10 Amazing Games (With ABYSMAL Combat)

8. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a great pirate game, but a terrible Yakuza one.

To clarify that last statement, the game's USP - its naval battles - are decent enough. Enjoyable, arcadey fun, the sea battles are a decent addition to the series' bloated list of side activities - more enjoyable than dialing a phone sex line, less fun than running a cabaret club (Yakuza games are nothing if not eclectic). 

Unfortunately, when you're fighting on foot things take a dramatic turn for the worse. Continuing the trend started in Like A Dragon: Gaiden, combat encounters favour quantity over quality as you mow down dozens of enemies with minimal effort. Combined with the drastic reduction in Heat Actions (hilariously OTT super moves) compared to previous games, Pirate Yakuza's brawls are the dullest in the series' 20 year history.

And that's not even mentioning the boss battles, which continue Pirate Yakuza's baffling oversimplification of the series' combat. Far from being rigorous tests of mettle, each and every boss is a laughably basic brawl against an opponent with an absurdly limited moveset. Bosses in Pirate Yakuza act like trainees in their first day of wrestling camp - all punches, kicks and the odd signature move thrown out with no rhyme or reason. And that includes the final boss, modeled after real life professional wrestler Samoa Joe but with none of the latter's talent for putting together a satisfying fight.