I played two hours of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and it was pure head-empty bliss
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THE Yakuza series is taking to the high seas for the first time with the upcoming adventure Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. As a Gaiden game it’s part of the mainline series, but is not really a fully-fledged game. The last Gaiden game was Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which bridged the gap between Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
![[A pirate-like man in a Hawaiian shirt holds a knife to a man in a red shirt.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii.png?strip=all&w=960)
Likewise, fan-favourite character Goro Majima’s adventure on the high seas explains the whereabouts between Infinite Wealth and the next mainline entry. The last game allowed us to play as secret agent Kazuma Kiryu, and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii lets us become pirate captain Kazuma Kiryu.
![[Illustration of Yakuza members on a beach in Hawaii.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-maddog.png?strip=all&w=960)
Gaiden games focus on the battles and gameplay rather than the story, but there are still touching character moments for fans. We’ve had the chance to play as Majima before and try out his fast-paced Mad Dog fighting style for ourselves. Pirate Yakuza adds a new Sea Dog style that is slightly slower, but hits a little stronger.
![[Illustration of a pirate at the helm of a ship at sea, with another person watching. Other ships are visible in the distance.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-boat.png?strip=all&w=960)
When Majima is in Sea Dog style he can call up different animals to help in battle by playing different instruments. It’s goofy, but that’s what the Yakuza series is all about, and more so when you cast your hero as a pirate. You can sail between the different islands, and while sailing is slow, you’ll see whirlpools, lighting and breaching whales as you go to keep things spicy.
