The Judgment Series Far Surpasses Yakuza, But Fans Are Not Willing To Accept It

With this read, I aim to tell gamers, especially Yakuza diehard fans, that sometimes a spinoff series can be more fun and better than its parent franchise. For example, the Persona series is more fun for most players, while they would elude Shin Megami Tensei. Judgment is a series developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, which was also the pioneer of the Yakuza series.

Judgment is highly underrated as it does tons of things better than the original series, and Yakuza fanboys have this pill hard to swallow. Let’s expand upon both series and observe how Judgment takes the cake.

The Fluid Combat Of Judgment Vs. The Jank Of Yakuza

Judgment excels in its combat, as Ryu Ga Gotaku themselves said. The vision behind this series is immersive, action-packed combat with the inclusion of a great detective and a thrill-filled journey. The game could be considered an action-brawler detective game.

Judgment has extremely fluid combat that has seamless transitions in it. When you’re fighting against multiple thugs, the combat feels very refined and smooth compared to Yakuza, where the actions are interrupted and animations struggle.

Ryu Ga Gotaku also introduced a new mechanism in the games called EX Actions. EX Actions are similar to Yakuza’s heat system, but they are expanded upon since more variations in moves are given, and specific moves in a particular context are also present. All this amalgamated with a better improved AI that makes the enemies smarter makes the player actually think and strategize about approaching the enemies instead of just button mashing.

Another thing Ryu Ga Gotaku really changed and expanded upon is the repetition of fighting. By this, I mean that in the previous Yakuza titles, all the brawls felt similar and had no distinct characteristics. Meanwhile, Judgment uses its environmental design to make every fight more dynamic, allowing the player to use a wider range of tactics.

Judgment’s Story Had Me Jumping Out Of My Seat

If you’re reading this article, then you are most likely familiar with the name Kazama Kiryu. Yes, the main character of the Yakuza series is ranked among one of the best video game protagonists of all time. However, it took Ryu Ga Gotaku a total of SEVEN games to mold him into the character that he is. The Yakuza series dives deep into the mafia scenario of Japan and Kiryu’s rise to power, as well as him maturing alongside us as a character.

Judgement is the best Yakuza game
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With this in mind, let us expand upon Takayuki Yagami, the Main character of the Judgment Series. Yagami is an ex-lawyer who has turned into a secret detective and solves mystery cases from the shadows.

Since Judgment’s main plot revolves around a murder mystery, the narrative of the game is so beautifully crafted that at one moment, you are pointing your finger at a specific character for being the murderer, and then boom. Your stance totally changes.

The plot twists in Judgment are unmatched and had me playing the game for hours trying to get into the roots of the crime. The game also rewards you with special points when you ask the right questions and make the right choices that impact the story. Needless to say, it took Yagami Kun only two titles to be established as a great protagonist with depth in his character and the whole series to have two games so successful.

The Daily Life Of Kamurocho And Yokohama

As a staple for all Ryu Ga Gotaku titles, mini-games are a must. Judgment is no short of mini-games and has a vast collection of them. This adds fun and a layer of immersion to the video game. Are you tired of hunting down criminals or beating up thugs? Take a break and play poker. There is a whole section of Boxing in Lost Judgment that teaches you actual applicable moves and techniques of boxing.

Judgement is the best Yakuza game
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As a Japanese studio develops games, they have lots and lots of mini-games that originate from Japan, like Shogi, Mahjong, Karaoke, and much more. Aside from this, there is a whole region based around a high school where you can beat disrespectful teen punks and teach them a lesson for their own good. This section has an uncanny feeling similar to that of Bully by Rockstar.

I would like to conclude by saying that both series are great and a must-play for gamers who enjoy action-jam-packed games and also love video games that are set in Japan, as both Yakuza and Judgment do justice to encapsulating Japan and its culture perfectly. Don’t overlook one series over the other; play both and have a great ride.