Lost Judgment

 

In Yokohama, firefighters stumble across the body of Hiro Mikoshiba, a student teacher who had recently disappeared. One person who seems all too happy to see Mikoshiba dead is Tokyo police officer Akhiro Ehara, who blames Mikoshiba’s bullying for driving his son to commit suicide. Ehara, however, has a seemingly airtight alibi: at the time of Mikoshiba’s murder, he was caught groping a woman on a train, a crime for which he now stands trial. Suspicious, his legal team at Genda Law reaches out to their former colleague, lawyer-turned-detective Takayuka Yagami, to find out what really happened. Yagami and his partner Kaito head to Yokohama, reunite with friends Tsukumo and Sugiura, and begin to investigate the elite Seiryo High School in hopes of learning the truth. But as their investigation draws the attention of everyone from police to local gangs, it’s clear that someone doesn’t want that truth getting out.

 

The sequel to Sega’s 2018 Yakuza spinoff Judgment, Lost Judgment again offers a change-of-pace set in a familiar world. This time, however, that change goes beyond merely playing as a character on the (mostly) right side of the law. While the main Yakuza series has shifted to a turn-based RPG, Lost Judgment retains the classic brawling combat. It’s actually even deeper and more fluid here thanks to the new parry-and-counter oriented Snake style, one of several welcome additions. And yet to call Lost Judgment a superior sequel would overlook more than a few blemishes.

 

For all of their melodrama, machismo, and zany moments, Yakuza games have never shied away from tackling serious issues. Previous entries tackled mistreatment of the homeless, police and political corruption, immigrant exploitation, and the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s. Here, bullying, suicide, and sexual harassment take center stage. The first two are handled well, showing the impact of pushing teens to the brink, while the game’s approach to the third can best be described as tone-deaf. Another story-related concern: whereas Yagami had a personal stake in the events of the first Judgment, here he seems to be along for the ride. Yes, the case tests his commitment to his notion of justice, but it doesn’t hit the same way.

 

Gameplay is similarly hit-or-miss. Combat, as mentioned, remains a highlight, but for those not looking to fight the ubiquitous thugs that roam the city streets, Lost Judgment gives you the option of skateboarding right past them. The game’s investigation tools are deeper too, offering you not only the ability to look for clues but also, in certain circumstances, to sniff them out using a canine assistant. Less enjoyable is the new parkour (that utilizes a grip meter that depletes over time) and stealth (repetitive: move to a spot, throw a coin to distract, move to the next) mechanics. At least the game’s side content remains varied and mostly fun. Yagami gets to act as an advisor for various Seiryo High clubs, giving him a chance to do everything from dance to box to skateboard. The robotics club matches – picture robot Tetris with weapons and awkward controls – are a frustrating exception.

 

With Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi having moved on and Sega locked in a dispute with representatives for Takuya Kimura (Yagami’s character model and Japanese voice actor – Greg Chun delivers the English performance), Lost Judgment may be the last game of its kind. That’s a shame both because Yagami and the game’s combat will be missed and because while Lost Judgment is hardly a failure by any means, the side series deserves a stronger send-off.