Lost Judgment: Preview

Fans of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Judgment will be pleased to learn that a sequel, Lost Judgment, has just been revealed in the separate story and gameplay trailers. Judgment is a spin-off of Sega’s iconic Yakuza series that takes place in the same universe but in a completely different environment.

The action-packed legal thriller Lost Judgment continues the story of private investigator Takayuki Yagami, the protagonist of the first game, as he takes on new cases. The news comes shortly after the original Judgment, which debuted exclusively on PlayStation 4, was released on new-gen consoles and Stadia. Unlike the original, Lost Judgment will be released simultaneously on PlayStation and Xbox consoles around the world in September.

Takayuki Yagami, a defense lawyer turned private investigator, is charged with investigating a case involving a man named Akihiro Ehara, who is accused of sexual assault and murder, a few years after the events of the first game. According to the teaser, there’s a web of lies and deception involving more people than just Ehara, who deliberately implicated himself during his trial, and it might lead to bigger mysteries as the story unfolds. Lost Judgment also shifts the emphasis away from Tokyo, with the game taking place in the fictitious towns of Kamurocho and Ijincho. Several characters from the previous game return, including Yagami’s partner, Masaharu Kaito, as well as some new ones.

Although the main tale of Lost Judgment is intended to be solemn, the game will allow players to participate in a variety of side quests known as School Stories. These missions will take place at Yokohama High School, where Yagami will be required to go undercover in order to solve the main case. Players will participate in brand-new activities such as boxing, skateboarding, and dancing with teenagers in this game. I’m not sure if Yagami will pass as a student at this school, but in the Yakuza universe, we can suspend our disbelief.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the eighth mainline entry in the Yakuza series, was released last year by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. In that game, longtime Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu was replaced by the more outspoken Ichiban Kasuga. Judgment has a noir-style plot, which gives it a distinct feel from the mainline Yakuza series. If you like the goofier side of things, don’t worry; Lost Judgment appears to have plenty of opportunities for hilarity as Yagami infiltrates a high school in Yokohama, where he encounters students and participates in quests ranging from robotics to dancing.

On September 24, Lost Judgment will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
So stay tuned until the game is available on various platforms; we can assure you that the wait will be well worth it.