Waves crash against the hull of a ship that looks like it came straight out of the 17th century, seagulls screech above us, and a figure in a Hawaiian shirt sits at the helm. This is how you would describe Goro Majima, perhaps one of the most popular characters in the Like a dragon series, but it sets the tone. Polygon was recently invited to a hands-on preview to get a taste of what Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – and it is a story of Majima on the decline, on the way to becoming the greatest pirate the world has ever seen. It is all Like a dragon Fans could expect.
Like a dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is as absurd as you would expect – it is a Like a dragon game, and Goro Majima is the protagonist, so it is natural that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio would get involved. Majima is perhaps one of the few characters in the series to receive complete character arcs that go along with some of the most emotional moments of the Like a dragon games. But not here! At least not in this preview. Instead, Majima and her crew head to the city of Madlantis, another dangerous underground city full of violence and filled to the brim with other ne’er-do-wells, most of whom don’t look like Party City versions of Jack Sparrow from Gore Verbinski’s pirates of the Caribbean
Compared to Madlantis, Honolulu isn’t as exciting, and during my time with the preview version of the game, I mostly hopped around the city with my intrepid childhood buddy and his Bengal tiger kitten, singing Majima’s best karaoke hits – including “24-Hour Cinderella” by 0 — or changing Majima’s appearance in a poorly constructed dressing room. You can go shirtless and tattoo the grimacing white face of the Hannya on the Mad Dog’s back for all to see, or maybe you want to slip back into that iconic snakeskin jacket, leather pants, and shoes with silver tips and stuff. I went for the 0 appearance, as it reminded me of a better time in the series. I also really wanted to recapture that feeling after dismembering Keith, an ordinary-looking pirate with a tricorn hat who had run afoul of Majima for some reason. I’m sure this will be explained in the full game and probably carries more weight.
See, Majima may be aging like the rest of us, having now reached the tender age of 60, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less snappy. The Mad Dog of Shimano is still capable of learning some new tricks, and in Sea Dog’s fighting style, he wields a pair of cutlasses and a 17th century hand cannon. All of his attacks are as fast as they are deadly, and you can use a wire to launch yourself at an enemy with reckless abandon. There are also aerial combos that are fun and feel a little overpowered, but I won’t complain about the game implementing the rule of cool for one of its most popular characters. But if you want a return to the familiar – something that brings you back to 0
After beating up Keith and his crew, I roamed Madlantis as little as I could. It is different from the other crime-ridden underground areas in previous Like a dragon games. It’s dirty, rusty, and made from ships collected from a proverbial graveyard. Neon lights illuminate the dilapidated buildings and reflect off the water’s surface, where everything floats dangerously. It’s not like the purgatory from the original Yakuzaor the castle of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. It wasn’t glamorous or glitzy. Oddly enough, it’s a nice change from what I’m used to, and I was willing to give Madlantis a chance even if I only got to try one piece. I couldn’t take part in ship battles to make Majima the most fearsome pirate in the seven seas, or pilot my own ship through the waters of Honolulu, but those options will be available in the full version of the game.
Like a dragon: Yakuza in Hawaii really feels like a Gaiden game, something to fill the gap between releases and satisfy the hunger of a growing new audience. Or bring back long-time fans who have otherwise grown tired of the series and just want to play as Majima one last time. There were a lot of rough edges and a lot of reused assets, which isn’t always a bad thing, but the Dragon Engine (which the team first developed for Yakuza6 in 2016) is really starting to show its age. It’s a wonder why Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio hasn’t made the jump to Unreal Engine 5 like it did for Like a Dragon: Ishinthat looks one step better Yakuza in Hawaii. At least I can’t say it’s more of the same, as changing the protagonist and returning to more action-oriented combat is refreshing.
