By watching the trailer, it is easy to surmise that Lost Judgement is a boiling pot of different flavors. With skateboarding; fighting; riding a motorcycle, Road Rage-style); parkour; investigating, and even dancing thrown into the short trailer, we can be fairly certain the SEGA have gone all out on their next hit title.

Judgement was a Yakuza Spin-Off

After the resounding success that Yakuza garnered over the years, SEGA felt it was time to branch out; to begin anew with a fresh story, fresh characters, and new ideas; thus Judgement was born. In 2018, Judgement first landed on our shelves and gave fans of Japanese games a real treat. Scoring 80% on the usually point-shy Metacritic, it fast became evident that the game was a success and it went on to sell over one million copies across the globe. Lost Judgement is the second title of the Judgement franchise and is eagerly awaited by fans, the world over, that hold a real sense of love for the first title.

The Story behind Judgement

SEGA Executive Director, Toshihiro Nagoshi, has revealed that Lost Judgement will go to expand on the story from the original title. Going into further details about ***SPOILER ALERT*** the knock-on effects and the destructive fallout that came with the guilty verdict at the end of Judgement. SEGA has also announced that the game is set to take place in two locations, Tokyo and Yokohama, two of the busiest cities in Japan.

Lost Judgement will see the player stepping into the very worn shoes of Takayuki Yagami. The disgraced lawyer-cum-detective is tasked with going deep undercover at a Yokohama high school; paving the way for the roller-coaster experience we saw in the previous chapter of the story.

Judgement – Gameplay

Judgement Lost, like its predecessor, is a third-person action-adventure game. While focusing on a deep, intricate storyline, SEGA still manages to pack in a plethora of activities and ample opportunities to explore the world around you. With all of the activities I outlined earlier (there’s bound to be more in store too), with such a broad scope of gameplay, it’s doubtless that Lost Judgement will be slow to become stale and tired.

Aside from this, we are promised a fighting system that has been greatly improved since 2018’s Judgement and a brand new fighting style (Snake) has been implemented. The Snake fighting style will allow you to use your opponent’s energy against them.

Not Played Judgement?

If you have yet to experience the delights of Judgement then it’s highly advisable that you try and fit it in before putting your hand in your pocket to pay for the sequel. The storyline is canonical with the initial installment and runs pretty deep. Furthermore, with Judgement lasting around 80-hours for the main story alone, there’s a lot of plot to catch up on. With that being said, a basic level of understanding of Judgement’s plot should be enough to carry you through; so if you absolutely insist on playing them in the wrong order, at least do a little reading first, to avoid being met with an abyss of confusion.

Summary

With an action-packed trailer and a ridiculously awesome first game; Lost Judgement promises an unforgettable sequel to a groundbreaking franchise. The city in which the game’s events will transpire has been quoted as being “a living city that will change from day to night”; proffering the promise of deep exploration and a heightened level of realism.

Lost Judgement is coming out this September on the Xbox One, Xbox One X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Sadly, for reasons unconfirmed, Sega won’t be releasing Lost Judgement on PC, as with the earlier title.