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

In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, building the perfect pirate crew is crucial for advancing through the game's narrative swiftly. During Chapter 2, as Goro and his crew venture into Madlantis, a Pirate Sanctuary hosting Naval Colosseum battles, you'll delve deeper into the backstories of Jason and Masaru, learning about their disbanded crew due to a betrayal in the arena. To progress, Goro must upgrade his ship and recruit additional crew members, facing the challenge of earning $10,000 and assembling a team of five to move forward in the main storyline. Here are the top crew members to recruit early on to expedite your progress:

Nickelle Kidman

Nickelle Kidman, a playful nod to Nicole Kidman, can be found lounging near the beach in Honolulu. To recruit her, your Goro Pirates need a two-star rating, which you can easily achieve by completing the main story missions up to this point. If you haven't reached this rating yet, you can quickly earn it by finding treasure, fighting thugs, and engaging in naval battles.

Hammerhead

Hammerhead, located on the second floor of the shopping center in Honolulu, requires a straightforward approach: defeat him in combat. This method is common among the recruits listed here, as it's the quickest way to bolster your crew. Hammerhead's health is manageable, making him an easy target to secure one of the five needed crew members.

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Kenzo

Kenzo, a ship hand at the dock area of Honolulu's beach, can be recruited by either providing him with raw materials gathered during your sea voyages or by paying a few thousand dollars. Both options are feasible early in the game, as you'll have amassed plenty of materials and money from your adventures. Kenzo is a valuable addition, offering reliability and speed.

Lucas

In Madlantis, Lucas challenges Goro to a fistfight after a humorous exchange. Similar to Hammerhead, this battle is manageable, though Lucas wields a melee weapon that adds a slight edge to his attacks. Given the boss fights you've encountered in the preceding chapters, Lucas should pose no significant threat.

Obispo

Recruiting Obispo involves dining at his restaurant in Honolulu. By engaging in nearby battles to lower your health and then purchasing meals, you can recruit him after five visits. While slightly more time-consuming, this method is still simpler than recruiting others who demand higher ratings or more complex tasks.

While Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers numerous other crew members with potentially higher stats, these five are the most efficient choices for early recruitment, allowing you to progress through the story quickly. As the game advances and the challenges intensify, you can focus on recruiting more formidable members.

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