– Modern pirate setting in present day, with Goro Majima as an amnesiac captain
– Combines beat-’em-up combat, RPG progression, and real-time naval battles
– Currently at an all-time low price of $14.99 (75% off) on Steam until June 18
– 88% positive user reviews on Steam, but mixed critical scores (e.g., 7/10 from PC Games)
– Best for players who enjoy wacky, chaotic gameplay rather than serious pirate sims
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii: A Modern Pirate Tale
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is cleary a pirate game, but it takes a rather unusual aproach: the title is set in the present day. Players take on the role of Goro Majima, who has lost his memory and reinvents himself at sea as a modern pirate captain. There, he is searching not only for his memories, but for a legendary treasure also. The action RPG from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is discounted by 75% on Steam until June 18 and is available for $14.99 instead of $59.99. According to SteamDB, previous discounts had usually topped out at 70%, making the current deal a new all-time low.
Gameplay and Feautres
In terms of gameplay, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii combines classic third-person action with beat-’em-up combat, RPG progression and naval battles. On land, Majima fights his way thru groups of enemies using different combat styles, swords, pistols, grappling hooks and special moves. At sea, the Goromaru takes center stage: players can upgrade their own ship, equip it with new weapons and deploy it in real-time battles against enemy crews. Crew recruitment, bounty hunts, treasure hunts, karaoke, cooking and other typical Yakuza side activities are also included.
Community and Critical Reception
The unusual approach seems to have struck a chord with the Steam community in particular: 88% of more than 9,400 user reviews are positive. German gaming magazine PC Games was somewhat more reserved, awarding 7 out of 10 points. The editorial team praised the entertaining setting, the well-crafted story and the enjoyable naval battles, but criticized the weak AI, the lack of tactical depth and the absence of a true “open sea” feeling, as the sea consists of separate map sections rather than an open, freely explorable world. On Metacritic, the action RPG has a Metascore of 79 and a User Score of 7.9.
Who Should Play This?
The sometimes widely divergent ratings are hardly surprising. Anyone looking for a serious pirate game is clearly in the wrong place with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Players who enjoy wacky characters, a crazy setting and plenty of chaos, however, should find alot to like here. That also applies to handheld gamers: on the Steam Deck, the title is classified as “Verified” and should therefore run smoothly.