Lost Judgment

Lost Judgment is a perfect sequel that improves and expands on everything the first part had. Next-gen graphics, along with flawless performance, act as the pillars of a thrilling story that dares everything, as well as fast-paced and fun gameplay.

Lost Judgment is a phenomenal improvement over its prequel and becomes a must-have for all Yakuza series fans out there.

By building on the first game's strengths and taking confident steps forward in some key areas, Lost Judgment delivers an arresting and captivating experience that surpasses its predecessor in every way possible.

Yakuza games have been arriving thick and fast over the years, but Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio still hasn't lost its touch. It's hard to think of another series with such regular entries that manages to constantly evolve at this level. While most don't add too much to alter the formula, Lost Judgment throws just about everything it can into its world without feeling over-saturated. With the main story, side quests, school stories, mini-games, exploration and other distractions, it's hard not to be impressed with what's on display. There's still an element of hold handing in the detective sections we'd love to see worked on and the lip-syncing may not be the best, but the team's first attempt at delivering a simultaneous worldwide release for the series is a gamble that has paid off and perhaps offers the best entry in the franchise so far.

For those who have played and enjoyed Judgment, the decision to pick up Lost Judgment should be a no-brainer. With a brand new story that's just as engaging (if not more so) than the first, as well as many gameplay improvements and a bucketload of new content, it's a fine example of a sequel done right. It's like a lucky dip where every time you load it up to play you're never sure what you're in for – but you'll rarely, if ever, be disappointed. Variety is the spice of life, they say, and Lost Judgment might just be the spiciest game I've played this year.

Lost Judgment delivers another fantastic thriller that ups the ante when it comes to its intricately woven plot and interesting cast of characters, all while making you question where the line is drawn between the law and true justice. And when all is said and done, you can sit and celebrate with some sushi.

Lost Judgment is a huge game with a storyline that will keep you glued to the screen and seasoned with a fast, frantic and spectacular gameplay and some very enjoyable mini-games. Recommended both to those who were already fans of the series and to those looking for a game with a strong narrative impact but without sacrificing fun gameplay.

An enthralling murder mystery with mature themes makes Lost Judgment one of the best narratives in the series. Yagami and his cohort are in their element as detectives and lawyers doggedly pursuing justice and truth, so much so that its relatively easy to overlook some of the tonal dissonance with the side content.

Lost Judgment is a good sequel to an amazing predecessor. The fighting system is fun, the mission design is very diverse, and you can still put hours into entertaining optional stuff within the vast open world. There is just one thing that makes a huge difference. Takayuki Yagami's new case is not in the least as personal and captivating as his first one. That doesn't make Lost Judgment a bad game, but it makes it clearly stand behind the first part of the spin-off series.

Lost Judgment on Xbox feels like a misstep in comparison to the plot of its predecessor, but it still stands head and shoulders above most other open-world titles.

Lost Judgment is a great mystery game with the signature Yakuza flair. If you're a fan, or even if you're not, you'll have a fun time with this game despite its dark subject matter.

If you need additional proof that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is a master of its craft, then look no further. Though slightly flawed in places, Lost Judgment is, nonetheless, yet another deeply compelling detective story, brimming with murder, mystery, intrigue, and more twists than a bag of pretzels.

If nothing else, Lost Judgment proves it would be a great shame if he didn't get another opportunity to find his niche. [Issue#365, p.112]

Lost Judgment is more of the same, which isn't a particularly bad thing. Although it presents improvements compared to the previous game, it remains too faithful to a formula with a solid base and a lot of room for improvement, especially in the investigative department. Even so, it’s still a fun experience, especially for fans of the first game.

While I really enjoyed Lost Judgment, the mishandling of some of the core, and incredibly sensitive themes really did reduce the experience. I still think it's a good game, but my feelings about it have definitely diminished since the opening hours, which I'm rather disappointed about. Still, if you like the Yakuza series and its spin-off games in general, you'll probably love this.

Despite its intriguing whodunnit premise, Lost Judgment’s main story fails to sustain its suspense all the way to the finish and its detective methods remain only slightly less superficial than those of the previous game. However, its meaty undercover side stories set in and around the Seiryo High School kept me playing for hours and hours well after the main story credits had rolled, in doing so revealing a lot of fun surprises that I might never have found had the classroom cases not kept me on the hook. This Yakuza spin-off feels far from being considered case closed, but here’s hoping that Sega can show some better Judgment in the series' future.