Judgment Reviews

Judgment is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
May 5, 2021

Judgment is a great crime thriller and Kamurocho an amazing place for it to take place in. I enjoyed the story, but I had even more fun just going off and spending time with the wide variety of interesting characters and solving side cases. While there are parts that could be improved, overall I had a great time and feel that most people would.

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Jun 17, 2021

If you haven’t played the Yakuza games then I guess you may have been hiding under a rock. Either that or you simply haven’t stumbled upon the series just yet. Judgement is essentially a spin-off of the Yakuza series and an excellent place to start for newcomers to this genre of game. Judgement was originally released way back in 2019 for the Playstation 4 and has now found its way to other platforms.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 21, 2019

Judgment may still feel a bit like its pulling too much from the Yakuza series but its brand new cast of characters, satisfying narrative that draws the player in, and just enough detective mechanics help it stand on its own merits.

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89 / 100
Jun 20, 2019

Varied action adventure with an incredibly exciting thriller story and a lovingly staged Japanese neighborhood

Review in German | Read full review

Spaziogames
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

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.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Heavy
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

Curious players who’ve never touched a Yakuza game now have the perfect entry point to enjoy.

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Mahdi Maleki
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Apr 28, 2021

Considering all the improvements that have been made in Judgment Remastered, this version is a worthy title that Yakuza fans should definitely experience. It should be noted that users who have no experience of this series should also start their adventure with the remastered version without wasting time. Although there is no free upgrade, it can be ignored because of the reasonable price of the ninth generation version of game.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Hynerd.it
Loris Lo Masto
8.8 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2020

Judgment shows us once again the quality of the titles developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. A mature and exciting plot moved by a fun and spectacular gameplay, all surrounded by the myriad of activities available in Kamurocho make the game a complete and successful package, giving us new motivations to return to the Japanese streets to launch flying kicks.

Review in Italian | Read full review

88 / 100
Apr 30, 2021

The original game which was released on PS4 has received some visual and performance upgrades on the latest generation console. The game is known for its artistic structure along with the writing and interactions which is highly renowned as the key element of the game. Also so great that they’d cover up some minor hiccups if there were any. While the story plot is somewhat spectacular in scale, players don’t need to study up on any background history or other articles to understand and enjoy the game to its fullest. So if you haven’t played this game already, there’s no excuse to give it a try. Since there aren’t any added contents in this new version, if you’ve already played the PS4 variant, there won’t be much of a difference in gameplay. But all in all it’s a great value for a PS5 game so there’s plenty of replay value on its upgraded platform.

Review in Korean | Read full review

87%
Apr 23, 2021

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?)

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8.7 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2020

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.

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8.6 / 10.0
Jun 22, 2019

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.

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8.6 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

Out of all the Yakuza games that I've played, Judgment offers the most amount of fun and variety while also containing a gripping story that'll keep you guessing until the end.

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8.6 / 10.0
May 10, 2021

For fans of the Yakuza series, Judgment is a must-have title. Those new to the genre can also slip into the role of detective Takayuki Yagami without any prior knowledge. The story develops great and is complemented quite well by the side missions. On the other hand, the title doesn't miss any action and even brawl fans will get their money's worth. Some activities are weird, crazy, strange or just entertaining. In any case, Judgment is fun. The drone races are unlocked relatively late, but then they are a great change from the daily routine as a martial arts detective. On Google Stadia, I liked the game even a bit better than on the initial release in 2019 on PlayStation 4, since the loading times are shorter and the game flow is more pleasant. Overall, you have so much to do that buying Judgment is worth it in any case. The potential playtime is quite high. I have just under 50 hours on Stadia now and am far from "done". In addition to the brilliant main story, Judgment offers almost endless content to keep buyers busy. Personally, I'm already looking forward to sequel "Lost Judgment" and will also play this one for many hours.

Review in German | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

Sega has released too many Yakuza games continued in the West, and this Judgment is mostly like them stories and gameplay. However, the plot with Yagami is exciting and investigating every corner of Kamurocho makes the game richer. A perfect first step for a new player. A different perspective for the fans.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

85 / 100
Apr 29, 2021

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.

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9 / 10
Sep 14, 2022

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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

Judgment is another winner for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and provides dozens of hours of mysteries, hijinks, and flying fists to keep you entertained.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2019

This is the Yakuza experience, but with a refreshing change of character, tone, and voice. Judgment has a familiar skeleton, but the flesh and blood housing it is new. Longtime Yakuza fans have a lot to look forward to here. But, admittedly, having a new setting, new characters, and new mechanics laid over top of the same framework dulls some of that “fresh” feeling.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jul 31, 2019

Whether you're a long-time Yakuza fan or just coming to this series, Judgment is well worth the investment. Boasting a cracking story, oodles of content and a fantastic fighting system, this spin-off can keep you glued for days… possibly months.

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