Player feedback confirm – Pirate Yakuza is a hit! Even with all its absurdity and shenanigans

by

At last! Here’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has officially dropped, and as an ardent fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, I’m absolutely thrilled. There are just a few more tasks to complete before I can embark on this zany journey. Before we dive in though, let’s take a peek at the early Steam reviews – is it perhaps a tad too outlandish for those not familiar with the Yakuza universe? After all, the eccentric Majima transforming into a pirate… what could potentially lead to unexpected outcomes?

Watashi wa Pirate desu!

Some people feel that the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is coming out too quickly, especially when compared to Rockstar’s release schedule. However, despite using assets from past games (as most of them are set in the same cities), these games continue to capture our affection because Ryu Ga Gotoku has consistently prioritized compelling storytelling above all else.

Based on my colleague’s evaluation of 8.5/10 (for the full review), OpenCritic scores seem consistent, and player feedback on Steam appears to align with this sentiment. Impressively, within the first hour of its release, “Pirate Yakuza” boasted over 15,000 concurrent players, and currently, a staggering 99% of the reviews are positive. This is reassuring news for me, especially considering some more reserved appraisals I’d heard previously.

The entire game can be completed in less than 30 hours, including all additional missions, which gives it a Dragon Gaiden-like duration – however, it’s still priced as if it were a full Yakuza game with over 100 hours of content. Furthermore, some players find the main story to move slowly, filled with excess fillers, and burdened by excessive guidance.

Many personalities seem inadequately fleshed out and fail to achieve their maximum potential, while the narrative doesn’t fully resonate emotionally until quite late. To add, combat encounters can sometimes be overwhelming, with long-range adversaries that can be rather irritatingly bothersome.

I’m really hoping this new show won’t disappoint me like the Yakuza TV series did. Luckily, Ryu Ga Gotoku has once again made the game accessible to those with less powerful computers, so it should be playable for everyone.

Just a couple more rounds of “Baka Mitai”, and we’ll wrap things up. And for those criticizing “Pirate Yakuza” as an embarrassment to longtime fans due to its silliness – it seems they haven’t delved into the world of “Yakuza/Like a Dragon” as deeply as us. These games, even when addressing tough themes, have always maintained a lighthearted approach.

Hopefully, the upcoming spin-off will be another series like Judgment, only this time featuring Kaito as the main character!

Read More

2025-02-20 23:02