After getting leaked at the last minute leading up to the official reveal, Lost Judgement has been officially announced. The sequel to Judgement or Judge Eyes as it is known in Japan follows the main character Takayuki Yagami as he deals with a case surrounding a mysterious murder. The sequel will be set in two locations and feature upgraded combat and improved investigations, which sets this game apart from Ryu Ga Gotoku’s Yakuza series. Lost Judgement will be released worldwide on September 24, 2021, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Lost Judgement‘s combat system features multiple different fighting styles for different situations. The “Crane” style is good when faced with multiple opponents. You’ll be able to send multiple enemies flying with a single move. The “Tiger” style is built for power and is ideal for 1-on-1 fights. “Tiger” style allows Yagami to rain down lightning-fast blows leaving no opportunity for enemies to counter. A new style is being introduced to the game. The “Snake” style is defensive-focused and allows you to wait for your opponents to strike and turn their attacks back against them.
Upgrades to investigations include new actions showing off Yagami’s athleticism, stealth, and wiretapping skills. Lost Judgement will see players return to Kamurocho in Tokyo and brings in Yokohama. Yokohama is a living city that changes depending on the time of day. Yokohama is where Yagami will travel in order to go undercover at a high school. The school’s classrooms, hallways, faculty rooms, and gym are modeled in “great detail.” The high school is where you can find that trademark Ryu Ga Gotoku humor with side missions called “School Stories” that are full of laughs, tears, struggles, and suspense.
In an interview with IGN, the developers have shared some details regarding the Judgement and Yakuza franchises regarding how they will be similar and different for one another. With combat, Judgement will retain the classic action gameplay that was prominent in the Yakuza franchise until the latest entry in the series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon which switched to turn-based combat.
“The Yakuza series has been transformed into a turn-based RPG. On the other hand, over the years, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has accumulated resources and know-how of making flashy and exhilarating action games that are effortless to enjoy,” Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa said. “We decided that we should let our signature action gameplay live on through Lost Judgement.”