Summary
When it comes to pirate games, there are a few modern outstanding ones that come to mind.Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagtook the series to new heights or more like new seas.Sea of Thieveswas a big departure for Rare which was rough from at launch but it got better. The list could go on but those two examples aren’t RPGs but a new game,Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, definitely is.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis a pirate RPG, but is it one of the best pirate RPGs out there? Believe it or not, this RPG sub-genre has been around since the early PC and NES days. Let’s rank the best based on their overall quality.
One Pieceis one of the biggest manga/anime series of all time that has still ongoing since its 90s debut. There have been a ton of games with questionable quality over the years but the most recent adaptation,One Piece Odyssey, is one most fans can get behind.
It’s an original story featuringthe Straw Hat Piratesventuring through new territory in turn-based combat. While nothing new to the genre, fans will dig it and they may also want to check outOne Piece Pirate Warriorswhich are a good series of action RPGs.
Skies of Arcadiais one of the only pirate games of its kind that does away with the typical ocean setting and taking to the skies. It’s one of the most cherished games from the Sega Dreamcast era which was eventually ported to the GameCube.
Its one-off status and the setting may be why Sega and RPG fans love it so much as a turn-based RPG even though by today’s standards it has problems. The random encounter rate is ridiculous and the turn-based genre has ultimately moved forward mechanically. While dated, it’s still a phenomenal sky pirate adventure that fans still hopeSega will revisit someday.
Rogue Galaxy, likeSkies of Arcadia, does not take this pirate adventure across the seven seas. Instead, wannabe treasure hunter, Jaster, is picked up from his desert planet to join a crew of space pirates. The spaceship looks like a typical sea-fairing galleon which is ridiculous but funny.
Players cannot directly control the ship and instead, it’s just there as a HUB to interact with party members or to warp the crew to new planets to dive into dungeons for some good old-fashioned treasure hunting. Gameplay is action-based and it’s one ofmany Level-5 gamesof this era that is brutally difficult and requires high amounts of grinding but a pirate’s life is not supposed to be easy anyway.
The first twoCat Questgames are set in fantasy worlds.Cat Quest 3turned things around by focusing on a pirate adventureand things kick off almost right away. Players need to do a quick intro battle but after that, they will get their ship and the world is their oyster.
They will fight action battles on the world map or in dungeons, collecting loot along the way. The ship battles are quick but satisfying enough too. While not a dark, grim pirate experience, it is one the whole family can enjoy as there is co-op too.
SteamWorld Heistwas a tactical game about pulling off heists in space with a small band of misfits. The sequel put players in command of a submarine to pull off jobs around open waters. Players could arm their band of heroes inSteamWorld Heist 2with various gear, upgrade themin between missions, and also engage in submarine vs ship battles as they explored this robotic archipelago.
It’s just as addictive as the original game with missions being quick and infinitely replayable for that sweet loot. It will be interesting to see where the SteamWorld Heist series goes next. Maybe in the air like inBioShock Infinite.
Pillars of Eternityis one of the greatest success storiesin Kickstarter historyand was ultimately a love letter to past top-down RPGs like the originalBaldur’s Gate.Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfirewas a direct sequel that even offered players carryover data bonuses but it switched the typical fantasy settings of castles and vast plains to islands and oceans.
Players could sail their boat from location to location, engaging in text-based combat that ultimately felt like an afterthought. It’s the weakest part in an otherwise well-reviewed RPG with an engaging story and character choices.
Assassin’s Creed Originsis the first game that turned the franchiseinto an RPG but it didn’t have lengthy ship battles. Its followup,Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, was located in the Greek region of the world which did feature naval combat although it wasn’t as involved as the pure pirate-themed entry,Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.
It’s one of the prettiest games in the series thanks to sea color and varied aquatic locations along the coast. Even thoughAssassin’s Creed Odysseyplayers aren’t exactly pirates in this entry, it still fits the vibes thanks to the ship raids and seafaring exploration.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis the best pirate RPG not just because it’s the newest but because it embodies the idea of piracy so well. Goro Majima washes ashore on a random beach in the Hawaiian islands and has amnesia, so becomes a pirate captain while he unravels his memory loss mystery. Players can engage in action combat while on land and ship combat while sailing around the ocean.
They can upgrade Goro viaskill trees inLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, upgrade the ship with parts, and hire new crew members for said ship who all level up more traditionally during ship combat. It’s a wild spinoff for the series but it embraces the chaotic nature of Goro Majima’s legendary status so well.
