Ranking the Yakuza Series: ‘Lost Judgment’

by Flora Merigold · Published December 3, 2021 · Updated December 3, 2021

When Lost Judgment was announced, I was so soured by my experience with Judgment that I didn’t give it a second thought. Thus, Lost Judgment rapidly snuck up on me like the meme of Jason Momoa about to ambush Henry Cavill in a hug. I saw a few trailers, read a few articles, saw the early aggregate critic score, including SkillUp’s downright dismissal of the game, and I feared for the worst. But somehow I found myself zipping off from work on launch day to pick up my pre-ordered PS5 copy of Lost Judgment, proceeding to submerge myself in what might be my favorite game in the Yakuza series since Yakuza: Like a Dragon, or even the legendary Yakuza 0 — two games that I hold in the highest esteem. Even after well-over 30 hours, I wasn’t ready to let go when the credits rolled, and have kept playing Lost Judgment since.

Thank goodness Lost Judgment lived up to the hype for me. I was completely hooked, derailing myself into side content and the game’s new school stories for dozens of hours before remembering that I had a main story to progress. Astonishingly, Ryu Ga Gotoku studio have managed to fix every complaint I held towards Lost Judgment’s predecessor, Judgment, and simultaneously surpassed the expectations for side content that I have for Yakuza games in general. Even if my expectations were filled with enthusiasm and hype prior to release, I still would have been pleasantly surprised at how intensely I felt a love for Lost Judgment’s masterful blend of unlikely game elements. Getting lost into school clubs as a sponsor while investigating the tragic suicide caused by malicious school bullies, yet still making time to pry into conspiratorially obfuscated criminal evidence that might paradoxically vindicate a convicted criminal — well, that’s just part of the average work day in Lost Judgment. This scattered-sounding and bizarre combination all clicks together and just works, which is a testament to the lessons that the developers must have learned between games.

Lost Judgment directly borrows and repurposes Yokohama, a beautiful and well-built metropolis from Yakuza: Like A Dragon, tweaking it just enough to make each area feel new and fresh. Hamakita Park feels newly urbanized with skate rails and quarter-pipe ramps, the bar district feels less frequented given the disparate lifestyles of Yagami versus Ichiban, and the mechanical layers added into Lost Judgment like the skateboard for traversal, all combine to make this feel like a fresh but familiar space — something quintessentially Yakuza as seen with the series’ chronological reenvisionings of Kamurocho. Whereas I never quite clicked with either the story or its core characters in Judgment, Lost Judgment completely rectified my resistances, causing me to feel a wide spectrum of emotions throughout the story. There is an affection there for Yagami, Kaito, and the whole Genda Law Firm crew that was not present for me in Judgment, and I sincerely hope the grim rumors surrounding the series’ dead-end future are false; after Lost Judgment, I would love nothing more than another entry in the Judgment series as its youthful vines continue to grow, inextricably intertwined, with the stalk of the Yakuza series.

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Fun

Is the Game Fun?

Lost Judgment fleshes out the world and combat system of Judgment while wrapping it up in a better-written and more engaging package. From skateboarding to walking the detective dog, there was always something creative and unorthodox to find or do. Especially in terms of the school stories, which offer narratively-grounded mini-games of their own, I had a blast the whole time.

Performance

Does the Game Perform Well?

This was the first Yakuza-related game that I played on the Playstation 5. Though the Dualsense features felt underbaked compared to triumphs like Returnal, the actual performance of the game never suffered in the slightest. Everything in Lost Judgment feels crisp and fluid.

Art

Does the Game Have a Fitting Art Style?

Bringing Lost Judgment to Yokohama was a masterstroke of genius after how lived-in Yakuza: Like a Dragon made that city feel. The story’s new characters are all memorable and distinct, the music always feels thematically appropriate, and the occasions for screenshots are aplenty.

Story

Does the Game Have a Unique Story or Premise?

Lost Judgment’s strongest asset might be the storytelling. The main plot confronts the deadly and traumatizing effects of bullying, manifesting a twisted plot that never stops whipping around — especially towards the end. This demanding narrative is scaffolded by some wonderfully obtuse side cases and a plethora of school stories that add depth to each space Yagami visits. No stone is left unturned in this story.

Lasting Power

Does the Game Have Replayability or Lasting Power?

This game was such a turnaround from Judgment that I can imagine myself thinking even more highly of the lasting power. However, the story offers little in the way of replayability, and much of the post-credits content involves challenge runs that bequeath redundant items and special trinkets which largely serve as tokens towards a completionist run. I think it’s a mistake to require a hardest-difficulty playthrough for the platinum trophy, but the side content alone is meaningful enough to pursue for those interested.

Verdict

Lost Judgment obviates its predecessor, Judgment, in every conceivable way. I didn’t want my time with Yagami and his companions to end, nor did I want to leave this iteration of Yokohama. Lost Judgment juggles sincere themes with absurd side content, never feeling tonally unaware of that balancing act, and that’s the hallmark of something truly special.