Whereas previous Like A Dragon and Yakuza games have had relatively grounded combat, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has no such pretensions. Majima is now basically Dante from the Devil May Cry series, and can launch his opponents into the air, juggling them with flying punches, kicks, and flintlock pistol shots.

Sega has introduced a new unified Sega account system that gives you access to "exclusive bonuses", including a free Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii skin.

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At a recent preview event, Digital Trends spent two hours playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. While that included your standard Like a Dragon gameplay, it’s those pirate ship battles that stuck out to me most. Traversal and combat are both more exciting than I anticipated.

As someone who has only casually engaged with the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series, I’m fascinated with its ability to sway in and out of different genres and subgenres while still maintaining the wacky soap-opera core that has made it so beloved.

As the name suggests, the story and core experience of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is entirely centered around the same Hawaiian map that was introduced with 2024's Infinite Wealth, with RGG being renowned for the long-term use the studio can glean from its major locations.

Those who create an account by March 7 will receive a special in-game costume in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The costume in question is the Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit, which lets Goro Majima dress up as the franchise's original protagonist. You can also get this same outfit by signing up for Sega's newsletter by February 25.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will let you restart the adventure in New Game Plus with a free update coming sometime after launch. It seems the backlash to Infinite Wealth locking the mode behind paid DLC struck a nerve with publisher Sega and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii players won't need to purchase the most expensive version of the game to gain access to New Game Plus.