I'll start this off by saying that substories and side content are one of my favorite things about RGG. When I get to enjoy them at my pace or choose to ignore them entirely if I'm not a fan.
They're learning too hard into a tired gameplay formula that started with LAD7 and has been present in every game since that one. My greatest issue with modern RGG games is they are making a game that should be fun into something tedious by gatekeeping you from the story with side content and minigames that should have remained optional. Sometimes you don't want to be derailed from the story to go collect a bunch of dudes from side content, but they've been requiring that with current games. Reach this rank in the main minigame. Have this much money grinded from that minigame. It felt especially egregious with this game because they put a side content requirement early in the story to hide how short the game really is. There was no need to hide how short it is though, we knew it was going to be short from the get go.
The combat is also pretty disappointing to me, I had higher expectations after how fun they made Gaiden. Where Gaiden added a lot of Heat Actions and the best combat they've managed to do for Dragon Engine, Pirate failed at providing either feature. They added 4 special heat actions you can get by grinding the pirate job, but outside of that, there's not much you can acquire. Many people who usually play RGG at default difficulty will want to turn this one up a notch or avoid buying damage upgrades for Majima because you will win a fight by coughing in someone's general direction.
This game also takes #1 spot in having the worst lighting out of every RGG game so far. The daylight is absolutely eye burning atrocious, and it can be hard to make out what's in the shadows at night. Sunset looks like midday too. I really wish RGG had gone back to add a patch for this.
Overall, it's an okay game with a decent adventure in the story. You'll probably have a great time if you're just here for the Majima fanservice. I'm personally just getting tired of some of the decisions RGG is making lately with their gameplay decisions.
