Judgment

 PlayStation 5
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
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  1. PLAY
    May 29, 2021
    70
    It’s not much cop as a detective game, but this spin-off from the Yakuza series is still a terrific yarn that’s held up by its charming sense of place and character. [Issue#2, p.86]
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  2. Game Rant
    Apr 27, 2021
    70
    As mentioned, this remaster is geared for newcomers and so it's the best way to experience the game, even if it isn't a must-play for those who already experienced it on last-gen.
  3. Slant Magazine
    Apr 25, 2021
    70
    As diverting and fun as Judgment can often be, it’s clearly the product of a studio too wild to fill the niche of a private detective game and keep a straight face.
  5. GameCritics
    May 10, 2021
    60
    Judgment is a wonderful title that’s absolutely worth playing. New players coming in at $40 will have a fantastic time, and Ryu Ga Gotoku’s work comes with the highest possible recommendation, but the choice to burn owners of the original PS4 release was the wrong one.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Apr 23, 2021
    This edition of Judgment is limited, but it contains the improvements the game needed over the original version: high resolution and 60 frames per second. However, it is enough to enjoy a very fun game that surprises with the variety of mechanics, missions and activities that we could perform.

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2021
57
#57 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 143 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 104 out of 143
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 143
  3. Negative: 25 out of 143
  1. SplitMind
    Jul 22, 2021
    7
    Judgement follows on from the Yakuza series where we saw Kiryu retire and the mainline series diverge into RPG with Like A Dragon. JudgementJudgement follows on from the Yakuza series where we saw Kiryu retire and the mainline series diverge into RPG with Like A Dragon. Judgement tries to stay true to the Kiryu days of Yakuza games. It achieve this fairly well, for better or worse.

    The graphics I don't think have ever looked better. The PS5 can give Kamurocho the depth and gloss it needs as well as the smooth textures and FPS. The problem I have is that I don't think Kamurocho is as vibrant as previous games - the neon-strewn Tenkaichi Street isn't quite the same. I also experienced quite a bit of pop in with enemies when I was running around, making combat tricky to avoid but fortunately I rarely wanted to avoid it. Overall there is definitely a step-up with graphics, but as a PS4 upgrade this isn't really pushing the envelope like I would expect.

    I want to comment on the sound in this game as I was playing the English dubs and found the English voices sounded a lot like Japanese actors trying to convey an American accent, which is unintentionally humorous.

    The gameplay of Yakuza is what deflated my enthusiasm quite a bit. All the familiar tropes are there, so if you are playing in the hopes of 'more Yakuza' then you likely won't be disappointed. However, the combat I found lacking and one-dimensional since there were only two styles. The thing that irritated me most about combat was how easy it is to get stun-locked or knocked over, making me put the difficulty down to easy just to make combat more enjoyable as enemy health bars also become notoriously huge in Yakuza games.

    What also really grinded my gears about Judgement unlike mainline Yakuza games is that they added a tailing mission mechanic here. This is a dreadfully tedious mission design where you literally walk slowly behind a character and hide when they look over their shoulder for you. This is on the same level as escort missions and both belong in the archives of game design that should never be used, or at least used as a one-off. There are quite a few of these missions and they are so horrendously monotonous that they irritated me to no end when I enjoyed the fast-paced combat.

    The gameplay and the story merge in the next few things I want to talk about. Judgement can be a game with pacing issues. It suffers from arbitrary design between cut-scenes progressing automatically and others where I need to constantly press X like that device in The Simpsons where Homer gets really fat. I like conversations flowing smoothly and being able sit back and take it all in.

    This brings me to my other issue with Judgement - I found the story just too bloody long. I was on chapter five thinking I was doing well, only to look online and see that there were 11 chapters. I was already bored of most of the mechanics an tropes, so this really put me off going any further, which is a shame as the story did interest me but was littered with filler too. Some of the side quests were as usual quirky and humorous, but padded out the game too much for my liking. Having said that, again if you want more Yakuza and appreciate a longer story then you might absolutely love Judgement.

    Overall, Judgement gets off to a very strong start and feels familiar but modern, however the familiar tropes and mini-games have long worn off their novelty for me and the story just isn't concise enough for my impatient tastebuds. The combat isn't quite as satisfying as previous games and the main protagonist seems to have the least personality. Having said that, if you love the Yakuza series and simply want more, this could be right up your Tenkaichi Street.    … Full Review »
  2. Neotanshuk
    Apr 27, 2021
    10
    really amazing..............................................................................................................................
  3. Vagrantglass
    Sep 8, 2023
    7
    Judgement - PS5

    Gameplay - 7 Story - 8.5 Sound - 8 Music - 6 Graphics - 8 Total - 7.5 Enjoyed playing through Judgement, the main plot was    Judgement - PS5

    Gameplay - 7
    Story - 8.5
    Sound - 8
    Music - 6
    Graphics - 8

    Total - 7.5

    Enjoyed playing through Judgement, the main plot was quite interesting and for the most part the gameplay was alright. Meaningless side quests and tailing missions bring thr score down.    … Full Review »
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