Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review Summary

Majima is a major highlight: The game heavily features Majima Goro, a popular character known for his charismatic personality and unique fighting style. Players appreciate the opportunity to play as him, especially those who have enjoyed his character since Yakuza 0. Many consider this a major selling point and a highlight of the game.

Overall fun and engaging gameplay: The game is consistently described as fun and enjoyable, with engaging gameplay and a lot of content to explore. Players appreciate the variety of activities and the overall quality of the experience. The game is well-optimized and runs smoothly, further enhancing the fun factor.

Excellent and enhanced combat styles: Majima's combat style is a significant draw, with the 'Mad Dog' style being particularly praised for its speed, fluidity, and effectiveness in one-on-one encounters. The game enhances this style with new moves and abilities, making it the best version yet. The Pirate style is also appreciated for its unique moveset.

Fast-paced, dynamic action combat: The game features a return to real-time action combat, which is fast-paced, dynamic, and visually impressive. The combat system is considered one of the best in the series, with fluid movements, responsive controls, and satisfying impact. The new fighting styles and mechanics add depth and variety to the combat experience.

Fun pirate ship combat/exploration: The game introduces ship combat and pirate elements, drawing comparisons to Assassin's Creed: Black Flag. Players enjoy the ship battles, treasure hunting, and customization options. The pirate theme is well-integrated and adds a unique twist to the Yakuza formula.

Frequent, disruptive game crashes: The game suffers from frequent and unpredictable crashes, often during cutscenes, combat, or even while idle. These crashes lead to lost progress due to infrequent autosaves and can corrupt save files. Some players report that enabling DLSS exacerbates the crashing issue, while others experience crashes regardless of DLSS settings.

Weak, unfocused story: Several reviewers found the story to be weaker and less focused compared to other entries in the series. The plot is described as dull, stretched, and reliant on convenient or far-fetched plot points. Some reviewers felt the story was unnecessary or poorly written, with underdeveloped characters and illogical motivations.

Clunky, shallow combat system: The combat system is criticized for lacking depth and polish, especially in large-scale battles. Some reviewers find the controls clunky, with shared button mappings leading to unintended actions. The combat is also considered too easy, even on higher difficulty settings, while others find it frustrating due to combo execution issues and enemy design.

Outdated, unappealing graphics: Several reviewers have commented on the game's outdated or unappealing graphics. Some describe the visuals as resembling a PS3 or PS4 game, with poor environmental textures and lighting. The overall visual quality is considered unacceptable for a game released in 2025.

Problematic brightness, contrast, lighting: Many reviewers have noted issues with the game's lighting, brightness, contrast, and color saturation. Some areas are excessively bright, causing eye strain, while others are too dark and blurry. The HDR implementation is also problematic, leading to crushed blacks, blinding whites, and distorted colors.

Yakuza combat meets pirates: The game blends Yakuza-style beat 'em up combat with a pirate theme, featuring real-time combat and familiar mechanics. It retains elements from previous Yakuza titles while introducing new features like naval combat. This combination offers a fresh experience while staying true to the series' roots.

Abundance of mini-games/side-quests: The game is packed with mini-games and side quests, including returning favorites like karaoke, arcade games, and cooking. These activities provide a break from the main story and add to the overall gameplay experience.

Jump mechanic is awkward: The game introduces a jump mechanic and air combos, but some players find them awkward to execute due to enemy quantity and camera issues. An assist mode with one-button combos is available for less experienced players.

Treasure hunts unlock skills: The game features treasure hunts and collectible island treasures that unlock skills and enhance player stats. This encourages exploration and provides rewards for collecting items.

Skill tree improves combat: The game features a skill point system for upgrading moves and stats, which significantly improves the combat experience. The combat leans towards a Dynasty Warriors-style experience.

Generally good performance and optimization: Many players report smooth performance, high framerates, and good optimization across various PC configurations and on Steam Deck. Some even noted the game runs well on older hardware. Some reviewers specifically stated they encountered no crashes or bugs during their playthroughs.

Inaccurate system requirements: Some players have reported that the game's system requirements do not accurately reflect the hardware needed for high settings, and that they experienced frame rate drops even on systems exceeding the listed requirements.

Frequent crashing issues reported: A significant number of players have reported experiencing crashes, sometimes frequently. Some crashes appear to be related to DLSS or frame generation, while others occur during cutscenes. Some users have found temporary solutions like disabling DLSS or limiting framerates.

Long loading times, especially on HDD: Several reviewers mentioned long loading times, even when the game is installed on an SSD. The loading times are significantly worse on an HDD.

Audio language bug in cutscenes: Some players have encountered a bug where characters speak Japanese during cutscenes but English during dialogue boxes and combat when the Japanese dub is selected. This issue can be resolved by changing the language to English and back to Japanese.

Great for Yakuza/LaD fans: The game is highly recommended, especially for existing fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, offering a blend of familiar beat 'em up combat, absurd humor, and a unique pirate-themed experience. Some reviewers suggest it's a good entry point for newcomers, while others advise playing previous titles first to avoid spoilers and appreciate returning characters like Majima.

Wait for technical patches: Several reviewers report significant technical issues, particularly crashing, which prevent them from recommending the game in its current state. They advise waiting for patches and fixes before purchasing, hoping that these issues will be resolved to allow players to fully enjoy the game.

Consider buying on sale: Some reviewers feel the game is not worth the full price, especially compared to other titles in the series, citing its shorter length and potentially repetitive gameplay. They recommend waiting for a significant sale before purchasing, or considering alternative ways to experience the story.

Better than Skull and Bones: Several reviewers directly compare the game favorably to Skull and Bones, suggesting it delivers a more enjoyable and complete pirate experience. This comparison positions the game as a superior alternative for players seeking a fun pirate adventure.

Unique, absurd pirate theme: The game's unique and absurd pirate theme is a highlight for many, elevating the series' signature aesthetics to new heights. Reviewers appreciate the unexpected events, island vibes, and overall craziness that define the experience.

Majima's amnesiac pirate adventure: The game centers on Goro Majima who suffers from amnesia after a shipwreck and finds himself in Hawaii. He becomes a pirate captain with a father-son dynamic with a character named Noah. The game is a spin-off set six months after the events of Yakuza 8.

Addresses prior plot points: The game's story addresses the rushed departure of the Three Swallows faction from the end of "Like a Dragon 8". Despite being a gaiden title, the game has a lot of side content.

Refreshing pirate aesthetic: The pirate aesthetic is a fresh and welcome change for the series, offering a unique visual and thematic experience.

Evolving treasure hunt plot: The initial goal is to regain memory and save Nova, but it evolves into a search for treasure, leading to a larger conspiracy.

Predictable plot: The reviewer found the plot of both main and side stories predictable, suggesting a lack of originality or surprising twists.