10 Ways Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Will be Different from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Few modern AAA franchises put out games quicker than the Like a Dragon / Yakuza series does, which, even in spite of that kind of output, manages to maintain a remarkable level of quality and consistency. Unsurprisingly, many are excited to get their hands on the series’ next outing, upcoming spinoff Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

As the series has often been known to do in the past, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will be taking many of assets and foundational elements of last year’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and remixing them and blending them with new ideas of its own, hopefully to create something fresh, unique, and equally enjoyable. As you’d expect, that’ll mean plenty of familiar elements in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for those who’ve played Infinite Wealth– but at the same time, there’s also plenty that’s going to be different. The latter is what we’re going to focus on now- and there’s quite a bit to talk about.

PROTAGONIST

Let’s start off with the basics- the Like a Dragon series has cultivated a rich and diverse cast of beloved characters by now, but who’re we playing as this time? Primetime good guys Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu took centerstage in Infinite Wealth, but this time, another beloved fan favourite is stepping forward into the limelight in the form of Goro Majima. The Mad Dog of of Shimano did have a role to play in last year’s game, yes, but it’s been a while since he has grabbed the spotlight in more prominent fashion, so for series fans, getting a game where he’s the sole protagonist should be nothing short of a treat.

COMBAT

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth followed in Yakuza 7’s footsteps with its turn-based RPG systems, though just like the series’ last spinoff – Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name – the upcoming Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will be returning to Yakuza’s roots. That means the game will feature real-time brawler combat, and yes, as was usually the case in past Yakuza and Judgment games, players will also have access to multiple combat styles. Between the agile and aggressive Mad Dog style and the fantastical Sea Dog style – which will turn Majima into a full-fledged gun-toting, cutlass-wielding pirate – combat promises to be a colourful affair.

NAVAL SECTIONS

Yes, piracy is the big central throughline in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, as its name so subtly alludes to. Former Yakuza Majima has turned up in Hawaii with his memory mysteriously wiped, following which he sets off on a swashbuckling pirate adventure on the high seas, in search of a fabled treasure. Ridiculous? Yes. But a) “ridiculous” is kind of this series’ bread and butter, and b) this ridiculous setup will allow players to command their ship on the high sees in naval combat and traversal sections, complete with crew building and ship customization mechanics, on top of other bells and whistles. A little bit of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag in our Yakuza wasn’t something we ever thought to ask for, but now that we’re getting it, we can’t wait to dive in.

LENGTH

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was an absolutely monstrous game as far as its size is concerned. Depending on how much you engage with its substantial optional offerings, it can be anywhere between 80 and 120 hours long. Hell, even a rushed playthrough of the game is probably going to take you 50-60 hours. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is promising to be a much more brief experience, however. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has said it’s going to be about 1.5 times as long as Like a Dragon Gaiden, which would mean we’re looking at a 15-20 hour game. That’s not exactly a short game, obviously, but by mainline Yakuza standards, it is pretty short- then again, like Gaiden, this isn’t a mainline entry, so there’s that.

SIDE ACTIVITIES

Like a Dragon games are built on the backs of their side activities, and obviously, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will have plenty on offer. You can, of course, expect plenty of its roster to overlap with Infinite Wealth, with the likes of Crazy Delivery and karaoke confirmed to be returning, among others. Others, however, will be different. For instance, Dragon Kart, the Mario Kart-like activity introduced in Yakuza 7, sat out Infinite Wealth but is now returning. There’s also a whole suite of naval activities, such as upgrading and customizing Majima’s ship, the Goromaru, and expanding and leveling up his crew.

MAJOR SIDE ACTIVITIES NOT RETURNING

Let’s stick with Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s roster of side activities a little longer, because it will differ from Infinite Wealth in a few more key ways in this department. Some of the latter’s most significant side activities aren’t coming back, including the likes of Dondoko Island and Sujimon, as well as activities and mechanics that were related to Infinite Wealth’s RPG mechanics (such as the Ounabara Vocational School, Alo Happy Tours, and what have you).

NEW CHARACTERS

A bajillion games into a franchise, it can be hard to make truly standalone stories, which means Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will obviously feature its fair share of familiar characters from past Yakuza games, in addition to protagonist Majima himself. Additionally, however, the game will also introduce a vast and varied roster of entirely new faces. Throughout his adventure in Hawaii, Majima will meet a number of new personalities, including treasure hunters, pirates, former yakuza, and more.

NEW LOCATIONS

Like a Dragon games are better than most at reusing locations, which is something that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will also be doing, with the entirety of Infinite Wealth’s Honolulu map returning as the main setting. On top of that, however, players can also expect plenty of new locations, including a secret island haven for pirates and criminals known as Madlantis, a secluded location known as Rich Island, and of course, the open seas themselves, where you can sail your ship around and get up to all sorts of trouble.

NEW GAME PLUS

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth made the mistake of locking its New Game Plus mode behind a post-launch paywall, and rightly enough, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio were called out for it. Thankfully, it looks like lessons have been learned. The publisher and developer have confirmed that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s New Game Plus mode – which is still arriving as a post-launch update – will be free for all players this time.

PRICING

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have been explicit in their messaging that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is very much not a mainline entry, having been developed as a spinoff in the space of less than a year. As such, the shorter game’s pricing is going to reflect the same. Where Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was the first game that Sega chose to sell at $70, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is instead going to be sold for a cheaper price of $60. In comparison, 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden was $50 at launch.