This interview has been edited for clarity.
Some things come and go, but two elements have become a constant presence in Sega’s popular Like a Dragon / Yakuza series. The first is the enduring charm and influence of recurring protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, and the second, an over-the-top flair that spans dramatic cutscenes, quirky characterisation, amusing side quests and activities, and more.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the bold, adventurous spirit will continue to live on in Goro Majima’s upcoming outing. After all, the Mad Dog of Shimano serves as a foil to Kiryu’s reserved, stoic nature, with his theatrically unhinged and flamboyant persona making a perfect fit for the mould. Seeking to crank up the outrageous factor is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which transforms him into a suave swashbuckler bound for the high seas and a playable character since Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Yakuza: Dead Souls.
The shift has been a long time coming – not only is Majima a persistent fan favourite, his eyepatch aesthetic draws a direct comparison to pirates. Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku’s (RGG) latest title stars him as the protagonist and steers into somewhat familiar waters, starting with the Honolulu setting introduced in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Yet, the non-mainline-like naming convention may throw fans off, sparking confusion over its continuity within the larger narrative.
As it turns out, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is more than an offshoot adventure. Speaking to select Southeast Asia media during Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024, series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto clearly affirmed that this sequel will be part of the main saga, and will explore Majima’s interaction with the religious organisation of Palekana featured in Infinite Wealth.
“It’s not a spin-off; it’s a continuation of the main story. If it was a spin-off, it’d be a different time and location, [so] this is a continuation,” he clarifies, citing The Man Who Erased His Name as an example of a “gaiden”, or side story.
The Kiryu-focused title follows the Dragon of Dojima and his endeavours in Osaka under the guise of a secret agent, weaving in a blend of new and familiar elements – a framework that has seen the series through its highs and lows. For Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the process of crafting a Majima narrative involved embracing the qualities that best represent the character, and pairing it with a sense of novelty.
According to Sakamoto, the team had to consider “a lot of combinations of Majima and various other elements”, but eventually settled on the pirate setting as it “suits the character of Majima and is the most fresh”. Gone here are the Slugger, Breaker, and Thug fighting styles of the past, replaced by the all-new Mad Dog and Sea Dog stances.
The latter, in particular, proves to be an ambitious undertaking. It brings pirate-themed attacks into the series for the first time, offering a flashy moveset that includes the use of cutlasses, a firearm, and even a wire hook. Normal button presses deliver a strong or weak strike, depending on which is being triggered, while holding keys down adds a special flair to them, such as spinning blades or a powerful hipfire shot.
Executing aerial combos, a rare departure from standard fare, also forms a core part of the combat experience. In Mad Dog style, Majima is able to juggle his enemies mid-air, spicing up gameplay beyond the usual on-the-streets brawling. It’s a fun, enthralling affair that leaves players wanting more, as gleaned from a brief preview on the PlayStation 5 at TGS 2024.
Instead of the tactical, turn-based approach in the Judgement or Kasuga Ichiban-helmed Like a Dragon series, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii continues to honour its action roots. Upon confrontation, Majima will enter real-time combat and let his fists, kicks, and knives do the talking, with each blow packing a crisp and punchy sensation.
The agile fighter, as before, is a menace on the battlefield. The ferocious and wild aggression makes for a familiar sight, as are his speedy movements – especially when Doppelgangers join the fight. Activated when the Madness gauge is full in Mad Dog style, these clones will carry out different actions depending on the fighting methods utilised at that time. Charged attacks, however, unleash a special flair, and it’s an amusing, delightful spectacle that aligns perfectly with Majima’s personality.
Meanwhile, the Sea Dog stance introduces a new set of party tricks that feels satisfying to pull off. Swordsmanship, for instance, isn’t fixed to just one animation or style, and can be combined with jumps to switch up an attack, going from, say, an uppercut slash to a spinning mid-air assault. The wire hook feature also increases maneuverability slightly, as players are able to close their gap between enemies more easily and a land a strike, which when coupled with Majima’s speed, promises devastation.
For series veterans, the explosive and dynamic energy may be reminiscent of Majima’s agility and fleet-footed nature in Yakuza 0, and that’s no coincidence. The Mad Dog stance does “take in a lot of Majima-esque elements from the past”, reveals director Ryosuke Horii, but there’s sufficient novelty for it to stand as a new standalone style.
“The Mad Dog style is the most Majima like; it’s all about what makes him unique and that’s alive and well in the game,” he explains. “It retains the classic elements such as punching, kicking, and using a blade, and in contrast to that, [we] have something with a different mood to it, [which is] the Sea Dog style.”
“You’ll see old attacks from the past that will be familiar, [but] you could say it’s a new style made from the ground up,” adds the RGG (arr-GG?) veteran.
In play, switching between the two fighting stances proved to be a seamless affair where players are able to flow easily from one to another, and toy around with combining different combo chains. The long key presses in Sea Dog mode needs a bit of getting used to, though, joining other small quirks in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, such as a two-button keybind for dodging (R1 + ‘X’ by default on the PS5), and the Heat Action key prompt that pops up and disappears just as quickly – a recurring encounter for fans.
Where Majima’s return lean into newer territory, the game’s overall presentation treads more on familiar waters. The upcoming title will still tie into the series’ larger portrayal of the seedy underworld and incorporate elements that are both far removed and set in reality, which in turn, reinforces the “bizarre” blurring between fiction and the real world.
“The series has always combined reality and fiction in a certain way, and this time, there’s that pirate fictional element that has been put together, almost like it’s combined in a very satisfying way,” Sakamoto shares, singling out the example of a pirate ship appearance in Honolulu in the game’s demo.
“That really goes to show how that mixing of fiction and reality in this series is very bizarre,” he finishes with a laugh.
Indeed, the over-the-top presentation has become one of the core pillars and most beloved elements of the Like a Dragon / Yakuza identity. It’s a testament to RGG’s skill that both humour and seriousness are able to complement each other with great ease, considering that the two don’t always mix. In the same breath that the games deliver funny moments and ludicrous scenarios, they are equally capable of telling poignant and heartfelt stories.
While the narrative depth of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii remains a mystery for now, there will be no shortage of good-natured exasperation and lighthearted fun. Even within the short time frame of the hands-on demo, Honolulu was a tempting hotbed for all kinds of side activities and mini-games, from series mainstays like shogi and karaoke to newer additions such as Crazy Delivery and kart racing. Now that Majima is running the show, the team won’t hold back on upping the ante.
“Majima, compared to Kiryu, is a lot more of a lively, crazy character, so you can expect a lot of things like having new karaoke tracks – certainly more than you expect,” Horii affirms. “There will be plenty of that.”
Judging from his out-of-tune and ear-screeching vocals at Revolve Bar, it certainly looks like fans are in good hands.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii hits PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One on 28 February 2025.
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
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