You are the Judge!
- October 2, 2023
- Steel Games
Get on Steam"You Are the Judge!" is a simulation game where you step into the role of a newly appointed judge in the conflict-ridden country of Kobardde. Examine complex case files, consult witnesses, and make decisions that will impact the lives of those involved and even your own career. Your choices and decisions are shaped by your past life, creating a unique and personalized journey in this realistic judicial experience.
Reviews
- The game has a unique and intriguing premise that appeals to fans of legal and courtroom simulations.
- Some players appreciate the logical interactions in the courtroom and the ability to visit crime scenes, adding depth to the gameplay.
- The game has potential for improvement, with players expressing hope for future updates and enhancements.
- The cases are poorly designed, often lacking sufficient evidence, making it difficult to reach fair verdicts.
- Many players find the dialogue and character interactions to be bland and unengaging, detracting from the overall experience.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and a lack of optimization, which negatively impacts gameplay.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and fun, while others criticize its mechanics, particularly the punitive fine system for incorrect verdicts, which undermines player choice. The game attempts a serious approach, contrasting with more comedic titles like Ace Attorney, but struggles with depth in its family mechanics and the illusion of meaningful choices, leading to player frustration. Overall, while there are interesting elements, the execution leaves room for improvement.
“But it offers a fun and enjoyable gameplay experience.”
“I know a judge would extremely rarely, if ever, actually visit a crime scene, but it's more interesting from a gameplay perspective than just looking at pictures.”
“Although it may seem like it's stepping a bit outside the bounds of the profession, it has added a nice impact to the gameplay.”
“The mechanic of punishing you with a fine for taking the 'wrong' verdict defeats the whole purpose of making choices that affect other people's lives.”
“The family mechanic needs more depth, and I don't think it's the best design decision to make it mandatory. The choices at the prologue create a feeling of choice, but it doesn't hold up when you realize that it's not an actual choice, which can be frustrating for the player.”
“Some of the mechanics in the game, like the error fine, remind me of 'Papers, Please', but a border agent isn't the same type of character as a judge.”
- story7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's storyline features a secondary family narrative that feels unnecessary and lacks depth, with relationships that do not significantly impact the main plot. While the concept of an interactive novel centered around a judge is intriguing, the execution falls short, as it primarily resembles a judge simulator without meaningful choices or diverse character representation. Overall, the story could benefit from more engaging elements and character development.
“It's a great concept, kind of like the idea of an interactive novel where you're going through the story (or stories) of a judge (or judges), maybe having some choices that could impact where the story goes. That's kind of what I figured the game would be like in reading the description, or perhaps it was just a judge simulator, which is an interesting concept itself.”
“The game then has this second story with your family going on in the background, which it doesn't need at all.”
“Would also be more interesting if the judge was single and could pursue another line of relationship with characters they interact with along the story.”
“The game then has this second story with your family going on in the background which it doesn't need at all.”
“I don't understand the point of the relationships; they don't seem to do much of anything, and the backstory/family seems to not do anything at all.”
“Last, as you allow people to select which judge they want to play, I want to note that there are no women judges; there is a general story of a man who's married with kids.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally described as simple and functional, striking a balance between immersion and practicality. While some users find them decent and effective for the game's context, others consider them mediocre and not on par with triple-A titles. Overall, the visuals are acceptable but could be improved.
“The graphics strike a balance between functionality and immersion.”
“Overall, the graphics are simple yet effective.”
“The graphics are decent, with interesting concepts for the first two cases.”
“The graphics are mediocre at best.”
“Overall, the graphics are simple yet effective.”
“The graphics are fine; it's not a triple-A title, and they could definitely be a lot worse.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game effectively captures the seriousness of courtroom proceedings through detailed environments and character models, though the sound design is somewhat hindered by overpowering music that detracts from the ambient courthouse noises. Overall, it creates a fitting, if not fully immersive, legal setting.
“The courtroom scenes are detailed enough to convey the seriousness of the legal proceedings, with well-rendered character models and environments that closely reflect the atmosphere of a courthouse, while not overly flashy.”
“There are 'courthouse' sounds, but they get overshadowed by the music that underscores key moments in the game, sometimes making it hard to focus on the ambient noises that could otherwise enhance the courtroom atmosphere.”
“The courtroom scenes are detailed enough to convey the seriousness of the legal proceedings, with adequately rendered character models and environments that closely reflect the atmosphere of a courthouse, while not overly flashy.”
“There are 'courthouse' sounds, but they get overshadowed by the music that underscores key moments in the game, sometimes making it hard to focus on the ambient noises that could otherwise enhance the courtroom atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with users reporting lag, crashes, and freezes during loading screens, regardless of their system's specifications. Overall, the performance is unsatisfactory for both high-end and low-end computers.
“The game needs more optimization; it lags, crashes, and freezes at some of the loading screens present between scenarios (courtroom, judge's office, etc.).”
“I’m not completely satisfied with this video game, as it’s not optimized for higher-end computers, or even low-end computers.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music often overshadows the ambient courthouse sounds, which diminishes the potential for an immersive courtroom atmosphere. While the music underscores key moments effectively, it can make it challenging for players to appreciate the surrounding audio details.
“The music beautifully underscores key moments in the game, creating an emotional depth that enhances the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack is a perfect blend of atmospheric sounds and engaging melodies that draw you into the game's world.”
“The music elevates the gameplay, making each moment feel more intense and memorable.”
“The music often drowns out the ambient sounds, making it difficult to appreciate the courtroom atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and fails to create a memorable experience during key moments.”
“While there are interesting sound effects, they are often overshadowed by the music, which detracts from the overall immersion.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from stability issues, with users reporting frequent lags, crashes, and freezes during loading screens between scenarios, indicating a need for better optimization.
“The game needs more optimization; it lags, crashes, and freezes at some of the loading screens present between scenarios (courtroom, judge's office, etc.).”
“I've experienced frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay, making it frustrating to progress.”
“The stability issues are a major concern, as the game often freezes during critical moments.”
