Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was the first spin-off of its kind for the beloved series, offering a shorter adventure set between mainline titles. By re-using assets from other titles currently in development and those from the past, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio can create new stories with popular characters much more quickly, a strategy it has been utilizing for several console generations now.
I not only loved The Man Who Erased His Name but the concept of Gaiden titles as a whole, and I previously wrote about how they could be the answer to revisiting more classic Yakuza stories moving forward. When Infinite Wealth launched, I also wrote about how much I wanted a Gaiden title that focused on Yukata Yamai. While I’m not ruling the latter out, as the character is fairly current and could feasibly resurface, the launch of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has made me realise we’ll likely never get throwback stories.
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While TMWEHN did backtrack a little bit, going all the way back to the end of Yakuza 6 to set Kiryu’s new arc in motion, it mainly focused on bridging the gap between Yakuza 7 and Infinite Wealth. In a similar manner, Pirate Yakuza is bridging the gap between Infinite Wealth and Like a Dragon 9, even if we don’t exactly know when or where the next title will take us yet.
An Experimental Playground
I’m not sure whether RGG Studio can maintain this level of output, but as a massive fan, I’m not going to complain about an appetizer between main courses, especially when each one is a taste of something you don’t see elsewhere on the menu.
That’s one of the things I love the most about the Gaiden titles: they’re an experimental playground. The rule books are seemingly thrown out the window and the series can let loose and have fun. Kiryu became a super spy last time, and now Majima’s a pirate captain of his own ship. Anything goes.
Gaiden isn’t restricted to the turn-based combat the series has pivoted to, and can not only return to the action combat many fans love, but improve upon it and try new things. We saw this experimentation in TMWEHN with Kiryu’s spy abilities, and I’m here to tell you that I think Pirate Yakuza’s combat is the new series’ button-mashingly beautiful peak.
Fighting has never felt so satisfyingly fast-paced as it does here, and there’s a clear difference in how the Sea Dog and Mad Dog styles operate, allowing for a greater freedom of movement and versatility. One minute you’re a pirate grappling towards your opponent, firing off shots, and summoning strange creatures from the deep, and the next moment you’re using shadowy doppelgangers, slicing up a whirlwind of enemies, and staying light enough on your feet to sidestep incoming attacks.
The biggest experiment here is naval combat. I mentioned in my review that it’s not as detailed as some fans may have hoped, but I, for one, appreciate that it doesn’t get too realistic. Having to worry about crafting cannon balls, taking out masts, or dealing with everything being shipshape on a more granular level would have sucked all the enjoyment out of it. This game is meant to be fun, and so it keeps things easy to learn and enjoy with a more arcade-y style.
Wild new content ideas aren’t restricted to Gaiden, of course, as we saw the introduction of the sim-like Dondoko Island in Infinite Wealth, but it’s hard to imagine a mainline title that could have gone as all-in on pirates and ship elements as this, as Majima was utterly unleashed to do what he wanted in the freedom of a Gaiden title.
Improving On The Gaiden Formula
Pirate Yakuza has also maintained the Gaiden tradition of plugging at least one plothole, even if it was one I never really questioned. In Infinite Wealth, we learn that antagonist Bryce Fairchild was much older than he appears to be. At the time I just accepted it as normal. Do any of these guys really look their age? Who am I to question this in a world where castles erupt from the floor, you punch tigers in the face, and battle giant squids?
LaD fans are so used to things being bizarre that they just take things like that in their stride. I never truly considered Bryce’s age a plot hole, at least not one enough to care. Pirate Yakuza addressed that point regardless, and you realise how what seemed like an inconsequential detail was a hint of what was to come, cleverly weaving an interesting thread into a wider narrative arc.
Another standout point about Pirate Yakuza is that it chooses to improve on the Gaiden template. Having a limited version of the map in TMWEHN was one of my criticisms of the game, but this time around we have a full Honolulu map. I’m still not convinced that the price point is right, offering half the content of a mainline title for only $10 less, but as it stands, I enjoyed both games and would happily pay that price.
I don’t think the Gaiden experiment ends here, and I look forward to seeing what wild adventure and new mechanics we can look forward to after Like a Dragon 9. There are so many candidates for whom the next Gaiden might focus on, and based on the track record, the sky’s the limit when it comes to plot and gameplay elements.
- Released
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February 21, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio