SinceYakuza 0’sdebut outside of Japan in 2017, theYakuzagameshave seen a surge in worldwide popularity. However, with eight mainline games released over the course of 14 years, jumping into the series can seem like a daunting task. This only becomes more intimidating when considering the franchise’s various spinoffs likeFist of the North Star: Lost Paradise,Dead Souls, andJudgment.
For those hesitant to jump into this mammoth franchise, it might be worth checking out the last item on that list,Judgment,to determine if this quirky, over-the-top series is worth the commitment. While it is a spinoff, the detective-themed side-story has more in common with its source series than most otherYakuzaoffshoots, and it might even be a better series gateway than the most recent main entry,Like a Dragon.Like protagonist Takayuki Yagami,Judgmentmay not carry theYakuzaname, but it’s still an effective sampler of the series, nonetheless.
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Jumping into Yakuza: Judgment Versus Like A Dragon
Before evaluatingJudgment’smerit as a first step into theYakuzaseries, it’s important to first address the elephant in the room.Yakuza: Like a Dragonis a fresh start for the franchise complete with a new city to explore, as well as a new cast of memorable, lovable characters. It’s fair to assume this latest installment would be a great entry point into theYakuzaseries, but the large departure from the preceding games' gameplay might prevent it from filling that role for some.
Unlike the previous games, which were mostly 3D brawlers with room for exploration outside of combat,Like a Dragonis a turn-based RPG inspired by the likes ofDragon Quest, which also happens to be protagonist Ichiban Kasuga’s favorite game. Cheeky in-game references to the series aside, the long-running RPG franchise has a definite imprint onLike a Dragon;everything from the gameplay to character backstories and even the game’s Job System seems to take cues from Square Enix’s iconic franchise. It’s essentiallya newDragon Questgame, but instead of following a group of trained warriors who fight to prevent some type of mystical threat, it follows a group of mostly middle-aged homeless men looking for a new lease on life.
The game certainly matches theYakuzaseries’penchant for the unusual, but the radically different gameplay doesn’t necessarily give players a good idea of what to expect from otherYakuzagames. The rest of the series boasts fast-paced, beat-em-up action that was done away with inLike a Dragon,and the former games don’t have deep RPG mechanics as the latter does.WhileLike a Dragonitself is a grand old time, the foundation it’s built on has more in common withDragon Questand other similar RPGs than it doesYakuza,so just because one falls hard forLike a Dragondoesn’t mean they’ll feel the same about the rest of the series.
On the other hand,Judgementis perhaps the closest thing to an original, traditionalYakuzagame to release sinceThe Song of Lifeended the tale of Kazuma Kiryu. It plays very much like the older titles, being a 3D brawler where players switch between multiple fighting styles while rooting out corruption in a city — an apt description of many games in the series. It even sharesYakuza’scity of Kamurocho as its central setting. The narrative does differ in a few key areas, namely in that protagonistTakayuki Yagamiis neither a current nor even an ex-Yakuza, but plenty of common elements like Yakuza families, sacrificing one’s future to better another’s, and a wacky sense of humor all permeate the story. They also pair quite nicely with familiar gameplay to makeJudgmentfit right into theYakuzaseries, even if it doesn’t carry the name.
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Judgment Compared to Other Yakuza Spinoffs
Judgmentisn’t the onlyYakuzaspinoff out there, but of the series' side games, it’s probably the closest the spinoffs come to delivering an experience like the mainYakuzagames. Offshoots likeKurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō,andYakuza: Dead Soulsdeviate greatly from the series' established gameplay. The former is similar to a 2D fighter, while the latter is a third-person, survival-horror shooter about a zombie virus overtaking Kamurocho; it goes without saying neither is particularly representative of the core titles. There are two spinoff games besidesJudgment, however, that both comeclose to being great first games for prospective fans to check out.
Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!andRyū ga Gotoku Ishin!are each notable for eschewing the series' setting of modern-day Japan in favor of exploring Japanese history’s Samurai era. Despite the shift in setting, the two games still retain the core gameplay and characters seen throughout the main entries. This would probably make them great options for newcomers, as one could learn the basics ofYakuza’sgameplay while meeting some soon-to-be familiar faces and experiencing some unique, standalone stories. Unfortunately, these games were never released outside of Japan, making them not particularly viable as gateways to the franchise. TheYakuzaseries producer has expressed interest inlocalizingKenzanandIshinfor the west, but until there’s an official confirmation, it’s probably best that fans not get their hopes up for an English-language re-release.
As stated before,Judgmentexhibits many qualities seen in theYakuzagames, but another point in its favor is that it’s by far the most accessible. Along withDead Soulsand theYakuza-inspiredFist of the North Star: Lost Paradise(which may be a great entry point for the popular post-apocalyptic manga, but not necessarilyYakuza), it’s one of threeYakuzaspinoffs to be localized for a worldwide release thus far. Of that trio, it exhibits the most shared DNA with its source series.
Judgment: Gauging One’s Commitment to Yakuza
Witnessing the entirety ofKazuma Kiryu’snear-30-year-long tale can be a bit of an undertaking. To get the full story, one has to play seven full games, each consisting of roughly 30-40-hour-long stories, but that number can easily double or even triple depending on how much time one invests in the game’s side content, an endeavor that is highly encouraged.
Suffice to say, the sheer size and depth of theYakuzagames may be enough to ward off potential newcomers before they even get the chance to play one. But as a relatively new series,Judgmentdoesn’t have that problem; the series is only getting its second entry,Lost Judgment,in about two months. On top of exhibiting similar types of gameplay and stories to its closely-related series, the spinoff is also of a similar size to a typicalYakuzagame. As such, it does a great job of communicating the level of commitment one can expect from the core games, allowing players to better gauge their interest in the franchise.
WithYakuzaheaded in a turn-based direction, it looks likeJudgmenthas picked up the action-heavy mantle the series was once known for, effectively making it a spiritual successor to the saga of Kazuma Kiryu. All things considered,Judgmentmight just be the perfect way for those looking to dip their toes in theYakuzaseries to make an informed judgment before deciding one way or the other.
Lost Judgmentreleases on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on July 14, 2025.
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