Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Reviews
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.
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.