Lost Judgment Reviews
Judgment was already very good. Lost Judgment is much better. It's as simple as that. The Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has built a titanic adventure on the already very solid pillars of the first episode. Basically, the game features a captivating main story that shows Japan like few games have done. In parallel to this, he unfolds a second plot at least as dense that really plunges into a Japanese high school. And on top of that, the title has the luxury of offering dozens of quests and side business. All helped by improvements to the gameplay and sprinkled with new mini-games. Rumors claim that Lost Judgment could be the last episode of the series because of disagreements between SEGA and Takuya Kimura's agency.
Review in French | Read full review
Lost Judgment is a phenomenal improvement over its prequel and becomes a must-have for all Yakuza series fans out there.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
In short, Lost Judgement takes everything that was great about the original and makes it that much better. It’s got a magnificent story, great characters, an enormous amount of side characters, and great combat all in one package. It’s just one of those games that you won’t want to put down for bed while also being the reason you get up early for work in order to play just a little bit more. Lost Judgment is simply a perfect sequel.
Lost Judgment's story misses the mark on an important issue. While you can have a lot of fun getting lost in its world, it doesn't pack the punch it wants to.
Lost Judgment shows why RGG is at the top of their game. Its setbacks are hardly noticeable given its strengths.
Lost Judgment proves that, not just because it’s a sequel, but because it’s a damn good game that feels like it contains all the elements that have made the Yakuza series great while maintaining its own identity. 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.
Detective Yagami's second adventure in RGG Studio's Yakuza spin-off series is a fantastic improvement over its predecessor in nearly every single way, positioning itself as one of the strongest games from them yet.
Lost Judgement is a small leap forward for the Yakuza spinoff series. While I would have expected a bit more from a sequel, what's here is still just as enjoyable as the first game, if not more so. The highschool additions are a novel look at the often used Japanese setting, while still focusing on the crime drama and investigation fans love.
If you need additional proof that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is a master of its craft, then look no further. Though slightly flawed in places, Lost Judgment is, nonetheless, yet another deeply compelling detective story, brimming with murder, mystery, intrigue, and more twists than a bag of pretzels.
A great sequel, that carries the legacy of a franchise and only improves on it. Lost Judgment is a triumph in many ways. That in the end is let down slightly by one big issue and a handful of smaller annoyances.
Lost Judgment is a hell of a game, mess and all. Passing its predecessor in some regards and lagging behind in others, it at least has solid bang for your buck and brings the franchise goods that have been built upon over recent years. However, I’m disappointed by some of the shortfalls. Female character treatment remains a problem in-game and the mystery or detective gameplay don’t feel as solid as the one prior. Still, if you’re after a living breathing world with plenty to do and some of the best combat the series has seen yet, then this is a mystery adventure that still manages to hit hard.
Unveiling the game’s central mystery step by step is always exciting, and there’s enough levity throughout the rest of the game to offset the darker tone that this central story revels in. There’s plenty to see and do throughout this game, and I’m excited for the added content coming over the next year, expanding the school setting and the story of Yagami’s best bud, Kaito.
This is still a Ryu Ga Gotoku production, meaning there’s an over-the-top and at times absurd line that weaves it way throughout the entire game. In short, Lost Judgment is a damn good time.
By building on the first game's strengths and taking confident steps forward in some key areas, Lost Judgment delivers an arresting and captivating experience that surpasses its predecessor in every way possible.
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.
Tying Judgment to a combat system that even the original franchise has left behind feels like a decision to hobble the imagination this studio has demonstrated time and time again. We've spent over a decade and seven games learning what a Yakuza game feels like, and 2019's first step into the spinoff series Judgment impressed the hell out of me, but now it's time for the franchise to figure out what it wants to be. And I hope it can do that by standing on its own.
Lost Judgment rectifies a lot of the shortcomings of its predecessor while repeating a few of them. A compelling murder mystery coupled with intoxicating side content and sumptuous visuals make this another solid Ryu ga Gotoku title even if franchise fatigue threatens to take off some of that shine. It succeeds by expanding on what made Judgment great while offering the best real-time combat experience yet. Plus, you can skateboard and solve crimes with a Shiba Inu – I don't think I need to say much more than that.
In short, while Lost Judgement isn't a perfect sequel, it still lives up to its predecessor as it offers new refreshing gameplay mechanics alongside an engaging story.
Lost Judgment has, perhaps fittingly, somewhat lost itself. It’s focused so much on cleaning up the gameplay that it forgot what really gave Yakuza its appeal to begin with; the charm and soul of the writing, setting, and characters.