I loved Like a Dragon, the turn-based spin-off of the Yakuza series. Granted I have a little bit left to do, but it’s a wonderful twist on the series. So much so that I’m looking forward to Infinite Wealth, and for Pirate Month, got hyped for Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Different protagonist, but a pirate-themed game felt nicely in-line with the wacky fantasy world of the Like a Dragon off-shoot of a generally action-focused series.
So, I dived right in.
My knowledge of Majima is limited as I’ve not really been interested in the core series. But I was ready to get to know him in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Everything was aligned, I got it cheap online, downloaded it to the PC and the Steam Deck and as of the 1st of July, my Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii adventure began.
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
So….pretty quickly it became apparent that whilst this is another game in the “Like a Dragon” branch of the series. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii wasn’t following the same rules. My hopes of a pirate-themed, but sill turn-based RPG were dashed within a few minutes.
Now, I get it, because the whole concept of the JRPG system elements came from Ichiban Kasuga and his imagination. So playing the hardened Yakuza Patriarch of the Majima family, who already has an established play-style, makes sense.
Suffice it to say that I immediately dropped Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii because my expectations were wrong. Not my proudest moment, as someone looking to cover a game, but I threw a bit of a wobbler because I wasn’t getting what I’d wanted.
I don’t actually know a great deal about Majima, and whilst the combat feels a bit clunky, I’ve gone back and found myself quite enjoying it. So even though it’s only been a couple of hours, I’m now committed and have gotten over myself to finish Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
The premise
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes place six months after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024), and features ex-Tojo Clan yakuza Goro Majima (Hidenari Ugaki/Matthew Mercer) as the sole playable character.
Through unknown circumstances, Majima has been stranded on Rich Island, with no memories of his past life. After being saved by a local asthmatic boy named Noah Rich (First Summer Uika/Maya Aoki Tuttle), Majima finds himself embroiled in a new conflict, involving both local Hawaiian pirates and ex-yakuza members from Japan.
That’s as far as I’ve got up to now, but the premise itself feels fun, and the action and pace of the game is pretty slick so Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii keeps things moving at a good clip.
I do know that there’s going to be the ownership of a pirate ship at some point, and a crew a la Skull and Bones. So that’s going to be really interesting to see in comparison to our other big pirate game this month.
On Deck!
One of the big things for me with a game like Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, is that I can play it on the Steam Deck. This was a dream with Like a Dragon, and honestly, it’s as smooth as butter on the standard LCD Steam Deck now.
I would actually argue that it looks better on the small screen than it does on the PC’s ultra-wide monitor, to be honest. These games have a certain look to them, which feels a little dated, if we’re calling a spade a spade. That gets hidden away a little with the Steam Deck and it feels much more palatable.
A solid 30+ frames per second without any adjustments whatsoever, and I would hazard I could push that to 40/50 without much issue or loss in quality. That’s what will be the saving grace for Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It’s easy and enjoyable to play anywhere, and that’s massive.
Off we go
So, yeah. I’ve had a wobble because it’s not what I expected, and then come back strong on it thanks to how fun Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii actually seems to be, and because of how excellently it plays.
Comparing what I’m expecting to be some Pirate ship combat and things, is going to be cool, too. It’s been a while since I’ve had two different games with some crossover in what they’re delivering, too. Whether or not Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii ends up being great or not, is yet to be seen. But looking at some rough guidance, it’s about a 20 hour game, and that feels like a healthy time investment for something that’s got the tone and vibes that this game has.
Will Majima usurp Ichiban as my favourite series protagonist? I don’t expect him to, but who knows?
