SEGA’s ‘The Like a Dragon’ franchise (formerly known as Yakuza in the West) developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is known for its large cast of colourful characters with diverse personalities, and one of the biggest standouts since the original game is Goro Majima. He was introduced in the original ‘Yakuza’ game in 2005 as a boss character you have to fight against, and he has appeared in every mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon game ever since.

Whether his role was big or small, his unhinged personality and chaotic fighting style always made him a memorable character. The Mad Dog of Shimano has only been playable in a few games and now makes his return as the main protagonist, taking the fight out of the streets of Tokyo and onto the seas of the Pacific with his own pirate ship and crew in ‘Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’, now ready to set sail on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4|5 and PC.

The story is set about six months after the events of ‘Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’. Legendary yakuza Goro Majima mysteriously washes up ashore on an island and is found by a boy named Noah Rich with his pet cat, who is coincidentally also named Goro, though he looks more like a tiger. Majima is suffering from amnesia and has no memory of how he ended up there and no memory of who he is and his past.

After fighting off some wannabe pirates, Noah takes him to a local bar where his father, Jason and sister, Moana, work. Noah is 10 years old and has spent most of his life on his home island, but wishes to see the world, but his father forbids him due to his health issues. After some convincing and acquiring a pirate ship with a small crew, Captain Goro Majima, Noah and Jason set off on an epic adventure to explore Hawaii and its surrounding islands in search of treasure and possibly even Majima’s memories.

The latest Like a Dragon game brings back its classic beat ‘em up gameplay, perfectly fitting for a Pirate Yakuza who fears almost nothing. As it is a pirate-themed game, naval battles are also included for the first time ever in the series. Players will be able to freely explore Honolulu once again, as well as other locations new and old, and can also explore the oceans around Hawaii in Majima’s ship, which he names the Goromaru.

During combat, Majima will have two different fighting styles with Mad Dog, Majima’s classic speed-based style with his short blade in hand and Sea Dog, which sees Majima don his new pirate getup and wield dual cutlasses and pistols. Both styles are just as fun as each other and have their own unique set of moves and combos, complimenting Majima’s style and personality. Just like in previous games, players will also be able to perform special moves with enough meter built up and also have new abilities with their own meter that allows Majima to make duplicates of himself to fight alongside him or summon sharks to take down enemies, with even more to be unlocked. It sounds wild, but it is oh so fun and satisfying to witness the spectacle unfold onscreen as you plough through waves of enemies.

The naval battles are the newest addition to the franchise, which allows players to control their own ship and crew to sail the seas around Hawaii and, of course, battle other ships and loot their valuables. It may not be as in-depth as what we’ve seen in games like Assassin’s Creed and Sea of Thieves, but the simple controls make it incredibly easy to pick up and play to blast the other ships in your way. In certain ship battles, Majima and his crew will also board the enemy ship and fight them on foot to finish the job. Just like fighting hand to hand, the battles out at sea start off easy but become increasingly challenging, which is why upgrades are a must.

There is a wide variety of upgrades available that players can slowly collect to increase their health, boost their attacks and unlock new abilities, all with skill points and in-game currency. All the past games only used skill points and didn’t require money, so it’s odd that the latest game forces you to spend money as well, which can be inconvenient while also trying to save up for something else. Thankfully, money isn’t hard to come by, especially when you can start collecting bounties, but it’s still an odd decision to charge both skill points and money for upgrades.

The ship has its own set of upgrades that only cost money, which makes more sense. Players can increase their ship’s defence, upgrade weapons and add more crew members. New crew members can be recruited by exploring Honolulu and other locations and completing certain tasks. Players can choose who they want to recruit and will have a selection of characters with their own unique quirks, and many are familiar faces from past games.

Those who purchased the DLC packs will have series mainstays to add to their crew, including Kazuma Kiryu, Kasuga Ichiban and Daigo Dojim, who may not be canon to the story but are no doubt fun to see in action alongside Majima.

There is no Japan to explore, but having all of Honolulu has more than enough to keep you occupied whether you’re focused on main missions, side missions or participating in many of the activities provided. There is so much to see and do, such as delivering food, go-karting, taking photos, playing classic SEGA games at the arcade or on the old Master System, and so much more. It’s easy to get sidetracked for several hours. There are, of course, plenty of treasures to be discovered that are guarded by pirates, but nothing that Captain Majima can’t handle.

The game maintains its classic overall style and presentation but adds some pirate aesthetics, too. Honolulu looks just as beautiful as it did in the previous game, and the other locations will leave a lasting impression. Rich Island, where the game begins, has some nice sights and looks like a welcoming small community aside from some bad apples, and Madlantis feels like a whole new world. Madlantis is similar to the old Purgatory with bars and gambling and has its own arena for ship battles with an audience to witness the mayhem, so players who want more challenging naval battles can try their luck here and win some extra cash.

There is a lot happening everywhere you go, with people doing mundane tasks, activities, chatting to each other or working, but there are still some NPCs who just stand there staring blankly ahead and doing nothing. It’s not a major issue, but it has been like that since the original game from 20 years ago. The NPCs also don’t look that impressive up close, but the characters that do matter all look fantastic, with so much attention to detail in their appearances.

The game’s dialogue is available in Japanese, English and Chinese, and all sound excellent, giving each character so much life, personality and emotion. Majima’s voice actors in each language all reprise their roles, and the same goes for other familiar faces who’ll appear throughout the game. There is a large cast of memorable characters who all have their moments throughout the game. One character in particular, Raymond Law, is voiced by professional wrestler Samoa Joe, whose likeness was also used for the character model. His presence is just as intimidating on screen as he is in the ring, and his voice performance is perfectly fitting for a villain. Wrestling fans who have seen Samoa Joe’s heel work in TNA, WWE and AEW will be in for a treat.

The latest story in the series is certainly a wild one, but it perfectly sums up Majima, even though he doesn’t remember who he is. He’s more mild-mannered than he usually is at the beginning, but his unhinged personality slowly resurfaces as the story progresses, and he is still a highly skilled fighter with unorthodox techniques. His character development shows that he can be insane, but also has a soft side and deeply cares for those close to him and even for people he barely knows.

Despite being a shorter game in the franchise with only five chapters, the story is full of twists and turns, making for one epic pirate adventure. The game takes about 15 hours minimum to complete, but there is so much to see and do that it could be weeks before they put this game down. Having Goro Majima at the helm of his own game is something longtime fans have been wanting for years, and it does not disappoint. It brings back the classic beat ‘em up gameplay and adds simple and fun ship battles of epic proportions. The Mad Dog of Shimano is back, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is one ship you should not let sail by.

Written by: Sammy Hanson