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 crucial for speeding through the game's narrative. During Chapter 2, as Goro and his fledgling crew venture into Madlantis, a sanctuary for Pirates that features the Naval Coliseum battles, you'll delve deeper into the backstories of Jason and Masaru. Their previous crew's dissolution, following a betrayal during the Coliseum battles, sets the stage for Goro's mission to upgrade his ship and recruit new members. To progress in the main storyline, players need to amass $10,000 to repair the ship and recruit five new crew members. Here are the top picks for early-game recruitment to swiftly move forward in *Pirate Yakuza*.

Nickelle Kidman

A playful nod to Nicole Kidman, Nickelle can be found lounging near Honolulu's beach. To enlist her, your crew, the Goro Pirates, must achieve a two-star rating. This is easily attainable by completing the main story missions up to this point. If you haven't reached this level yet, you can quickly boost your rating by discovering treasure, engaging thugs, and participating in naval skirmishes on the open sea.

Hammerhead

Exploring recruitment options reveals three common paths: payment, gifting desired items, or defeating potential crew members in combat. Hammerhead, found on the second floor of Honolulu's shopping center, falls into the latter category. A swift victory over him in a fight will secure his loyalty, making him one of the five essential recruits needed to progress in *Pirate Yakuza*.

Kenzo

Located at Honolulu's dock area, Kenzo can join your crew either through a payment of a few thousand dollars or by offering him raw materials collected during your sea voyages. Given the abundance of materials and currency earned from treasures, recruiting Kenzo is straightforward and adds a fast, reliable member to your team.

Lucas

In Madlantis, Lucas awaits recruitment through a classic fistfight. His amusing exchange with Goro precedes the battle, which, despite his use of a melee weapon, shouldn't pose a significant challenge after the encounters you've faced in the preceding chapters.

Obispo

To recruit Obispo, simply dine at his restaurant in Honolulu. Engage nearby enemies to reduce your health, then purchase a meal. Repeat this five times, and Obispo will join the Goro Pirates, marking your fifth recruit. Although slightly more time-consuming, this method is still more straightforward compared to recruiting other members with more demanding requirements.

While *Pirate Yakuza* offers a variety of impressive crew members across the islands, these five recruits are your ticket to swiftly advancing through the early stages of the game. As the challenges escalate and the need for more crew members arises in later chapters, you can focus on recruiting those with higher stats and more complex recruitment processes.

And there you have it—the best crew members to recruit early in *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii* to ensure a smooth progression through the game's story.

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