Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the latest game in the long-running series by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as Goro Majima gets to hog the spotlight in huge spin-off on the high seasTech15:00, 18 Feb 2025Pirates life is for Majima, but is that life really for me?(Image: SEGA)Like a Dragon (formerly known as Yakuza here in the UK) fans finally get to see Majima back in the spotlight as he deserves, and boy does he thrive.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees the flamboyant Mad Dog take to both land and sea in what is the wildest game in the series. The franchise is known mostly for following hero Kazuma Kiryu with Majima either sharing or being in the background of most games. Plus in this game, we head back to the impressive-looking Hawaii and the open seas, which in my opinion help this become the best-looking game of the series.Now the fan-favourite and Kiryus ultimate rival (and sometimes friend), gets his first game to himself. But unfortunately, he forgot all about that.Majima has a tough time at the start, as he tries to remember who he really is(Image: Sega)You really don't need to question it, it just works. But to get you quickly up to speed, the whole reason the ex-Yakuza boss is a pirate is because he has amnesia. He wakes up on Rich Island and is helped by a young boy called Noah, who just so happens to live on an island being harassed by pirates.Despite his amnesia, Majima can still fight like the true Mad Dog he is, so taking out these sorry excuses for pirates is easy and even causes their captain to bolt, leaving you his ship.Fast forward and Noah and his father, former treasure Hunter Jason Rich (yep, that's his name), set off with you on a journey on the newly christened Goromaru to find out who Majima is, or was. In the game's opening chapters, I described the game to a colleague as being like Deadpool meets High School Musical in the best possible way. From the fourth wall breaks as Majima narrates his own tale to a new song to rival Majima Construction (if that is even possible), it's a fantastic first impression.As with most games in the series, humour plays a big part and being a pirate only adds to the wild possibilities. Not to mention Majima constantly throws out one-liners at every given opportunity.The gameplay take me back to Devil May Cry (Image: SEGA)Majima has always had a unique fighting style that is fun to play, especially if you've spent most of your time playing as Kiryu, who prefers his fists to do the talking.Somehow I feel like I may have got amnesia too as I don't remember Majima becoming what is essentially a superhero. He's got two fighting styles, and each is packed with powerful attacks, from firing a pistol, to creating clones of himself, to summoning a giant shark.The game can be very unrealistic at times with mystical sharks called by a violin (but who cares?) (Image: SEGA)That's not to say it's a walk in the park. For all of Majima's speed and power, some opponents pack a sizeable punch, and he's often tackling scores of them, too.Running you own pirate crew is so much fun, its like two games is one(Image: Sega)If you played last year's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, you will be familiar with many of the highlights of this vast and detailed area away from the series usual Japanese haunts.There are shops galore, bounties to collect, Crazy Delivery and Aloha Links (it's like Facebook as you can make friends with birds and dogs). However, as good as it is enjoying the missions and recruitment, it's the open seas and Madlantis that take the game to a new level.I cant tell you how much fun it is bringing your own pirate crew together to take on the finest pirates around in the Madlantis Coliseum. Both crew and customization options seem almost endless - even Dr Evil would almost be happy with shark cannons and laser cannons.With boat teams and boarding parties to manage, my advice is to mix up your team to cover every eventuality, continually levelling them.Majima himself can also be customised completely, even allowing you to take him back in time for his Yakuza 0 look.There was Queen Anne's Revenge, now there is only the Goromaru(Image: Sega)Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii may not be what anyone expected, but it's a fitting entry in a series that delights in surprising long-term fans and casual admirers alike.Whether you're interested in building your perfect pirate crew for hours on end, or just want to see the story through, there's a ton of things to do and with Majima around, it's a riot.It trades in some of its sentimentality for the bizarre and the brash, but finally having Majima playable again after so long feels like a breath of fresh sea air.Article continues belowLike a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and Steam on February 21.Reviewed on Xbox Series X. Review code provided by the publisher.