Judgment Series Review (Xbox, PlayStation & PC)

RGG’s Judgment is like origami with a thousand folds and intricate shapes, in that it presents itself as a complex piece of parchment with oh-so-many layers and lines, elusive patterns and paper mechanisms. It begins with a simple fold, but then swiftly becomes a complicated and somewhat arduous process—a juggling act that requires strenuous investigative work and mind mapping, chalkboard analysis and field research to assemble. A pattern often emerges, but then another fold reveals a second shape, another twist, and another piece of the puzzle without a matching counterpart. A simple pastime gradually evolves into a thirty-hour affair with a thousand twists and turns, suspects and victims, and before long that fragmented piece of parchment translates into an elaborate sequence of underlying backstories and peek-a-boo events. It draws you into a world, and it doesn’t let go until the final crease has been ironed out.

Judgment minces the best of RGG’s storytelling skills and the signature Yakuza feel that we both know and adore to create a standalone mystery series that bears the brunt of the studio’s hallmark assets, with a small yet jam-packed city for a backdrop and a plethora of landmarks, characters, missions, and activities. At its heart, Judgment is a lot less, shall we say, kooky than its Yakuza counterpart, in that it removes the peculiar side missions and general weirdness from the mission format in favor of a grittier, more engrossing storyline that touches on subjects beyond the traditional crime syndicate. It’s still RGG in its prime, but with a twist—an idea that often submerges into something darker, more complex, and more thought-provoking than a mini-game involving ice cream and a troupe of street performers.

RGG’s bone structure is as clear as day here, what with the Judgment series wearing a skin that’s almost as transparent as its counterpart’s. Like Yakuza, Judgment spreads its time over cinematic tearaways and choice-driven crossroads, fluid combat systems and in-depth exploratory missions. With a huge campaign boasting hundreds of missions and pastime activities, as well as numerous street brawls, abilities and fighting styles, Judgment doesn’t just mirror the hallmark elements of Yakuza; it builds on them to establish an original experience that packs just as much of a punch as its forefather. It is, to some extent, a well-oiled mix between Yakuza and Like a Dragon, but with a brand-new roster of characters, plot points, and elaborate avenues to unravel and explore. Moreover, it delivers a gripping case-centric storyline that features believable dialogue, dilemmas, and puzzles that require a stern eye for detail.

Aside from having two lofty campaigns with deep and oftentimes emotional missions, Judgment and its sequel Lost Judgment also flaunt a treasure trove of challenges that allow for you to explore the world at your own pace. With restaurants to visit, strangers to meet, and an entire tapestry of side cases to embark upon, the series brings more than enough material for you to unpack. And to give credit where it’s due, none of it feels half-baked or out of place, either. Matter of fact, everything that you stow beneath your belt in Judgment feels like a “main” quest.

Alas, there is no canon fodder here, only an extensive collection of jobs and cases that fit snuggly into the grand scheme of things. But, that’s RGG’s mantra, in a nutshell: establishing ideas with a substantial amount of content to fortify the narrative. It doesn’t rely on fluff and jargon; it leans towards organic storytelling and facets that make you feel like you’re at the center of its world. Yet, what makes it impressive is the fact that it doesn’t just squeeze its greatest moments into a short journey, but instead produces a jam-packed experience that consistently delivers memorable events and cutscenes, with more twists and eye-boggling interludes than you could ever expect to find.

Combined with smooth and satisfying combat that allows for various fighting styles and prop-based executions to be utilized across a wide spectrum of environments, Judgment stands tall as a genuine delight for fans of RGG’s signature style. It might lack the in-depth turn-based format that made Yakuza the tactical hit that it once was, but for Judgment, the slickness and the buttery smooth transitions fit the bill surprisingly well here. It isn’t the most complex combat experience on the chopping block, but it is one that feels great to master, more so given that it adopts a huge variety of combos and finishers, stances and weapons.

To add to all of the above, Judgment brings a lot of fantastic tracks to the table, along with some quality voice acting and striking audiovisual elements, to boot. It might be without the comical facets that the likes of Yakuza often brings in troves, but then, this isn’t that sort of series. The question is, which of the two makes for a better experience overall?

Verdict

Judgment illustrates RGG’s commitment to crafting exceptional story-driven experiences that can not only bring flawless and compelling plot points to the table, but engrossing gameplay facets that can keep you entertained and immersed for hundreds of hours, perhaps even more. Although conceptually darker than your traditional Yakuza romp, Judgment does indeed bring an excellent journey to the foreground of RGG’s catalog, with a stellar combat system that feels both tactical and technical, and an origami-like narrative with more folds and intricate patterns that can keep you hooked from the first crossroad to the last.

Suffice it to say that, if you’re something of a die-hard fan of either Yakuza or Like a Dragon, then you will absolutely love Judgment and its vast swath of case files and RGG-like extracurricular activities. With two massive campaigns and heaps of missions, challenges, and landmarks to unlock and explore, you won’t exactly find a shortage of things to do here, that’s for sure. It might not have that “comical” feel that RGG’s alternate series often bring to the surface, but if there is one thing that Judgment brings to help cement over its gaps, it’s a compelling storyline that will keep you immersed for the long haul.