Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Reviews
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a hilariously absurd spin-off that leans into its over-the-top premise with chaotic combat, a vibrant Hawaiian setting, and Majima at his wildest. While it lacks the deep narrative punch of mainline entries, its sheer fun factor and pirate-themed insanity make it a must-play for fans of the series.
Because of its size and range of missions from serious to stupid, Pirate Yakuzain Hawaii feels like a “Best of” album from past Like a Dragon games. Its odd marriage of pirates and yakuza works and gives you a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously but knows how to impress a crowd.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers a Majima-centric adventure with over-the-top pirate flair and a likeable cast of characters. I can confidently say this instalment provides the best combat in the series, with Twisted Metal-style ocean battles and exhilarating hand-to-hand combat. Despite some forgettable villains and slow ship-based exploration, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is genuinely fun and makes me crave more Majima games in the future.
We don’t need the wheel to be reinvented every single time; it’s okay to reuse locations and assets to streamline the process, as long as you have enough new content in there to balance it all out.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is perhaps the goofiest Like a Dragon game to date, filled to the brim with thrills and laughs in equal measure. From the ridiculous and moving story to the seemingly endless amount of side content to take on, this is another example of just how excellent the Like a Dragon series so frequently is.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an excellent game for those who have never played the franchise and want to enjoy a pirate adventure, and it's also great for long-time fans. It's fun, with one of the best gameplay experiences in a game of this theme and within the franchise itself. Goro Majima finally gets his well-deserved spotlight once again in the Yakuza series, and I hope he doesn't get sidelined again.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers all of the thrills and action of a Yakuza game in a smaller package, one that also allows Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio a chance to experiment with gameplay.