Hannan Mundia 
Now that fan-favorite character Majima Goro is getting his first solo spin-off adventure, fans are wondering about its release date and if Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza will be a turn-based game.
The Like a Dragon series has multiple popular characters led by the iconic Kiryu Kazuma. However, Goro Majima is just as much of a fan favorite thanks to his detailed backstory and quirky personality. Thanks to how much fans like him, Majima is getting his own spin-off game in the series.
However, the Like a Dragon series has taken a turn in gameplay. While it was traditionally an action-adventure game series, the mainline entries since Yakuza: Like a Dragon are turn-based. Thanks to the success of the turn-based Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, fans wonder if the upcoming Pirate Yakuza will be turn-based too.
Will Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii be turn-based?
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will not be turn-based, but will be an action beat ’em up like classic Yakuza games.
While recent mainline Like a Dragon games were turn-based, the same can’t be said for the spin-off titles. Games like Like a Dragon Ishin and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name both follow the traditional beat ’em up combat formula. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is keeping the streak going by ensuring that Pirate Yakuza, the next spin-off game in the series, also has traditional action-adventure gameplay.
While this isn’t the first time players will get to play as Majima, as he was playable in games like Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2, his play style will be slightly different. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza’s combat is more akin to Like a Dragon Ishin. It boasts both weapons and flashy, exaggerated attacks, arguably more akin to a hack-and-slash than a beat ’em up. One move, for example, sees Majima summon multiple lightning clones that attack enemies alongside him.
While the game looks to differentiate itself from other Yakuza games, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks is most certainly not turn-based.
As seen in Yakuza Kiwami 1 other games in the series, Majima has more than one combat style. The first is the Mad Dog style, where Majima uses his traditional knife alongside quick movements. The second style is the Sea Dog style which has Majima use guns, cutlasses, a whip, and similar pirate-themed weapons. This will likely keep the game feeling fresh and adding new wrinkles as players progress.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza release date
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza is set to come out on February 28, 2025, for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The Majima-centered spin-off game takes place after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Majima finds himself on an island near Hawaii with no memory of who he is or how he got there. The player must work with his allies to roam the seas and discover what he’s there to do.
The Like a Dragon series is one of the few that continues to support previous-generation consoles. Every recent entry has been released on the PS4 and Xbox One, and it’s unknown when RGG Studio will start making its games strictly next-gen.
