"RGG’s also embraced visual customisation in a more in-depth manner than it ever has before here – not just with your ship, but with putting together custom outfits for Majima that’re mix-and-matchable, rather than rigidly set. You’ll spend most of your time in your getup of choice, ticking off suitably piratey sub-stories and goals in order to recruit new crewmates, as well as hunting down bounty targets pulled from IW’s array of different enemy categories to beef up your bank balance in refreshingly ungrindy chunks."
"Don’t be put off by its absurd name or ridiculous premise; Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii provides a sincere and heartfelt adventure that successfully marries the series’ penchant for engaging power struggles with high-octane swashbuckling action. For existing fans, it’s a superb follow-up to Infinite Wealth. And for newcomers, it’s an excellent onboarding experience thanks to its myriad of fun and accessible gameplay systems."
"Pirate Yakuza goes all in on making Majima the most charming, endearing, and downright loveable rogue he’s ever been, taking everything 'Majima' and ramping it up to a million.
"Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii brings Goro Majima's unique brand of loony brutality to a treasure-hunting adventure. The levity of the overall adventure makes it easy to sink into this game, and despite repetitive ship combat, the hand-to-hand action makes it a blast to play. And with a conclusion worth seeing, the overall narrative makes this another success in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's repertoire."
IGN (8/10)
"Propelled by a breezy and often completely bananas treasure-hunting tale, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a delightful spin-off that seamlessly shifts between street thuggery and skulduggery. Majima’s Sea Dog stance is one of the most fun and flexible fighting styles I’ve enjoyed in the series to date – at least in its classic, combo-based form – and I welcomed the challenge of carefully balancing my crew lineup in order to survive the many turbulent naval battles."
"A raucous, absurd spin-off that manages to still feel like a first-rate Yakuza game despite the leftfield setting and delightfully unhinged plot."
"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."
