Top Early Game Crew Picks for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, assembling the perfect Pirate crew is key to advancing through the game's storyline swiftly. Here are the top crew members to recruit early on, helping you to push forward in Pirate Yakuza with ease.

During Chapter 2, Goro and his fledgling crew venture into Madlantis, a haven for pirates and the site of the Naval Colloseum battles. This part of the game delves deeper into the backstories of your current crew members, Jason and Masaru, revealing how their previous team was shattered by betrayal during the Colleseum battles. With this knowledge, Goro sets out to bolster his ship and crew, preparing for the arena challenges. However, before diving into the battles, Goro must first repair his ship at a cost of $10,000 and recruit a total of five new crew members to continue the main storyline.

Here are the five crew members you should recruit early in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii to expedite your progress:

Nickelle Kidman

A playful nod to Nicole Kidman, Nickelle is an actor you'll find lounging near the Honolulu beach. To get her to join your crew, your Goro Pirates need to boast a two-star rating, which you can easily achieve by completing all the main story missions up to this point. If you haven't reached this rating yet, you can quickly boost it by finding treasure, tackling thugs, and engaging in naval battles on the open sea.

Hammerhead

As you scout for potential crew members, you'll find three primary recruitment paths: payment, gift-giving, or combat. Hammerhead, located on the second floor of a shopping center in Honolulu, falls into the combat category. Defeating him in a fight is the key to recruitment. Given his relatively low health, you should be able to recruit him swiftly, aiding your quest to gather the five crew members needed to progress in Pirate Yakuza.

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Kenzo

Kenzo, a ship hand found at the Honolulu beach docks, can be recruited by either offering him raw materials gathered during your sea voyages or by paying him a few thousand dollars. Both options are easily achievable, as you'll have amassed plenty of building materials and earned enough money from treasures by this point. Kenzo is a swift and reliable addition to your crew, well worth the minimal cost.

Lucas

Located in Madlantis, Lucas can be recruited through a straightforward fistfight. This hot-headed character shares a humorous exchange with Goro before the challenge. Though equipped with a melee weapon that makes his attacks a bit more formidable than Hammerhead's, Lucas should pose no significant threat after the boss battles you've already faced in the first two chapters.

Obispo

Obispo offers a unique recruitment method: dine at his restaurant in Honolulu. With enemies frequently spawning in the area, simply fight them to lower your health, then visit his restaurant to eat. Repeat this process five times, and Obispo will join the Goro Pirates, marking your fifth crew member. While slightly more tedious, this method is still easier compared to recruiting others on the island who may demand a higher rating or more complex tasks.

While Pirate Yakuza offers numerous other crew members with potentially higher stats, these five are your best bet for quickly moving forward in the story. As the game progresses and more challenging battles arise, you can then focus on recruiting crew members that require more effort but offer greater rewards.

And those are the best crew members to recruit early in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.