You are the Judge!

About

You are the Judge! is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Steel Games and was released on October 2, 2023. It received neutral reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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43%

Audience ScoreBased on 94 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The game has a unique and intriguing premise that appeals to fans of legal and courtroom simulations.
Some players appreciate the interactive elements, such as visiting crime scenes and engaging with evidence, which adds depth to the gameplay.
The graphics and overall presentation are decent, providing a functional and immersive environment for players.

The cases are poorly designed, often lacking sufficient evidence, making it difficult for players to reach fair verdicts.
Many players feel that the dialogue and character interactions are limited and unrealistic, detracting from the overall experience.
The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and a lack of optimization, which can hinder gameplay and frustrate users.

gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
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 the sense of meaningful choice. The game attempts a serious, simulator-like approach, contrasting with more comedic titles like Ace Attorney, but struggles with depth in its family mechanics and the illusion of choice, 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 add a feeling of choice, but it doesn't hold at all when you realize that it isn't an actual choice. This can lead to frustration for the player, especially in situations where you have three options to pick from, but only one outcome, which feels like falling into a con in real life.”
- “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.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's story features a dual narrative involving the player's role as a judge and a background family storyline that many players find unnecessary and lacking in depth. Critics express a desire for more meaningful relationships and choices that could influence the plot, as well as a more diverse representation of judges. Overall, while the concept of an interactive novel is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Last, as you allow people to select which judge they want to play, I want to take note that there are no women judges; there is a general story of a man who's married with kids.”
- “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.”
- “It would also be more interesting if the judge was single and could pursue another line of relationships with characters they interact with along the story.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
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 seen as acceptable but lacking in polish.
- “The graphics strike a balance between functionality and immersion.”
- “The graphics are decent, 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.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere in the game effectively captures the seriousness of courtroom proceedings through detailed environments and character models, though they are somewhat average in quality. While the inclusion of courthouse sounds adds to the setting, they are often drowned out by the music, which can detract from the immersive experience. Overall, the atmosphere is well-crafted but could benefit from a better balance between ambient sounds and musical elements.
- “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 that contribute to the ambiance, although they can sometimes be overshadowed by the music that underscores key moments in the game, making it challenging to focus on the ambient noises that could enhance the courtroom atmosphere.”
- “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 okay-rendered character models and environments that closely reflect the atmosphere of a courthouse, while not overly flashy.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with users reporting frequent lags, crashes, and freezes during loading screens, affecting both high-end and low-end computers. Overall, players express dissatisfaction with the game's performance and stability.
- “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.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
The music in the game plays a significant role in underscoring key moments, but it often overshadows the ambient courthouse sounds, which could have enriched the courtroom atmosphere. This can make it challenging for players to fully appreciate the intended auditory environment.
- “The music beautifully underscores key moments in the game, creating an emotional depth that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, immersing players in the courtroom atmosphere and elevating the tension during critical scenes.”
- “The blend of ambient sounds and music creates a unique auditory experience that draws players deeper into the narrative.”
- “The music often overshadows the 'courthouse' sounds, making it difficult to appreciate the ambient noises that could enhance the courtroom atmosphere.”
- “The background music tends to drown out the important 'courthouse' sounds, which detracts from the overall immersion in the game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game suffers from stability issues, with users reporting frequent lags, crashes, and freezes, particularly during loading screens between scenarios. There is a consensus that further optimization is needed to improve performance.
- “The game needs more optimization; it lags, crashes, and freezes at some of the loading screens present between scenarios (courtroom, judge's office, etc.).”
- “The game suffers from significant stability issues, frequently crashing and freezing during loading screens.”
- “There are persistent lag and freezing problems that disrupt the gameplay experience, especially during transitions between scenarios.”