in Yakuza 6.
Well, at least his appearance in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii counts for something – even if he’s available only as part of the Deluxe Edition, and not in the base title.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
