Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: not quite gold, but definitely still shiny

Seaworthy shenanigans that go down easier than that inelegant name.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review; a pirate kicks a monkey
(Image: © Sega)

For

  • A fun take on pirate and looting
  • Wildly designed combat visuals
  • Mix of ideas for new and old fans

Against

  • Reused assets can show their age

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Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii: details

Publisher Sega

Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Platform PS5 (reviewed), PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Engine Dragon Engine

Release date February 21

Perhaps you're like me, playing on PS5 and desperately hoping for pirates to crest that wave towards having their moment in the sun again. Unfortunately, between Skull and Bones' underwhelming anchor weighing and Flint: Treasure of Oblivion's failure to make a splash, pirate fans haven't unearthed any bountiful booty in some time. Enter Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, adding a nautical spin to a series usually about Japanese gangsters and their shadowy criminal underworld.

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Jess Kinghorn
Freelance writer

Jess is PLAY Magazine’s games editor, and is known for championing the weird, the wonderful, and the downright janky. A fan of cult classic JRPGs and horror, her rants about Koudelka and Shadow Hearts have held many a captive audience. Outside of writing about all things PlayStation, she’s also a lifelong fan of Nintendo’s handheld consoles. Having whiled away most of her college years playing The World Ends With You on the original Nintendo DS, she’s looking forward to uncovering all of NEO’s secrets too. Beginning her career as Official PlayStation Magazine’s staff writer in 2017, she’s since written for PC Gamer, SFX, Games Master, and Games TM.

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