Strangely enough, I haven’t played much of the acclaimed Yakuza series, even though I’ve had a want to do so after many of the games got remade for the PS4 and have been the subject of a lot of discussion from other critics and creators I follow. Lucky for me, I was granted a chance at the series (kinda) by reviewing Judgment for PS4, a new game from the same developers that takes place in the same city as Yakuza but is a different story, new gameplay elements, and new cast of characters. As a complete newcomer to this studio, aside from a demo of the first Yakuza in the PS2 days, I am extremely excited to play Judgment to completion and then subsequently devour the Yakuza series and everything that this group of Sega developers has done.
Judgment is less of a brash city-explorer and more of a narrative-driven detective story. The game puts players in control of Takayuki Yagami, a private detective who fell from his prestigious lawyer career after a man that he successfully defended, Shinpei Okubo, is suddenly arrested. Police found Okubo’s apartment ablaze and his girlfriend is found stabbed to death. This event ruined Yagami’s career and forever changed how he perceived his own judgment of character. Many of the characters refer to this event and it is a constant battle for Yagami.
Players explore the iconic city of Kamurocho alongside the ex-yakuza Masaharu Kaito, steadily working towards the truth in a horrific case that centers around three victims, all of whom had been found with their eyes gouged out. It’s a case of intrigue with a lot of different factors that cleverly unfold throughout the game. This led to several different types of gameplay like flying a drone in the crowded streets to peer through windows, examining a crime scene for clues, or trying to get information out a person during conversation in the most effective way by asking the right questions.
The main gameplay will feel quite familiar to fans of the Yakuza games though. Yagami is able to explore lots of shops, arcades, restaurants and more in the city, giving a lot of depth to the fairly small world. This city has layers and it’s incredible just how much content is crammed in. There are also elements of a classic beat-em-up game; thugs and yakuza will attack Yagami and he can fend them off with a masterful display of martial arts. Turns out Yagami was raised on the streets of Kamurocho by a yakuza patriarch, granting him all the skills and smarts to survive, as well as pave the way for his professional career. Yagami shows a lot of gratitude to this man, also carrying shame from the failure that led to losing his lawyer credibility.
Two martial art styles (Crane and Tiger) are used during combat, leading to some truly impressive combos. I especially enjoyed all of the different scenarios that led to bombastic finishing moves. These have the camera zooming in and slowing down in an epic fashion and really show off the fidelity of the Dragon Engine fueling this game. A straightforward progression system drives lots of upgrades and new techniques to use with things like faster attack speed, additional maneuvers, and faster transitions and animation cancels.
Even with a lot of options, the combat is pretty easy to grasp. Groups of enemies are easier to manage with Crane Style (kicks and flow) while Tiger Style is better suited for single targets with a flurry of precise punches. Sticking to this strategy will stop most of the common attackers in their tracks.
I found the combat to be simple to execute with natural feeling controls but I quickly learned that there is some wonderful depth to it. Knowing what special moves come from what scenarios leads to true mastery, allowing Yagami to expertly weave through opponents and strike when the timing is right. One can also just hammer away at attacks and that can also lead to success, especially if Yagami stocks up on healing items.
Boss fights are where the combat systems get really amazing. One fight, in particular, brought Yagami face to face with a man wielding a katana. This led to incredible fight choreography where the sword sparked against the walls of an alley with Yagami barely avoiding the razor-sharp edge, expertly grappling with the enemy to stay close. It was thrilling with exaggerated and grandiose expressions and movement and I loved every moment of it.
While combat is where some of the most engaging gameplay can be found, I thoroughly enjoyed just walking about the city. Kamurocho is filled with vices and delights, especially for those with a love of Sega’s arcade history. There are several places to play emulated versions of their games like Virtua Fighter 5, Fantasy Zone, the classic Space Harrier (also classically found in Shenmue), a rail shooter similar to House of the Dead, and more. It’s all great fun and I love seeing this as a way to keep gaming history alive. I also spent a lot of time at the UFO Catcher claw game getting all four of the monkeys from Super Monkey Ball. Now those little critters sit on a shelf in Yagami’s office and it’s precious.
Hours wasted in the arcades aside, Judgment also has an element of making connections throughout the city. Several characters have stories that can be steadily experienced by popping into where they work or finding where they frequent. I stumbled into a coffee shop and made an almost instant connection with the girl working there. I really hope her story ends well; I couldn’t take seeing her life surrounded by tragedy. I also started up a quest involving Yagami’s landlord wanting to start a restaurant, coaxing Yagami into being a taste tester due to his spotty rent payments. This led to some really funny moments and I only wish more of it was voiced over but that would be a larger undertaking.
Story-wise there is a lot to enjoy here and fans of crime dramas or mysteries may especially connect with Judgment. I’m typically not a fan of that type of narrative but Judgment has just a twinge of that zany tone we’ve seen in the Yakuza games. I’ve heard it gets more silly over time but there’s an element of seriousness that keeps the story intense. Almost every line of dialogue had me on edge and I’m excited to see the conclusion.
It’s also worth noting that Sega truly localized Judgment. Many of their games were translated into other languages but Judgment actually had English voices in mind during development and that comes across in the delivery of lines and the animations of characters’ faces. Those familiar with Japanese actors will likely get a bigger kick out of the cast than I do but I find it interesting when this happens. Onimusha, one of my favorite Capcom games, also stars a couple of famous Japanese actors. It’s a cool practice that I imagine will become more and more prevalent in the game design of all countries.
If I were to nitpick on Judgment, there are only a few areas worth pointing out. I think performance can be a little shaky in some areas with some perceivable framerate dips. Although, I am playing on a standard PS4, so those on a PS4 Pro could find a smoother experience.
I also think that the city doesn’t open up soon enough or at least I wish it was more clear which areas were accessible. After most missions, I’d check into the arcade, only to just not have the door open up. This resulted in me just going from waypoint to waypoint in hopes that I could explore the city soon. By the end of the first chapter though, most areas are available.
I’m also hoping that later missions require more logic to solve, as most of the case solving is pretty streamlined in the beginning. It helps keep the narrative flowing but I do hope some side missions or something really push my reasoning and attention to detail. I’ve heard the Ace Attorney series does this well but I’ve seen it done best in Zero Time Dilemma, which was full of tough puzzles laced throughout the dialogue.
Truthfully though, Judgment is a gem of a game that I am enjoying wholeheartedly. I am so excited to finish this one and start up Yakuza 0, the Kiwami remakes, the HD ports, and then the latest entries. I also want to check out Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise for its goofy lens on the often melodramatic and always violent anime. It seems that I’ve become a fan after only scratching the surface on what Judgment has to offer.
This development team is arguably the best that Sega has. There seems to be a consistency here that many studios lack.
Judgment is a great starting point for newcomers to this style of game and one that could surprise many Yakuza players.
For more information on Judgment, check out the official website. A digital copy for the PS4 was provided for the purpose of review.
