Judgment Reviews
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.
With its strengths and weaknesses, Judgment confirmed to us that it is certainly worth taking the umpteenth journey to Kamurocho
Review in Italian | Read full review
Judgment is a brave departure for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, temporarily leaving Yakuza behind to craft an engaging detective thriller that not only stands on its own, but introduces a breadth of new ideas I'd love to see expanded going forward.
Varied action adventure with an incredibly exciting thriller story and a lovingly staged Japanese neighborhood
Review in German | Read full review
Judge Eyes / Judgement is a very nice gift from the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Even though it may feel at first like it is only a skin based on previous Yakuza games, it feels fresh enough and brings in brand new ideas that make for a great gaming experience. We would have simply liked that its characters spent less time talking and more time kicking asses, this is where they truly shine!
Review in French | Read full review
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.
Judgement is a fantastic Yakuza game, but the spinoff's other elements can feel half baked. Brawling and investigating can both be fun, but it's clear there's depth missing from both aspects. The PS5 version is a blanket upgrade, with improved lighting, textures, and load times, but could have used a bit more care to preserve the artistic choices of the original.
A solid spin-off that capitalizes on the studio's strengths, but ultimately relies on its formula too much. Add in half-baked detective mechanics and Judgment doesn't realize its concept's potential.
Judgment is a successful spinoff from the Yakuza series that simply demands a follow-up. If Yakuza: Like a Dragon is pulling the main series towards turn-based combat, then Judgment would be an excellent place to continue exploring its real-time brawler roots. If you’re looking for a next-gen title that will deliver much more than just pretty visuals, it’s well worth a purchase on the PS5! If, however, you already own the title on the PS4, your money is likely better spent on other games (You HAVE played Yakuza: Like a Dragon, right?)
Despite some repetitive gameplay and a story that sputters out, Judgment is a worthy successor to the Yakuza series, with engaging side content and a world that feels truly alive.
Judgment brings new levels of narrative and mechanical intricacies to the familiar setting of Kamurocho in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's latest title.
Judgment is as magical and grounded as true city life
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.
In sum, Judgment on the PS5 is a must-have for those that haven’t already paid or played through it on PS4. Unfortunately, previous owners cannot get a free upgrade, but, at least the MSRP for Judgment on PS5 is $40. This release does not offer anything new as far as gameplay, but, it is complete, runs like silk, and reminds us all how good of a game this was two years ago and still is today. Not to mention, its arrival is likely foreshadowing the imminent announcement of a sequel.
Judgment on the new generation of consoles might not be a must-play for anyone who already enjoyed it on the PS4, but it's absolutely the best way to play the game and still represents a fantastic jumping off point for anyone keen to dip their toes into the Yakuza franchise. Playing as Yagami feels better than ever at 60FPS, and Kamurocho and its many faces come alive with improved detail and a fantastic new lighting treatment. There's no argument here: Judgment is a winner, case closed.
If you never got the chance to play this underappreciated gem, it’s well worth checking it out on new-gen consoles. Prior knowledge of the Yakuza series is not needed, as the game stands on its own narratively. The game’s core mystery is enthralling to unravel, and there’s almost too much else going on around the city to enjoy while you derail the plot. Crack out your case book, crack your knuckles and get going.
With its much-welcomed next-gen improvements in framerate, resolution, and load times plus the inclusion of all previously released DLC, the next-gen remaster of Judgment is hands-down the definitive version to own.
Overall, there really isn't much to say about the improved version of Judgment. It has some of the same shortcomings, such as a rather slow story, with performance being substantially better. I would say anyone holding off for those reasons should strongly consider the upgraded version, with current owners gaining very little. Yes, the experience is more refined, the world looks so much more real and models were improved substantially, it just isn't different enough to warrant double-dipping.