The Judgment series is a wonderful spin-off of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. You play a defense attorney turned private investigator, digging into conspiracies that are leaving bodies in their wake. Functionally a great fighter (Lost Judgment beats out the first in this department), great writing, and plenty of fun sidestories.This is a great compilation purchase of two great games and a story DLC for the second. If you like Yakuza, this is worth it. If you're interested in a Japanese game that dabbles in the culture of day-to-day Tokyo, this is worth it. If you want something to simply explore a Japanese city district, give it a go. You'll love it.

The Judgment series is the perfect refresher of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon universe. The first game in the set is one of the most grounded and mysterious stories told in the franchise so far. With compelling new characters, unique new fighting styles, and a killer soundtrack, it's incredible how Lost Judgment makes everything better. By refining the two fighting styles and adding a 3rd, Lost Judgment is the perfect Dragon Engine combat game. With an almost unreasonable amount of side content AND a story DLC, Lost Judgment is probably one of my favorite RGG games hands down.

These are excellent games from RGG Studio - the developer behind the Yakuza series, which will be called the Like a Dragon series going forward. This series has a completely different cast of characters, but takes place in some of the same cities as the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. These games introduce detective work and stealth, but otherwise are very similar to the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, aside from the fact that these games include magical spells called "extracts" instead of equipable weapons. You can play Judgment whenever you want, but be aware that Lost Judgment contains a major spoiler for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, due to something major that happened in that game that affects the games' shared universe in a big way. I can't recommend this series more ... MoreThese are excellent games from RGG Studio - the developer behind the Yakuza series, which will be called the Like a Dragon series going forward. This series has a completely different cast of characters, but takes place in some of the same cities as the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. These games introduce detective work and stealth, but otherwise are very similar to the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, aside from the fact that these games include magical spells called "extracts" instead of equipable weapons. You can play Judgment whenever you want, but be aware that Lost Judgment contains a major spoiler for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, due to something major that happened in that game that affects the games' shared universe in a big way. I can't recommend this series more highly, and this bundle of both games + all DLC, including the Kaito Files is the best deal you're going to get for the series on any platform, and obviously the Steam version is going to look better and allow you to use the input device of your choice.

An excellent Yakuza spin-off!

As a fan of the Yakuza series I was a little hesitant to give this one a try but after spending almost 30 hours I’m glad I did. This game does a great job making you feel like a detective that skirts the boundaries of the law to get necessary information. The story is pretty good and for the most part the game looks and runs good too. I’m playing on a Pro and while the frame rate does drop at times it’s not enough to take away from the experience. Another minor issue I have is the game is not Pro enhanced at all meaning you will see jaggies everywhere if you are playing on a 4K tv.The English voice acting is not good despite the voice actors best efforts. It’s hard to listen to Yakuza bosses speak with a western cowboy twang and where there should be inflections ... MoreAs a fan of the Yakuza series I was a little hesitant to give this one a try but after spending almost 30 hours I’m glad I did. This game does a great job making you feel like a detective that skirts the boundaries of the law to get necessary information. The story is pretty good and for the most part the game looks and runs good too. I’m playing on a Pro and while the frame rate does drop at times it’s not enough to take away from the experience. Another minor issue I have is the game is not Pro enhanced at all meaning you will see jaggies everywhere if you are playing on a 4K tv.The English voice acting is not good despite the voice actors best efforts. It’s hard to listen to Yakuza bosses speak with a western cowboy twang and where there should be inflections in the dialogue at times it’s nowhere to be found. It all feels off. I’d recommend playing with the Japanese voices and your native language subtitles.The fighting mechanics feel a little bland but otherwise provide suitable entertainment. It never gets old smashing enemies faces in with bikes, road cones or flashing signs.If you are a newcomer to the series then this is a wonderful entry to the game style Yakuza is well known for. You don’t have to play any of the Yakuza games to understand what’s going on and for the fans then you’ll be pleased to know the city of Kamurocho is alive and thriving. The dramatic story is full of twists and surprises. The graphics are amazing and you’ll often forget you’re playing a game during cut scenes.If you own a PS4 and have a remote interest in these types of games then you’ll have a good time with Judgment.

As good as Yakuza

For those who are unfamiliar, Judgment is a Yakuza series spinoff that could easily be considered the next installment. It builds off of the new engine from Yakuza 6 and Yauza Kiwami 2, adding in an additional fighting stance, and another new iteration of the famous Kamurocho.What makes these games truly great is the combination of humor and drama, with real actors playing the roles of each major character. It might as well be a long-running TV series turned into a game. The variety of gameplay is staggering as always, with everything from old Sega arcade games to a modern beat-em up to racing drones.The presentation this time is on par with the greatest AAA releases from the biggest budget studios, but the developers do it with a lot less funding. They ... MoreFor those who are unfamiliar, Judgment is a Yakuza series spinoff that could easily be considered the next installment. It builds off of the new engine from Yakuza 6 and Yauza Kiwami 2, adding in an additional fighting stance, and another new iteration of the famous Kamurocho.What makes these games truly great is the combination of humor and drama, with real actors playing the roles of each major character. It might as well be a long-running TV series turned into a game. The variety of gameplay is staggering as always, with everything from old Sega arcade games to a modern beat-em up to racing drones.The presentation this time is on par with the greatest AAA releases from the biggest budget studios, but the developers do it with a lot less funding. They reiterate on the same areas and concepts and gameplay designs to save on development costs. The downside could be that you may be bored of hanging around the same areas in every game, but somehow it works for them. Maybe it's the fact that it's a real city (Kabukichi) in Japan down to the last detail.The developers had perfected their game formula, in most people's minds, with Yakuza 0. That game was using a very old engine, though. With the new engine, the games took a small step back in some ways, but the potential was there to build into something even greater. Finally, in Judgment, we're seeing it begin to return to full glory.The game features variable difficulty, so there's something for you here even if you want to breeze through the combat.Downsides here are few. You may find some aspects tedious, or you may be sick of Kamurocho by now. But ultimately, even if you just play the game for the story, you're getting a good story that's well acted.

BEST DETECTIVE GAME EVER!!!!

I love how they are combining Detective Conan & Phoenix Wright into one game!The main character is pretty awesome the whole story is amazing and the side missions never bore I can't stop talking about how good this game is!!! I usually don't like a lot of fighting in single player games because of the way they fight *as in the controls suck for fighting or fighting just isn't that good* Batman Arkham games & Marvels Spiderman along with God of War has had the best fighting for me currently! But Judgement is up there too now no powers so he's like Batman a bit for me which is why I love it even more!All the other characters in the story are pretty amazing the girl that works in that law place reminds me of Hibiki *Anime* *Movie*worth watching! The whole story ... MoreI love how they are combining Detective Conan & Phoenix Wright into one game!The main character is pretty awesome the whole story is amazing and the side missions never bore I can't stop talking about how good this game is!!! I usually don't like a lot of fighting in single player games because of the way they fight *as in the controls suck for fighting or fighting just isn't that good* Batman Arkham games & Marvels Spiderman along with God of War has had the best fighting for me currently! But Judgement is up there too now no powers so he's like Batman a bit for me which is why I love it even more!All the other characters in the story are pretty amazing the girl that works in that law place reminds me of Hibiki *Anime* *Movie*worth watching! The whole story feels real with the characters real reactions like they are surprised when they should be at death and not giving a lame reaction to it.I love how you can fly drones around too and take pictures in the game lol along with the chasing down and tailing people as well the boss fights are fun too!!! LOVE when a game like this has good boss fights not everyone does them correctly or make them fun enough and challenging.Lastly, I recommend this game to anyone who wants Law, Detective Work, & Fighting involved in all one game SEGA really hit it out of the park with this Main story, side missions, characters. So freaking good!! I am in Chapter 2 now of the game so fun I don't want it to end trust me you won't regret buying this if you are looking for Detective & Fighting related stuff the Law involved was just a bonus and makes it even better!

Detective of Legend

Judgment PS4 ReviewJudgment is most recent game by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios famously known for the Yakuza series. You play as an ex-lawyer now detective Takayuki Yagami, investigating a series of murders taking place in Kamurocho. Over the course of the 13 Chapter story you’ll run into (sometimes literally) a cast of well written villains, colleagues, companions and friends making the journey a very memorable one.I really liked this game, the first chapter is played very straight faced setting the stage for things to come, and then from chapter 2 onwards it’s party the Yakuza games are often known for. Switching back and forth between well performed drama and thrills, to some of the most random and hilarious side content you’ll play in a video game, along with some ... MoreJudgment PS4 ReviewJudgment is most recent game by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios famously known for the Yakuza series. You play as an ex-lawyer now detective Takayuki Yagami, investigating a series of murders taking place in Kamurocho. Over the course of the 13 Chapter story you’ll run into (sometimes literally) a cast of well written villains, colleagues, companions and friends making the journey a very memorable one.I really liked this game, the first chapter is played very straight faced setting the stage for things to come, and then from chapter 2 onwards it’s party the Yakuza games are often known for. Switching back and forth between well performed drama and thrills, to some of the most random and hilarious side content you’ll play in a video game, along with some very over the top beat ‘em up combat/action. The crazy thing is, like previous games by Ryu Ga Gotoku, it all works together and none of it feels out of place.Gameplay consists of you investigating crime scenes, tailing potential suspects, beating the living daylights out of thugs and enemies, and running around Kamurocho interacting and help the locals. You’ll form friendships with people that will help you in combat, offer discounts when shopping or just tell you random stories.This is also a great entry point if you’re not familiar with some of the studios previous work as it is a stand alone/spin off. Dialogue choices are present through out the game but are very forgiving if you make a wrong choice. Difficulty settings range from hard to simple if you just want to enjoy the world and story, and an English audio track is also available if you’re not as crazy about subtitles.All in all there is a lot of love about this game, plenty of fun to be had, and the main story is worth the price of admission.

In its attempt at spinning off it loses alot.

It doesn't have robust or branching skill tree of fighting like Yakuza 0 or the food exp system like the Kiwami.The art style is definitely lighter in tone but the game world and locations are noticeably shallower in both depth and detail.The voice acting, that is the english dub, is fine when it pops up. The problem is that only does 25% of the time. Outside of Main Story cutscenes, there is no dub or it is found piecemeal and jarred between different lines of opposite characters.There is literally a scene where you solve a case for TWINS SITTING NEXT TO EACHOTHER and one of them speaks perfect english and the speaks completely in japanese in front of the player character who also speaking english.There is another scene where there is a Musician who greets ... MoreIt doesn't have robust or branching skill tree of fighting like Yakuza 0 or the food exp system like the Kiwami.The art style is definitely lighter in tone but the game world and locations are noticeably shallower in both depth and detail.The voice acting, that is the english dub, is fine when it pops up. The problem is that only does 25% of the time. Outside of Main Story cutscenes, there is no dub or it is found piecemeal and jarred between different lines of opposite characters.There is literally a scene where you solve a case for TWINS SITTING NEXT TO EACHOTHER and one of them speaks perfect english and the speaks completely in japanese in front of the player character who also speaking english.There is another scene where there is a Musician who greets her audience IN ENGLISH and then proceeds to sing entirely in the japanese dub, returning to english after.There are too many examples of this.SEGA wants people to believe they didn't cheap out on the dub by hiring union va's but the reality is that they cut corners literally EVERYWHERE ELSE.To add, I'm talking about both branches of SEGA who worked in tandem to decide these choices especially seeing that they chose in the past to digitally edit out several of their 3D models to erase the likeness of an individual associated with criminal activity, in a game series about YAKUZA and DETECTIVES.That takes more time and money out of their profits after the fact than finishing the dub properly. They were even deceptive enough to toss a survey in the direction of all current owners of the game asking if the dub was passable in a thinly veiled series of questions to excuse not paying for a dub in the future most likely.

Playstation 4 - Judgement

Take part in the dramatic tale of a disgraced lawyer seeking redemption in a world rife with corruption and despair.Investigate the seedy Red Light District of Kamurocho by stepping into the mind of private detective Takayuki Yagami, and use innovative investigation systems to uncover the secrets that lie deep within Kamurocho's corrupt underbelly.Experience visceral combat with two unique combat styles.Take down groups of thugs with sweeping blows in Crane style, then switch to Tiger to overwhelm a single foe with a series of powerful strikes.Practice mixing-and-matching styles in combat in conjunction with a wide variety of skills, weapons, and powerful (and hilarious) EX Actions to unlock a whole new dimension in combat.Dual audio - Players can switch between the ... MoreTake part in the dramatic tale of a disgraced lawyer seeking redemption in a world rife with corruption and despair.Investigate the seedy Red Light District of Kamurocho by stepping into the mind of private detective Takayuki Yagami, and use innovative investigation systems to uncover the secrets that lie deep within Kamurocho's corrupt underbelly.Experience visceral combat with two unique combat styles.Take down groups of thugs with sweeping blows in Crane style, then switch to Tiger to overwhelm a single foe with a series of powerful strikes.Practice mixing-and-matching styles in combat in conjunction with a wide variety of skills, weapons, and powerful (and hilarious) EX Actions to unlock a whole new dimension in combat.Dual audio - Players can switch between the Japanese and English VO tracks at any point during the game. Experience Judgment using whichever language you prefer.Dual subtitles - Subtitles change based on which audio track is selected - Japanese or English. Japanese voice subtitles are presented in a way that represents the traditional Yakuza experience while English voice subtitles match the English script.Localization pedigree - Judgment's localization has been handled in-house by Sega of America's talented Yakuza series localization team.Redeem yourself in Judgment for the PlayStation 4. You step into the shoes of Takayuki Yagami as you explore the Red Light District of Kamurocho, and learning Crane and Tiger fighting styles helps you defeat various thugs. Judgment has dual audio and subtitles so you can experience it in English and Japanese. This game is truly one of the best I have ever played with its martial arts/street fighting style that is used on your enemies, I absolutely love it! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this game to one & all!

Riveting Drama with Insane Side Activities

Judgment comes from the same vein as the revered Yakuza series. The games often have gritty, epic tales of the Yakuza filled with twists and turns at every corner, fit within a extremely detailed rendition of Japan with an abundance of sidequest, minigames, and other activities. Judgment doesn't do a lot of deviate from that same formula, but what makes this one special is you'll play as Yagami, a private investigator (rather than the hardened ex-Yakuza, Kazama Kiryu). While the mini games involved with the detective side of the the game are surface level and simplistic, the overall narrative is stunning.The main gameplay element is the combat, which is exceedingly fun and intuitive. You'll be doing some extremely badass, jawdropping moves. The fights are also ... MoreJudgment comes from the same vein as the revered Yakuza series. The games often have gritty, epic tales of the Yakuza filled with twists and turns at every corner, fit within a extremely detailed rendition of Japan with an abundance of sidequest, minigames, and other activities. Judgment doesn't do a lot of deviate from that same formula, but what makes this one special is you'll play as Yagami, a private investigator (rather than the hardened ex-Yakuza, Kazama Kiryu). While the mini games involved with the detective side of the the game are surface level and simplistic, the overall narrative is stunning.The main gameplay element is the combat, which is exceedingly fun and intuitive. You'll be doing some extremely badass, jawdropping moves. The fights are also fantastic, with a impressive soundtrack to accompany it. The graphics are great (though not as stunning as Yakuza 6), especially during the cutscenes. This is the best way to experience a slice of Tokyo without actually being in Tokyo. The minigames are bountiful and plentiful with a surprising amount of depth.There is a lot to offer in this game. Personally, the biggest draw and the star of the package is the main narrative and the combat. But what makes this game special, much like the rest of the Yakuza series, is the sheer amount of detail put in every corner and every mini-game. There is a sort of sincerity in the game that is felt everywhere in the game. Don't miss out.