Over the last, almost two decades of its lifespan, the Like a Dragon series has maintained a certain formula when it comes to gameplay and storytelling. By and large, while there have been occasional innovations made to these elements here and there, the series has been more iterative rather than revolutionary, preferring to refine its core gameplay over multiple Like a Dragon games rather than drastically change its formula. The Like a Dragon series has certainly taken gradual steps toward evolution over time, but it has remained stagnant more often than not. That’s what makes Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii stand out as a bold entry, as it proves the series can still innovate.