Judgment Critic Reviews

Truly, SEGA’s Ryu Ga Gotoku studio is one of the very few studios that we can rely on to push narrative boundaries and really explore the potential for what video games can offer as a traditional storytelling medium.

Judgment is another hit for a team that can’t seem to miss the target.

I’d say Judgment is worth checking out, and certainly marks the best jumping on point for the world of Yakuza since Yakuza 0, even if it isn’t technically a Yakuza game. A whole new cast, new story threads, new mechanics, and more, mean that everyone can give this a shot without being bogged down by 6 or more games worth of 40+ hours of storytelling. So if you’ve ever been on the fence with the series, I’d say give Judgment a shot, and if you like it, go back and check out the Kiwami remakes or Yakuza 0 for a very similar experience.

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.

Some of the Detective mechanics can be hit or miss at times but still hold up enough to make Judgment a fantastic game. An engrossing story, fun missions, fun side activities and great fighting mechanics makes for a great game that both fans of the Yakuza series and those who have never played a Yakuza game before can enjoy.

SEGA strikes again, with a refreshing take on the popular Yakuza franchise. The great story (with decent English-speaking voice actors this time!) will draw you in and the engaging detective gameplay will keep you playing for a long time to come. The graphical glitches are a shame, though... But don't let that stop you from buying Judgment.

A sizeably riotous spin-off to Sega's Yakuza franchise, Judgment combines the series penchant for balancing seriousness and absurdity with a hyper-engaging central protagonist whose deeply charismatic persona freshens the whole affair up massively. Judgment is a toweringly good offering then, and one that we hope leads to its own series with leading man Yagami at the forefront.

With an entirely original story and streamlined side content, Judgment is easily the best place to get introduced to the Yakuza formula, and for longtime fans it's the best Dragon Engine game yet. Either way, it's one you shouldn't miss out on.

Judgment is an absolute roller coaster of an experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend. It’s an intense investigative adventure full of drama, action, and heart. If this is the direction where the Yakuza series is headed to, I have high hopes for the future. The developers have effectively used the established formula to tell a brand new story. Without a doubt, Judgment is worth playing for both fans and newcomers alike.

Detective gameplay mixed in with Yakuza DNA wrapped up in an engaging crime thriller story with superb voice acting and memorable characters.

Judgment is the best entry to the Yakuza series for new players. Introducing new characters and storylines, detective mechanics, an amazing minigame selection (including classics such as Virtua Fighter 5, Space Harrier or Fantasy Zone) and, for the first time, Spanish subtitles.

Easily on par with its predecessors in the main Yakuza franchise, but (and this will be hard to believe) in many ways this actually stands above them. In particular, Judgment contains the best story in the franchise to date. Yagami's tale is a captivating one, filled with imaginative twists and utterly surprising moments, told with the signature Yakuza style, flawlessly juggling comedy with drama, containing many three-dimensional characters that are easy to connect to. Best of all, there's more to this than just the story. The gameplay is massively fun, and there is a positively absurd amount of things to do. For Yakuza fans this is a must buy. For those new to the franchise, this is the perfect opportunity to jump in.

Similar setting and mechanics, but this is no Yakuza. Judgment is a brilliant sequel to the Japanese mob epic and brings many cool new features. You shouldn’t miss this - if only because of the main storyline and charismatic hero Yagami.

The puzzle solving aspects of the game as well as the story make Judgment one of the best detective games to grace the gaming community as a whole in recent years. Couple the epic and original story with the characters’ 3D personalities and you have the recipe for the perfect “movie that you can play”. All in all, if you love to play detective, but also have a soft spot for kicking people in their soft spots Yakuza Style, you should get your hands on Judgment right away.

This city feels alive, and despite it’s incredibly seedy underground, it’s a locale in video games that I look forward to returning to each and every chance I get, with Judgment’s story and cast being one I won’t forget.

The campaign leads into every corner of Kamurocho, which is full of surprises - even if you have already played all previous installments in the series.

The team behind Yakuza proves they do know how to make great games, full of good content, and enjoyable from beginning to end. If you like this studios’ previous work, you cannot miss Judgment.

Judgment is the best Yakuza game ever...expect for the fact that, formally, it is not a Yakuza game. Still, there are enough new gameplay elements to lure new players in, and enough old references for returning fans. Don't miss it.

Built over the base of the Yakuza franchise, Judgment brings new mechanics and redefine others to provide a title that's both fun to play and extremely interesting to follow thanks to the amazing plot, one of the best the Ryu ga Gotoku studio has ever done.

Story-wise, Judgment is a compelling mix of Chinatown and the first season of True Detective. Impressive direction and believable characters in unexpected situations is the last thing that I expected from an action game based on the Yakuza engine.