Judgment Reviews

Judgment is another high-quality release in the Yakuza franchise, complete with a ton of compelling side content, a great story, and enthralling drone races -- all wrapped up in a very nice PC port.

Judgment tinkers with the Yakuza template enough that it provides something for fans, as well as those who have always thought about visiting Kamurocho.

We loved Judgment on PlayStation 4, but over time, our appreciation of this Yakuza spinoff has only grown. Upon reflection, we actually think that our Judgment PS4 review was a bit off the mark, and having now played the game's remaster on PS5, we're fully convinced that this is, hands down, one of the best Yakuza-style games that money can buy.

If you're a Yakuza fan, you've probably already bought Judgment in your head. If you're not, then this is a great place to start, Yagami's hardboiled crime saga a remarkably engaging, surprising, and rousing journey from beginning to end.

Judgment looks and sounds exceptional. The main characters’ faces are incredibly realistic, and the special attacks and cutscenes are as gloriously gratuitous as ever. The English voice-acting is actually alright, though I switched to the Japanese voice-over because I found it to be better and more natural-sounding overall.

While Kiryu may no longer be roaming the seedy streets of Kamurocho, that doesn't mean that the fun has to stop. Judgment explores the familiar red-light district through a detective's eyes, but do the new mechanics merge well with the familiar brawler gameplay?

There's an argument to be made that Judgment does at points let the familiar get the best of itself -- confusing the mere sake of additional features and mechanics for those that genuinely feel like fresh changes. While its gameplay additions, those that cater towards the more detective-orientated style of play and presentation, can feel like a mixed bag of shallow and interesting deviations alike, it's but a minor crease in a game that once again excels both on its content and the knowledge on how to use it. A story that is engaging, intriguing yet thoughtfully structured, complete with another grand cast of new characters, even when it risks of becoming too pedestrian, Judgment predominantly finds the means to keep players fixed on the events unfolding. Fans of the Yakuza series may be quick to filter out what's genuinely new from everything else, but for a game as packed and as entertaining as this, what it may lack in pure originality, Judgment more than makes up for with a game that is as fun to engage with as it is to just sit back and watch as the now-commonly bizarre antics of Kamurocho play out to delightful and convincing effect.

Judgment is a fun Yakuza spin-off that changes the formula just enough to stand on its own. Our review...

Judgment may still feel a bit like its 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.

Judgment brings new levels of narrative and mechanical intricacies to the familiar setting of Kamurocho in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's latest title.

Although I wish there was more depth to its detective work, Judgment’s smooth and spectacular street fighting, eclectic array of side activities, and suspenseful serial killer-based plot makes for the best original Yakuza game of this console generation. With its high-quality English-language dub and all-new cast of characters, it’s also the most approachable for newcomers. Provided you’re happy to serve justice with the swing of a sledgehammer rather than the knock of a gavel, Judgment is well worth investigating.

Tangle with the Tojo Clan again, but this time as a detective.

It's time for the PlayStation Lifestyle Judgment review. What did we think of the latest from Sega's Yakuza studio?

Judgment is more than “more Yakuza”; it’s a markedly different beast that, despite using assets from Yakuza 6, re-introduces you to Kamurocho through a new set of eyes. Tak is brasher, smarter, and more inclined to use brains than brawn, and the characters he goes up against are surprisingly grounded. Altogether, it’s a thoroughly delightful detective adventure. If this is the start of Tak Yagami’s journey then I’m happy to be along for the ride.

Sega's iconic Yakuza series now has a very cool spin-off so get ready to meet ex-lawyer now-detective Takayuki Yagami.