Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Release Date: February 20, 2025
An action-adventure game from the popular Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series. The main star of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is Goro Majima who lost his memory and decided to become a pirate. We travel on foot and using a ship, engaging in naval battles.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an action-adventure game and a spin-off of the Like a Dragon series, formerly known as Yakuza in the West. The game was developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, which oversees the development of the series, while its release was handled by Sega, the company that holds the rights to the brand.
Plot
The main character of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is Goro Majima, well known to fans of the series. A former yakuza member wakes up on a beach and discovers that he suffers from amnesia, due to which he can't even remember his own name. The protagonist decides to become a pirate and set out on the open sea in search of answers to questions about his identity and past. Majima is not doomed to a solitary journey. From the beginning, he is accompanied by Noah, who saved his life, and over time other members of the pirate crew join him.
Majima and his entourage find themselves in the middle of a conflict between local pirates and other bandits. The stakes are high, as the fight is for a legendary treasure. As we can easily guess, Goro and his crew will also participate in it.
Gameplay
In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii we view the action from a third person perspective (TPP). Although the events depicted in the game take place in modern times, the pirates are presented in a "traditional" way. Goro, his entourage, and his enemies look as if they were straight out of the 17th-century Caribbean setting. Adventure leads us through various places - apart from the titular Hawaii, we visit Rich Island inhabited by fishermen, Madlantis and the sacred island of Nele. We move on foot when we are on dry land, but we can also explore the sea aboard our ship.
The driving force of the game are missions pushing the plot forward, accompanied by side tasks, as well as countless optional activities, which is one of the hallmarks of the series. In addition to them, battles with opponents play an important role. When fighting in close combat, Majima can utilize two fighting styles – Mad Dog and Sea Dog. While the first one focuses on the speed and agility of the protagonist, allowing him to stun enemies and deal powerful damage, as a Sea Dog he wields two short swords and makes use of various tricks.
This is not the end, because we also eliminate adversaries at sea, fighting dynamic battles in real time. During naval battles, the key to success is taking a favorable position for accurate shelling and simultaneously avoiding enemy fire. After "softening" the enemy ship, we can proceed with boarding it, defeating its captain and the remnants of the crew, and then taking over the ship. As we progress, we not only gain access to new ships, but we can also upgrade the ones we already have.
February 18, 2025
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: Silliness sets sail
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Videos and Screens
[0:30] Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Accolades Trailer
[0:30] Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Demo Launch Trailer
Gamepressure Review
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
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.
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 86% of Critics. There are 132 Critic Reviews.
GameSpot: 7 / 10 by Richard Wakeling
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii puts the spotlight back on Goro Majima for an uneven swashbuckling adventure that delights more often than it disappoints
Shacknews: 8 / 10 by TJ Denzer
The concept of putting Goro Majima in a pirate adventure is pretty much everything I thought it would be. This is a silly game with an enjoyable gameplay loop and adventure.
PC Gamer: 70 / 100 by Abbie Stone
Flawed and overfamiliar, but still as joyously OTT and hilarious as ever.
The main pros of the game
- Engaging Combat: Players praise the fast-paced and fluid combat system, which has been described as one of the best in the series. The two combat styles (Mad Dog and Sea Dog) offer variety and depth.
- Character and Writing: The character writing and voice acting, particularly for Majima, are highlighted as exceptional. Many players found the humor and charm of the game to be engaging.
- Side Content: The game is packed with a plethora of side activities, mini-games, and customization options, allowing for extensive exploration and playtime.
- Fun Factor: Many reviews emphasize that the game is designed to be fun, providing an enjoyable experience overall, with a lighthearted story that contrasts with previous titles.
- Visuals and Optimization: The game runs well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, with beautiful graphics and smooth performance.
The main cons of the game
- Weak Story: A significant number of players found the story to be lacking depth and emotional weight compared to other titles in the series. Some described it as predictable and filler-like.
- Naval Combat Issues: While the ship combat was generally seen as a fun addition, many players criticized its execution, stating it felt simplistic or janky, and the pacing of naval exploration was often described as slow.
- Technical Issues: Several users reported crashes and bugs, particularly in naval combat and during cutscenes, which detracted from the overall experience.
- Character Development: Some players felt that Majima's character and his relationships were underdeveloped, especially in comparison to other main characters in the franchise.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- More Depth in Story and Characters: Players expressed a desire for a more complex narrative and deeper character arcs, particularly for Majima and his relationships with other series characters.
- Improved Naval Mechanics: Suggestions for enhancing the naval combat experience included more strategic depth and a more engaging ship traversal system.
- Greater Challenge: Some reviewers noted that the game could feel unbalanced, with players becoming overpowered due to side content, leading to a lack of challenge in main story encounters.
- Expanded Post-Game Content: Users indicated a desire for more substantial New Game Plus options or additional challenges for replayability.
Summary
- Overall, "Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii" is viewed positively for its engaging gameplay and fun factor, but it has notable shortcomings in story depth and technical execution that some players hope will be addressed in future updates or titles.
Summary generated on:
26
GAMES
in Like a Dragon / Yakuza Game Series
Game Series
Like a Dragon / Yakuza Series
Yakuza (Japanese. Ryu ga Gotoku - Like a Dragon) is a series that began as TPP action adventure games, while in 2020 began a love affair with the jRPG genre. The essence of gameplay in productions under this banner are spectacular clashes, in which we mostly use our own fists, white weapons such as clubs or samurai swords, as well as elements of the environment, such as trash cans or bicycles. Firearms are present, but usually do not play a major role. The protagonists have numerous fighting styles, which we can upgrade. Of great importance are impressive finishers, in which opponents are eliminated in a particularly impressive way.
26 video games
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows February 20, 2025
PlayStation 5 February 21, 2025
Xbox Series X/S February 21, 2025
PlayStation 4 February 21, 2025
Xbox One February 21, 2025
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: Sega
Age restrictions: 18+
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (30 fps, 1080p, upscaling) Intel Core i5-3470 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1650 / Radeon RX 560, 56 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: (60 fps, 1080p) Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce RTX 2060 / 8 GB Radeon RX 5700, 56 GB SSD, Windows 10 64-bit
Player feedback confirm - Pirate Yakuza is a hit! Even with all its absurdity and shenanigans
Ryu Ga Gotoku has done it again! From Yakuza 0 to his pirate days, Goro Majima can definitely hold his own as the main protagonist.
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