Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Fun Pirate Twist
Memorable Characters
Mixed Pacing
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers a joyously over‑the‑top pirate‑themed spin‑off that combines classic beat‑’em‑up action with absurd swashbuckling set pieces and charming character work, earning praise for its fresh twist on the franchise and fun combat loop.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii | Launch Trailer
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii | Story Trailer
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii | Adventure Overview Trailer
Flawed and overfamiliar, but still as joyously OTT and hilarious as ever.
A raucous, absurd spin-off that manages to still feel like a first-rate Yakuza game despite the leftfield setting and delightfully unhinged plot.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii successfully gives classic Like a Dragon beat 'em up action a pirate-themed makeover.
Absolutely heaving with buried treasures and varied pleasures, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a consistently captivating voyage that kept my timbers shivering whether on land or at sea.
Pirate Yakuza goes all in on making Majima the most charming, endearing, and downright loveable rogue he’s ever been. It takes everything Majima and ramps it up to a million, throws in some added pirate spice and soul searching for the main man, and has him performing stunts and smacking down enemies as if he’s a character in his prime, not a 60 year old fast approaching retirement.
Given how serious Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth can get, a sillier adventure with no less heart feels like a welcome breath of salty sea air. While I love playing as Kiryu and Kasuga, I'm grateful for the time with Majima this game offers. He's hilarious, compassionate, and always up to the challenge. He's an icon, and there's no character in the franchise who deserves more time in the middle of the stage.
irate Yakuza may not be the best entry to get players on board with the ongoing Like a Dragon narrative. I was more entranced by the loop of upgrading Majima and his ship and recruiting new crewmates than I was by the story, but it delivers on everything the series has become renowned for. An absurd tone with surprising pockets of earnest pathos, fun characters, and bombastic action are all present and accounted for here.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii puts the spotlight back on Goro Majima for an uneven swashbuckling adventure that delights more often than it disappoints
Several early indicators suggest that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's launch is tracking behind LaD: Infinite Wealth.
Read more
Yakuza franchise creator Toshihiro Nagoshi faces problems with his upcoming game as NetEase reportedly continues big budget cuts.
Read more
Majima has quite literally never looked so good.
Read more
In a sea of Like a Dragon crossovers, this is up there with the best.
Read more
