Judgment

  • June 25, 2019
82%
Game Brain Score Based on 64 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • optimization
Judgment Game Cover
Simultaneously fresh and familiar, Judgment is an excellent first step forward for the Yakuza universe after the conclusion of Kazuma Kiryu's story.

"Judgment is a dramatic detective game from the Yakuza series' creators, where you play as disgraced lawyer Takayuki Yagami, who seeks redemption in Kamurocho's corrupt underworld. Investigate using innovative systems, uncover secrets, and engage in visceral combat with two unique styles. The game boasts an English dub with a star-studded voice cast, marking the first time in over a decade for an English-dubbed Yakuza series game."

  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Play​Station
Play Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 64 reviews
story20 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Engaging and twisting narrative with a memorable cast of characters, particularly the protagonist Yagami.
  • Fun and flashy combat system, complemented by a wealth of varied side content and activities.
  • Visually stunning representation of Kamurocho, enhanced by next-gen improvements in framerate and resolution.
  • Detective gameplay mechanics can feel shallow and underdeveloped, with tedious investigative segments.
  • Some pacing issues due to dull tailing missions and lengthy investigations.
  • Limited player agency in the story and missing fan-favorite mini-games from the Yakuza series.
  • story37 mentions

    The story of "Judgment" is praised for its engaging and twist-filled narrative, featuring a well-developed protagonist, Yagami, and a memorable cast of characters. While the storytelling is generally strong and complemented by a wealth of side content, some players noted pacing issues due to dull investigation mechanics and a lack of player agency. Overall, it is considered a compelling entry in the Yakuza universe, offering a polished experience that balances serious themes with entertaining side quests.

    • “An engrossing narrative, great characters, and a wealth of side content make for a thrilling adventure - despite some niggling story beats and under-utilized mechanics.”
    • “It tells an excellent story, offers a ton of varied and enjoyable content, and delivers an extremely polished take on the classic Yakuza formula.”
    • “Couple the epic and original story with the characters’ 3D personalities and you have the recipe for the perfect 'movie that you can play'.”
    • “Little to no player agency in the story.”
    • “The story sometimes loses focus, with tailing segments and a slow first act.”
    • “Character speech betrays the fact that the game was dubbed from a mile away; the story is too short, and the drone controls are annoying.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay in Judgment is characterized by an engaging narrative and a strong cast of characters, complemented by flashy combat and a wealth of side content. However, it suffers from underdeveloped detective mechanics and a reliance on the Yakuza framework, which can detract from the overall experience. While visually enhanced, the gameplay loop feels familiar and may not fully realize its potential, leaving some players wanting more depth in the detective aspects.

    • “An engrossing narrative, great characters, and a wealth of side content make for a thrilling adventure.”
    • “Judgment may still feel a bit like it's pulling too much from the Yakuza series, but its brand new cast of characters, satisfying narrative that draws the player in, and just enough detective mechanics help it stand on its own merits.”
    • “The gameplay is massively fun, and there is a positively absurd amount of things to do.”
    • “Despite the fantastic story, Judgment stops short of being a must-play thanks to its shallow and unfulfilling crime-solving gameplay.”
    • “Held back by its Yakuza framework, particularly with its reliance on combat, it doesn’t get as deep into detective work as you might like, resulting in incredibly boring gameplay.”
    • “Add in half-baked detective mechanics and Judgment doesn't realize its concept's potential.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its revamped visuals and smooth performance, enhancing the engaging combat and rich content. However, some users noted minor performance hiccups and common issues that, while not game-breaking, could detract from the experience. The storytelling is compelling, though some feel it could benefit from being more concise.

    • “It is renowned for its excellent story, action-packed battling, and wealth of content, but the revamped visuals and slick performance really take it to the next level.”
    • “Combat is a blast, killer performances from the cast, music slaps, tons to see and do.”
    • “Gameplay loop is still just Yakuza with some extra gimmicks on top, common (but not ruinous) performance issues.”
    • “The story could be condensed a bit, and there are performance hiccups.”
    • “While it is renowned for its excellent story and action-packed battling, the revamped visuals and slick performance are lacking.”
    • “The optimization issues detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating at times.”
  • graphics3 mentions

    The graphics in the game are praised for their significant improvements, featuring enhanced visuals and a smooth 60fps framerate that enhances fluidity and performance. While the revamped visuals elevate the experience, some reviewers feel that the overall enhancements compared to the PS4 version are minimal.

    • “It is renowned for its excellent story, action-packed battling, and wealth of content, but the revamped visuals and slick performance really take it to the next level.”
    • “The visuals are better than ever, the 60fps framerate really amplifies the fluidity of the dragon engine and combat, and load times are near non-existent.”
    • “Judgment is a fine and serviceable port of the PS4 game, but apart from enhanced visuals and 60 fps gameplay, the overall experience doesn't feel that much more enhanced than what you saw on PS4.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious and irritating, particularly noting that the detective-themed minigames and investigative segments lack depth and variety, leading to a sense of monotony. Additionally, the combat elements can disrupt the narrative flow, further contributing to the overall feeling of repetitiveness.

    • “Detective-themed minigames are tedious and irritating; the investigative segments are too straightforward to feel worthwhile, and the lack of location variety eventually makes Kamurocho feel stale.”
    • “Investigative and chase sections can feel tedious, and combat sometimes gets in the way of the plot.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised, with users noting that it enhances the overall experience and contributes to the excitement of combat. The performances from the cast further elevate the quality of the soundtrack, making it a standout feature.

    • “The music slaps and enhances the overall experience.”
    • “Killer performances from the cast elevate the game's atmosphere.”
    • “Combat is a blast, and the soundtrack keeps the energy high.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted through its funny and endearing side quests, which complement the engaging story filled with courtroom drama, crime, and mystery. Players find the blend of humor and flashy combat makes it an accessible entry point to Yakuza-style games.

    • “A perfect entry point to Yakuza-style games, with an engaging story that combines courtroom drama, crime, and mystery, easy to learn, flashy combat, and funny, endearing side quests.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever writing and hilarious character interactions that keep you entertained throughout.”
    • “I love how the game balances serious themes with laugh-out-loud moments, making every mission feel fresh and enjoyable.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its portrayal of the challenges of detective work, weaving an intriguing mystery with a compelling emotional drama that is supported by well-developed characters.

    • “It shows the nuances of detective work, adds an intriguing mystery to it, and presents an emotional drama backed by strong characters.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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