Shakedown: Hawaii Reviews

Shakedown: Hawaii is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
GameSkinny
diegoarguello
Top Critic
May 15, 2019

Shakedown Hawaii gets you into a business trip around a 16-bit world that sometimes leaves much to be desired.

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6 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2019

If you really like the open-world, GTA-style games and haven't grown tired of really old graphics technology, there is some fun to be had with Shakedown: Hawaii. Otherwise, you might want to look for a more robust game to squeeze some more life out of you Nintendo 3DS.

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6 / 10
May 8, 2019

VBlank Entertainment's second GTA parody isn't the close-to-perfect sequel we expected, but it's still a decent game. Despite all of its numerous shortcomings, there's still some fun to be had when you're not toiling through menus, but it's hard not be disappointed when you consider VBlank's previous work; hopefully, like Retro City Rampage, we'll see a better DX version in the future. As it stands, Shakedown: Hawaii is full of potential, but it's overshadowed by monotony.

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6.5 / 10.0
May 6, 2019

I'm not mad at Shakedown: Hawaii, just disappointed. Vblank demonstrated a deep understanding of mechanics-based story cohesion in its last release, but that seems to be forgotten here. The disconnect between plot and play in Shakedown leave both shallow and underwhelming.

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7 / 10.0
May 9, 2019

I didn’t hate a single minute of my time with Shakedown: Hawaii; in fact, I rather enjoyed almost all of it. The game retails for $19.99, which is a fair price if you are a fan of the genre. Vblank took a pass on the creative storytelling to bring ultimately satisfying and responsive gameplay, and mowing over pedestrians in a hijacked vehicle while shooting an automatic rifle out the window and using a flamethrower to wreak havoc in a trailer park feels (in the most non-psychotic way possible) as fulfilling as you can imagine.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
7 / 10
May 16, 2019

Shakedown: Hawaii has a lot to do and see, and maybe even more to say.

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LevelUp
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
May 20, 2019

A bittersweet sucesor to an indie classic. Shakedown: Hawaii is a fun game that pokes fun at capitalism and unethical business practices that, in the end, falls flat.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10
Jun 27, 2019

Shakedown: Hawaii does many things right - its sense of humour, the 16-bit inspired graphics and the appeal of its game world are undeniably part of this group. Then there are other things which the game does not succeed in the same way, such as when it comes to keep up its pace interesting and compelling, mostly due to how repetitive its missions become and to the lack of sense of progression between the objectives. All factors considered, Shakedown: Hawaii is still a fun and enjoyable game, which could have been even better.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7 / 10
May 6, 2019

Despite some repetitive mission design, Shakedown: Hawaii manages to entertain in much the same way as its predecessor. It swaps out pop culture references for jibes at the modern world, and it's an angle that slots right into the GTA-esque design. The business management aspects are what will keep you hooked, with each day bringing you more and more cash to splash. Its brand of action is simple but satisfying, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy the game if you're after some breezy open world antics -- just don't expect it to blow your socks (and sandals) off.

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71 / 100
May 13, 2019

Hawaii Shakedown is one of the prime examples of open world dynamics with retro art style. If you missed old school GTA games, you should definitely try this game.

Review in Turkish | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Jun 16, 2019

Regardless of how "intense" it is (or isn't) Shakedown: Hawaii is still a fun, beautiful game, and I enjoyed my overall experience with it.

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7.9 / 10.0
May 25, 2019

More than a "more of the same", Shakedown Hawaii improves almost everything it takes from Retro City Rampage and introduces new mechanics. Not everything works as it should, but it never lacks ambition. Moreover, his 16bit style is super cool.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
May 7, 2019

There’s no doubt that if you’re looking for a pretty mindless sandbox where you can enjoy blowing things up, getting into gunfights, and generally being a menace Shakedown: Hawaii provides you with ample opportunities for just that...

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8 / 10.0
May 28, 2019

Though it suffers from some repetitiveness, Shakedown Hawaii is nonetheless a blast to play through thanks to its fun gameplay and great humor.

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May 24, 2019

Shakedown: Hawaii combines a fun top-down GTA world with a business sim to good effect; and although the game falls flat towards the end, my time on the island was a blast.

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Jun 3, 2019

Shakedown: Hawaii is better than Retro City Rampage in just about every way, but they find a way to compliment each other. The game’s biggest strength is not relying on references, even though I miss them. The story is very guided by being very hand-holdy. I wish you were given more creative latitude, but that’s where the free roam and arcade modes come into play. With a styling akin to a Super Nintendo or Genesis console, Shakedown: Hawaii looks and plays amazing. It’s being ported to literally everything, and no matter where you play it: you absolutely should.

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8 / 10.0
May 31, 2019

Shakedown: Hawaii offers a wonderful cavalcade of carnage down in paradise, where making money is king. The place is inviting, but may lose its appeal for some after the jokes and violence get old.

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May 8, 2019

It may not reinvent the wheel for classic Grand Theft Auto experiences, but it’s nice that it keeps that spin going.

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8 / 10.0
May 6, 2019

It's a small price to pay for low-stakes arcade open world antics. Shakedown: Hawaii might play similarly to Retro City Rampage, but it takes place in a markedly different world. It's more than enough to warrant giving both games a shot, and a worthy successor to a now-seven-year-old game.

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8 / 10.0
May 10, 2019

Bite-sized missions and an engaging empire-building layer make Shakedown: Hawaii a great destination – whether you have minutes or hours to spare

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