Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

About

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a single player hack and slash game. It was developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and was released on February 20, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii blends swashbuckling pirate adventure with Yakuza-style action in a vibrant Hawaiian setting. Command legendary crews, customize your ship, and engage in thrilling battles while enjoying a rich soundtrack and iconic costumes. Set sail for a unique fusion of crime drama, music, and maritime exploration.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii screenshot

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,078 reviews

story492 positive mentions

grinding80 negative mentions

Majima's character shines through with his chaotic and entertaining personality.
The game features a fun mix of pirate-themed gameplay and classic Yakuza combat mechanics.
The side content and mini-games are engaging and add a lot of variety to the overall experience.

The story feels weak and lacks the emotional depth found in previous Yakuza titles.
The ship combat can become repetitive and lacks depth, making exploration tedious.
The game suffers from technical issues, including frequent crashes and poor lighting.

story
1,860 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The story of "Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be one of the weaker narratives in the Yakuza series. While some appreciate its lighthearted and absurd tone, reminiscent of a pirate adventure, others criticize it for being shallow, predictable, and lacking the emotional depth typically associated with the franchise. The main plot is described as short and filled with padding, often overshadowed by engaging side quests and mini-games that provide more entertainment than the central storyline itself.
- “The story balances intense drama with quirky humor, maintaining the franchise’s knack for deep character development and emotionally charged storytelling while embracing a more lighthearted, adventurous tone.”
- “The game blends classic yakuza storytelling, heartfelt drama, ridiculous humor, and a wealth of side activities, the game embraces its own ridiculousness while maintaining the heartfelt storytelling the franchise is known for.”
- “The story is engaging, though frequent substories and minigames can pull focus from the main plot.”
- “I didn't dig the main story at all, sure it had stuff here and there but it was so unnecessary, nobody asked for it...”
- “The story was probably the most disappointed I've ever been with a story.”
- “The story is also filled with padding, so a story that might be around 10 hours is 5 hours padding.”
gameplay
599 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
58%
6%
The gameplay in "Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza" has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the fast-paced brawler mechanics and the introduction of ship combat, which adds a fresh layer to the experience. However, criticisms highlight the repetitiveness of both the combat and naval mechanics, as well as technical issues like crashes and graphical problems. Overall, while the game offers fun and engaging gameplay, it lacks depth and innovation compared to previous entries in the series, leaving some players wanting more.
- “The gameplay is a blast.”
- “The gameplay is enjoyable, and the highlight is definitely getting to play as Majima. He's such a charismatic character throughout the franchise, and having him in this setting just makes everything even more entertaining.”
- “Gameplay is super fun with quite a lot of options to approach combat, with this also being the first game in the franchise where you're able to jump in combat, as well as perform jump attacks and juggle enemies.”
- “Yet many gameplay systems have been around since day one and still haven’t evolved.”
- “The gameplay is boring, the narrative serves no purpose, and literally everything feels low quality, low effort, and outdated.”
- “The ship gameplay is not good, it is not deep nor difficult, it is just time-consuming since enemy ships always try to get away from you and you will always have to wait for your cannons to reload.”
humor
237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its absurdity and lightheartedness, while others feel it leans too heavily on repetitive and forced jokes. The blend of quirky side quests, wacky characters, and over-the-top scenarios often elicits genuine laughter, but some critics argue that the humor detracts from the story's emotional depth. Overall, it delivers a fun and entertaining experience, especially for fans of the Yakuza series, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its reliance on absurdity.
- “Every corner hides something strange or hilarious, and side activities never feel like filler.”
- “Like a dragon: pirate yakuza in hawaii is a gloriously unhinged, sun-soaked adventure that blends heartfelt yakuza melodrama with absurd pirate-themed chaos, offering smooth turn-based combat, a hilarious job system, and a vibrant hawaiian setting packed with quirky characters and top-tier side quests; from coconut-launcher brawls to emotional story beats, it delivers the series’ signature mix of sincerity and insanity in a fresh, entertaining package that fans and newcomers alike can dive into with a big, dumb grin.”
- “This game is a light-hearted detour that offers a good dose of humor and adventure, making it an entertaining escape for fans of the series.”
- “Characters don’t play to their strengths for the sake of unfunny gags or due to a lack of direction.”
- “I miss when this series was actually serious first and goofy meme slop last; it feels like RGG Studios seriously pandered to unfunny memes back in 2020.”
music
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The music in this game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its blend of tropical and classic Yakuza motifs that enhance the gameplay experience, while others find it underwhelming compared to previous entries in the series. Highlights include engaging karaoke tracks and memorable musical numbers, but many players feel that the overall soundtrack lacks the standout quality of earlier titles, with some tracks fading into the background during gameplay. Despite these criticisms, the soundtrack still features enjoyable moments, particularly in the context of the game's chaotic and humorous atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack blends tropical vibes with classic Yakuza intensity, perfectly matching the game’s wild tonal shifts.”
- “Beautiful to look at, with great soundtracks that make for easy listening whether you're braving the high seas or snooping through back-alleys looking for that last collectible.”
- “The soundtrack blends traditional Yakuza motifs with island-inspired music, creating an audibly rich backdrop that enhances immersion and mood throughout the journey.”
- “Weak soundtrack: the music and sound design feel underwhelming compared to previous entries.”
- “Unfortunately, this might be the first Yakuza game where the music was kind of lacking.”
- “The music is unremarkable.”
emotional
159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of "Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii" is characterized by a blend of absurd humor and heartfelt moments, creating a unique narrative experience. While some players found the emotional depth lacking compared to previous entries in the series, many appreciated the game's ability to deliver touching scenes amidst its chaotic and whimsical storyline. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted yet sincere exploration of themes like family and legacy, with moments that can evoke laughter and tears alike.
- “The narrative swings effortlessly between laugh-out-loud insanity and genuine emotional weight.”
- “It's handled with such care that I personally find it so touching, much more so because I have a family member who is also fighting an illness.”
- “The last chapter was a roller coaster of emotions; I cried, I laughed, I got mad, etc. I was glued to my PC playing the game since I woke up in the morning until 3 AM... (no regrets).”
- “Unfortunately, this is the most boring story I've ever seen come out of an RGG studio game.”
- “This game is very short, has a lot of filler, and features a terribly boring story with only decent fight styles.”
- “Terrible, boring story that rivals the worst in the genre.”
graphics
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the inconsistent visual quality, overexposed lighting, and dated aesthetics that often resemble older console titles. While some appreciate the vibrant art style and smooth performance, others find the graphical issues, including frequent crashes and poor lighting, to be significant detractors from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as subpar compared to modern standards, leaving many players disappointed, especially given the game's price point.
- “The graphics are impressive, with a good balance between realism and uniqueness thanks to the glorious dragon engine, which we all know and love.”
- “Beautiful graphics with amazing gameplay/story, so much side content and so much to explore it's honestly so worth it.”
- “Graphics are super clean and render well at 4k.”
- “Weird color filters and broken overexposed lighting that'll hurt your eyes, along with a strange mix of high and low graphical fidelity depending on the scene.”
- “The graphics look really bad; I don't know what they did, but the entire game looks like you shined a spotlight on it.”
- “The graphics are absolutely dreadful; more specifically, the lighting is awful. I don't understand how they manage to make the graphics worse with every upcoming game.”
grinding
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
2%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly in ship combat and side activities. While some appreciate the fun combat and exploration elements, they often feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience, making progression feel like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game. Overall, the game is seen as overly reliant on grinding, which can lead to frustration, especially for those seeking a more balanced gameplay experience.
- “The naval combat was still enjoyable in my experience. I went through all of the pirate coliseum challenges early on and fully upgraded the ship as well. It's not too grindy and fairly enjoyable after you get the hang of the controls.”
- “Plenty of customization, both for the boat and Majima, and it's not too tedious to unlock either.”
- “No grindy or padded systems.”
- “The combat is fun when it happens the first time, but it gets tedious the 100th time around.”
- “This game is mind-bogglingly grindy.”
- “You need to do some grindy combat nonsense to upgrade the numbers on your equipment, and frankly, I don't have the energy for that nowadays.”
optimization
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and memory leaks, even on high-end PCs. Conversely, others report smooth gameplay and good performance, particularly on lower-end systems, suggesting that optimization may vary widely depending on hardware configurations. Overall, while some players praise the game's graphics and performance, many express a need for further optimization and stability improvements.
- “Everything looks nice, it's well optimized and runs smoothly with almost every setting, even on my potato PC.”
- “The graphics are polished, and the optimization is commendable.”
- “Top tier optimization and performance.”
- “Even on high-end PCs, the performance issues are still there.”
- “Optimization issues: performance drops during long play sessions even on minimum settings, likely due to memory leaks.”
- “The game itself is decent, but it suffers from frequent crashes and a number of bugs that make it clear it needs more optimization.”
stability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
69%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting frequent crashes, bugs, and technical issues, particularly on certain hardware configurations. However, others have experienced smooth performance with minimal glitches, indicating that stability may vary significantly between different setups. Overall, while the game shows promise and runs well for many, it still requires further optimization to address the reported bugs and crashes.
- “Sega has a lot of issues with many of its titles like Total War, but the Yakuza games have been almost bug-free or close to perfect by the time a month has rolled around.”
- “The game performance runs great, the sound design and music are great, the graphics look amazing; it's just overall the complete package.”
- “Runs great, looks nice, animations are as astonishing as usual.”
- “Game is a bit buggy and crashes frequently; it is good, but needs work.”
- “No warning either, no stuttering whatsoever until out of nowhere it freezes and closes to desktop.”
- “It has too many technical issues with an RTX 5070: lighting and shadow glitches, severe frame drops in Hawaii, and random crashes too.”
character development
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the deep storytelling and well-designed characters, others criticize the initial chapters for their mediocre writing and one-dimensional characters. The pacing improves significantly after the early chapters, leading to more engaging character arcs, but overall, the game is seen as lacking in groundbreaking plot and character depth. Despite this, the character designs and customization options are well-received, with some standout moments in the post-credit scenes highlighting meaningful development.
- “The pacing recovers well from chapter 3 onwards with great character developments all throughout the story.”
- “The story balances intense drama with quirky humor, maintaining the franchise’s knack for deep character development and emotionally charged storytelling while embracing a more lighthearted, adventurous tone.”
- “Extremely deep character development.”
- “Yeah, the story is kinda pointless, despite some world building and character development.”
- “However, this game struggles to earn its sea legs as the first 3/5 chapters of this game, while not terrible, are a slog of mediocre writing, terrible pacing, and mostly average character development.”
- “Overall it's a fun game but don't expect anything groundbreaking in terms of plot or character development.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
23%
69%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers labeling it a "cash grab" due to its reliance on microtransactions and the perceived low quality of content. Players express disappointment over features like new game+ being locked behind a paywall, suggesting that the game's design prioritizes profit over player experience. Despite these concerns, some fans still find enjoyment in the game, indicating a divide in player sentiment regarding its monetization strategy.
- “While recent high-profile releases like Star Wars Outlaws, Skull and Bones, and Starfield have faltered under the weight of soulless monetization, barren open worlds, and half-baked mechanics, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii thrives by embracing player-driven discovery.”
- “This game feels like it was built 100% out of spare parts for a cash grab before an actual next-generation Yakuza game was ready, and the fact that it's still this entertaining is proof of how good they are at making these.”
- “As a long-time Yakuza fan who likes both the beat 'em up and the turn-based Yakuza, I was so excited for this game and to play as Majima again, but this game is a tragedy. Do not buy it; it is a dirty cash grab just like Like a Dragon Gaiden. It's full of dead, lifeless recycled areas, and it makes me very, very sad.”
- “Gaming has increasingly become dominated by corporate greed, paywalls, and microtransactions, transforming what was once a source of pure joy into a system driven by profit over player experience.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and vibrant environments, effectively blending elements of island life with engaging gameplay features like mini-games and local festivals. While some critiques mention a lack of intrigue in certain aspects, the overall ambiance captures a lively and captivating essence, enhanced by detailed visuals and a unique narrative.
- “The attention to environmental detail creates an immersive atmosphere that captures the laid-back yet spirited essence of island life, while also presenting unique challenges like treasure hunts and local festivals that enrich the gameplay experience.”
- “Honolulu felt fleshed out with tons of things to do and to see as well as a lively atmosphere.”
- “The game’s visuals are vibrant and well-detailed, capturing Hawaii’s tropical atmosphere while maintaining the signature Like a Dragon aesthetic.”
- “No honor in the machinations, no intrigue nor foreboding atmosphere that 'Palekana' added in 8; all the fights are forgettable, not fun, and the interesting QTEs in between are lacking.”
- “Where the game really shines is in the wacky yet emotional story, atmosphere, cooking, and minigames.”
- “The game’s visuals are vibrant and well-detailed, capturing Hawaii’s tropical atmosphere while maintaining the signature 'Like a Dragon' aesthetic.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is highly praised, with many users noting its immense value due to extensive side content and variance that encourages prolonged engagement. However, some critiques highlight a lack of certain features, such as voice acting and mini-games, which detract from the overall replay experience. While many find it a completionist's dream, others feel it falls short in providing sufficient replayable content.
- “Content has immense replayability and enough variance to get me lost within the world, sinking countless days into the game.”
- “I'd say the replayability here is nothing short of insane.”
- “Tons of side content and minigames add excellent replay value.”
- “The lack of voice acting, mini-games, and replayable post-game content makes it feel incomplete.”
- “It was fanservice, yes, it was short and had little replayability, also true.”
- “Replay value - longevity and replayability.”

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9h Median play time

15h Average play time

4-34h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a hack and slash game.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 15 hours playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was released on February 20, 2025.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a single player game.

Similar games include Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Judgment, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Yakuza Kiwami and others.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

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