Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers a hefty dose of content and undeniably fun gameplay, packed with the over-the-top charm the series is known for. However, it struggles to leave a lasting impression due to a near-absent storyline and a heavy reliance on recycled filler content. While it's still an enjoyable ride for fans looking for lighthearted chaos and mini-game mayhem, it ultimately lacks the narrative depth and originality needed to make it truly memorable.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii exemplifies the pure thrill of being a hugely entertaining pirate themed adventure. What it loses in gameplay water depth and broadside storytelling, it makes up for with a streamlined approach to the Yakuza formula, an often times hilarious tone and a willingness to let the player go utterly wild. Goro may not achieve Blackbeard infamy in his pirate antics, but the blast from his cannons causes enough of a splash to make Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii worth a trip to Honolulu.

Like a 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.

Some minigames are better than others, and if we're being really strict: quite a few are recycled from previous Like a Dragon games. But there are so many of them, and they are so varied, that Pirate Yakuza never has a chance to get boring. With one major exception: the part at sea also belongs in the category of minigames, except that you spend quite a large part of your playing time with it. But those who buy Pirate Yakuza primarily to unleash the Jack Sparrow in themselves will be disappointed. After all, the ship battles are disappointingly simple, and the promised sea would be more like a collection of lakes. Throughout the time we spent with Goro Majima, we laughed hard far more often than we sighed deeply. So we gladly turn a blind eye. Where is our eye patch again?

A great pirate adventure that - despite some weaknesses - shows the competition how to do it right.

Majima is a great character and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth fans have plenty of reasons to give it a chance, but it's a minor, repetitive game with side quests that not reach the usual quality within the franchise.

A thoroughly enjoyable side game that looks to offer familiar Like a Dragon action with a swashbuckling twist, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a flamboyant distraction between mainline entries. The story doesn’t compare favourably to the mainline entries and the new island areas quickly become repetitive, but the novelty of Goro Majima at the helm of a pirate ship never quite wears off. Stay for its frenzied action and jolly pirate ship battles and you’ll have a good time.

Like a Dragon's swashbuckling adventure welcomes all for seafaring silliness. Whether you're beating up landlubbers or storming the deck, modern day marauding proves surprisingly easy - and difficult to put down.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii isn’t as creative as its subtitle suggests. Nearly all environments and activities feel familiar. This is often the case with Yakuza games—especially now that it’s become an annual franchise. Other entries in the series at least make up for it with a compelling plot, but Pirate Yakuza stumbles in that regard. The only things it can rely on are the usual Yakuza systems, the pirate setting, and the main character. Admittedly, all of those elements are fantastic. I sincerely hope that Majima gets another chance to set sail in a better-written adventure.

A chaotic yet charming pirate adventure that blends Like A Dragon-style madness with engaging seafaring gameplay. The start of the game however is a bit slow, before the story gets interesting.

While a fun game like the others in the franchise, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii doesn't do much to justify its existence in a series where plot and character development are among the main draws. It's a good pirate adventure, but I can't say for sure it is a good Yakuza game.

It may not match the ambition of Like A Dragon, the polish of Yakuza 0, or the emotional heights of Yakuza 6, but it's not a throwaway spinoff, either. It brings its own brilliant twists to the franchise formula, and even if it doesn't execute them all perfectly, it succeeds more often than not. Suffice it to say that Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii can stand on its own sea legs.

Neither the charisma of Goro Majima, both violent and imbued with a sense of honor, but also now tinged with paternal benevolence and open-mindedness, nor the few flashes of directing from an increasingly uninhibited RGG Studio, can make us forget the weakness of the narrative stakes of this spin-off, nor the general lack of interest in all the phases at sea. Certainly very generous and often funny, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii always knows how to make us have a good time and keep the satisfaction cursor on the right side. But its empty passages also offer us the opportunity to reflect on the general state of a franchise that has elevated recycling to the rank of art and that vigorously shakes its totem of immunity as soon as we dare ask it to ease off a little, to take the time to correct its technical flaws, to review its aging structure and to treat its filling and hyperstimulation disorders.

A semi-successful pirate take on the Like A Dragon formula, held back by its lack of focus, drawn out length, and surprisingly weak story.

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.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii masterfully wastes the player's time with endless menial tasks and boring dialogue, while completely failing to tell the great stories the series is known for.