RGG Studios constantly subverts expectations, like when they changed the series to JRPG. And as usual, they plan to do that with their upcoming game, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It will feature the usual craziness and Goro Majima as its protagonist, going out on a pirate adventure!
And I thought, what are some great pirate games out there? After all, this subgenre has always been about action-adventure extravaganza and unique stories in video games. So, I suggested the five best pirate games you can enjoy before Majima-san’s adventures!
1. Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Whenever you hear the name Sid Meier, you know you are in for a beautiful ride, and during his older days, the famed game developer worked on one of the best pirate games ever! Sid Meier’s Pirates is an open-world RPG where you play as a budding pirate rising through the ranks to become the best!
You start as a privateer and slowly rise through the ranks! You can pillage ships, ally with other pirates, explore the seas, and have a great time roleplaying as a budding pirate! If you were looking for an excellent singleplayer pirate game to fulfill you before Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, this is the game!
2. Sea Dogs
One of the more niche pirate games in the sub-genre, Sea Dogs, is a game I only learned about this year, thanks to someone sharing about it on X (formerly Twitter). My curiosity got the better of me, and I went ahead and checked it out.
And I thoroughly enjoyed it! Sea Dogs is an open-world RPG where you play as a swashbuckler rising from the bottom. It thematically plays like Sid Meier’s Pirates, where you do jobs, sail the seas, get into ship battles, and much more!
3. Sea of Thieves
If I am talking about pirate games, we must talk about Sea of Thieves, a popular co-op pirate adventure game. Made by Rare Ltd., Sea of Thieves puts you and three other players to take care of your ship and go out searching for riches.
And since it is an online experience, you also have other players to worry about. You can plunder, pillage, get into epic sea fights, and even fight a Kraken in one of the missions. If you and your friends want the perfect pirate adventure, Sea of Thieves is the game to pick up.
4. The Monkey Island Series
While the first three games on this list let you live your pirating dreams, this series takes place during the pirating era and offers five of the best adventure storylines ever.
The Monkey Island series follows the adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, a budding pirate who is trying to find the island’s treasure. Each story follows his antics in search of the treasure while he locks horns with the ghost pirate LeChuck.
The game might have some confusing puzzles, but it contains one of the best storylines in video games and a solid pirate adventure. And thus, I’ve included this as one of the best pirate games you should try. In fact, given the game’s tone, you should try it if you plan on playing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
The final entry in this pirate games list is one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever. Coincidentally, it is also an excellent pirate game during the age of piracy. Black Flag follows Edward Kenway, a swashbuckler who unknowingly dons the colors of the assassin and gets embroiled in the age-old battle of templars and assassins.
Black Flag lets you control a pirate ship, enabling you to enjoy sea warfare, on-foot sections, a captivating story, and the familiar gameplay of Assassin’s Creed. Chances are, a lot of people have already played it. But now is the perfect time to try it out if you haven’t.
