Here are 15 details well worth knowing about before buying Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties on its February 11th release date.

A Ground-Up Remake of 2009’s Yakuza 3

Yakuza 3 originally released in 2009, and both the original version and its later remaster are often considered the black sheep of the franchise. Common complaints ranged from its clunky, block-heavy combat to the stilted pacing of the orphanage chapters. Kiwami 3 appears designed specifically to address those points, and then some. Built entirely within an upgraded Dragon Engine, the remake features modern HD visuals, improved animations, and entirely original modes. Cutscenes have been re-done and certain story beats have been restructured for more even pacing. On top of that, the game introduces a brand-new side story campaign in Dark Ties, which stars a fan-favorite character.

Orphanage Simulator

While the orphanage busywork was a pacing killer in the original Yakuza 3, these sections are completely overhauled to be more optional and engaging in Yakuza Kiwami 3. First, the minigames actually look feature-complete and, well, fun now. You can test Kiryu’s cooking skills in a Cooking Mama-like minigame, join the kids in a sewing battle, go fishing, and more. There’s a new bond system appropriately called ‘Daddy Rank’ too. As you complete these activities, you unlock substories for each child resulting in new cooking dishes and crafted items to sell at the market. In short, it’s a sim-like layer that contrasts the darker story to the game.

Motion Capture and Recast Voices

Helping enhance the dark tone further are some new reworked cutscenes. Now, we don’t quite know the placement of these new scenes or how the pacing will result from it all, but the overhaul signals a direct response to criticism of the original game’s uneven storytelling. Both the Japanese and English voice casts have been recast, with fresh motion capture performed by the new actors. Several characters, including Goh Hamazaki, Rikiya Shimabukuro, and Shigeru Nakahara, have been visually remodeled to resemble their new Japanese voice actors. This decision has understandably sparked some debate among longtime fans.

Bad Boy Dragon Mode

Another huge side activity that we will easily find ourselves lost in is the Bad Boy Dragon biker gang. In a similar vein as Pirate Yakuza, Kiryu leads the charge of a crew of, not pirates, but biker girls. Gameplay combines massive brawls against waves of up to 100 enemies with high-speed motorcycle segments where you capture enemy territory. You can recruit new members, upgrade bikes, and strategically organize a gang of over 20 units. The emphasis on scale and positioning should appeal especially to fans of musou-style games, adding a tactical layer to the familiar Yakuza combat loop.

Hell’s Arena

Accessible through Mine’s separate campaign, Hell’s Arena introduces multiple combat-focused modes. I’m especially intrigued by the new Survival Hell dungeon race. As the title suggests, you race through a perilous dungeon filled with traps and treasures. There’s a boss waiting for those skilled enough to survive the gauntlet, so you’ll need to pick up treasures and special survival weapons along the way to succeed against the last hurdle. Organizing a group of mercenaries helps your odds too. But the underground fight club is actually the main attraction of Hell’s Arena. These are composed of one-on-one brawls knocking out an opponent within a time limit. I’m all for a goofy tournament fighting arc, so Hell’s Arena should provide on that front.

Combat: Miyazato Dojo

Kiryu’s story unfolds primarily in sun-soaked Okinawa, And with the new territory comes new ways of fighting. Kiryu must enter the tutelage of master Miya-san at the Miyazato Dojo. It’s here where you learn the Ryukyu fighting style, which includes a whole fresh progression system and technique. Part of the journey to becoming a Ryukyu kobujutsu master is acing the exams set by Miya-san. Do this and you’ll eventually learn secret techniques that will prove useful throughout the rest of the game.

Combat: Ryukyu Style Explained

But what exactly is Ryukyu fighting? It’s essentially Kiryu’s new weapon-based fighting style for the game. There’s 8 Okinawan weapons featured in this style. These are shield (tinbe), spear (rochin), tekko (knuckledusters), tonfas, nunchaku, and even a wooden oar. These aren’t just pieces of equipment though, they’re baked into a dedicated system. Weapons can be swapped on the fly using hotkeys, allowing players to chain attacks seamlessly in a way reminiscent of Sea Dog Style. This fluidity stands in stark contrast to the slower, more defensive combat of the original Yakuza 3.

Merging of the Two Fighting Styles

You won’t just be weaving between weapon types, but fighting styles in general. The familiar Dragon of Dojima fighting style can be swapped seamlessly with the new Okinawan Ryukyu style. Dragon style has been enhanced with new finishers and loads of additional environmental destruction elements that you can use to your disposal against foes. To unleash the new finishers, you must charge up and activate Dragon Boost, a new powered-up state for Kiryu that essentially turns him Super Saiyan. Everything from ground-breaking pile drivers and long-distance throws are enhanced during a Dragon Boost.

Loads of Combat Techniques

Of course, merging between these two fleshed out combat styles brings with it a ton of variability. By combining two fully realized fighting styles, Yakuza Kiwami 3 boasts what the developer has described as the largest library of attack techniques in the franchise’s history. The sheer variety encourages experimentation and makes combat encounters far more dynamic than before.

New Minigames

Of course, not everything in the original Yakuza 3 has been preserved for the remake. A number of minigames have been removed, but in return, many more take their place. You’ve got your established minigames like karaoke, batting cages, billiards, darts, and various arcade games like UFO Catcher. The big additions are the orphanage minigames and dedicated photography quest. Mine has his own set of minigames to have fun with too. Mine’s campaign introduces Kanda’s Damage Control, where you act as Kanda’s PR agent. Kanda’s Damage Control is structured by an overarching ‘Good Deeds’ story, civilian side quests, and a checklist of accomplishments within the ‘Damage Control Challenge’.

A New Story Expansion

Dark Ties is a full story expansion centered on Yoshitaka Mine, one of Yakuza 3’s most compelling antagonists. Not only can you play as Mine, which has been a pipe dream for fans for years, but you explore his past through an even seedier underground district of the Kamurucho. It’s going to be fascinating to watch his descent into the criminal world and see from his point of view before his meeting with Kiryu in Yakuza 3 proper.

From Short Film to Game

Mine’s popularity prompted the studio to expand what was originally envisioned as a short film into a fully playable side game. The developer has been on record citing Mine as a top 5 favorite character in the series. This campaign is described as one of the darkest stories in the franchise to date, deliberately contrasting Kiryu’s more hopeful story in Yakuza 3.

Mine’s Unique Combat Style

In fact, Mine’s story is so dark that his combat style needed to be called ‘Dark Awakening’. Well, maybe there’s a different reason for the name, like high-risk/high-reward precision strikes so emblematic of Mine’s style. The swift aerial strikes stand out the most with this fighting style, but the Dark Awakening State push him into overdrive with extraordinary speed and precision. Mine’s fighting reminds me of a dragoon/ninja, and I couldn’t be more stoked to try it out.

Start Selection

Upon launching the game, you can choose whether to begin with Kiryu’s main story or jump directly into Dark Ties. This flexibility allows returning fans to experience the new content immediately, while newcomers can save it as a companion piece after completing the core narrative.

Dark Ties Spans 8-11 hours

Based on developer comments and hands-on previews, Dark Ties is expected to run between 8 and 11 hours, depending on side content engagement. Its scope is comparable to The Kaito Files and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which offered similarly focused, standalone narratives. According to a developer interview cited by Sportskeeda, Dark Ties is roughly the same length as Like a Dragon: Gaiden, positioning it as a substantial expansion rather than a brief add-on.

PC Specs

On the lower end, Yakuza Kiwami 3 remains fairly accessible for modern PCs. First, you’ll need to save up 58 GB of space for memory. The minimum requirements require an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 2300X paired with 8 GB of RAM and a GPU of either a GTX 1650, Radeon RX 6400. Higher-end setups require the beefier Intel Core i5-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, alongside 16 GB of RAM, and GPU of RTX 3060, Radeon RX 7600.

It will cost $14.99 to upgrade Yakuza 0 if you own it on PC, PS4 or Xbox One by December 8 at 8:29 AM PT / 11:59 AM ET. The date applies to Yakuza Kiwami, which only costs $1.99 to upgrade, but surprisingly, Yakuza Kiwami 2’s upgrade is free.

Of course, save data doesn’t carry over for any title, nor is the offer available for physical versions or those played on subscription services. While Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut offers new story scenes and the new “Red Light Raid” mode, Yakuza Kiwami adds text language support and songs like “Receive You [Reborn]” and “Bleed” that didn’t release outside of Japan. By comparison, Yakuza Kiwami 2 will only receive a text language update.

For more details on Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, check out our review of the Switch 2 version. The next game in the series, Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties, launches on February 11th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

As a re-release of the acclaimed 2015 action-adventure title, the Director’s Cut features new cutscenes which apparently offer “closure” to certain incidents and characters. It adds the Red Light Raid, an online co-op mode where up to four players battle enemies. There are 60 playable characters to choose from, including different variants of Kazuma Kiryu and Majima Goro, villains, and more.

Sadly, Red Light Raid won’t be available at launch, arriving instead in a post-release update, so stay tuned for more information on that front. Those who own Yakuza 0 on existing platforms also can’t upgrade to the Director’s Cut or carry over their save data. For more details on the title, check out our review of the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

The game is, largely, the same classic action adventure title that millions of players already love. Serving as the perfect entry point into the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise, it follows the exploits of a very young Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, who, unlike their then rookie grunt status in their respective yakuza organizations, end up intertwined in a far ranging criminal conspiracy with increasingly escalating stakes.

"For those unfamiliar, Yakuza 0 is set in the vibrant districts of Kamurochō and Sotenbori—two of the most detailed and lively locations I experienced back in 2017."

And, what an absolutely bonkers experience Yakuza 0 is — in the best way possible. The game delivers a cinematic, emotionally-charged story filled with long, detailed cutscenes and incredibly realistic voice acting that oozes passion. From Kiryu’s boiling rage and his fierce climb through the ranks of the Yakuza to Majima’s heartbreaking and unforgettable journey with Makoto, the character relationships drive this experience home. And the bosses? Completely unhinged in the best way. Battles with Homare Nishitani and Keiji Shibusawa are electric, but it’s the recurring showdowns with Daisaku Kuze that truly mark Kiryu’s evolution into a full-blown Yakuza. While the combat may be the core gameplay loop, it’s the powerful character arcs and layered relationships that steal the show.

For those unfamiliar, Yakuza 0 is set in the vibrant districts of Kamurochō and Sotenbori—two of the most detailed and lively locations I experienced back in 2017. Packed with side activities—many of which are downright absurd in the best way—you’ll meet some truly wild characters along the way. While the main story is excellent, skipping the side content would be a disservice to what this game offers. From quirky sub-stories to arcade mini-games, to stores ranging from medicine to quirky collectibles, the world is bursting with distractions. If you dive into it all, expect 50+ hours of sheer entertainment.

Whether you’re singing your heart out in karaoke or just facing off against enemies on the road, Yakuza 0 constantly pushes you to the limit. Its ability to transform from intriguing storytelling to absolute hilarious events without missing a beat is part of its brilliance. Simply put, this is open-world design done with a lot of emotion, pain and madness.

"What makes this version the “director’s cut” is a small selection of updates – the game has added some new cutscenes, adding some more narrative context to the events of its story."

On the visual front, let’s be real—this is a port of an eight-year-old game, so expecting cutting-edge graphics would be unwise. That said, Yakuza 0 doesn’t aim to impress with raw visual fidelity, but rather with its distinct style and presentation. The game oozes personality, from the dramatic lighting to the moody, neon-lit streets of Kamurochō and Sotenbori, especially during nighttime. There’s an undeniable charm in its aesthetic—despite a few muddy textures here and there, the cinematic sequences, detailed character models, and flashy VFX during combat still hold up remarkably well.

As for the sound—it’s phenomenal. The soundtrack elevates every moment, with boss battle themes (especially during Kuze fights) delivering pure adrenaline. Every punch feels impactful, every line of dialogue feels delivered with passion, and the audio design does an incredible job of pushing the game’s energy through the roof.

So, the entire game as remembered is here, with all the crazy combat, minigames, side quests, the long cutscenes, songs, everything. It continues to run at 60 frames per second on the Switch 2, and looks pretty much exactly as good as it does on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

What makes this version the “director’s cut” is a small selection of updates – the game has added some new cutscenes, adding some more narrative context to the events of its story; it has added an English dub (the first time that Yakuza 0 has had an English dub); it has a new online multiplayer horde mode where you can play from a whole roster of series all stars; and lastly, it has some quality of life upgrades, such as allowing the ability to save anywhere.

Frankly, the changes, while mostly great, are minor enough that fans who may already have spent dozens (or, to be honest, more likely hundreds) of hours on the game already don’t necessarily need to get this version too. Take, for example, the English dub – existing fans of the franchise are unlikely to want to play it in any language other than Japanese; the dub here is reasonably great, as all most modern localizations tend to be, but there continues to exist the weak link in Yong Yea’s performance as Kiryu. Yong Yea’s Kiryu isn’t great, and turns in a noticeably worse performance than the rest of the cast. With that said, with Yakuza 0 following a much younger Kiryu, Yong Yea’s voice doesn’t seem as out of place as it has in his previous turns as the character.

"The new cutscenes are similarly at best good but ignorable additions, or, in the worst case, actively off putting to long time fans, with one change in particular introducing a retcon that is likely to step on a lot of toes."

The new cutscenes are similarly at best good but ignorable additions, or, in the worst case, actively off putting to long time fans, with one change in particular introducing a retcon that is likely to step on a lot of toes. Again, this change isn’t something that will matter to any newcomers – it’s longer term fans who are likely to be unhappy about that change.

And that’s what it ultimately comes down to – this is a package that makes absolute sense for newcomers who may not have already played the game before. The English dub is going to make the game a lot more accessible by opening it up to audiences who may not want to play undubbed games. The new cutscenes aren’t going to draw complaints for any changes they make. The online mode will… probably provide equal utility to newcomers and existing fans alike, actually, which is to say, I can’t imagine either group finding it to move the needle much either way.

So, for existing fans? You’re not really missing out on anything. Newcomers? Welcome aboard to one of the best and most memorable experiences you are likely to get from a game. Enjoy Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, and hopefully this is the start of bringing the rest of the franchise over to Nintendo so that the rest of those games can be enjoyed by these new fans. And if every one of those games comes to the Switch 2, which they absolutely should, given how much more powerful the system is you’ll be in for a time like no other.

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Ugaki, speaking about some of the new scenes, spoke about how the new cutscenes portrayed to him “how dearly Majima holds Makoto and how much he wants to protect her.” For context, a lot of Majima’s story throughout Yakuza 0 revolves around him trying to figure out why Makoto is in danger from the various yakuza families. Ugaki said that the new cutscenes from the Director’s Cut go further in exploring the relationship between Majima and Makoto.

Ozawa similarly spoke about how the new scenes added to the game further explore the relationship between Kiryu and Kuze. “There are things Yakuza 0 mentioned but didn’t delve into very deeply – Kuze’s new lines gave me a sense of Oh, so that’s how things are between them,” he said. Kuze acts as an antagonist force for Kiryu throughout much of this storyline, which largely revolves around Kiryu trying to figure out the importance behind a vacant plot of land in Kamurocho.

The new scenes in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut also likely offer a better transition from the title’s end to the start of the next game in the timeline – Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami. Whereas the story in Yakuza 0 primarily takes place in 1988, the next game in the timeline fast forwards to 1995, before then starting its story in earnest in the year 2005. Since Yakuza 0 is a prequel, it also gives us a lot more characterisation for several members of the game’s cast, including protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, as well as others like Akira Nishikiyama and Goro Majima.

Alongside additions to the story through new cutscenes, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut will also feature a new multiplayer mode dubbed Red Light Raid. The new mode allows players to take on waves of enemies after picking their character of choice from a vast roster that covers essentially the entirety of Yakuza 0.

New trailers for Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut were released earlier this month, showcasing the new english voice acting – featuring Yong Yea as Kiryu and Matthew Mercer as Majima – as well as giving us a look at the main opening theme for the game. Check them out.

Yakuza 0 was originally released back in 2015, and focuses on telling us two main stories: how Kiryu became known as the Dragon of Dojima, and how Majima because known as the Mad Dog of Shimano. Both stories also intersect at various points, with both Kiryu and Majima trying to figure out the secrets behind seemingly-mundane things, like a vacant plot of land and a blind girl.

The most recent game in the franchise was Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

The other trailers showcase samples of English voice lines for Kazuma Kiryu (played by Yong Yea) and Majima Goro (Matthew Mercer). Yea also voiced Kiryu in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut will be available on June 5th for $49.99. As an enhanced version of the critically acclaimed 2015 action-adventure, it includes additional story content, including brand-new cutscenes. Players can also engage in online battles together, selecting from 60 different characters (though Kiryu and Majima’s Styles count as separate characters).

For more details on Yakuza 0, check out our review of the original release. It’s available on PS4, PS5, PC and Xbox One.

Collectively, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sold over 105,000 physical copies in Japan upon its release. In comparison, the last spinoff release in the series, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, sold over 123,000 units in Japan upon its launch in 2023.

The rest of the top 10 is dominated by first-party Nintendo Switch titles, including the likes of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD at No. 3, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at No. 4, Super Mario Party Jamboree at No. 5, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons at No. 8. Interestingly, EA and Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two also re-entered the top 10 at No. 9, selling over 3,000 units.

On the hardware side of things, the Nintendo Switch led proceedings as usual with over 39,000 units sold, with the {S5 following behind with over 13,000 units sold.

You can check out the full hardware and physical software charts for the week ending February 23 below.

Software sales (followed by lifetime sales):

1. [PS5] Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – 68,219 (68,219)
2. [PS4] Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – 36,942 (36,942)
3. [NSW] Donkey Kong Country Returns HD – 10,714 (206,163)
4. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 10,418 (6,259,102)
5. [NSW] Super Mario Party Jamboree – 9,988 (1,199,061)
6. [NSW] Nintendo Switch Sports – 4,659 (1,551,593)
7. [NSW] Minecraft – 4,424 (3,815,718)
8. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 3,855 (8,077,233)
9. [NSW] It Takes Two – 3,359 (125,648)
10. [NSW] Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – 2,932 (5,526,005)

Hardware sales:

• Nintendo Switch – 39,172
• PS5 – 13,556
• Xbox Series X/S – 1,535

If that weren’t enough, the developer also shared a new gameplay video showcasing a pirate shanty between Majima, Noah and the Goromaru’s crew. Which slowly morphs into an anthem not unlike Majima Construction’s (though not quite as catchy).

As a spin-off and follow-up to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees Majima washing up on an island without his memories. In typical Majima fashion, he commands his own pirate ship and crew, scouring the seas and searching for treasure, which sees him at odds with Madlantis and its rulers.

Check out our review here or download the free demo to try the new Sea Dog style and naval combat. New Game Plus will be available as a free post-launch update, though a release window is unknown.

Turn up the volume and enjoy a shanty before embarking on yer adventure in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii🏴‍☠

⏳Feb 21st
🐍Pre-order to add Ichiban & Nancy to yer crew + 2 of Ichiban’s iconic outfits!
🎮Play the demo NOW pic.twitter.com/OGAuE8v7sg

— RGG Studio | Like a Dragon & Yakuza Series (@RGGStudio) February 20, 2025

All of which is to say that Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii! (Another absurdly convoluted title from Sega and RGG – I’m going to just call it Pirate Yakuza from here on out) follows up on the beloved and massive Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth from last year with another quality outing. Building on the map, assets, and systems from that game, and infusing it with a pirate themed swashbuckling flair all of its own, Pirate Yakuza is a really fun, high octane outing for the series that should appeal to series long-time fans, and those who came on board amidst the hype for Infinite Wealth last year, alike.

"Over on the gameplay side, Pirate Yakuza is, like all but the last two mainline Like A Dragon games, a brawler."

The game, which is set after the events of Infinite Wealth, follows the exploits of fan-favourite Goro Majiima. A series of capers following the events set during the conclusion of Infinite Wealth sees him washed aboard, waking up on a deserted beach with very thorough amnesia. With little to no memory as to what he was doing or how he got here, he pretty much decides to make it up as he goes along, which sees him, in short order, commandeering a crew of a pirate ship in the seas surrounding Hawaii.

Now if that sounds like the flimsiest possible pretext for the setup, it is. A far cry from the heyday of the Kiryu saga, and much like Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza is less about the overarching story and more about the moment-to-moment character interactions and exchanges.

The narrative justification for the things that happen are cursory at best, and the game doesn’t really pretend to be much about the story either. Over the course of the story, things do end up cohering more than they appear at the start, and the stakes do get higher – but ultimately, the actual story in Pirate Yakuza follows on from the story of Infinite Wealth in being just enough to get the job done – that being, facilitating the multitude of gameplay systems and content within it, and allowing for some great character moments.

Over on the gameplay side, Pirate Yakuza is, like all but the last two mainline Like A Dragon games, a brawler. Much like Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Pirate Yakuza gives its protagonist two fighting styles – a Mad Dog style that is meant to encapsulate Majima’s famed fighting style and techniques from the older games, and a new Pirate themed Sea Dog fighting style, which sees him wielding and throwing around cutlasses as he fights his way through hordes of enemies like a pirate. Both styles are great fun – the Mad Dog style allows for aerial juggles and for summoning doppelgängers to beat on enemies with you, while the Sea Dog style has Majima chaining throws and swipes with his cutlasses, gun, and eventually a hook, as well as summoning ancient sea spirits to do your bidding, for all sorts of crazy environmental effects and buffs.

"Of course, the combat is good enough to get the job done, and works well with the whole nautical side of things."

Even with the two fighting styles, the combat never really reaches the same heights as the Majima combat did in Yakuza 0 (which was the previous release that starred a playable Majima), nor does it reach the heights that the combat of Lost Judgment (the best combat in the new Dragon Engine that the series uses) did.

It remains fun, allows for customization via the upgrades and the Rings-based equipment system (that lets Majima wear a different ring on each finger, each for different buffs and effects), allows for a lot of great moves and spectacle (both Majima-themed and pirate-themed), and I am sure high level players will find a lot of expressiveness within especially the Mad Dog style. It is, however, disappointing that it doesn’t particularly reach the heights that we know the character, the dev team, and this engine can reach from previous outings.

Of course, the combat is good enough to get the job done and works well with the whole nautical side of things. I confess to initially being bemused by how the developers were planning on taking the Yakuza/Like A Dragon framework and bolting on a pirate game to it. The answer is, surprisingly well. The pirate side of things works shockingly well here – you have a ship (that you can upgrade and expand), you have your crew, each with their own temperament, backstory, and strengths and weaknesses, that you assign to different parts of the boat. While on the sea, you can disembark on islands to try and hunt for treasure there, engage in naval battles with other ships you come across on the sea, and rest up in safe areas surrounding lighthouses, that also let you repair your ship, take stock of your crew, and try to increase their morale if it has fallen after all their time on the sea. Lighthouses are also used to quick travel to other parts of the sea.

"Combat is quick and snappy, whether you are choosing to shoot your foes to their watery deaths or to board them and claim their loot."

Actually, moving through the sea can be a bit boring (which is a problem that other nautical themed games, from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker have all faced and unsuccessfully tried to address as well). The top movement speed never quite feels quick enough, even after upgrades, and while wind tunnels, collectibles strewn in debris, and environmental hazards all show up to switch things up, on the whole, sailing can feel largely automatic, outside of the naval combat.

Combat is quick and snappy, whether you are choosing to shoot your foes to their watery deaths or to board them and claim their loot.  It all works well – sea combat is fun and sidesteps a lot of the clunkiness that the naval portions in other games have often been known to have, and exploring the seas for treasure definitely fulfils the whole pirate fantasy that few other games really address. You get a lot of ground to live out this fantasy too – Pirate Yakuza gives players several smaller nautical maps that are stitched together via lighthouse quick travel, to allow for a surpassingly large and varied sea for players to loot and plunder. This is on top of the entire Hawaii map from Infinite Wealth which makes it over pretty much wholesale (and that was a big map), and of course, there is Madlantis.

Much like the Castle in Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Madlantis here is a theme park style destination where you get to take place in a whole series of pirate themed activities (chiefly the Pirate Coliseum). As you bolster up your ship and crew, you work your way through the top pirates in Madlantis to eventually take on the mantle of the Pirate King. The Madlantis side of things ties into a story tied to legendary treasure that the characters Majima befriends are on the heels of and sees him come across some truly colourful characters – even for a Majima story, that is.

"Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii benefits from great execution of an absurd premise that the game never questions."

Over in Hawaii (and other land maps), you get a massive amount of side content, a lot of it brought over from Infinite Wealth – walk and talk bonding events, a truly frightening number of absurd side stories, a photo rally, collectibles, a whole friendship social media system, an entire new mini-zoo where you can keep various animal friends you find on your travels, and a surprisingly involved cooking system. You also have a Pirate rank that ties into pretty much everything you do, which helps tie the naval and land-based gameplay stems together, and helps ensure that no matter what you’re doing, you’re still contributing towards your overall progress with your ship and crew.

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii benefits from great execution of an absurd premise that the game never questions and just goes with; it benefits from being a good enough Like A Dragon game, and a good enough pirate game, even though it never quite gets as great at either as you’d hope for. And it even benefits from foregoing the serious crime drama and high stakes stories that previous RGG Studios games have gone for, opting for, instead, a rip-roaring swashbuckling outing that barely attempts to justify or contextualize the things it says or does, and instead chooses to focus on the moment-to-moment fun of the adventure.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

The first portion of the demo sees Majima Goro venturing through Honolulu, taking out trash mobs with the Mad Dog and Sea Dog styles. You can also try the first Dark Instrument – a violin that summons the Dark God of Waves, Curse of the Man-Eating Shark. Karaoke features some old and new tracks (no spoilers), but you can also try dressing up Majima in different clothes.

Eventually, you’ll head to Madlantis and partake in the Pirates Coliseum for some naval combat with the crew, which includes boarding the opposition. The location is also available to roam through with random battles galore.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on February 21st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC. Check out our feature for everything you should know. You can also watch the story trailer, highlighting Samoa Joe as Raymond Law, the King of Madlantis.