Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Reviews
Like Aa Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a fun spin off that has allowed RGG Studio to indulge in silliness. Majima as a pirate captain is a perfect fit, and the new characters are a good addition. But the actual piracy can quickly become a bit too repetitive and unsatisfying.
I will be hanging out in Hawaii and Madlantis for a long time, just having fun, which is exactly what Majima would want, especially considering the grim future awaiting his longtime friend, and the series' main protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu.
I've had an exceptional time playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and even after 60+ hours I still feel like I could put in an equal amount of hours to tick off every last task within the game. There is no getting away from the fact these games are always packed with content and things to discover and explore. The storyline is rock solid and having Noah by my side throughout genuinely made me want to protect him as if he was my own. Admittedly I was a little anxious of whether they would pull a game that focuses on being a pirate off. Somehow they have managed to strike a fine balance of retaining the serious nature of a great story whilst also having those wacky moments still ever present. Whilst the game bears many similarities to Infinite Wealth, there is more than enough here to warrant your hard earned cash. It is oar-inspiring to see pirate ships in a Yakuza game, and its the greatest pirate title we have seen since Sea Of Thieves gained popularity.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an uncompromising and charming game. It's not perfect, but it's a game that made me genuinely happy after finishing it, it's like watching an adventure movie.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I was never the biggest fan of the Yakuza series, as it was often too over-the-top for me. On the other hand, I'm almost always enthusiastic about pirate games, so I couldn't predict in advance whether the mix of both in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii would work for me. I'll give you a very clear answer at this point - it works, and how! With its great pirate flair, its great main characters, its impressive graphical backdrop and its sometimes very humorous, sometimes really touching story, the title managed to win me over from the very first second. With the exception of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, no other game has managed to pack the pirate theme into a story so well and also hit the mark on an emotional level. Pirate Yakuza may not win any innovation awards for its combat system, but the fast-paced, beat-em-up-style brawls are still a lot of fun and bring the Yakuza feeling to Hawaii. In general, the bizarre mix of modernity and the past is quite successful, even if some decisions, for example with regard to the smartphone or the sometimes very electronic background music, are not entirely comprehensible to me. However, Goro's back and forth between his Yakuza past and his new, pretty decent pirate alter ego is thoroughly entertaining and charming, as are many of the other characters we meet throughout the journey, from the young Noah to the grumpy but completely good-hearted ship's cook. Other game mechanics such as the ship battles or the food production and resource extraction are also very well implemented and round off the gameplay skillfully. Technically, Pirate Yakuza also delivers really well and has truly earned its verification for Valve's Steam Deck, as the game runs almost smoothly and glitch-free and is simply a lot of fun. Of course, we have to make sacrifices on the deck in terms of texture sharpness, foresight and details, but I'm happy to accept that if I can enjoy the pirate adventure smoothly and stress-free on the go. To summarize, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is my first big surprise of the year and I can highly recommend it to any pirate fan.
Review in German | Read full review
Besides having 5 game crashes during cutscenes, I completely enjoyed my time playing as Majima again. Not since Yakuza 0, have players been able to play as him. In fact this is the reason why I designed my ship with the sign of the Grand cabaret! Being able to choose his hairstyle from zero again was another great touch for me. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is honestly a great pirate game in this dry age of pirate games. And having Majima be the centre of focus was the best choice I can ever see. I give Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii a Thumb Culture Platinum Award
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers a thrilling blend of classic Yakuza brawling and pirate-infused chaos, and whilst it might be a side adventure, it still manages to stand out as one of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s best. With an engaging story, diverse and thrilling combat, brilliant show-stealing naval antics, and plenty of side content, it’s an easy recommendation for both long-time fans and newcomers alike. And sure, it does have a bit of slow start and some minor naval combat quirks, but Majima’s adventure on the high seas is still an absolute blast from start to end.
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.
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.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii successfully gives classic Like a Dragon beat 'em up action a pirate-themed makeover.
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.
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
You can see exactly what the devs are going for with each choice and mechanic, why they’ve done it, and have as much loveably idiotic pirate Yakuza fun as you’d want to.
Waking up marooned on a tropical island with no memory of who he is, Goro Majima does the only sensible thing. He becomes a pirate captain.
Against all odds, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers everything I love about the series alongside a full-fledged pirate sim. Its modest scope can't facilitate the level of immersion of other seafaring titles but what it lacks in spectacle, it more than makes up for in charm and heart.
Pirate Yakuza is frequently funny and charming, but this Gaiden entry doesn't feel lean as much as it feels thin.
RGG has done a marvelous job capturing the old-school Pirate era with naval combat that feels arcade-like and simplistic to have fun with and sea exploration to get lost in for a few hours.
The beefy spinoff of last year’s Infinite Wealth is an act of cosplay. While most of the pieces that make the long-running series so beloved are there, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio trades in strong writing for pirate pastiche with mixed results. Majima’s nautical adventure is at its best when flashes of memory break through its amnesia, reminding me that there’s more to Like a Dragon than its memeable moments.