Judgment (2021, Playstation 5) Review

THE BAD SLEEP WELL

Also for: Playstation 4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox Series

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Try as it might, Judgment cannot escape the fact that it is a Yakuza-game in all but name. It shares no characters and not much lore with the popular open-world franchise, but it takes place in the same Tokyo district, Kamurocho, and borrows heavily from Yakuza, recycling much of the same content like the side stories, mini-games and action combat to shape a very similar brand.

Do we really need Judgment? Can it justify its existence at all? Well, maybe not, but as an avid fan of the Yakuza games I shouldn't ask such questions - more of the same should do the trick for people like me. Right?

Maybe it does. Judgment goes for the same heart and soul as the main series, but pretty soon this spin-off changes the tone rather drastically, telling an earnest criminal drama whilst leaving the humor at the door. This makes the easy-going side content feel like it doesn't belong. The side stories are funny, and I should laugh, but my mind doesn't deem it appropriate, simply because the main character and his criminal investigation don't lend themselves well to wackiness.

Above all, it might be time to admit that I'm starting to feel burnt-out by some of the ingredients of this old Yakuza formula. Many of the repeated game mechanics have long since worn out their welcome - especially the action combat - and many of the few that I still enjoy - simple ones like karaoke, pool and dating - are gone altogether, or only remains in lesser quality.

However, if you're a newcomer to the experience, you might find this a nice entryway into the concept of the "open district", a.k.a. a very small open-world adventure in a realistic setting. Lore-wise, there's no connection whatsoever to the main Yakuza brand, except for the involvement of the Tojo clan (which has featured prominently throughout the entire main franchise). It involves long, drawn-out cinematic sequences with a lot of expository dialogue, followed by citylife immersion and action combat.

Judgment's big saving grace, the plot, is very strong, and more than makes up for its shortcomings. It tells the most intriguing main story to date, or at least since Yakuza 0 (one of my favorite games of all time). Even as some of the more active game elements fail to entice me, the writing keeps my mind entertained in so many other ways that I almost fail to notice that I'm bored (which might suggest that I'm not).

We're through the looking glass here, as the Yakuza games are traditionally tales about organized crime, but this entry is told from the perspective of law enforcement. In the opening cinematic, we get to know our protagonist; the young defense attorney, Yagami. He has just achieved a certain respect and fame by winning a career-defining case, in which he defied all odds to free an accused murderer of all charges. But much to his horror he learns that the accused soon upon release kills his own girlfriend in brutal fashion, and tries to cover his crime by torching their shared apartment to the ground.

Yagami never recovers from the shock, realizing the guy he defended was a cold-blooded killer all along. He blames himself, quits his law firm and leaves the profession entirely. Instead he starts his own private investigation agency inside a cramped, second-floor office, and hires his oldest and closest friend Kaito, an ex-Yakuza, as an assistant. Together they take the odd job investigating suspected infidelities, collecting debts and finding missing pets for small cash that barely covers the rent.

Until one day, when a brutal murder leaves its mark on the district. The body of a Yakuza turns up in an alleyway, with both his eyes ruptured, probably by an ice pick. A couple of previous murders had the same modus operandi, and the police suspects a serial killer - nicknamed "The Ice Pick Killer" by the press - is on the loose in Kamurocho. The police arrests a suspected culprit, and since the suspect has connections to the old, kind Yakuza boss who raised Yagami like a son, Yagami starts his own investigation into the bloody affair.

The story is long and twisting, but surprisingly easy to follow, considering the usually overcomplicated plots of previous Ryu ga Gotoku Studio games. It involves a few too many unnecessary characters with similarly-sounding Japanese names for my taste. But the narrative team makes sure to keep the player in the loop by providing many flashbacks and case documents to review at your own behest. I won't spoil the details of where the story takes you, but the themes touch upon grand ambitions and the pitfalls of being too eager to reach them. In this story the keys to Paradise truly hang in Hell.

Judgment involves a few new detective-related gameplay mechanics, all of them more or less dull. The worst transgressors are all the tailing sequences, where all you do is to follow a suspect slowly through the cramped and crowded streets, trying not to lose sight of them. Occasionally they look around to see if they're being stalked, which is your cue to hide behind a corner or parked car. These segments are overly long, posing no challenge whatsoever, and way too numerous.

Other additions are a couple of lockpicking mini-games, crime scene investigations, survey drone missions, interrogations and interviews. None of them add any sort of challenge, they're only there to provide the flavor of detective groundwork, and, if anything, it deromanticizes the private detective profession. The way Yagami seems so adamant to cling to his new trade, instead of returning to the courtroom, cannot be explained by these boring new gameplay segments.

The action combat is more exciting, and is so prevalent it must be mentioned, although it doesn't really add much we haven't seen before. It is decent, with some fun boss battles, but the random encounters occur way too frequently. Yagami knows two schools of fighting; the Crane style (kicking - slower but more powerful) and the Tiger style (punching - faster and more flexible). I mixed the styles, but saw no real reason not to stick with the superior tiger style, which has many upgrades in the skill tree, whereas the crane style has none.

Also associated with the combat is the most annoying interruption mechanic I've seen in Kamurocho since the "Majima Everywhere!"-debacle in Yakuza Kiwami. It involves Yagami's beef with the so-called Keihin Gang bosses, who you encounter early in the story. They return on timer-based intervals to challenge you for the remainder of the game. The way they - like any boss in the game - can inflict "mortal wounds" that permanently lower your maximum health aggravates me to no end. The only way to restore it is to visit one particular doctor, which is expensive, or use a medical kit, which is even more expensive.

But regardless, it is fun to explore Kamurocho again in this new and updated engine. The city never gets old, never gets tired, and looks phenomenal in this iteration. Running into a restaurant to regain health, or downing a drink or two at a bar to charge up combat heat is made with immersive ease. I always start out exploring meticulously before picking up the pace later, and Judgment rewards me handsomely for it.

Many residents have unique dialogue and minor quests, and can become friends that help out in combat or otherwise. Photographing secret QR-codes on the wall may unlock secret skills. By visiting different restaurants or partaking in sporting or gambling activities you can slowly but steadily build up your experience, and acquire useful new skills. I particularly enjoy the mazelike chases through the streets, as you try to catch up to an escaping culprit, going from exterior to interior, from ground level to rooftop, jumping from one roof to the next. That is where the detective work finally feels exhilirating.

In terms of enjoyment, this Yakuza-like lands somewhere in the middle of the brand. It is a long-running game, but distributes the content well throughout all sixteen chapters. The side cases are funny for what they are, and I appreciate how some of the minor characters return to conclude their storylines after seemingly humble and inconsequential beginnings. But still, many of these feel like intrusions that are out of place in the thrilling urgency of the main plot.

I like a lot of the supporting and minor roles, but one glaring flaw is that the noble hero Yagami is a lot less charismatic than both Kiryu (Yakuza 0-6) and Ichiban (Yakuza: Like a Dragon). He's a decent, good-hearted fellow, which is a good start, but it doesn't develop much from there. And I dislike his unkempt hair and leather jacket, signalling a carefree, rebellious attitude that doesn't match his inner qualities at all. I find him too earnest about his seriousness and altruism, and his side activities doesn't flesh him out enough.

The same can be said about the mostly disappointing assortment of mini-games. They include SEGA arcade games, the batting center, darts, shogi, mahjong, and gambling of a half-dozen different variations. Two new major side distractions are: 1 - a really well-made drone racing game, that I didn't devote nearly enough time to, and 2 - a weird virtual reality/board game/brawler that I tried once, which was more than enough. 

No, I say play this game for the allure of the thrilling main story with all its mysteries and intrigues, and learn the ins-and-outs of the combat system to make the punishment harsh when you stick it to the man. For fans of Yakuza, Judgment is a must-play, although I sorely missed some of the crucial elements that constitute the crazy soul of Kamurocho. Maybe this game simply needed a new setting to make a clear distinction and help overcome some of the expectations. I want to do crazy Kamurocho-shit in Kamurocho. Maybe this district just isn't big enough for two heroes...