Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 177 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 97 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 82 | 138 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 88% | 82 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Feb 20, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 6718 total reviews in window · weighted 214.5 up / 37.5 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (196)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“Because of its size and range of missions from serious to stupid, Pirate Yakuzain Hawaii feels like a “Best of” album from past Like a Dragon games. Its odd marriage of pirates and yakuza works and gives you a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously but knows how to impress a crowd.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“An addendum to Infinite Wealth, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii feels like a vacation after a vacation, a small and silly adventure, a fun time with your crazy friends and not a care in the world. But only up until the ending, where Like a Dragon makes a sharp turn, and remind you of how much of a heart this franchise really has.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It might not be the best entry in the Like a Dragon series, but it’s definitely one of the most addictive. A fresh breeze for the franchise that doesn’t lose any of what makes it special. Newcomers might get lost in the story, but even they will fall for Majima’s charm and eagerly await every chance to set sail. The engaging battles, both at sea and on land, have only a few blemishes, yet this treasure still shines bright.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A unique and fun spin-off that allows us to visit the beloved city from Infinite Wealth and feel like a real pirate, such an opportunity is very rare in modern video games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“After all, every single task in the game carries on the series tradition of having patently ridiculous scenarios play out with absolute sincerity. Indeed, just about the only thing the game doesn’t make room for is cynicism.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is another crazy, yet wonderfully executed, spin-off in the series. Majima shines as the main character, and his pirate adventure in Hawaii delivers a mix of action, humor, and, above all, absurdity. The naval battles are surprisingly fun, but they could have been given even more screen time. The game is built on the solid foundations of the series’ universe and offers plenty of side activities. If you like Like a Dragon, you’re in for a royal treat!”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the definition of a spinoff game, but it's also the gold standard for games like it. Majima's Hawaiian adventures are a little shallower than I wanted, but when compared to the likes of the last two mainline games, anything would seem shallow. But being a pirate captain for a "short" 40 hours in the Like a Dragon universe is a dream I never knew I had, and RGG Studio showed me why it was a worthy fantasy.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a stellar and truly fun game that poses as a testament of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s Studio's excellent gameplay design and writing. Even though it is riddled with minor issues and is effectively a spin-off title, it is truly worth your time, at least for scratching that pirate gaming itch.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“There’s quite a lot of things that are not perfect in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a short and unevenly paced story is one of them. Fortunately, there’s so much good stuff that it balances out. Combat, naval battles, absurdly funny side quests and a unique atmosphere of „contemporary piracy” are fun enough to make Like a Dragon fans feel like home.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Everything in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Like a Dragon series dialed up to a hundred, and while other series would long ago have gotten stale, sometimes injecting a large dose of stupidity can go a long way.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“'Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii' doesn't go all the way with its nautical ambitions, but its infectious energy and oddball premise are big swings that I wish every big-budget game series would take with their spin-off titles.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“While Pirate Yakuza's combat can be fun and its story has some comical moments, it's a mediocre game with barely fleshed out mechanics in a forgettable entry to the Like a Dragon series, the annual releases fatigue is setting in and my interest on RGG's main series is sadly decreasing with each one of these games.”
read full review ↗
Gamepressure
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
video games are good
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
RPGamer
Mashable
Fun Factor…and 184 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- PATCH 1.14 RELEASEApr 15, 2025
- PATCH 1.13 RELEASEMar 14, 2025
- PATCH 1.12 RELEASEMar 7, 2025
- PATCH 1.11 RELEASE & OTHER UPDATESFeb 28, 2025
- Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is Available Now!Feb 20, 2025significant · resets scoring window