The recent announcement ofLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiihas come as a surprise to many fans, with the upcoming project only reinforcing the very impressive rate at which Ryu Ga Gotoku is developing fresh games for the franchise. The game will see iconic character Goro Majima once again take on a protagonist role, with Majima becoming the captain of his very own pirate ship operating off the shores of Hawaii.
The trailer forLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiifocuses primarily on Majima as well as a vibrant cast of brand-new characters, with the narrative and setting of the project seemingly being quite far removed from the major events and figures of the wider franchise. While this alone will provide an enjoyable experience, there is still a chance thatPirate Yakuzawill surprisingly feature appearances from other main characters like Kazuma Kiryu or Ichiban Kasuga, and it might be best for RGG to leave this as a secret in the run-up to the game’s release.
The Mystery Around Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Story is a Huge Benefit
Smaller-scale spin-off titles are once again becoming a dominant aspect of theLike a Dragonfranchise. In the past, the mainlineYakuzagames were supplemented by the likes ofDead SoulsandIshin, which took the IP to wildly different time periods and locations, but the modernLike a Dragonspin-offs have found a way to provide this experience while still adhering to the main story and canon of the series.
This was seen more recently withthe release ofThe Man Who Erased His Name, which took the series back to beat-em-up combat with Kiryu in the protagonist role, and the upcomingPirate Yakuzais extending this tradition with Majima. It appears that this will herald a new era ofGaiden-style games for theLike a Dragonfranchise, andPirate Yakuzacan smartly hone in on the fascinating elements of Majima’s character that are not afforded enough screen-time in the massive narratives of modern mainlineLaDtitles.
Majima was fleshed out the most as a character in the events ofYakuza 0, and with four decades of plot having occurred since then, it’s high time for the fan-favorite character to regain the hot seat. The trailer confirms that the plot ofPirate Yakuzawill revolve around Majima suffering from temporary amnesia, allowing the player to get a glimpse into his true mindset without the eccentricity and guard of his past trauma.
The World of Pirate Yakuza Deserves its Own Spotlight at First
The current state of the widerLike a Dragonnarrative is quite an emotionally charged time for Majima, with his long-time rival and close friendKazuma Kiryu suffering from cancer. It is confirmed thatPirate Yakuzawill take place six months after the most recent story ofInfinite Wealth, meaning that Kiryu’s ultimate fate has a chance of being confirmed in the upcoming game. This would be a major moment in the franchise’s story, and the potential appearance of Kiryu or even Ichiban inPirate Yakuza’s biggest narrative moments should come as a total surprise to the player. While certain editions of the game already offer the likes of Ichiban and Kiryu to appear as pirate crewmates, it seems that this is purely cosmetic, with proper narrative appearances still being up for debate.
Major characters have made surprise appearances in recentLike a Dragontitles to great success, with Majima himself evenmaking a shocking entrance in 2020’sYakuza: Like a Dragon. This same impact can be recreated inPirate Yakuzaby maintaining a level of uncertainty around which characters will actually appear in the game, with the concept of Majima as a pirate captain being enough to lure fans in without the promise of other beloved characters appearing. While the appearance of other iconic characters may give the narrative ofPirate Yakuzathe late-game emotional punch that it needs, fans should be able to get fully lost in the title’s tropical world without initial memories of the past, much like Majima himself.
