Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Reviews
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is, in part, exactly what was expected from the moment it was announced: a completely over-the-top title that doesn’t take itself too seriously, allowing Majima—one of the series’ most beloved characters—to steal the spotlight and shine on his own. This departure from the main Yakuza storyline makes the game an excellent entry point for newcomers eager to discover what makes the franchise so entertaining and iconic, all while offering a gameplay experience packed with engaging elements that remain consistently enjoyable. On the other hand, however, the game suffers from the same narrative shortcomings as Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, with questionable writing choices from the development team—one that has, since the very inception of Yakuza, set a high standard for exceptional storytelling.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii may not be moving the series forward in much regard to its gameplay and story, but at the end of the day, it does what it sets out to do. It’s fun and provides fans with a wild, over-the-top adventure full of eccentric characters, absurd humor, and dramatic plot twists. If you wanted to spend more time in Hawaii after Infinite Wealth, Like a Dragon Yakuza in Hawaii has you covered, offering a unique spin on the Yakuza formula while keeping things as entertaining and chaotic as ever
What remains is a "Yakuza" spin-off that was made with a lot of heart and soul and, despite its small weaknesses, can already be counted among the coolest pirate games of recent years.
Review in German | Read full review
Everything in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Like a Dragon series dialed up to a hundred, and while other series would long ago have gotten stale, sometimes injecting a large dose of stupidity can go a long way.
In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, fan-favorite Goro Majima leads a gloriously absurd spin-off where you play as a pirate in a modern world, summon sharks and jellyfish, and bombard enemies with cannonballs, all while indulging in minigames, references, and crew recruitment; though limited to two fighting styles and a sometimes uncooperative camera, its compact playtime, lower price, and classic beat-‘em-up action make it a wild, worthwhile ride for Like a Dragon fans.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
A swashbuckling spin-off that delivers the charm and chaos of the Like a Dragon series, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii shines with its action-packed combat, quirky side content, and Majima’s magnetic presence.
Although Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a spinoff, it boasts a wealth of content that gives it the feel of a full-fledged game. The familiar gameplay elements of exploration and engaging side activities are preserved while adding an exhilarating yet straightforwardly simple naval combat that enhances the experience. Players may find themselves spending countless hours sailing, battling pirates, and discovering hidden treasures.
The game has a very fast and dynamic combat system, ship battles that are very fun to face, a good range of customizations for both the protagonist and the ship, a light and unpretentious plot, crazier substories than ever to follow, lots to do, minigames, in short. Everything we want. Except for the unimpressive visuals, the shrinking of heat actions and the usual reuse, I don't have much to complain about.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a swashbuckling adventure that longtime fans and newcomers alike can treasure. The spotlight on fan-favorite Goro Majima is sure to be a treat, even though the game can feel padded out at times. I’m a sucker for the Yakuza series, and even after numerous spin-offs, RGG Studio still has plenty of surprises up their sleeve.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza is a wonderful new addition to the series, offering a huge game with plenty to do, all while allowing players to dive into the mind of the anti-hero and Mad Dog himself, Goro Majima.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an enjoyable game that not only captivates Yakuza fans but also has the potential to fill the gap for pirate-themed games in the industry.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is one of the best Like a Dragon/Yakuza spin-offs, joining the likes of Judgment and Like A Dragon: Ishin. It’s a fast and frenetic pirate adventure that constantly calls the player back to its high seas, and it’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.
The Mad Dog of Shimano is getting up there in age, but he’s still got a few new tricks up his snake-skin sleeves that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is worth taking to the seven seas for.
You know how everyone in the John Wick films is an assassin but nobody else seems to know about it, and how implausible that seems because the assassins are literally doing assassin things in plain view of everybody else, like shooting at each other on the subway? It’s like that, only with pirates.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is once again the manic and crazy fun so typical of the series. The setting with Majima in the lead role works extremely well, the battles on the high seas are super satisfying and only the story is somewhat inferior to its direct predecessor. Nevertheless, this spin-off is the best pirate game of our time.
Review in German | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers a great pirate adventure for the series, with the spotlight once again shining on Goro Majima. The reworked gameplay to the action-brawler formula makes the game feel more fun than ever before. And while it sounds like a small change, adding a jump button to combat is a game changer to gameplay that lets players do sweet air combos on enemies like Majima is Dante from Devil May Cry. The new style, Sea Dog in combat, is astounding, letting you juggle multiple enemies, making the game feel like you’re playing a Yakuza-themed Dynasty Warriors game.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii alternates heavy doses of madness, a charismatic protagonist and fast-paced, satisfying gameplay with bare-bones naval exploration and heavy recycling of activities and situations, nevertheless managing to deliver a worthwhile experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a great action game that finally lets players back into the boots of Goro Majima. This time, Majima goes on a whimsical adventure as a sea pirate in order to regain his memories and become glorious. Despite that premise, the story is great and delves into the aftermath of Infinite Wealth. The many new gameplay additions and improvements, along with sea exploration on a pirate ship, make this a one-of-a-kind experience for Like a Dragon fans.
“Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” is an absolutely crazy pirate game that impresses with a varied mix of gameplay-elements. The ship battles are fast and wonderfully chaotic. The familiar combat system is even faster and wackier with new weapons and magic attacks. The uneven pacing and fluctuating graphical quality do not prevent me from recommending the game to all pirate and Yakuza fans.
Review in German | Read full review
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii is a ball of a time if you want a free-form action-adventure pirate game featuring a likeable-if-eccentric main character and his colourful crewmates taking place in contemporary times. Granted, the second half of the 15+ hour (minimum at best) playthrough may require some context from past Like A Dragon/Yakuza games, but if you can shut your brain off from the deeper lore bits, this title won't leave you high and dry.