2018’s Yakuza 6 might have closed the book on the tale of Kazuma Kiryu, but it left a dissatisfied taste in many fan’s tongues, leading many to wonder if Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio had lost their touch and any Yazuka game released after would fail to exceed let alone live up to the same standards that its older predecessors set.
Thankfully, Judgement, the PS4-exclusive spin-off that finally came overseas from Japan recently, makes for a better Yakuza game despite not being an actual Yakuza game itself.
What Is Judgment All About?
Judgment stars lawyer-turned-private investigator Takayuki Yagami, who is based in Kamurocho, a fictional district based on Kabukicho, which actually exists in real life in case you want to look it up.
After successfully defending a client accused of murder as a newly-minted defense attorney, Yagami quits after finding out that his client decided it would be a good idea to go kill someone else. Yagami then decides to establish his own practice as a private investigator, buddying up with his best friend and former yakuza member, Kaito.
The story then begins with Yagami investigating a series of grisly murders involving yakuza members.
A Yakuza Game Through and Through
Now that you know the premise of Judgment, let’s talk about the elephant in the room — is it a Yakuza game?
Well, let us tell you upfront that it is.
Unfortunately, that’s both a good thing and a bad thing.
First things first, why is it a bad thing? Shouldn’t a spin-off play like the game that it’s based on? Well, yeah, it should. Or, at least, partially. But, the issue with Judgment is that it feels a little bit too much like a Yakuza game.
From the game’s combat system to the locations used, as well as the in-game menus, everything feels exactly the same as with previous Yakuza games.
If you’re coming in expecting to play Virtua Fighter in arcades or finding the finest whiskey in hard-to-find bars, as well as fighting against anyone from thugs to former yakuza members, then it’s a plus, since that’s something that Judgment also shares with other Yakuza games released in years past.
The good thing is that, because Judgment feels familiar to people who haven’t even played a Yakuza game before, most players can focus less on trying to learn how the game works and more on what makes it interesting.
Like, for example, how the darker Kamurocho setting lends itself to the premise of the game. As a private investigator, you’ll feel like you’re doing actual detective work as you sneak your way through the sketchy back alleys of the red-light district while tailing suspects and digging for clues to try and piece the puzzle together.
A Short-Lived Detective Experience
If you decide to finish the game, you’d spend at least around 40 hours, which is good value if you think about it.
Most games don’t have campaigns that last for a dozen hours. The fact that Judgment’s campaign lasts for a couple of dozen hours, and you’ll no doubt end up spending more because of the wide range of activities that are available for you to do, as is typical and to be expected of a Yakuza game.
The problem here is, as long as Judgment is, it doesn’t take more than the first few hours for you to realize that you’re going to be doing pretty much the same thing over and over again for the rest of the game.
Make no mistake, Judgment does indeed make you feel like a detective.
You’ll take photos to try and incriminate suspects, scour through crime scenes to find another clue, and even sweet-talk witnesses into giving you the kind of information you need to close the game.
The problem is not the game falls short in being a detective game, it’s that the experience can be over before you know it even began.
Why? Because it doesn’t take Sherlock Holm to realize that, as fun, as it is to try and pore over every update you receive while you watch the clues pile up, there are little repercussions for making wrong judgment calls in Judgment.
You couldn’t really care any less for the details. You can simply brute force your way into getting what you want without fear, and it will work. All you need to do is to just drag the cursor around. Eventually, you’ll lead the game to its proper, but rather a linear direction.
So, basically, you’re not doing any detective work — you’re just acting as a guide for the linear story to come to its eventual conclusion.
Is Judgment Worth Buying?
People will never forget how Ryu Ga Gotoku ended Yakuza and the tale of Kazuma Kiryu on such a bad note. However, Judgment is a pretty good start to a new chapter in this long-running franchise.
Yes, Judgment is not a detective game. Or, at least, not the type of detective game that it was billed as.
Judgment is a Yakuza game through and through. You can’t just deny this. The attempt to throw in detective work into the mix was admirable, at best. But, who are kidding? Judgment is at its best when played as a Yakuza game. This means that, despite being more serious and darker in tone, you’ll enjoy the game more if you embraced its more eccentric side.
Also, because it’s an original spin-off, Judgment is great for first-time players.
Outside of a couple of cameos and small appearances of characters in previous Yakuza games, Judgment’s story is mostly self-contained. Not to mention, both the acting and the English dub is arguably the best in the entire series.
If you’re looking for a detective game that lets you flex your deductive powers, then Judgment is not it. But, if you’re open to seeing justice served however you see fit while getting a chance to play what might just be one of the best Yakuza games of the current console generation, then Judgment is well worth taking a close look at.