In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, assembling the best Pirate crew is crucial for advancing through the game's narrative swiftly. During Chapter 2, as Goro and his fledgling crew enter Madlantis, a Pirate Sanctuary hosting the Naval Colosseum battles, you're introduced to the backstory of crew members Jason and Masaru. Their previous crew fell apart after a betrayal during a Pirate Colosseum battle, leaving them with nothing. Goro's new mission is to upgrade his ship and recruit additional members to compete in the naval battles, but first, he must repair his ship, costing $10,000, and recruit five new crew members to progress in the main storyline.
Here are the top five crew members to recruit early in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, ensuring a quicker progression:
Nickelle Kidman
Nickelle Kidman, a playful nod to Nicole Kidman, can be found lounging near Honolulu's beach. Her recruitment is straightforward; the Goro Pirates simply need a two-star rating, which you should achieve by completing the main story missions up to this point. If not, you can quickly gain this rating through treasure hunting, battling thugs, or engaging in naval skirmishes.
Hammerhead
Hammerhead, found on the second floor of Honolulu's shopping center, joins your crew after you defeat him in combat. This is a fast way to recruit him, as his health isn't overwhelming, making him an efficient choice to reach the five-member requirement.
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Kenzo
Kenzo, located at the Honolulu beach dock, can be recruited by offering him raw materials or a few thousand dollars. Both are easily acquired through your adventures at sea, making Kenzo a swift and valuable addition to your crew.
Lucas
In Madlantis, Lucas challenges Goro to a fight after a humorous exchange. His combat style, similar to Hammerhead's but with a melee weapon, should pose no significant challenge given the boss battles you've already overcome.
Obispo
Recruiting Obispo involves dining at his restaurant in Honolulu. By engaging in local battles to lower your health and then purchasing meals, you'll need to do this five times before Obispo agrees to join your crew. Although slightly more time-consuming, this method remains simpler than other recruitment tasks on the island.
While Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers many other crew members with potentially higher stats, these five are ideal for early recruitment to swiftly advance through the story. As you encounter more challenging battles and need a stronger crew later on, you can focus on recruiting those requiring more effort.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is now available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.