Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a 2025 action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It was released worldwide on February 21, 2025, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows.

The game centers on Goro Majima, the former captain of the Tojo Clan's Sixth Division and a recurring character in the series. After a mysterious incident leaves him washed ashore on a beach in Hawaii, Majima has lost his memory and cannot explain how he got there. He joins forces with Noah Rich, a young boy searching for his missing father, Jason Rich, and becomes involved in a conflict over a legendary treasure.

This story moves beyond the usual criminal underworld setting by giving Majima a pirate identity and a crew of outcasts. The central vessel is the Goromaru, a customizable pirate ship used to travel between islands and fight rival vessels. Naval battles use real-time cannon fire, with players steering the ship, choosing targets, and managing crew abilities during encounters. Majima can also board enemy ships and fight directly in close-quarters combat before returning to the deck.

On foot, Majima has two combat styles: Mad Dog, his fast, familiar style, and Sea Dog, a new pirate-themed style using cutlasses and firearms. Progression allows players to improve Majima, strengthen the crew, and expand the ship's effectiveness in combat.

The game also includes Madlantis, a lawless amusement-park-like island that serves as a pirate haven and a major base of operations. Its attractions include arena battles and gambling, while its criminal factions provide missions and recruitable crew members.

Hawaii's familiar locations, including Honolulu and parts of the island of Oahu, are revisited with new pirate-focused activities and encounters. Players can recruit sailors by completing requests, winning fights, or meeting characters around the islands, then assign them to ship roles. Crew management affects the Goromaru's combat performance, making recruitment more than a cosmetic feature.

The plot also brings back familiar figures from earlier Like a Dragon titles, although Majima remains the playable protagonist throughout. Ichiban Kasuga appears in the story, connecting the pirate adventure to the modern Yakuza continuity and its Honolulu setting.

Rather than presenting Majima as a conventional hero, the game uses his amnesia and theatrical pirate persona to explore his loyalty, identity, and relationships. That combination preserves his flamboyant humor while tying the new voyage to consequences of his long history with the Tojo Clan and yakuza world.

Beyond the main campaign, activities include substories, treasure hunting, ship customization, and battles against increasingly powerful pirate crews across the region. The game's return to real-time combat distinguishes it from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's turn-based system, making Majima's agility and weapon switching central to encounters. It also gives the series a maritime adventure built around a specifically Hawaiian map.