Lost Judgment Critic Reviews

If you exclusively follow the main narrative then you’ll find that in Lost Judgment, Ryu Ga Gatoku Studio has delivered something every bit as compelling and interesting as anything Raymond Chandler ever wrote. The central crime story is a riveting and often uncomfortably poignant reflection on society (and Japan’s legal system). If, on the other hand, you’re more interested in more Yakuza-style zany side-styles and a deep collection of highly playable mini-games, the Lost Judgment has you covered there, too. I can’t see how anyone could fail to love this game.

Building upon its predecessor in every conceivable way, Lost Judgment is a superb sequel that tells a story that will leave you asking yourself what justice means to you. It's a gripping thrill ride full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. And even after the credits roll, the city streets will call you back for more with their countless distractions.

Lost Judgment is nothing short of stunning. It's tightly-packed narrative never fails to enthrall, while its gameplay systems make navigating to each of its engrossing narrative beats an exciting experience in its own right.

An amazing murder mystery and conspiracy story is told through awesome gameplay in Lost Judgment. Smooth combat, amazing cities to explore and fun side quests will keep you coming back for more.

Lost Judgment is one of the best games in years with its superlative narrative, sublime combat, great soundtrack, plethora of side activities, and fantastic localization. This is easily one of Sega’s best.

Even if you do the minimum amount of side content and just stick with the main story as much as possible, you’re in for a long, interesting, and fun game. The story matter is heavy, though, and might tax some players into taking breaks more often than they might typically. To balance that, there is a lot of good humor and zaniness that you would expect from this studio, but also some endearing missions in the School Stories section where you do everything from lead a dance team, help engineer robots, box, join a motorcycle gang, and partake in a Virtua Fighter 5 tournament. Additionally, the changes that LJ has compared to the original are all positive, too — big new areas to explore, new gameplay elements in both the action and adventure portions of the experience, and yet the best parts of the original are carried over. Ultimately, this is an excellent game that I readily recommend.

The detective gameplay still needs some work, and the plot stumbles a bit from time to time, but I have never been happier to dive back into this world, nor sadder to leave it once the game is finished.

RGG Studio’s greatest strength is it’s writing and characters and Lost Judgment delivers in spades. Characters are fleshed out and their motives feel grounded and believable, but you will also meet plenty of wacky and memorable folks as well. You grow attached to the people you meet in Ijincho and when bad things happen you genuinely hope everyone escapes unscathed.

Whether this is a first trip to Kamurocho or simply the latest of many, Lost Judgment is an engaging experience and hopefully not the last we see of Yagami Takayuki.

Lost Judgment takes what was good about Judgment and turns it into an even better game. The main story is riveting and all the side-stories are just as interesting in a wide variety of ways. The game shows a side of Japan that is rarely seen in video games. And it does it in a serious way that is even rarer. The silliness people have come to expect from a Yakuza game is off course here to add some levity. It is also hard to believe how much stuff the developers have managed to put in the game. There's all the side content seen in previous Yakuza games (except for the karaoke, which is sorely missed). And on top of that, they've added a handful of brand new activities and mini-games which all have their own mechanics. With Lost Judgment, the Takuya Kimura-led series already has its Yakuza 0.

Much like the flashy combat, the story also builds itself with significant momentum. It makes Lost Judgment a game that, in addition to being fun to play, really entices you to see it to its end.

Lost Judgment is yet another home run for RGG Studio. It boasts an engaging, jaw-dropping narrative with emotional mysteries connected within an immense web of interconnected conspiracies. Additionally, the game's bold nature in tackling darker themes that can sharply resonate with young adult audiences is remarkably well done. Add on the expected and addicting side activities, minigames, and varied gameplay loop, and you have a sequel that manages to establish its own sturdy identity coupled with non-intrusive elements of the past.

A fantastic action adventure that taps directly into the root DNA of the Yakuza franchise, Lost Judgment not only manages to simultaneously boast both the darkest and the goofiest storylines of any title in the series to date, but it also stuns the player with an absolute avalanche of hugely entertaining side quests and activities. More than that though, Lost Judgment also provides solace for those who found themselves turned off by the turn-based combat system that the mainline Yakuza series now seems to favour, while welcoming newcomers to one of the best new Japanese franchises of the last two decades.

With its excellent detective story, extremely likable characters, and welcome improvements to combat and investigation mechanics, Lost Judgment won't disappoint any fan of the original, of the Yakuza series, or anyone looking for a very mature story. The game doesn't try to shake up the original formula, which may definitely put some players off, but this is hardly a problem when quality is as high as it is in the latest game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Lost Judgment is a game that deals with incredibly important topics in a very serious way, while also staying true to the wacky nature of this and the Yakuza series. It is also a fantastic game with great combat and solid narrative, and anyone that is slightly interested in what it has to offer should give it a try.

Those worried about where the tradition of Yakuza would stand following last year’s change in direction for the series should rest easy in just how well executed Lost Judgment truly is, from terrifically-written story to masterful gameplay.

The compelling story makes this sequel worthwhile in its own right, and what complements this is the fantastic and varied gameplay. With plenty of content, Lost Judgment is well equipped to keep you entertained for a long time, and last but not least, we must not fail to mention the audio, which is top notch. The Dragon Engine however does show its age a little, but that's fine.

If there was a category for most improved sequel this year, I strongly believe Lost Judgment might be in the running for winning it. The game offered so many new, cool things to do throughout my 45 hours with it and somehow striked a fine, delicate balance between the goofy Yakuza spin-off you know and love and a spectacular crime drama that tackles difficult themes not seen often enough in games.

One intriguing murder mystery, two Japanese cities, three great fighting styles, over a dozen addictive mini-games and countless side stories: that's Lost Judgment. Whether you're a Yakuza veteran or if this is your first RGG game, play it.

Lost Judgment is a big step forward, with many updates based on audience reception of the original title. Sega released a game that elevates the Judgment franchise to a whole new level.